SPORT
Cherries v West Brom
OPINION
FEATURES
P23
Halloween around the world
P12
Do we need more Harry Potter?
Meeting Brad Rock’s exclusive coverage
P10
P15
of the London Film Festival
Booze deaths rise Emily Cox
CHIEF SUB EDITOR
@thedreaminglily THERE has been an alarming rise in the number of deaths due to liver disease, according to a new study. A report by Public Health England (PHE) shows a 40% increase in liver deaths in England between 2001 and 2012, with men being twice as likely to be affected as women. And the statistics show
Bournemouth is worse than the national average in eight key categories. These include the under 75 age mortality rate from liver disease, alcohol related hospital admissions and the under 75 age mortality rate for alcohol related liver disease. In Poole the figures for hospital admission rates due to liver disease and the admission rate for alcoholic liver disease are also above the national average. The 40% national increase in liver deaths represents a rise from 7,841 deaths in England to 10,948.
Professor Julia Verne, Lead for Liver Disease at PHE, said: “Liver disease is a public health priority because young lives are being needlessly lost. “All the preventable causes are on the rise, but alcohol accounts for 37% of liver disease deaths. “We must do more to raise awareness, nationally and locally, and this is why it is so important for the public and health professionals to understand their local picture.” Going into more detail about liver disease, Professor Verne said: “Liver disease develops silently
and obvious signs and symptoms may only appear when changes are irreversible. Therefore the identification of people with risk factors for liver disease in primary care is a critical first step in the pathway.” Early symptoms of liver disease include abdominal pain, loss of appetite and fatigue. Professor Verne added catching liver disease early is key. She said: “Most people who die of liver disease don’t realise they’ve got it until a very late stage. “While their life can be prolonged,
they can’t be saved.” Other categories studied in the PHE report show the statistics for Bournemouth and Poole are similar for the rest of the country. But death rates from liver disease are increasing in England in contrast to most EU countries. Most liver disease is preventable and over 90% is due to three main risk factors: alcohol, viral hepatitis and obesity Liver disease is one of the leading causes of premature mortality in England. One in 10 people who die in their 40s die of liver disease.
2 News
Friday 31 October 2014| The Rock
BU wants to hear you Hannah Kane
ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR FRIDAY, 31 October 2014
News
Alarming child poverty statistics
7
Opinion
Why we shouldn’t be afraid of ebola
9
Features
@hannahkanee_ Bournemouth University has launched a new programme to celebrate the achievements and experiences of its staff and students, as well as members of the local community. Our BU Story intends to unearth a range of stories to promote the diversity offered at the University. These stories can include volunteering with the Student Union, research that is changing lives, working with the local community or overcoming obstacles to pursue studies. The project will replace the BU Proud vinyls featured around both the Talbot and Lansdowne campus with posters featuring the new BU stories. Stories will also be uploaded onto the Bournemouth University website homepage over the following months. One story already featured is that
of Douglas Tham. Throughout his time at the University, the Politics and Media student has achieved more than most; from founding the Politics Society, to undertaking work experience with MP Bob Ainsworth to attending the Salzburg Academy in the summer of 2014. Douglas said: “My time studying at BU has given me the confidence to pursue my aspirations, however difficult they may appear to be at first.” The BU student hopes to become a diplomat to cause change in the world. He said: “I want to promote cultural understanding so that people can work together more closely and understand each other. It’s the change the world needs.” By mid-November, a launch will take place to celebrate the vast collection of creativity and opportunities available within the BU community. To nominate yourself or a peer, contact the university at BUstory@ bournemouth.ac.uk, the Twitter account @bournemouthuni or #ourBUstory.
Talbot and Lansdowne campus will show your BU stories
ANA ADI
Editorial: A new year at The Rock
Exclusive on London Film Festival
15
Sport
Second title for Bournemouth’s motorbike star
22
Contact Email
editor@bournemouthrock.co.uk
Website
bournemouthrock.co.uk
@BournemouthRock
Hollie Wong EDITOR-IN-CHIEF @HollieWong THE Rock is back for another year to offer gripping news, unique features and local sports updates. This year we promise to bring you the same high standards and professional quality but with fresh and exciting content. Like last year The Rock will continue to come out every three weeks but our brand new website will be constantly updated with online content. To kick-start this academic year’s first issue we have the latest news from our alarming liver disease front page to an exclusive interview with Bournemouth West MP Conor Burns.
Opinions will rile your emotions with rants over Renée Zellweger’s new look and the Ebola crisis. As well as an interesting piece about the independence of Hong Kong. Our features section has some exciting insights into Halloween around the world featuring wonderful artwork by AUB illustration student India Mawbey. In this issue returning sports editor Jack Cozens also gives you an insight into AFC Bournemouth’s late win against West Brom. We have assembled a brand new team of writers and editors for this next year including first year journalism students Abi Simpson as our News Editor and Corrie Smith as Opinions Editor. Of course we have returning online editor Poppy Jeffery who last
year excelled in the role with our website being viewed more than 30,000 times. It’s a pleasure to be your new Editor-in-Chief. Last year’s Editor Tom Beasley and Deputy Editor Michael Seymour were a brilliant pair to work with and I can only hope to emulate their work. My biggest goals for this year is to make a real presence for The Rock online. Last year we had great success with our website but this year Poppy and I will be working ever harder to bring you the latest reviews and news happening in Bournemouth. This year The Rock will celebrate its 25th issue. This momentous achievement is one I really hope to mark by bringing you, the reader, the very best and most up to date
news and features. Our articles and features are always kept to the highest standard and I intend to maintain this standard throughout this year. Last year I took on the role of Deputy News Editor with fellow freshers Anna Hayward and Emma Baker taking up both of the senior roles on the feature team. We all jumped in head first to The Rock and though challenging, it was always rewarding to see your name in print. So if you’re interested in working for The Rock, contact us. Page four contains all the contact information you need and just in case you would like to speak to a member of the team specifically, our Twitter handles lie below our attributes. So if you want to write, blog, photograph or design, The Rock is the place for you.
News 3
The Rock | Friday 31 October 2014
Exclusive - ‘I’ll tell the truth as I see it’ Chloe Desave
DEPUTY ONLINE EDITOR @Chloe_Desave BOURNEMOUTH MP Conor Burns exclusively talks to The Rock about his role in government, the student vote and the looming presence of UKIP. Mr Burns visited Bournemouth University last week to talk to students and was even persuaded to take his first selfie. He said: “I think in the time I have been MP I have been very engaged with the university and the student population. I am here to represent you.” Mr Burns has been the Conservative Member of Parliament for Bournemouth West for four years and in that time he has been involved in many University activities including this year’s Fresher’s Fair and taking time out to talk to journalism students. Mr Burns has campaigned in parliament to extend and protect
student visas; this is a subject close to his heart as Bournemouth has many international students attending the University and has one of the biggest language school sectors in Britain. Mr Burns said he was “enormously proud of that.” He added: “We have visitors from all over the world who come here to learn English and the government was closing down that route for these people.” One of the biggest issues for students today is tuition fees and the challenge they face after leaving university as they get jobs and pay off the fees. Mr Burns was never committed to lowering tuition fees as he feared that if the Tories got into government, they would have to reverse it. He said: “I will tell the truth as I see it and I believe young people are mature and sensible and will see through any sort of bribery. “I hope they respond more to an honest candidate rather than someone that is going for a round of applause at the end of a sentence.”
Conor Burns talks to the Rock about tuition fees, UKIP’s chances in 2015 and selfies Mr Burns couldn’t avoid discussing the rapid emergence of UKIP. After winning their first seat in the House of Commons in the Clacton by-election Nigel Farage’s party has been making headlines across Britain. Mr Burns said: “UKIP is the party that’s against everything. It’s against immigration, it’s against gay marriage, and it’s really against
Britain in the modern world.” Although he shares their concern over uncontrolled immigration, he disagrees with them regarding their stance on same sex marriage. Mr Burns said as a gay man he would vote for what he thought was right. He still felt conflicted in the vote, however, as many of his constituents in Bournemouth were
HOLLIE WONG
firmly against the legislation. But he was supportive of it. He conceded that he may have lost a few votes in the upcoming 2015 UK election as a result of his decision. He said: “I decided to use my gut instinct and my judgement to vote for same sex marriage. “I would rather do what I think is right than pander to a minority.”
Bournemouth UKIP rep tips party for 2015 success
Laurence Fear came third in last year’s Winton East by-election for UKIP and Nigel Farage has been leader of the UK Independence Party since 2010
Tom Beasley @TomJBeasley A SENIOR figure within the Bournemouth branch of UKIP has lauded his party’s recent election performances and has suggested that Nigel Farage could hold the balance of power in another hung parliament. Laurence Fear stood for UKIP in
last year’s Winton East by-election and came in third place, only trailing the Labour runner-up by three votes. Speaking to The Rock, he expressed delight at UKIP’s victory in the Clacton by-election, but said that the party’s gains against Labour in Heywood and Middleton were “the real story of the night”. “We are now the only challenger to Labour in the North,” said Laurence. “I think there will be more defections from both the Conservatives and Labour. All I can say is watch this space.”
There has been controversy in recent weeks over UKIP’s provisional inclusion in one of the debates ahead of the 2015 General Election, but Laurence feels that the plans might not go far enough. “It’s been a long time coming, but if UKIP’s success continues and we win a second seat, I believe we will have to be in a second debate.” He said. With further by-elections on the way between now and the General Election in May, questions have been raised as to whether UKIP will be
able to maintain their position as a force in British politics. Laurence firmly believes that UKIP will be able to add to their first Parliamentary seat and continue to win votes into next year. He said: “If we go on and win in Rochester on November 20, we will be able to take our momentum through to the General Election next year and not just win seats, but get enough MPs in a hung parliament to hold the balance of power and bring some real and positive change.” UKIP plan to field candidates and
MICHAEL SEYMOUR/PA
mount serious campaigns to target 100 seats in next year’s general election. The Clacton MP Douglas Carswell has commented on the potential for UKIP to become a real power player in the 2015 election. “If UKIP ups its game and shows policies on all issues, not just Europe and immigration, then the potential is absolutely immense. It could be transformative. “We have six months and we have our work cut out. I am throwing everything into it.”
4 news
Friday 31 October 2014| The Rock
Million pound home for penguins Editorial Team Editor-in-Chief Hollie Wong Deputy Editor Anna PujolMazzini News Editor Abi Simpson Deputy NE Rebecca Miller Assistant NE Hannah Kane Assistant NE Essie Ade Ademiju Assistant NE Ester Ademiju Opinion Editor Corrie Smith Assistant OE Miguel Luigi Enriquez Features Ed Ellie Watson Deputy FE Roshan Roberts Assistant FE Sabina Uzunovic Assistant FE Mirva Villa Sports Editor Jack Cozens Deputy SE Jade Butcher Chief Sub Emily Cox Online Editor Poppy Jeffery Deputy OE Chloe Desave The Rock needs you. We still have many jobs available on the editorial and business staff, as well as online. To find out more and register your interest, visit: www.bournemouthrock.co.uk/getinvolved/ Letters to the editor must be signed (including the course of Bournemouth University students, the working title and school for staff members, company name, or home address for individuals 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: editor@bournemouthrock.co.uk
Anna Hayward @hayward94 THE Oceanarium on Bournemouth’s sea front will soon become home to a colony of penguins. The local tourist spot has received a £1.5 million investment to build a two-storey extension, which will contain a new penguin enclosure, sea view terrace and a walk through aviary. Set to open in summer next year, the extension’s centrepiece will be a new penguin beach, pool and underwater viewing area. The new penguin enclosure will also give visitors an opportunity to mingle with the penguins during feeding time in a special viewing area also set to be built. This is the first time the Oceanarium will be home to the penguins and other species. James Eels, UK Director at the Oceanarium, is delighted
by the renovation. He said: “I am confident that the penguins will be an amazing addition and the penguin enclosure has been specially designed to ensure people can get up close and personal with the animals. “This is a fantastic opportunity to build on our success and offer visitors more than ever before.” Five years of planning has been funnelled into the development, which will be the biggest renovation of the Oceanarium in 16 years.The expansion will increase the Oceanrium, owned by Spanish Leisure Park business Parques Peunidos, by a third. James added: “Indoor and outdoor eating spaces, a children’s play area and elevated views of some of the UK’s most stunning beaches are just a snapshot of what will be on offer. “We have enjoyed a super summer season and this news rounds off the year perfectly.” Work will begin on the new penguin home this month, with visitors still able to enjoy the Oceanarium with no disruption throughout the project.
The penguin centerpiece will be the main attraction
RAUL ISADO
SUBU officers elected Miguel Luigi Enriquez ASSISTANT OPINIONS EDITOR @MiguelLuigiE THE annual elections to appoint SUBU part time officers took place this weekend. Forty positions across the four different councils, including activities, welfare, education and Lansdowne were contested. Multiple candidates were returning SUBU officers but stood for different positions. Physiotherapy student Olivia Tuckerman stood for a higher position this year with Bournemouth university students voting her in as the Lansdowne council executive officer. The elected students now have the responsibility to work together with SUBU to improve the entire student body’s university experience. During the campaign period, Bournemouth University’s Talbot Campus, was abundant with posters and hand outs. However, the most important promotional strategy seemed to be speaking to individual students. Second year Business Studies student Georgia Rose won the position for Welfare Executive Officer.
50 successful candidates were voted in by students to represent their best interests She said: “They [students] said they have no one to go to for advice. There’s SUBU advice, but they’d like someone who’s their own age. So I’d really like to put myself out there and be accessible to people for advice.” Public Health post-graduate Farrah Geddes, who was elected as Lansdowne volunteering and RAG officer, has worked with the student union from her previous university. She said: “During my undergrad in Australia, I was very much
involved in the Student Council. I was president of a society and of two others. I also took part in organising events for my university.” English student Katharina Hendrickx, won the position for International Officer for EU Students. She said: “During my first year I founded the BU European Society and from then on I was in the committee and now I’m its President so I’m really into being involved with international students.” SUBU’s full-time President, Chloe
HOLLIE WONG
Schendel-Wilson, was pleased with how the elections went and felt all the candidates competed fairly and ethically. She emphasised the importance of involving as many of the student body as possible. She said: “It was really nice to see plenty of new faces no matter which year they were in. We got over 700 votes and you don’t expect that many to be involved with this whole process which was really good.”
news 5
The Rock | Friday 31 October 2014
BU fundraiser goes the extra mile Jack Cozens SPORTS EDITOR @JCozensTCN A BOURNEMOUTH University student is bidding to make history for a second time, as he prepares to take on one of the most prestigious 10km events in the world. David Clarke, a fourth year retail management student, will travel to Addis Ababa to take on the Great Ethiopia Run in November and is set to become the first person to complete all 17 of the United Kingdom’s ‘great events’ when he crosses the finishing line. It’s not the first time Clarke has been featured in The Rock. The 20-year-old also made an appearance last year, after he and fellow retail management student Peter Cooper became the first men to cycle between all 92 football league grounds in one go – covering more than 2400 miles in the process – in aid of Clarke’s family charity, Edgar’s Gift. But not content with one recordbreaking attempt, Clarke decided at the beginning of the year to take on a fresh challenge, and has been ‘Doing the Greats’ – from The Great North Run, to the Great London Swim – since January, a process that will have spanned more than ten months by its end. “There are one or two challenges – or 17 to be precise,” he joked. “Off the back of ‘Cycling the 92’ last year I think that gave me the bug to do something else and I’ll probably do something every year now. “But it’s the case that once you’ve done one you get into it so I was always looking for something to do. “I was going to do 25 challenges or something similar, and then I saw the Great North Run and started to look into it more and found out that there are a lot of them [‘Great’ events]. So when I found out there were so many, I wondered if anyone had ever done them all. “I emailed the Great run organisers and asked about it, they confirmed that no one had so as soon as they said that, I was sold.” Speaking about his preparations leading into the events, the 20-year-old said that the order that the events had followed had allowed him to build up his fitness, although some of the disciplines had been harder to cope with than others. “The first one, the Great Winter Run in Edinburgh was in January and that was a 5k [kilometre], the second was in Ireland in April and that’s a 10k so it was the case that I could use one event as training for the next one. “I hoped I would be able to do a
5k, which I was, and then worked my way up from there, but the swims were a hell of a shock. I didn’t do any training really for swimming – one of my friends had a swimming pool but it was really short so I couldn’t really get an idea about my breathing or anything, so when I jumped in the water, it was like a cat had been thrown in but I did finish it – I think that [the Great North Swim] was probably the hardest mental challenge I’ve ever had. “I just thought about the time and money I’d put into it and couldn’t live with going back and saying I’d failed it so I had to get through it.” His family charity, Edgar’s Gift, was set up in 2010 after his stepbrother Ben died following a battle against the rare muscular cancer rhabdomyosarcoma, and provides cancer sufferers with respite by paying for ‘gifts’ – which cover days out, holidays and other experiences. And aside from raising funds, one of the most important and satisfying parts of Clarke’s work has been spreading the name of the charity, and he admitted that he was taken aback by how far word of the charity had travelled. “We’re currently at £1,300, so I’d like to get to £2,000 – that would take my personal total up to £20,000 for the charity which would be nice.” Clarke revealed that the challenge is likely to have set him back £3000 with his trip to Africa accounting for nearly a third of that total, but he insisted that he hadn’t questioned his motivation for undertaking the challenge at any stage. “I’d never done a massparticipation run before and they are ten times different than running on a treadmill or going for a run on your own because as soon as you do one of these events, something clicks and you get really into it – as soon as you do one, you start wanting to better your time and beat people. I’ve certainly got into the runs a lot more and I want to improve my swimming now.” After finishing the Great South Run at the weekend, the trip to Ethiopia is all that remains for Clarke to complete his challenge, but heading to a completely different environment, he revealed that he wasn’t certain about what to expect. “I haven’t got a clue,” he admitted. “It’s the fifth highest capital in the world and it’ll be a nice change of conditions – I think it’ll be around 23 degrees and November is the lowest month for precipitation so it should be nice and dry.” Within a month, Clarke will have two record-breaking fundraising efforts to his name, but far from wanting to stop there, he suggested that his next challenge was already taking shape. “I will probably do something every year – it’s a bit irritating. I’ve got an idea in mind, it’s a bit of a silly one, but we’ll see have to see nearer the time.”
BU Fudraiser David Clarke after completing the Great North Swim in Lake Windermere
DAVID CLARKE
Clarke during the Great Birmingham Run and celebrating in the sea after his 16th event DAVID CLARKE
6 news
Friday 31 October 2014| The Rock
BU students premiere film in London Hollie Wong EDITOR-IN-CHIEF @HollieWong A GROUP of Bournemouth University students premiered their independent war film in Leicester Square this month. The Journal was written and directed by second year Television students. Their independent film is centred on Blake, a young man who 100 years after the First World War discovers his grandfather’s struggle in the trenches by reading his old journal. Tim Mizon, a second year TV student and already an awardwinning director, organised a group of fellow BU students and friends to make The Journal. “Basically a group of us wanted to make a film. I had personally made a war film before The Journal. “But I really wanted to do it again, especially as this year is the 100th anniversary of the First World War so it’s a great opportunity to make this film and put it towards the commemoration going on this year.” The group have been writing and producing The Journal for over six months, journeying to France, Belgium and Yorkshire to film the trench scenes and to visit World
War Two cememtries in France. Tim said: “It was a good experience, not just in terms of filming and learning new skills but also in seeing the cemeteries and remembering that this was all real. “It’s there in front of your eyes when you visit the graves of these soldiers and so it was a good experience for all of the crew to see.” The group funded the film by using crowd-funding programmes Kickstarter and Indiegogo as well as putting in some of their own money. The film’s premiere took place at the W Hotel in Leicester Square. Tim was very grateful for the opportunity to show the group’s work. He said: “It’s quite a prestigious place; One Direction had their film premiere in the same hotel so it’s a great opportunity to put our film there.” Yet the biggest thing for Tim was working alongside fellow BU students and friends to make The Journal. He said: “We’re all friends who just wanted to make a film and The Journal was a great opportunity to do something together away from the usual university work. “We felt that BU was giving us the ideas and we could go from their brief but we also had the freedom of making our own personal film. “So it was a great opportunity for us all and we really loved working with each other as everyone worked so hard.”
Some of the BU TV students who filmed The Journal gather to pose for photographs
SARAH TERRY
National card competition held in Bournemouth Kellie Wyatt ASSISSTANT ONLINE EDITOR @kelliewyatt
Two players compete in the Magic the Gathering grand prix to get to the final
KELLIE WYATT
PLAYERS came from all over the UK to Bournemouth to compete in the trials for the Magic the Gathering Madrid grand prix. The turnout at the Bournemouth University trials was bigger than expected, with 22 players competing for the grand prize. Similar to games such as Yu-Gi-Oh! and Pokemon, players trade cards and battle each other to become triumphant and gain a victory over their competitors. The games begun on Saturday, with many of the attendees being experienced players having spent all week perfecting their decks for the challenges ahead. The format of the grand prix trial was modern, with the players having the chance to use cards from older sets. There were five rounds of fifty minutes, each consisting of three games. At the end of those rounds, eight leading players were left to play against each other for the chance to win.
Magic the Gathering player Torran Brewers found he was unprepared for the favoured burn decks of this particular competition. He said: “I have lots of small creatures which will stall them but nothing really effective against them.” Some players knew from the beginning who was going to succeed. Player Alex Mortimer wished he’d brought a different deck after playing a weak game in the beginning. Louis Davies attended with “all of [his] buddies just to play a few games” and came 8th in the running. The winners of the day were Sean Knowleden and Tim Lansdale. Sean said that winning is only part of the fun, adding: “I came to see people I haven’t seen in a while. I like the community.” The grand prix finale event is to take place in Madrid at the end of November. The grand prix trial held in Bournemouth is an independently run qualifier for those competing in the finale events. Bournemouth is a popular gaming destination with many communities available to join. Popular gaming stores including Warez on the Winton High Street, Lvl Up Gaming on Charminster high street and Paradox Comics at the end of Poole High Street.
news 7
The Rock | Friday 31 October 2014
Work begins on Pier Approach Abi Simpson News Editor
@AbiJournalism STAGE one of Bournemouth Borough Council’s seafront strategy is well underway, with the construction of the new Pier Approach. It is one of the first sites to be tackled under the Council’s 20 year vision to develop a worldclass seafront, with the £4 million development hoping to be completed by spring 2015. The approach has faced massive changes in the last few years from its unpopular IMAX cinema to an open-air theatre. Dave Lake, 53, a land train driver on Bournemouth beach, says the construction hadn’t affected business and once finished, he hopes it will boost the town. He said: “Recent passengers have been excited about the development, especially the locals and the older people who come back here every year.” The aim of the development is to make the seafront more interactive, with water play features and colourful displays using low energy lighting to create a more inviting atmosphere for visitors.
Dave Lake drives the land train on Bournemouth beach and thinks that revamping the area will boost tourism Plans include connecting the Bourne Stream that runs through the Lower Gardens to the sea, demolishing the Waterfront building to re-landscape the area and rejuvenating the surrounding public spaces and amenities for the future. A spokesperson for the Council said: “We want to ensure
a sustainable future for new generations of residents and visitors to continue to enjoy our awardwinning seafront. “The seafront is the town’s most important visitor attraction, supporting a local tourist industry with over 11,000 employees, worth £462m a year.
“It is vital that the town moves forward to safeguard and grow our visitor economy with a competitive world class seafront experience.” Plans for the funding of phase two of the Pier Approach are yet to surface as the council must secure external sources of funding. So far the Approach has been funded by
ABI SIMPSON
Bournemouth Borough Council. Councillor for Tourism, Leisure and Culture, Lawrence Williams, said: “The future presentation of this space is vital if we are to inspire a new generation to visit Bournemouth.” The Pier Approach is part of the Council’s bigger seafront strategy.
Concerns over child poverty in Boscombe and Kinson Joe Nerssessian @joenerssesian
Councillor Kelly: Boscombe is one of the most socially deprived areas in the South West
ANA ADI
OVER twenty per cent of children are living in a state of poverty across parts of Bournemouth, according to figures released by the Campaign to End Child Poverty. The figures show that in Boscombe and Kinson council wards one in five children are exposed to poverty. The national average is one in six. The overall average for Bournemouth is sixteen per cent down from nineteen per cent in 2012 but one per cent above the national average. Boscombe West has the highest percentage of children living in poverty at 23 per cent although that has dropped from 31 per cent in recent years. Councillor Jane Kelly, of Boscombe West ward, said: “Boscombe is one of the most socially deprived areas in the South West so unfortunately it will have more children in poverty. It is an important issue and we are fighting it.” Councillor Kelly believes poverty has reduced in her ward through the Boscombe Regeneration Partnership, which is looking to improve the area.
“Through the partnership we have a group focused on child education, working with schools and children to improve and educate. It can be hard to find the problems because they’re not always visible. We work with children in schools and work backwards to see if there are other problems at home.” The End Child Poverty campaign (ECP) believe that child poverty leads to social exclusion and creates further problems in education, employment, mental health and social interaction. The new report looks to compare the close proximity of areas with high and low poverty statistics. The council ward with the least percentage of children in poverty is East Southbourne and Tuckton where less than one in ten children are living below their means. Chair of End Child Poverty, David Holmes said: “These figures reveal just how widely and deeply child poverty reaches into our communities, even those areas generally regarded as well off. “Far too many children whose parents are struggling to make a living are suffering as a result and missing out on the essentials of a decent childhood that all young people should be entitled to. We can and must do better for our children.”
8 news
Friday 31 October 2014| The Rock
Charity event lights up pier Magdalena Balenovic
MULTIMEDIA EDITOR @ Megica1 BOURNEMOUTH Hospital Charity and Macmillan Caring Locally have teamed up for a special event called ‘Light up the Prom’ to remember or celebrate a loved one. The ceremony last week involved participants buying tea lights to light up Bournemouth Pier. The emotional evening started with a speech given by the Mayor, Councillor Christopher Mayne who shared his empathy for the lost loved ones. The pier was lit by hundreds of tealights and a firework display at the end of the night JAKE BOUMA He said: “We are all in the same situation, we are here but for a short based in Christchurch. “We got together earlier this year skies of Bournemouth Pier, while period of time on this earth and All the names of those who were and thought what kind of event we participants were emotional as they it’s nice to have an occasion where celebrated or remembered at the can do together. remembered those they’ve lost. everyone get’s together to remember ceremony will be entered into a “We wanted to do something Bournemouth local, Kimberly, people.” Book of Light held at both the Royal visual and something that would took part in the light show event The crowd also observed a one Bournemouth and Christchurch appeal to both Bournemouth in order to commemorate her minute silence in remembrance with Hospital chapels. Hospital and Macmillan Caring grandfather. a fireworks display marking the end The organisers were very pleased Locally supporters. She said: “It’s a noble cause and it of the ceremony. to sell over 700 tea lights with over “Everyone loves fireworks and brings everyone together. In the run-up to the event a thousand people coming to the everyone wants to remember loved If you are sad and feeling alone, participants bought electronic tea Bournemouth Pier to support the ones. This event is specific because then you can come here to an event lights available at the Bournemouth charity and the event. no matter the age or ability it brings like this where everyone else is Hospital Charity Office or at the Barry Wilson, Events Officer at everyone together.” feeling the same so you know you’re Macmillan Caring Locally centre Bournemouth Hospital Charity said: The lights and the fireworks lit the not on your own.”
Halo promotes anti-trafficking night Ellie Watson
FEATURES EDITOR @El_Watson0 HALO nightclub is hosting a one-off event to promote awareness of antitrafficking charity ‘No More Traffik’. ‘Transcend’ was created by Christian organizer Rachel Young to raise awareness of sex trafficking but also to inspire young people to go out without being dependent on alcohol or drugs to have a good night. The vision for ‘Transcend’ came to Rachel when she attended a similar event. She said: “We were all in a nightclub, dancing and having fun, but it was a pure experience. “We were not excessively drinking because we didn’t want the bad side
Halo nightclub is hosting the ‘No More Traffik’ event ALWYN LADELL
effects, and the feeling of sickness, guilt and shame that can come the next morning. “There was a feeling of true fulfillment and happiness about the night, instead of a temporary fulfillment.” Rachel describes ‘Transcend’ as an event to make memories, instead of forgetting them. International DJs, local artists and designers will be providing entertainment and music for the event at Halo on 6 November. Upstairs, a smoothie bar will be part of the Free VIP Access, as well as a photo booth, free UV body paint artists and incredible DJs performing all night for everyone who attends. Alcohol will be served on the night, although this is not the main focus of the event. Instead, Rachel hopes that ‘Transcend’ “will be the beginning of the nightclub culture shift.”
Transcend takes place on Thursday 6 November
RACHEL YOUNG
Bournemouth Christmas Festival
BOURNEMOUTH’S Christmas Festival is fast approaching. For the sixth year running it will be held in the town square and surrounding streets. Organisers S & D Leisure Europe Ltd will be bringing the market to Bournemouth on 13 November 2014 until 4 January 2015. This year’s festival will see the return of the German Alpine Bar and the usual stream of stalls selling local produce. The festival is inspired by a traditional German tale of ‘Weihnachtsmarkt’, aiming to capture the spirit of an authentic German Christmas. Traditional German food and drink is one of the most popular features of the event, most notably the BBQ Bratwurst House that offers authentic cuisine including sausages, roasted chestnuts and crepes. In addition the Moose Bar and beer garden will once again be a feature of the market, selling traditional German lager and mulled wines. The Christmas Lights procession will take place on 28 Friday November starting at 6pm. The stars of this year’s local pantomime, Peter Pan, will lead local families and children through the town.
UKIP office to open in Lansdowne
A NEW UKIP office is to open on Landsdowne Road in the run up to the next general election. Martin Houlden, UKIP prospective parliamentary candidate for Bournemouth West, has stated that the new office had just been signed, and is in some need of renovation. Mr Houlden said: “The new office has only just been signed, and so we’ve got a bit of time ahead of us yet to redecorate it and bring it up to the standard that’s needed. It’s cheap, but that’s because we’ve got some work to do.” Following the party’s first MP victory in Clacton, by UKIP defector Douglas Carswell, the party are optimistic about their future in Bournemouth. A source from inside the party has expressed a strong belief that further defections are coming. Bournemouth Borough Council has long been dominated by the Conservative Party. However UKIP, led by Nigel Farage who is a founding member of the party, have been gaining more support in the area. This was demonstrated by UKIP finishing in third place at last year’s Winton East by-election.
opinion 9
OPINION
Friday 31 October 2014 | The Rock
Ebola won’t kill us yet Corrie Smith
OPINIONS EDITOR @Corrie_R_Smith
At first, Ebola seemed terrifying. A deadly assassin waiting to seep into our veins and kill. The high fatality rate of the disease and so called ‘reports’ of zombie-like activity from those suffering did very little to reassure me that I will survive. I had visions of decaying beings stumbling around in a hunt for brains whilst health officials examined the situation in hazmat suits, a scene reminiscent of a Breaking Bad-The Walking Dead crossover. Now that would be something I’d love to see. The World Health Organisation declared it an ‘international health emergency’. I declare it as panicking for the sake of panicking. In no means am I detracting from the fact that Ebola has already killed between 5,000 and 15,000 people. That is a tragedy. But all it takes is a little reminder that back in 2009, we were all just as afraid of catching swine flu and the vast majority of us managed to avoid that pandemic. The WHO were criticised at the time for its over preparation. Head of Health at the Council of Europe, Wolfgang Wodarg, labeled swine flu as a ‘false pandemic’ and ‘one of the greatest medical scandals of the century’.
Hong Kong A struggle with identity
Ebola workers clear an area of contamination in New Guinea It may lose that title very soon. Ebola is actually difficult to catch. Here’s a little science. It isn’t airborne. It cannot be contracted unless there is direct contact with the blood or bodily fluids of someone infected. If the British government aren’t too concerned then neither should we be, publishing this statement on their website:“The risk to the general public in the UK remains very low”. It has also become apparent that Ebola isn’t the death warrant it appeared to be. Nina Pham, a nurse infected with the disease whilst treating a patient, was this week
Food
Fussiness feeds frustration The ‘Umbrella Revolution’ in Central Hong Kong PASU AU YEUNG
Miguel Luigi Enriquez Deputy Opinions Editor @MiguelLuigiE
opinonseditor @bournemouthrock.co.uk
discharged from a US hospital after a complete recovery. On her release, she met with President Obama who wasn’t afraid to give her a warm, welcoming hug. The President has said that the treatment of Ebola “must be guided by facts, not fear”. It seems the US leader has a bit more sense than our own. This week, David Cameron pledged £80 million to help “contain and eradicate” the epidemic. That may seem like a good thing. After all, prevention is better than cure right? I agree it is but the government has already donated
£125 million to fighting Ebola, something that in their words is ‘low risk’ to us. Perhaps it would be more worthwhile putting that money into the NHS so that if, and when, this country does face a medical crisis, we will have better facilities to be able to treat it. It could have been a substantial benefit in finding a cure for cancer, or treating heart and lung disease, illnesses which kill a staggering amount of the British public every year. Ebola shouldn’t be a priority to the UK.
back and forth the local Cantonese dialect and English - sometimes even mixing the two into “Chinglish”. However, this multicultural facet of the city has recently shown a dark side in light of the ongoing Hong Kong protests, commonly known as the “Umbrella Revolution”. The people of Hong Kong are upset at Beijing’s decision to handpick candidates for the city’s upcoming elections for Chief Executive (the region’s highest political position). This move by Beijing is blurring the line for Hong Kong as to whether or not they are still truly independent from China. Having grown up in the neighbouring city Macau, which is also under the same “One Country, Two Systems” government, I understand the concerns of the citizens of Hong Kong. People from China’s Special Administrative Regions don’t like to identify themselves as Chinese. To the people of Macau, they are Macanese. To the people of Hong Kong, they are Hong Kongers. They like to think that they have their own distinct identity detached from those that have heavily influenced their culture today, and
understandably so. Nobody likes to be compared to his or her parents, right? This is the trouble with relatively young cities such as Hong Kong. It is still searching for its identity while also trying to prove itself on the international stage. For the most part, it’s proud of its associations from parent-figures, China and the United Kingdom. However, it also doesn’t want to be confined to those definitions. The question is, what happens in 2047 when the “One Country, Two Systems” contract expires? Hong Kong is likely to be absorbed back into China completely with the Beijing government’s controversial decision from last month being the main sign of the beginning of this tough transition. The only thing that could prevent this from happening is stronger resistance from the adamant people of Hong Kong but historically (Tiananmen Square in 1989), China has proven itself to be just as ironwilled. Two tenacious beings against each other is never a good start but it just goes to show, the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.
Hong Kong - a city at a crossroad
9
10
EUROPEAN COMMISSION DG ECHO
Hong Kong has always struggled with a major identity crisis. Once a former British colony, it was only handed back to China in 1997 under the “One Country, Two Systems” policy which promised another fifty years of limited autonomy from the mainland
government. For the most part, Hong Kong has benefited from the convergence of Eastern and Western culture. Buddhist shrines are scattered all over the city just as its signature skyscrapers are. Expats and locals coexist whether it’s having traditional afternoon tea in a Chinese-style cafe or having dinner in internationally renowned restaurants. Walk around the city and you’ll hear teenagers skillfully switching
10 opinion Do we need more Harry? Abi Simpson NEWS EDITOR
@AbiJournalism
Warner Bros have announced that a new trilogy of Harry Potter films will be released over the next few years, starting in 2016. Is this the next best thing for fans, or is JK Rowling’s $1 billion fortune not enough for her? As a massive fan of Harry, I am very excited for the release of these three brand new films that will update the franchise. The first of the trilogy will be based on one of the textbooks used by the wizards in the original series called ‘Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them’; the textbook was released in full for muggles in aid of Comic Relief in 2001. The new trilogy is centred on the adventures of Newt Scamander, the fictional author of the beastly textbook and wizarding ‘magizoologist’. Some would argue that fictional characters shouldn’t be immortal, and all good things must come to an end. I agree but Rowling’s wizarding world shouldn’t be on the way out just yet. There are still loads of possibilities for Rowling’s universe, and just because the original series has ended, doesn’t mean we shouldn’t be able to delve deeper into supporting characters of the novels. But the new films do need to be different. There is only so many times Harry, Ron and Hermione can defeat Voldemort before we all start losing interest. Newt is a brand new character to the screen. Rowling herself said how important it was to revamp the series if she were ever to return to it. “I always said that I would only revisit the wizarding world if I had an idea that I was really excited about and this is it,” said Rowling. Of course there are the cynics that think these new adventures are only being released because JK Rowling is hungry for more money. But there is no real reason why she shouldn’t make money from the franchise. She invented Hogwarts and everything that comes with it; so she is perfectly entitled to make the most out of her genius. Rowling provided many of us with our childhoods through her words and through her charity work she continues to make lives better. Rowling has been involved with a number of charities including Lumos, the Anne Rowling Regenerative Neurology Clinic, Gingerbread, and Volent. Not only did she earn her money fair and square but she also gives a lot of it up to help others. So just sit back and enjoy the new adventures from the world of Potter.
Friday 31 October | The Rock
My ‘beef’ with fussy eaters Poppy Jeffery ONLINE EDITOR
@PoppyDJeffery Fussy eaters and trend followers are causing me a massive problem. I’ve always been allergic to eggs, seriously allergic. I go into anaphylactic shock if I eat anything containing them so eating out has always been rather tricky for me. Recently, however it’s got much harder to get my allergy to be taken seriously in restaurants. As the popularity of gluten free diets and veganism spreads, I have found that the restaurants I visit are treating my allergy as a dietary accessory. I am not saying that it’s not a great idea to watch what you eat, but when people go into a restaurant and make a fuss about their food being gluten free or vegan based, just on the basis that they’re avoiding them rather than for mandatory health reasons, I find that my dietary needs are thought of as superficial rather than a health risk. Waiters have previously said to
me, “So you’re intolerant of eggs?”, or “It’s only got a bit of egg in it, I’m sure you’ll be fine with it’. Here’s a clue, I won’t. It’s a need for better understanding of allergies as well and what makes them different to intolerances which is needed; also having an epipen instore with staff trained to use it and for all staff to recognise the symptoms of anaphalxis. Being intolerant isn’t the same as being allergic; my dietary restrictions are an actual serious health risk and need to be taken seriously and unfortunately the growing culture of fad diets is demeaning to my real food needs. Don’t get me wrong, veganism and vegetarianism is a great way to live. Reducing your red meat intake has positive effects on your cholesterol, while spinach, lentils and kidney beans contain more iron than your average steak. But my point is there are always options on the menu for these diets and so there is no fallout fuss. The real damage is done when people demand their food is checked for things that wouldn’t cause them any physical harm but don’t suit their individual tastes.
Food for thought: time to take allergies seriously I’m not attacking those who choose specialist diets; it’s just that being stubborn in restaurants about personal dietary choices is having a significantly negative impact on those who have no choice but to check their food. I’d much rather people chose conservatively on menus, it’s what
IAN SLANE
I do. I pick something I know is egg free, having checked the online allergen information before I go, to save making a fuss in store. Life would be so much easier if food fussers did that, and if you’re unnecessarily avoiding a food item, please save a thought for those who don’t have a choice.
Renée Zellweger has aged - get over it Hannah Kane
ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR @hannahkanee_
Renée’s transformation has been splashed across the papers
PA
Apparently, ageing happens to everyone, even celebrities, and its most recent ‘victim’ is Bridget Jones star Renée Zellweger. After her appearance at the Elle Women in Hollywood Awards, the disbelief which burst over the internet confounded me. Critics raged that she did not look like the fresh faced beauty of thirteen years ago. Is this really surprising considering she is now a forty-five year old woman and has gone through a lot since she graced our screens as Bridget? Rather than celebrating her recovery from an eating disorder, the public accused her of having undergone plastic surgery and looking unrecognisable. The double-edged sword of celebrity culture has struck again; criticism for accepting age, condemnation for wanting to look younger due to the unattainable standards of the media. The actress Julia Roberts has also spoken out to You magazine over the importance of aesthetics in the industry. She said: “By Hollywood standards, I guess I’ve already taken a big risk in not having had a facelift.”
It’s a terrible shame that well known people who are excellent in their work are judged solely for the way they look. Renée has rightly put the rumours to rest in People magazine. Commenting on her appearance change she said: “People don’t know me in my 40s... perhaps I look different. Who doesn’t as they get older?” She has also expressed her joy at living a healthier lifestyle. She added: “I’m glad folks think I look different! I’m living a different, happy, more fulfilling life, and I’m thrilled that perhaps it shows.” If the focus must be on her personal life at all, it should be on her newfound happiness and not that she (unsurprisingly) looks different from when she was thirty two. I think it’s outrageous that at an awards ceremony that celebrates the work of women, the focus was on Renée’s ‘new’ face, instead of more pressing matters such as the achievements of some of the most inspiring and influential women in Hollywood today. Should we expect a further backlash when the third Bridget Jones movie is produced? Critics may argue that Renée’s new look may not be true to the Bridget Jones character. I personally think she looks happy and enjoying her new sense of self, with or without the media’s approval.
features 11
The Rock | Friday 31 October 2014
FEATURES
‘Dangerous’ women reshape modern art
New exhibition ‘Dangerous Women’ is challenging gender stereotypes by showing how women have reshaped art Anna Pujol-Mazzini DEPUTY EDITOR @annapmzn
Halloween How religions perceive the spooky day
12 Film-tastic Celebrities shine at BFI London Film Festival
15 Email
featureseditor @bournemouthrock.co.uk
On a windy Friday evening, a crowd starts to gather in the main room of the Russell- Cotes Art Gallery and Museum, by the beach. Art lovers, reporters, students, they all came to celebrate ‘Dangerous Women!, those who helped shape art throughout history and the name of the museum’s latest exhibition. Sue Hayward, the museum manager, has only one word to start with: lucky. Lucky that the founders, Merton and Annie Russell-Cotes, “amassed a remarkable number of artworks by female artists between 1858 and 1920.” After a few speeches AUB graduate Robin James Sullivan performs a song from the Little Mermaid, and to keep challenging gender assumptions, he is dressed as a woman. The exhibition is now officially open. Starting in the 18th century, it illustrates how women artists established themselves in what used to be ‘a man’s world’. It featured, Angelica Kauffman,
“ Women artisits
established themelves in what used to be a ‘man’s world’
”
founder of the Royal Academy of Arts, and the first women who gained entry to the artistic circles through their male relatives and patrons. But even when they did gain entry, the women still had to work in the shadows. Their pieces were often restricted and sold at a much lower price than those of their male counterparts. They weren’t even allowed to attend art schools. A quote by John Ruskin, art critic, overshadows the room: “I have always said no woman can paint.” Those challenges brought women to challenge male-dominance and
artistic standards, tackling risky topics and high art. Among them, Bournemouth-born Lucy Kemp-Welch, horse-painter and early feminist. Kemp-Welch became famous overnight when her painting Colt Hunting was hung at the Royal Academy. But she was a woman in 1897, and she was painting a masculine subject. Even though the Tate Gallery opened the same year, the painter’s work was never showcased, as she was seen as a dangerous supporter of the suffragettes.
“ Women challenged
male dominance and artisitc standards tackling risky topics and high art
”
It was only in 1998 that the painting left the gallery’s basement and was showcased for the first time. Ending the tour is a sculpture of Amy Winehouse by Pokesdownbased Linda Joyce, and a bed with cover sheets sewn by Tracey Emin, affirming that she is ‘here to stay’. Emin is the shaft of hope that ends the exhibition, showing she is one of the most famous female artists working today. Councillor Lawrence Williams, Portfolio-Holder for the Economy and Tourism, said: “We’re delighted to be bringing work by Tracey Emin to Bournemouth; Tracey is only the second female professor in the Royal Academy’s 250-year history, and is now assessed as one of the 100 most powerful women in the UK.” But even though progress has been made, there are still barriers to take down for women artists. As Tracey Emin told Time Out London in an interview earlier this year, “Louise Bourgeois has the highest female sales price at auction but it is so far below her male counterparts, it’s unbelievable. Were she a man it would be ten times more.” Bourgeois’ most expensive piece of art, Spider, was sold at an auction for an amazing $10.7 million. As a comparison, her male competitor, Paul Cezanne, had his painting, The Card Players, sold for more than $250 million in 2011.
Anna Alma-Tadema’s artwork Russell-Cotes Art Gallery & Museum
Angelica Kauffman’s soilder
Russell-Cotes Art Gallery & Museum
12 features
Friday 31 October 2014 | The Rock
Around the world
Paganism and Christianity couldn’t be more different but many of Halloween’s origins lie in both religions. Halloween is celebrated by millions around the world but how do these two religions acknowledge it? Anna Hayward hayward94 Halloween is one of the world’s oldest holidays that is celebrated by numerous countries around the globe. Halloween’s origins lie in Paganism but were overshadowed by the rise of Christianity and finally cannibalized by third world consumer culture. Consequently religiously Halloween is a controversial topic because it is one of the only popular holidays of the year shared by more than one religion. There can be a struggle between both religions wanting to keep the holiday to their religious origins but also rejecting celebrating the modernised verson of it because of its negative connotations and modernised practises. In Wicca Paganism, Halloween
There can be a “struggle between both
religions wanting to keep the holiday to their religious origins
”
is New Year’s Eve and called Samhain. Pagans believe that on Halloween the veil between the physical world and spirit world is at its thinnest and spirits can pass through. Lois Shearing, a journalism student at Bournemouth University and a Pagan, says most Pagans believe that they can come back to Earth for one night to finish business and check on loved ones. “Because the spirits are in our world the tradition is to leave out food for them, to appease and show appreciation for them. Sweet foods attract good spirits, whereas placing Jack O’lanterns in doorways wards off bad spirits, protecting the house. Some pagans perform rituals to honour the dead.” Lois has been a Pagan since the age of 12 when she started reading about it and felt the religion aligned with many of her own beliefs about the world. “Colours are assigned
to different holidays to represent specific energies. Samhain colours are orange and black which is why we now associate orange and black with Halloween.” However other religions such as Christianity have eclipsed this day with their own religious beliefs making many of the population unaware of the holiday’s true meaning. Jenni Hutchison has been a Pagan for 15 years and like many other pagans finds that new forms of celebrating Halloween have not deterred them from worshipping this day. “I find it funny that other religions are so degrading of what has always been a seasonal tradition. “I don’t think it affects Paganism as a whole, since people have been practicing it long before Christianity and continue to do so. I rather like the dressing up for Trick or Treat. It gives myself and my daughter a good excuse to do it without getting strange looks!” However in Christianity Halloween falls on All Hallows Day which is a day for praising saints and praying for dead souls. Halloween has posed difficulty for christians because of the reference to ghosts, ghouls and evil which it is associated with. Bekky Andrews, vice president of the Christian union, believes this conflict is caused by the negative connotations halloween represents. “The Bible doesn’t explicitly say no to Halloween, but there are clear teachings in the Bible that a Christian has to decide whether celebrating Halloween can line up with. Halloween is the celebration of all things dark whereas Christianity is about light and loving.” wChristianity intergrated aspects of Samhain into the day with costumes, parades and bonfires. By blending the traditions it has caused controversy with Christians in conflict about whether they should celebrate the holiday. However Bekky believes it is not a ‘deal breaker’ for Christians. “This is where the individual decision of whether to actually celebrate Halloween or not comes in. Some people think it is harmless to participate in it because there is no meaning behind it, but others don’t want to out of principle.”
The spooky artwork was designed by India Mawbey an illustration student at AUB
INDIA MAWBEY
features 13
The Rock | Friday 31 October 2014
in Halloween Spooky, sentimental and celebratory - traditions of Halloween vary on the culture and values of each country. Delve into the diverse side of this holiday Esther Ademiju Mirva Villa
Austria In Austria, bread, water and a lighted lamp are left out before going to bed. This is done because of the belief that it will welcome
dead souls back to earth because of the strong cosmic energy on Halloween night. Between the period of October 30 and November 8, Austrian Catholics celebrate Seleenwoche or All Souls’. Catholics attend church service on All Saints’ Day to honour the saints, the martyrs and everyone who has died for the Catholic faith. It is traditional to visit their loved ones grave and decorate them with wreaths and small lanterns.
Seven of the world’s freakiest facts on 1) Halloween is one of the world’s oldest holidays which originated as the Pagan new year Samhain. 2) The record for the largest Halloween gathering was set by 17,777 people at an event organised by New Orleans Saints and NBC Sports in Louisiana, New Orleans on 31st October 2010. 3) The Celtics were the first group of people to dress up on Halloween. They dressed as ghouls so that wandering spirits would mistake them for one of their own and leave them alone. 4) Carved pumpkins or jack-’olanterns were used to ward off evil spirits by medieval Britons.
5) The world record for the quickest time to carve a pumpkin is set by American Stephen Clarke who carved his pumpkin in an unbelievable 16.47 seconds. 6) In England Trick or Treating first started in 1000 A.D when poor people would visit the houses of wealthy homeowners and receive pastries called soul cakes which in exchange, the poor people would be asked to pray for the homeowners dead relatives. 7) A controversial Ebola contamination suit costume has been made ready for this year’s Halloween. The Ebola virus has killed 4,500 people so far.
Japan For years Japan did not recognise Halloween but within the last decade the increase of Halloween celebrations in Japan has exploded. In Japan Halloween is called The Festival of the Dead or Obon. During this time dead souls return to the world of the living in order to visit their relatives. Various Buddhists in Japan celebrate Halloween by preparing,
offering and placing special food on altars in temples or in their homes for their ancestors’ spirits. They end the celebration by sending bright and colourful paper lanterns, which are lit by candles, down the rivers and seas. The colourful, bobbing, lights are supposed to guide their families and relatives back to their realm until next year. Finland The old Finnish version of Halloween is ‘Kekri’. It was a harvest celebration, during which people ate and drank well. Also the spirits of the dead ancestors were welcomed to the feast, and sometimes even a sauna was heated for them. It was believed that the dead would still be able to enjoy the ‘spiritual essence’ of the meal. Only after these ‘guests’ had been satisfied, did the master of the house and his family start eating. On the day of Kekri, the Kekri Goat (usually a man from the village, wearing a bear fleece, a mask and horns) would go around the village, knocking on the doors and asking for food and drinks. The Kekri Goat was a terrifying character, and it was believed that if he didn’t get what he wanted, he would break the oven or do some other kind of mischief to the family. Treating the Kekri Goat well meant that next year’s grain harvest would be plentiful. Nowadays the Finnish have adopted the American way of celebrating Halloween, mostly due to Hollywood films and American TV shows.
Mexico Dia de Muertos, the Day of the Dead, is common in Latin America. It is particularly celebrated in Mexico, where the day is a bank holiday. Families travel to cemeteries to visit the souls of the dead. They decorate the graves with flowers to attract the souls of the dead to visit them. Also food and drinks are provided. The Day of the Dead is meant to be a happy day, during which the living remember their departed relatives. Sometimes families build altars in their homes, and gather around the altar to pray and tell stories of the deceased. The altars are decorated with candles, fruit and pan de muerto (“bread of dead”). Nigeria Igbo people in Nigeria celebrate the Odo Festival from September through April. The festival marks the return of the Odo (dead) to the living. There are three stages; the ritual celebration and welcoming of the spirit of family member, the communication and living with the living and lastly the departure of the spirits. This is an emotional affair because they will not return for two years.A large performance takes place during the last stage of the festival where Igbo men reenact the holiday story with masks, xylophones and drums. The men portray the spirits through masks decorated with beads, leaves and feathers. The preparations for the traditional performance are done in
14 features
Friday 31 Octoberber 2014 | The Rock
The X Factor’s forgotten man returns to music He’s the singer who rose to fame when he won X Factor in 2004. Steve Brookstein speaks to The Rock about his struggle with the limelight and hopes for his new album Hollie Wong EDITOR-IN-CHIEF HollieWong For 10 years now the X Factor has dominated British television sets on Saturday night. Winners and losers of the show have had their fair share of Christmas number ones and tabloid ridicule, but for the show’s first ever winner, Steve Brookstein, comes a new chapter in his music career with his first studio album in nine years, ‘Forgotten Man’. The soul man of X Factor first wowed audiences with performances of smooth hits like ‘When a Man Loves a Woman’ and ‘Let’s Stay Together’. After winning the show, massive success followed with his first album ‘Heart and Soul’ which reached number one in the charts. But due to disputes over his
second album, Steve was dropped by his record label. Steve’s return to music has been hard. “To get out and make an album was something I really wanted to do but I just didn’t know really what type of album I wanted to make. I got off
Steve’s newest album “includes original songs influenced by the musician’s fight for his career
”
to such an awkward start, my first album went to number 1 but it wasn’t really the sort of album that I envisaged making so it kind of left me a bit lost.”After almost a decade of relative anonymity Steve admits that it will be difficult to make his mark in the music industry again. “It’s going to be an uphill struggle because it’s been nine years since I had that number 1 album and single before it all went wrong.”
Steve will return to music touring in November
MP Promotions
Steve’s newest album includes some soul hits and original songs but it’s influenced mostly by the musician’s fight for his career. “The album is called ‘Forgotten Man’ and it’s inspired by a song of the same name by David Ruffin, the lead singer of The Temptations. “The album is not only about forgotten people but I’m trying to acknowledge the lesser known soul singers who did some incredible music. ”The most important thing for Steve was to get to the fans. “I’ve got people who still like what I do but it’s getting them to the same place to see a gig,” explained Steve. “There are going to be some ups and downs on the way, there are going to be some hard gigs.” Taking his album around the UK, Steve will be performing in London, Exeter and Bournemouth across November. “This is not an X Factor show Hen night, I’m coming along with my guitarist and it’s all about the songs.
Steve became the X Factor’s first winner in 2004 I kind of just wanted to connect with people who like good music as opposed to being in the X Factor. Getting back out there is going to be quite a weird experience; you just have no idea what people are going to think.” Alongside the album and tour, Steve is also releasing a new book, ‘Getting Over the X’, which is centred on his experience in the music industry after the X Factor.
wanted to connect “withI people who like good music as opposed to being in The X Factor
”
Steve tackled tension with Simon Cowell and renowned publicist Max Clifford. “Clifford was able to manipulate the tabloid press; he sets an agenda, and a narrative that people bind to and a belief structure that makes life difficult for
MP PROMOTIONS
the person at the centre,” adding, “doors closed very quickly”. After his row with Cowell and disagreements over his second album Steve was dropped by his record label. “It’s been 9 years since before it all went wrong. I still find it bizarre that no one ever picks up on my disappearing, that they don’t wave a red flag and ask well what went on here then. Nobody just gets dropped after a number 1 album and single.” Steve isn’t naïve to the struggle he will face trying to break into the industry again but just wants to provide fans with the music he truly wants to make. “I’m under no illusion that it’s going to be a slow process to get back to where it was before but I think the music is good enough. I think the people who voted for me on the X Factor are going to like my tour and what I do now.” For more information on his album and tour visit his webiste www.stevebrookstein.com
Steve is releasing new book ‘Getting Over The X’ which focuses on life after X Factor
MP PROMOTIONS
features 15
The Rock | Friday 31 October 2014
Stars shine at BFI Festival The stars of Hollywood rolled into the capital in October for the BFI London Film Festival. Tom Beasley reported throughtout the two weeks and experienced the best and worst of the newly released films on show Tom Beasley TomJBeasley
Film festivals are crazy. They’re manic, chaotic and utterly exhausting. They’re also fascinating, exhilarating and a delirious amount of fun. I had the pleasure to spend two weeks in October covering the BFI London Film Festival on behalf of Empire Magazine. It was an immensely tiring 12 days, taking in more than 20 films and a handful of journeys down the red carpet. As a journalist with a huge interest in film, it was an enlightening experience and a real insight into the industry.
They’re also fascinating, “exhiliarting and a delirious amount of fun ” Having seen so many films, it was inevitable that they would be a bit of a mixed bag. For every blistering high point, there was also a film that completely missed the mark and made me question whether it was worth the 5am start to commute from Southampton. The highlight of the festival was definitely getting the opportunity to experience the red carpet. There was a real thrill to waltzing past the assembled fans, who were invariably screaming and waving cameras, into the press area. These red carpet events presented me with the opportunity to interview a number of huge stars. Noomi Rapace and JK Simmons were
an absolute delight, responding eloquently to questions with warmth and good humour. Shia LaBeouf, on the other hand, seemed to pride himself on being toe-curlingly taciturn. At least he left the paper bag at home. Despite the great time I had interviewing many of the celebrities, there is one that stands head and shoulders above the rest. It’s not every day that you get to shake hands with and question a true A-lister, but on the red carpet for WW2 tank drama Fury, I got that chance. Brad Pitt is a man with real presence, coolness radiating from every pore of his body. It’s not often that I’m starstruck in an interview, but my question to Pitt emerged from my mouth as a jumbled, garbled mess that was probably just about coherent. This is a man who can erode even the sturdiest sense of professionalism with a single winning smile. Brad Pitt and the crew spent time in Dorset at the Bovington Museum preparing for the film; one of the museum’s tanks was used on the set. Back in the screening room, it was British films that were taking centre stage. CEO of the British Film Institute, Amanda Nevill, told me that there were 39 British films playing at the festival this year, which is the biggest homegrown line-up in its history. It was a truly inspiring line-up, with Yann Demange’s Belfast-set thriller ’71 rubbing shoulders with Mike Leigh’s stately artist biopic Mr Turner, starring Timothy Spall’s wide array of grunts. On the smaller end of the British spectrum, I was pleasantly surprised by comedy-drama X + Y from BAFTA-winning
documentarian Morgan Matthews. It’s the story of an autistic maths prodigy, played by Hugo’s Asa Butterfield, who bonds with Rafe Spall’s washed-up tutor – himself battling with the onset of multiple sclerosis – on the way to the International Mathematical Olympiad. There’s real wit and warmth to the story, marking it out as one of the festival’s surprise packages. Despite not getting
Best of the Fest Whiplash Miles Teller makes a star of himself as the ambitious drummer under the abusive tutelage of JK Simmons’ ferocious music maestro. It’s a terrific film with a bravura crescendo of a finale. Make sure to catch it when it hits UK cinemas in January.
Pitt is a man with “realBrad presence, coolness radiating from every pore of his body
”
nationwide release until March but it is worthwhile checking it out. The festival also played host to the UK premiere of Whiplash, which has received enormous buzz on the festival circuit in America. It won prizes at the Sundance Film Festival earlier in the year and has sparked awards speculation for its stars – Miles Teller and JK Simmons. The film is truly terrific, balancing the classic tale of the raw talent and ferocious motivator with the power of music. I can see it being a real dark horse in the awards race and it’s certainly going to make a star of Miles Teller ahead of his appearance in the Fantastic Four reboot next year.I learnt a lot about film journalism during my time at the London Film Festival and got the chance to do some incredibly fun things. I am enormously grateful to Empire Magazine for giving me the opportunity to report on the festival and it’s not an experience I will be forgetting any time soon.
Rosewater Jon Stewart, best known for US satirical comedy The Daily Show, makes his feature film debut with the story of journalist Maziar Bahari, who was imprisoned by the Iranian government in 2009. It’s witty, biting and often tough to watch.
Fury End of Watch director David Ayer does a great job of bringing home the harsh realities of WW2 with this brutal drama. Brad Pitt leads the crew of an American tank deep in Nazi Germany, battling against impossible odds.
Kristy British director Olly Blackburn delivers retro slasher thrills with this college campus horror. Haley Bennett is destined for great things, cementing herself as an excellent ‘final girl’ and Twilight star Ashley Greene is unrecognisably evil.
‘71 Jack O’Connell continues his impressive rise to the summit of British acting talent. He plays an English squaddie stranded alone in the streets of Belfast at the height of the Troubles. It’s a claustrophobic, tense thriller with several explosions of shocking violence.
Brad Pitt shines on and off the red carpet in David Ayer’s gripping second world war drama, Fury PA
16 features
Friday 31 October 2014 | The Rock
Photography Showcase Abbie Fisk My interest in photography first started after a trip to Barcelona where I spent much of my time innocently shooting holiday snaps on a compact camera. Back home, having developed my photographs that I found one shot to be particularly inspiring. In my typical tourist haste I had taken what at the time was a quick shot of a streetlight at the corner of the Arc de Triomf as I hurried along the Catalonian streets to the next sight. This photograph really sparked my interest as it was unlike a ‘normal’ shot I would’ve taken. It made me consider angles and viewpoints more closely. Soon after, I enrolled at college and took photography
1)
2)
at A Level where my interest flourished. I am now studying Commercial Photography at the Arts University Bournemouth, with the hope of pursuing advertising and fashion photography. What I love most about photography, as a creative person, are the endless possibilities, the process of having a vision and seeing it through to the end. My previous work has been incredibly varied as I have experimented with both documentary and fashion photography. However I am now pursuing fashion as my main focus of work. I am really enjoying my studies at Bournemouth so far. I find the Arts University so invigorating due to the vast variety of people and the opportunity to collaborate with so many other art students from different courses.
features 17
The Rock | Friday 31 October 2014
3)
Photographer’s Picks 1) These black and white images of a girl dancing came from my project entitled Photography and Cinema. I was heavily influenced by silent film and the work of Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton for this photograph. I was also incredibly inspired by Eadweard Muybridge’s studies of motion and wanted to experiment with a similar aesthetic in my own work. I found this project particularly interesting as I was shooting in a way that would normally be undesirable. My subject was moving but the shutter speed was still low so that there was a slight blur and the motion was captured but not frozen with precision, creating a spontaneity and realness to the photographs. 2) These three photographs are from a series I created researching the way in which today’s youth respond to shocking imagery and how this is communicated through their body language. The experiment consisted of my subjects individually watching a video clip where the calming music and illusion based imagery was almost hypnotizing. Towards the end of the clip a loud scream occurs suddenly whilst a clown
face appears on the screen. At this moment I fired off the camera and captured my subject’s fight or flight response. 3) This image is taken from one of my most recent projects and one I found extremely interesting to create. I wanted to explore and portray the way in which Western fashion takes much inspiration from remote cultures around the world. My research encompassed many different locations and I became particularly absorbed in the history and traditions of the tribes of Papua New Guinea. This project was really exciting to pursue as my vision for the final photographs meant collaborating with many people in order to get the best possible results. I learnt so much as I explored chroma key photography to create the backgrounds and give my images this really interesting kitsch aesthetic.
18 features
Friday 31 October 2014| The Rock
What’s on: Your entertainment guide Jimmy Carr, Noel Fielding, Diversity and Kasabain are headlining this month’s range of live entertainment Theatre & Dance Copacabana Pavilion theatre 27/10/14- 01/11/14 Romance and stardom create a fabulous cocktail that inspired the famous song we all know today. Starring S Club 7’s Jon lee, this musical follows the doomed romance of wannabe star Lola and aspiring songwriter Tony. Moscow Ballet La ClassiqueThe Nutcracker Bournemouth Pavilion Theatre 05/11/14 The childhood classic comes alive in this elegant reworking. Tchaikosky’s Christmas ballet follows the story of a little girl and a nutcracker that comes alive who transports her into a magical and wonderful world. Paul Hollywood- British Baking Live Poole Lighthouse 06/11/14 Put your apron on and start baking because Paul Hollywood is cooking up a mouthwatering storm. The other half of The Great British Bake Off duo is touring the country demonstrating recipes from Cornish pasties to Bakewell tarts.
Bond and Beyond Bournemouth Pavilion Theatre 06/11/14 Ian Fleming’s James Bond has captivated audiences around the world for over 50 years. Celebrate the legacy of Britain’s favourite secret agent with iconic songs from twenty three movies including Goldfinger, Diamonds are Forever and 007’s most recent film Skyfall. Poppy Fields Performance Poole Lighthouse 11/11/14 Marking the 100th anniversary of the First World War this evocative half hour performance will accompany the Poppy Field Exhibition Gallery. There will be wartime poetry and a Q&A for the audience after the performance has finished. The History Boys Poole Lighthouse 12-15/11/14 Alan Bennet’s award- winning contemporary classic is being revamped by local theatre company, Arena Theatre. The play focuses on a group of bright but reckless sixth form boys who are set for Oxford University as they navigate through youth, sexuality and relentless studying.
Diversity formed in 2007are made up of eight members led by Got to Dance judge Ashley Banjo Sing-o-long Grease Bournemouth Pavilion Theatre 15/11/14
One Night of Elvis Bournemouth Pavilion Theatre 09/11/14
Bournemouth Pavilion gives audiences the chance to sing along with Danny and Sandy in their screening of Grease. Sing to old classics like ‘Grease Lightening’ and ‘You are the one I want’ that will have you dancing all night.
Described as the ‘ultimate Elvis tribute’ Lee Memphis King’s recreation of classic hits are so authentic it will have fans standing face to face with the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll himself.
Miracle on 34th Street Bournemouth Pavilion Theatre 20-22/11/14 The heart-warming Christmas classic is brought to Poole for families to enjoy. It depicts the real Santa Claus tackling non believers as he spreads miracles across 34th street in the heart of New York. Diversity BIC Windsor Hall 29/11/14 Since winning Britain’s Got Talent in 2009 Diversity have taken Britain by storm with a sell out arena tour and and numerous awards to their name. Their visit to Bournemouth is not to be missed.
Music The Boomtown Rats Pyramid Plaza 31/10/14
Noel Fielding is now touring for the first time in five years
PA
The Boomtown Rats have burst back onto the music scene with a brief regrouping transforming into a new album and UK festival and cities tour. The Irish legends have had numerous hits since 1977 and will attract both loyal fans and curious newcomers on their tour which will feature songs off their new album, Ratlife.
Imedla May Bournemouth Pavilion Theatre 18/11/14 The Irish treasure is setting off on her new tour to celebrate the release of new album Tribal which soared up to third in the UK chart. Kasabian BIC Windsor Hall 25/11/14 The Glastonbury headliners are stopping at the BIC for their new autumn tour. Kasabian’s new album, 48:13, is being hailed as one of their best and will excite fans both old and new. James Blunt: Moon Landing 2014 World Tour BIC Windsor Hall 27/11/14 The English singer/song writer first rose to prominence with his worldwide hit ‘You’re Beautiful’ and is now back on tour to celebrate his upcoming new album ‘Moon Landing’.
Comedy John Bishop: Supersonic BIC Windsor Hall 30/10/14- 02/11/14 After an 18 month break John crash lands in Bournemouth for
PA
his new tour, Supersonic. Fans can expect out of this world material that will jet set them into the cloud nine of comedy. Jimmy Carr- Funny Business Poole Lighthouse 07/11/14 With his hilarious and distinctive laugh Jimmy Carr is one of Britain’s best loved comedians. His new tour, Funny Man, promises witty human insights and plenty of not so subtle innuendoes. Paul Foot Poole Lighthouse 08/11/14 Paul’s show offers a whole host of personas for audiences to feast on from Skeleton Johnson to Paul’s bi-sexual hairdresser Penny. Audiences young and old will enjoy his new stand up show, Hovercraft Symphony in Gammon #Major. Dawn French Bournemouth Pavilion Theatre 19/11/14- 20/11/14 The Queen of Comedy is back on her new tour, 30 Million Minutes, which reflects exactly how long she has lived and various hilarious life lessons Dawn. An Evening with Noel Fielding BIC Windsor Hall 28/11/14 Hyperactive and hilarious, Noel Fielding is now embarking on his first solo tour in five years. He is best known for being one half of The Mighty Boosh comedy duo and his new show will see the return of well loved characters like The Moon and Fantasy Man.
sport 19
SPORT
The Rock | Friday 31 October 2014
Jack Cozens SPORTS EDITOR @JCozensTCN
Bobcats ready for BUCS berth 20
Hello and welcome to the first Bournemouth Rock sports editorial of the academic year. We’ve got plenty of new and returning faces on board for this year who have all worked incredibly hard to bring this issue to you. You’ll be able to read about a second success in two seasons for Bournemouth’s star on two wheels, Sam Thompson, while we also look back on the two years since Eddie Howe returned to Dean Court and have the match report from his side’s thrilling 2-1 victory against West Bromwich Albion on Tuesday night, which ensured an historic first visit to the fifth round of the League Cup for the club. One of the biggest sporting revelations in the past few days has been the BBC’s report regarding prize money in sport. While it’s encouraging to see that of the 35 sports that award prize money at a world level, 25 pay equal amounts to men and women, the disparity between gender pay in some sports remains astonishingly high. Football is naturally the example that people would look to first to illustrate such a trend - indeed, Germany’s World Cup winning squad took home nearly 35 times the amount that their female counterparts will next year - but
Prize money in sport Petra Kvitová and Novak Djokovic received equal prize money for winning at Wimbledon CARINE06 other sports such as cricket are still lagging well behind the likes of tennis in equal pay terms. And the implications for the furtherment of equal opportunities and female participation in sport are greater still when you consider the profile of those sports that are discriminating badly. Movements towards equality in sport have come a long way in recent year, with heightened promotion of female sport and eight sports having introduced equal pay measures across some or all of their disciplines since the turn of the millennium, but the report only highlights the lengths that still need to be undertaken to resolve inequalities.
Jade Butcher
Liam Grace
The topic of equal pay in sport has been hotly debated for years now. In a quest for equality it may not seem fair that men are paid more than women, but there are exceptions; in tennis, men play five sets to a women’s three, so in this case, equal pay is not fair. But to have a £9000 difference between men and women in the Cliff Diving World Series makes me really wonder how a male or a female jumping from a cliff could warrant such a disparity?
It’s perhaps unsurprising that football topped the chart in terms of men out-earning women for prize money, with the World Cup winning team scooping a mammoth £22 million at the end of the competition - only two other sports (Tennis and Golf) award six figure sums. But what’s also striking, aside from the gender disparity, is that the Badminton, Curling and Weightlifting world champions are not financially rewarded at all.
DEPUTY SPORTS EDITOR
ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR
Dolphins play their part in Thompson flies to title South Coast success story glory 22
Jonathan Coles @JonnyColes
Howe’s two years back at AFCB 23
sportseditor @bournemouthrock.co.uk
Most football fans would agree it’s been a good season for football on the South Coast so far. AFC Bournemouth are lying fourth in the Championship table after recently beating Birmingham City by a record 8-0, the first time the Cherries have achieved such a score in a league match. Southampton have defied the critics who said they would struggle and currently sit second in the Premier League, above the likes of both Manchester City and United, Arsenal and Liverpool. And for Portsmouth the future is looking brighter after they finally managed to pay off £7 million of debt last month. With all this good news you could be forgiven if you had not heard of the other footballing success story in this area – that of Poole Town. The Dolphins have lost only one game in 16 this season and are already six points clear at the top
Poole’s Tatnam ground has been a fortress this year, with the club unbeaten at home ANDY ORMAN of the Southern Premier League and looking good for their second promotion in three years, this time to the Conference South Division, a major step up in footballing terms. The second biggest football club in the Bournemouth and Poole area, the Dolphins are currently playing at the Tatnam Ground, and have been looking for a permanent base for some years after being forced to leave Poole Stadium in 1994 to make way for greyhound racing and Speedway at the venue. More than two decades on,
however, and redevelopment of the stadium could see the Dolphins return. With a ‘new’ home, Poole will be able to progress freely through non-league football where teams must fulfil certain criteria when moving to a higher division. That regulation has hindered the club in recent years. Despite winning the Wessex Premier title three years in a row from 2008-2010 the Dolphins missed out on promotion because their ground wasn’t up to standard. Those three titles were part of a run of success enjoyed by the club
in recent years which also included the 2013 treble of Southern League Champions Cup, Dorset Senior Cup and Southern League Division One. Now in their second Southern Premier League season, the Dolphins will be looking to continue the form they have shown this year and remain part of the footballing success story on the South Coast. So this Saturday, as the football results roll in and the scores of Bournemouth and Southampton are read out, keep an eye out for Poole Town - chances are they’re winning.
20 sport
VARSITY
Friday 31 October 2014 | The Rock
Bobcats primed for first league campaign Michael Lingberg ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR @Lingberg2000
Of all the sports clubs associated with Bournemouth University, the American Football club, or the Bournemouth Bobcats, are one of the youngest, having been formed in 2012. But as the team prepare for their first season in the British University American Football League (BUAFL), the squad’s coaches are full of excitement for this upcoming campaign with several players who have experience under their belts returning to the fold. This will be the Bobcats’ second competitive season and they have been practicing since the middle of September. They’ll try to improve upon their 0-3 record from last year. To do that, the squad has been practicing in pads on Friday nights at Meyrick Park and Sunday afternoons at Wallisdown. They have chalkboard sessions on Tuesdays where they examine film of their practices and then analyse them, while they were also visited by motivational speaker and former American football player Cameron Parker a couple of weeks ago. He talked to them about visualizing success and setting goals. Leading the team is head coach Charlie Anderson, 23. Anderson has played for six seasons with both university and senior leagues, such as with the BNU Buccaneers, Watford Cheetahs and the Bobcats. He’s also one of the few coaches in the United Kingdom who holds a Level 2 qualification from the
The Bobcats have practiced relentlessly ahead of their first season of University League competition FISHER British American Football Coaching Association. Although he’s the head coach, he’s also the defensive coordinator. That means his job is to design the base defence of the team and figure out how to stop the opposing offence. The Bobcats play in a 4-3 defence, and that means there are four defensive linemen and three linebackers behind them. The Bobcats will embark on their maiden voyage in the BUCS League this season, and face a rematch with the Sussex Saxons on January 25, who they had a chance to beat last season in a full-contact game before ultimately falling 16-8. Veterans of the team are itching to play the Saxons again because it was such a close game. The Bobcats were at the Saxons’ five-yard line with five seconds to go in that game, but before they could get off a play for a chance to tie the game, time expired. “I’m excited this season to see the guys grow and lead from the front for the new team in the first year in the league,” said Anderson. “Everyone has worked so hard to get
to this point and it’s impossible not to be excited about what’s to come.” Joshua Edwards is returning this season as the offensive coordinator. He played last season but tore his anterior cruciate ligament in January, so he’s still recovering. But he has finalised his offence – which has been designed to be versatile and unpredictable – and has installed most of it during practices. Just from the base formation and some simple play calls, there can be at least 25 different options for what the offensive players can do. Other coaches in the squad include offensive line coach Darren Parry and Billy Ko. Team captain Joe Rutter, who plays tight end, stands at over six feet tall and is another returner who cares deeply about this squad. Although he’s had a few sleepless nights, he believes the Bobcats can achieve something big this year. “With regards to being excited about the season, there is an underlying tone of something special that I haven’t felt in the team before,” he said. “I can’t explain it
in words as it is hard to pinpoint. We have a great collection of skilled athletes who have shown a great level of commitment and drive. It is also the process in which the team has approached the season with an increasingly professional manner. “This team will be successful this year,” he continued. “It will be tough and we have set our sights high but don’t be surprised if you see the Bobcats in the playoffs come February and March.” The Bobcats will begin their season with a home game against Surrey Stingers on 11 November, at Bournemouth Sports Club. They next host the BNU Buccaneers on 16 November, and the first away game of the season will be 30 November against the Chichester Spitfires. On 7 December, the Bobcats will host the Southampton Stags. After the much anticipated Sussex Saxons clash on 25 January on the road, the Portsmouth Destroyers will come to call on 1 February, while the team’s final game of the campaign is an away game against the Solent Redhawks on 15 February.
The full Bobcat contingent following their meeting with former player-turned-speaker Cameron Parker at BU two weeks ago CAMERON PARKER
sport 21
The Rock | Friday 31 October 2014
A world of sport US Grand Prix, Austin - 31 Oct - 2 Nov Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton heads into the US Grand Prix leading the Formula One world championship by 17 points ahead of team mate Nico Rosberg. The 29-year-old took the first victory at the circuit of the Americas back in 2012, and a repeat of that result will see him edge a step closer to securing a second world championship. Aside from the title battle, the Caterham and Marussia teams will both miss the weekend’s action having both been placed into administration.
Peter Rawlins examines what’s happening across the globe this coming month
ATP World Tour Finals - 9 November 2014 With only the eight best players of the season qualifying for the ATP World Tour Finals, the pressure is on Andy Murray, whose chances of qualification have been boosted by the withdrawal of Rafael Nadal, who is set to have appendix surgery. Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer are currently leading the race for the number one spot, while Murray moved into fifth in the ‘race to London’ standings, after winning the Valencia Open having saved five match points against Tommy Robredo.
Rugby Union Autumn Internationals - 8 November 2014 The start of the Autumn Internationals see England play host to New Zealand at Twickenham. Stuart Lancaster named his 33-man squad recently, with Chris Robshaw confirmed as captain and uncapped trio Semesa Rokoduguni, George Kruis and Calum Clark included. Elsewhere, Fiji play Wales at the Millennium Stadium, Argentina travel to Murrayfield to face Scotland and Ireland host Georgia at the Aviva Stadium.
MotoGP Valencia - 9 November 2014 Valencia plays host to the final race of the MotoGP season. With Marc Marquez having already secured the title, the battle is on for second between teammates Valentino Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo, and Dani Pedrosa of Honda. Britain’s Cal Crutchlow will also be looking to end a disappointing campaign on a high, ahead of his move to LCR Honda for the 2015 season.
Champions League Group Stage - 4-6 November 2014 The group stages continue, with Real Madrid hosting Liverpool at the Santiago Bernabéu. Following Liverpool’s 3-0 defeat at Anfield, they lie in third position in Group B, and need to start picking up points soon - a feat that will not be easy to achieve against Ronaldo and co. In the other matches with national interest, Arsenal host Anderlecht, Man City are at home to CSKA, and Chelsea travel to Slovenia to face NK Maribor.
Dan Statham takes a look at the latest sporting champ and chump It seems only right that after two historic victories in the space of four days, we travel the short distance to Dean Court for this week’s winners. Emulating the performance of South Coast neighbours Southampton just a week earlier, AFC Bournemouth slotted no less than eight goals past a frail, manager-less Birmingham City side at St Andrews. Birmingham are now second from bottom in the Championship table, while the Cherries - who secured their largest ever league victory with the win - have moved up to fourth. But the best was still to come as Eddie Howe’s side hosted West Brom on Tuesday evening, with the opportunity to clinch a firstever appearance in the fifth round of the league Cup. After a competitive first half, AFC Bournemouth took the lead when Eunan O’Kane slotted home in the 49th minute. A Tommy Elphick own-goal looked to have sent the tie to extra time, but the Cherries responded immediately with a Callum Wilson goal sealing a small piece of history.
WINNER
Brazil provides a World Cup to remember Ollie Heptinstall @OliHepy Unlike the 2010 World Cup in South Africa that was about as fondly remembered as the vuvuzela, this summer’s visit to Brazil gave a marvelous month of footballing theatre. The group stage was full of surprises. Spain’s early exit, which featured a shock 5-1 thrashing by the Netherlands, signaled the end of Del Bosque’s empire and their domination of international football, whilst a hapless England side bowed out in dismal fashion. Fellow group D members Italy exited at the first hurdle for the second successive tournament after losing to Uruguay in the match now famous for ‘Chewy’ Luis Suarez’s latest escapade. Things became nervier as the knockouts began despite a record 136 goals being scored in the frenetic group stage. Brazil made fairly light work of qualifying but came mightily close to elimination
in the last 16 at the hands of the impressive Chile, with penalties sending the hosts through. Surprise package Costa Rica also made it into the quarter-finals after defeating the dogged Greeks on spot kicks. The Netherlands, Colombia and France all safely progressed, although Germany, Belgium and Argentina all required extra-time in order to see off weaker opposition. The quarter-finals featured few goals, just five in the four matches. Despite the individual brilliance of James Rodriguez, whose top-scoring exploits in Brazil led to a £63m move to Real Madrid, his Colombian side fell just short against the hosts, losing 2-1 in Fortaleza. Germany and Argentina both progressed, beating the lackluster France and Belgium 1-0 respectively, whilst the Netherlands needed penalties to see off the popular Costa Ricans. Even though poster boy Neymar had been ruled out of the rest of the competition with a nasty back injury, the Brazilians were still optimistic as they prepared to face Germany in the first semi-final. That optimism was soon extinguished, however. The host nation were trounced 7-1 with unbelievable ease by the Germans.
LOSER
Mario Götze’s World Cup winner came in extra time at the Maracana PA Joachim’s Loew’s men were typically ruthless, but came up against a dreadful Brazil side without Neymar and suspended captain Thiago Silva. The second semi-final, in total contrast to the first, was forgettable, as Argentina defeated the Netherlands on penalties following a dreary goalless draw. The final was a tense occasion, and
that showed as Argentina’s Higuain missed an early sitter. Hoewedes then hit the post for Germany but the deadlock remained after 90 minutes. It was left for Mario Goetze to write his name into the history books in extra-time with a sublime control and volley from a tight angle to seal a fourth World Cup win for the Germans. Efficient as ever.
It’s been a turbulent week for Rafael Nadal. The Men’s world number three lost in straight sets to Croatian teenage Borna Coric in the Swiss Indoors event in Basel last Friday. But things were to get worse for the 14-time grand-slam champion, who confirmed shortly after his exit that he would no longer be competing at the ATP World Tour Finals at the end of November, as he intends to have appendix surgery on Monday. Nadal had already qualified for the season-ending event - which is held at London’s O2 Arena - so his withdrawal boosted Andy Murray’s hopes of making the cut, with the Briton having come from behind to win the Valencia Open at the weekend. The withdrawal also brought Nadal’s mixed season to an end. The Spaniard clinched a ninth French Open title in May, before losing in the fourth round at Wimbledon and pulling out of the US Open with a wrist injury.
22 sport
Friday 31 October 2014| The Rock
Thompson’s championship delight Jack Cozens SPORTS EDITOR @JCozensTCN Bournemouth motorcyclist Sam Thompson expressed his delight after clinching the Triumph Triple Challenge’s Cup title at Brands Hatch last weekend – which marked his second championship success in as many years. Thompson, of West Parley, went into the final meeting of the season at Kent’s historic racetrack knowing that he would secure the crown – reserved for new riders to the championship – as long as he finished the weekend. And if there were any lingering doubts about where the title was heading, they were quickly dispelled by the young racer, who secured third on the grid for the opening race, and finished a highly successful campaign with two class victories, which included an outright podium in the final race of the season. The race results meant that Thompson finished the season with 274 points in the cup standings – with his nearest challenger on 195.5 – and he also clinched 12 class wins with a further four class podiums, while his third place in Round 20 marked a second outright rostrum of the year. But despite his domination towards the end of the season, which included an eight-race winning run, Thompson was still thrilled with his championship. “It’s a brilliant feeling,” affirmed the 19-year-old. “From halfway through the season we were getting quicker and quicker and the points were starting to come. “We were challenging for the lead of our championship and once we got it, it was fairly easy to maintain. By the time we came to the last three rounds we were sort of expecting to win it really – not that it wasn’t exciting or anything,
to have won a championship in my first year on the BSB (British Superbike) [support package], I can’t complain too much.” Thompson’s success was confirmed after the weekend’s opening race was curtailed by a red flag. Although it meant his title was secure, he nevertheless admitted that the circumstances in which he sealed the title were not ones which he took great pleasure from. “I won the championship on the Saturday, but the race was red flagged two laps before the end and they called it a result. I hate winning a race – and in this case a championship – under a red flag situation. You haven’t taken the chequered flag so you almost feel cheated from it.” The rising star was eligible to compete in the cup competition as he joined the series as a rookie. Having competed against riders with far greater experience than himself, Thompson was pleased with what he was able to learn across the year, and by his ability to hold his own against more established competitiors. “The bikes are all supposedly the same in the main class and the cup class; they all have the same engine seals and cases so in theory you can’t go in there and tamper with the engine. It’s the same with the forks for the suspension, and that’s to keep it fair really, so it’s down to the rider. “The only difference between me and say the guys who are at the front of the main championship are that they have a lot more experience – Scott Pitchers is 24 and has raced for a lot of his life so he’s got a lot more experience than me. Freddie Pett is in his fifth year in the championship so he knows the bike like the back of his hand. “But that’s the great thing about being up there with them – I’m learning so much from just riding with them and that’s what the championship is about...bringing people like myself through. For people who want to get somewhere, this championship is great.” The season also marked Thompson’s first foray into the
Thompson, pictured in 2013, secured a second championship in as many years at Brands Hatch THOMPSON British Superbike Paddock as a rider, but rather than finding the process a daunting one, he said the experience of working alongside some of the best riders in the country was beneficial to his continuing development as a rider. “It’s great to be alongside them [the BSB riders], and it’s every racer’s dream, but at the end of the day they are just normal people. “They’re happy to have a chat with you if you want. At Silverstone we were walking the track and Ben Wilson [BSB rider] was alongside us and we were going through the last complex, where I had been struggling a little bit, and I just stopped him and asked him whether he braked or not into the corner. “I was expecting him to give a yes or no answer but he ended up giving me a talk of half the track, which was brilliant. I learned a lot – in fact I found out I’d been doing half of the track wrong.” And looking back on his previous two years of competition, Thompson admitted that he had never envisaged such success when he first took to the track competitively. “Not at all,” insisted Thompson, when asked if he imagined being a double champion when he was starting out in the Thundersport Superstock 600cc series in 2013. “Eighteen months ago I was learning my way on the [Superstock] 600,
there wasn’t any pressure to finish anywhere in the championship at all. “The first round came about and I won it, and I thought ‘blimey, this is good’ and we ended up winning the championship. “The only options were to go to the 1000s [cc] in Thundersport – which my mum didn’t really want me to do - or enter the British paddock, instead of defending my championship; at my stage in my career, it’s not really about defending titles, it’s about learning the trade and trying to go places.” Thompson’s plans for 2015 suffered a set back when it was announced that the Triumph Triple Challenge would cease to exist as a championship from next season, a move that also bore financial frustration for his family team, who had planned a two year programme in the championship. However, with the Superstock 600cc moving into the BSB support package, Thompson has sealed a return to the series that he won in 2013, which in doing so made him its youngest champion. Remaining in the Superbike paddock was something that Thompson cited as being cruciual to the furthering of his career, and he expressed his eagerness to return to a competitive championship. “It [the cancelation of the TTC] was a pain for us really because
we signed the contract for this year and expected to be going for two seasons,” he explained. “Our aim was to win the cup class this year like we have and then next year win the overall championship. “It cost us an absolute fortune because we bought the new bike and everything else that goes with it, whereas if we’d competed this year then we’d have everything ready to go and it would have been cheaper. “In a way it’s nice as it means that I’m the last Cup champion but it would still have been nice to have competed next year. “Next year we’re [re-] entering the Superstock 600, which I won in 2013. The only real difference is that when I [first] raced in it it was at club level, but this year it will be on the BSB, so it should be more competitive, with a lot of big teams and we’ll be racing against people who are spending £40-50,000 a year to race. “We’ll be able to do quite a bit to the engine and the suspension [and] they’ll have about 10-15 break horse power more, so it’ll be competitive - the Superstock bikes are more of a race bike. “The British paddock is where you need to be if you want to get anywhere, it’s where all of the eyes are and sponsors want to be. “British Superbikes remains the ultimate goal – any British rider wants to end up there.”
Pitman happy to be playing his part Ben Fisher @benfisherJ Bournemouth striker Brett Pitman says he’s grown up and learnt to kerb his frustrations. Pitman - in his second spell at Dean Court - made his Cherries debut at the age of 18. But Pitman said he’s acutely aware that he’s matured significantly since leaving the club
for Bristol City in 2010. Pitman was gifted starting roles in wins against Bolton and Reading earlier this month, following suspension to Yann Kermorgant. The Jersey-born striker admitted that although his chance came in unfortunate circumstances, he was delighted to have taken it. “I’ve learnt that sulking does not help me or anyone so I’ve tried to be a help to the team and tried to work hard. I think I’ve been working harder in the gym and on the pitch over the summer. “I’ve worked hard to feel stronger
and I feel fitter and that’s helped. “I think over the last year or so I have learnt that I am not guaranteed to play. “I’ve learnt that you can either sulk and throw your toys out of the pram or you can get your head down and work hard. “Obviously it’s nice to be scoring goals and nice to get a couple of starts - It’s always frustrating not playing but it’s something I’ve got better at over the years. “Yann and Callum had been doing well but Yann’s suspension has given me a chance and I feel I’ve taken it.”
The striker was amongst the goals again in Bournemouth’s 8-0 rout at Birmingham too. Pitman recently became a father for the second time, and he said the experience had given him an extra focus on and off the pitch. “It gives you a focus on the pitch, that’s for sure. I’m certainly getting less sleep. “Having two kids gives you responsibility on and off the pitch – and there’s extra responsibility to take on. “She’s a beautiful girl.” Pitman says the Cherries are a
vastly different team to the one that was subject to administration six years ago. Now the club are high-flying in the second-tier with the Premier League in their sights – largely thanks to the investments made by owner Maxim Demin since he took control towards the end of last year. “I think from five or six years ago in League Two we are a totally different team. We had Steve Fletcher as a target then and we don’t have that anymore. “As a club the place has evolved no end.”
sport 23
The Rock | Friday 31 October 2014
Eddie: two years back at the Dean Court helm Jason Lewis
Round-up
@_JasonLewis Friday 12 October 2012 is a date engrained in the history of AFC Bournemouth. That day marked the return of the prodigal son, former player and manager Eddie Howe, for a second tenure in the manager’s office at the Goldsands Stadium. Fast-forward two years and a different football club sits at the corner of Kings Park, with the side now an established Championship outfit. Howe returned to the club in a far better position than when he started his managerial career in 2008, but with just one win from the opening 11 games of the season and real fears of relegation being voiced from the stands many questioned the return. Fourth from bottom and a squad falling apart at the seams did not look like a quick fix. But such is the way with football that the improbable soon becomes reality. Between October and the end of the season the turnaround was quite stunning. 22 victories and six draws took the Cherries from 21st in the League One table to second, and they might well have clinched top spot were it not for dramatic scenes at Brentford’s Griffin Park involving Marcello Trotta and a missed penalty. Nevertheless, Howe’s work could not be undersold. He had lifted the side from its knees and taken it all the way to the second tier of the English league – the first time the Cherries had played at that level in 20 years. Into the Championship and pundits from all around the game conceded that Howe
Howe (right) celebrated promotion to the championship with then chairman Eddie Mitchell in 2013 SEEKER would do well to keep his beloved Bournemouth in the Championship. Early schoolings at Watford and Huddersfield appeared to suggest not even Howe could work another wonder at Dean Court. But if you learn nothing else from looking at Howe and his relationship with AFC Bournemouth, it is to expect the unexpected. No one realistically expected promotion from League One in the 12/13 season, so to have predicted that Bournemouth could finish their first season in the Championship in the top 10 might have left people questioning your sanity. Howe’s men achieved that exact feat however, and in doing so finished above seasoned campaigners such as Nottingham Forest, Middlesbrough and Leeds United, underlining the overhaul of the Dorset outfit in such a short
space of time. On to this season and the rollercoaster of football has already given Bournemouth fans the full spectrum of emotions, however the levelheaded Howe has never sacrificed his philosophies in the way he wants his team to play. The meticulous attention to the finest of details is a mark of the man who bears the experience of someone much older than his 36 years. Management in the Premier League is an inevitability for Howe, but he has admitted himself the easiest way to get there would be at the helm of Bournemouth. It is too early to say whether the Cherries can make it this season with over 30 games of the Championship campaign remaining. Already, however, this season’s performances have shown progress from last year and nothing will please Howe more
than to see his side continually develop as individuals and a unit. There is no better marker of this improvement than the opening day victory over Huddersfield. In the previous season the Cherries were embarrassed 5-1 at the Galpharm, but this time around they returned the favour winning 4-0 in Yorkshire. Elsewhere, the weekend’s 8-0 humbling of Birmingham City lifted the side to fourth in the league. A modest man, Howe will never preach his achievements or boast of his successes, instead preferring to always push himself and his side to do even better. The past two years have arguably been the best in living memory for Bournemouth fans and maybe, just maybe, Howe can go and rewrite history by taking the Cherries to the Premier League.
After struggling for consistent performances early in the season, the Cherries now sit fourth in the Sky Bet Championship, after thumping managerless Birmingham 8-0 away. After winning their first two games of the campaign against Huddersfield and Brentford, the club then went six games without a league win, putting pressure on Eddie Howe and his team to restore their attractive playing style and winning habits. The recent surge in form has seen AFC Bournemouth concede only one goal in four straight victories, whilst netting fourteen at the other end. Summer signing Callum Wilson netted his ninth league goal of the season against Birmingham, making him the league’s joint top goal-scorer. After losing last season’s danger man, Lewis Grabban, Eddie Howe’s transfer business seems to have paid off, with Wilson settling in well in the first period of the season. Other summer recruits have shown positively, including Andrew Surman, who finalised a move having spent last season on loan at the Goldsands, and Dan Gosling, who has scored four goals in the league cup in just three appearances. And there was more good news for the Cherries as defenders Tommy Elphick and Simon Francis pledged their future to the club after both signed lengthy contract extensions.
Howe’s return: five key moments Howe returns for his second managerial spell at the club after Paul Groves’ sacking, and wins his first game against the previously unbeaten Tranmere
Former player Brett Pitman signs from Bristol City, initially on loan and permanently in January, going on to score 20 goals
The Cherries secured promotion to the Championship with a win at home to Carlisle, eventually finishing in second in League One
After lifting the side back into the second tier of football, Howe and Jason Tindall sign contract extensions keeping them at the club until 2018
Howe’s side make history as an 86th minute goal from Callum Wilson secures them a spot in the fifth round of the League Cup for the first time
12 October 2012
20 November 2012
20 April 2013
25 March 2014
28 October 2014
24 sport
Friday 31 October 2014 | The Rock
Wilson winner seals historic Cherries win
Callum Wilson’s goal four minutes from time sealed an historic 2-1 win over West Bromwich Albion for the Cherries PRESS ASSOCIATION
Ross Maffey
ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR @RossMaffey Callum Wilson’s eleventh goal of the season secured a late 2-1 win over West Bromwich Albion on Tuesday night, sending AFC Bournemouth through to their first ever League Cup quarter final. Eunan O’Kane’s second half opener for Bournemouth looked to have been squandered after substitute Georgios Samaras’ eighty-fifth minute shot was deflected off Tommy Elphick into his own net. However, less than a minute later, top scorer Wilson ran clear to reinstate the Cherries lead, with a composed right-foot finish past Boaz Myhill. Eddie Howe’s side faced a raft of late scares from the visitors, but held on to eliminate the Premier League side and record their fifth straight win in all competitions.
The victory was the second time in four days that the side created history, following a record-breaking 8-0 away win at Birmingham on Saturday, and wrapped up a week to remember for the Cherries. With both teams making ten changes to their starting line-ups, the opening minutes failed to produce many clear-cut chances, with only Yann Kermorgant posing a threat to either of the goalkeepers. But despite the lack of chances, Bournemouth asserted their dominance on the game as they settled into a well-structured system, with wingers Ryan Fraser and Junior Stanislas giving the Baggies defender’s problems. Yousouff Mulumbu dictated all of West Brom’s play effectively, linking up well with his teammates in both defence and attack. Mulumbu also came close to opening a lead after sixteen minutes as his volley was well saved by Lee Camp. With the scores level at the interval, it was Bournemouth who broke the deadlock four minutes into the second half with O’Kane slotting
the ball home after a surging run from the impressive Stanislas. Albion felt they should have had a penalty after Elphick seemingly handled the ball in the Bournemouth area, but the appeals were of no interest to referee Paul Tierney. Alan Irvine turned to substitutes Samaras and Stephane Sessegnon for inspiration in the final third, and it almost proved immediately effective as the latter dragged a long-range effort just wide of Camp’s post. Both managers then refreshed their attacking options, with Rantie and Sebastien Blanco being replaced by Wilson and Saido Berahino for the home and away side respectively, with Wilson showing his attacking prowess from the start, contributing to several attacks at Myhill’s goal. For all of their hard work, Bournemouth looked as though they would have to resolve the game in extra time as West Brom equalised against the run of play after Samaras’ shot took a wicked deflection off the unfortunate Elphick, looping over the helpless Camp. But Bournemouth responded
immediately from the restart, as Wilson darted down the right before neatly finishing to the bottom left of Myhill’s goal, less than a minute after the Baggies had equalised. The final minutes of the game saw Albion produce their best attacking spell as Chris Baird fired a free header over the crossbar from a well directed Berahino cross, while Camp was forced to fingertip a corner away to safety. But the blowing of the final whistle brought a rapturous ovation from the packed Goldsands stadium, with the attention now falling upon the quarter final and the prospects of Wembley drifting closer.
Turn to page 23 for a look at Eddie Howe’s two years back in charge
Cook: ‘I want promotion this year’ Bournemouth defender Steve Cook is hoping to heap more misery on his old club Brighton – while boosting his current side’s promotion hopes. The Cherries host Brighton in a televised clash this Saturday – a fixture which means more to Cook than most. Cook left Brighton for Bournemouth in search of first-team football and has since become a regular for the Cherries. “Brighton are the first team I look out for,” he said. “I didn’t get to play for them as much as I would’ve liked to but I’m looking forward to playing them and hopefully getting a win. “I think they will be disappointed at the moment but they have another manager in so it’s never going to be easy. They aren’t in for a relegation battle, I’d like to see them do well - but maybe after Saturday. “Football can change really quickly. We dropped down as far as 19th last season and ended up challenging for the play-offs so I wouldn’t write them off yet. “We are above them at the moment and on great form and that’s how we hope things will end up. “It’s a huge club that is always going to have high expectations now and maybe they’re feeling the pressure a little bit. “But I’m focussed on us. I want to see us kick on and get promotion this year.” Cook missed his side’s clash with Premier League West Bromwich Albion through suspension but has been a key cog in Eddie Howe’s high-flying side. The central defender has maintained a watertight partnership with skipper Tommy Elphick this season – in a defence that has conceded just three goals in six league games. “I’d like to think I know Tommy’s game inside out and I think he knows mine. “We bounce off each other and have a good relationship off the pitch as well. “Artur (Boruc) has been brilliant too. It’s only when I was watching back replays of his penalty save [that I realised] how good he really is. “He must have kept four clean sheets already now and that shows how good he is.” Cook said he had just about recovered from the 8-0 mauling of Birmingham last weekend. “It was a strange one, we didn’t see a lot of the ball, I was more watching. It was a really good feeling and I don’t think I’ll ever win 8-0 again. “If we don’t win on Saturday though it doesn’t mean anything to us – it would be irrelevant.”