Wednesday 7 February 2018
Issue 116
Arts 2018
Trash Talk
An insight into the zero-waste lifestyle Features
p. 10
Student protests have occured in support of the UCU pension strikes
All the local events you can’t afford to miss this year
Arts
p. 17
Roger Federer
A purist role model and tennis icon Sport p. 29
Dave Pickersgill
University staff set for 14 days of strikes Ben Warner
Strikes are set to take place at the University of Sheffield, with members of the University College Union walking out after talks over pensions broke down. The action is expected start on Thursday 22 February, lasting for two days, with members not turning up for lectures, seminars and so on. If strike action continues, it will be extended to three days the next week, four days the following week, before finally being five days a week. Proposals have been put forward
by the organisation representing UK universities which would see an end to guaranteed pensions and changing the system so pensions are based on investment performances rather than worker contributions. Speaking to Forge Press, SU President Kieran Maxwell and Education Officer Stuart McMillan explained the issue: “Throughout their careers, staff pay into this scheme in order to receive a stable pension once they retire. The proposals threaten to change this pension payout from a stable one based on how much staff pay in, to
one which is gambled on the stock market.” Members of the UCU voted at 61 universities, where turnout was over 50% during the balloting period. Dr Sam Brown, Communications Officer for the UCU and a professor at the University, said: “This problem is entirely of Universities UK’s making, and one that UCU have been doing everything they can to avoid for the past three years. “The last thing we want to do is disrupt students’ education. Member after member mention their students before anything else, but
tell us they’re not prepared to allow this unreasonable and unnecessary attack on their pensions pass by without challenge.” The UCU asked its members whether they supported strikes, and 88% supported the action while 93% supported action short of a strike. Education Officer Stuart McMillan said: “As students, it’s vital that we stand in solidarity with workers, so we’ll be doing everything we can in the coming months to support UCU’s action. An injury to staff is an injury to students, and the market forces attacking staff are the same
ones driving up our tuition fees and cutting vital funding for students.” Outside of the days when members are not on strike, they will not cover or reschedule classes from strike days, and they will not take on any voluntary work. In its final meeting of 2017, the Students’ Union Council unanimously voted to support the balloting for strike, and is continuing to support it now. (Read more from Kieran and Stuart in our Opinion section, page 12)
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Forge Press Editorial Team Editor editor@forgetoday.com Luke Baldwin Managing Editor Freyja Gillard Deputy Editors editor@forgetoday.com Nick Burke Michael Chilton Web Coordinator Dan Cross Head of News Ben Warner News press.news@forgetoday.com David Anderson Alex Peneva Gethin Morgan Opinion press.opinion@forgetoday.com James Pendlington Josie Le Vay Features press.features@forgetoday.com Katharine Swindells Megan-Lily McVey Elsa Vulliamy Coffee Break press.coffeebreak@forgetoday.com Dave Peacock
Editorial W
elcome back chums! I hope you all had a refreshing and relaxing break and that exams weren’t too soul destroying. The good news is Forge Press is back for 2018 and boy do we have a busy couple of weeks ahead of us. February marks both LGBT+ History Month as well as the Union’s Vegan Month (aptly named Veguary) so expect lots of exciting themed events. But something that I’m sure you’ll be hearing lots about in the coming weeks will be the Student s’ Union Elections, where you will be given the opportunity to elect your student representatives for the coming year. For those who haven’t experienced elections before, you’ve got campaigning on the concourse, lots of events and of course a healthy dose of coverage from us here at Forge to look forward to. There’ll be lots going on so keep an eye on our social media feeds and around the Union for all the latest info. If, like many students, you have no idea
what the elections are even about, be sure to check out our election double page spread this issue. We outline what’s happening round the Union and discuss what each of the officer roles involve with a couple of examples of what our current officers have achieved in the past year. There’s also instructions how you can nominate yourself for a role which is something I would definitely encourage you to do. I have my fair share of issues with SU politics but I’m also a firm believer that the only way to solve these issues is for more people to get involved, whether this be engaging in the voting process or running for a role yourself. Nominations close this Friday so there’s still time to put your name in the ring! Elsewhere in this issue we have a whole plethora of delightful content. In typical Opinion fashion, James and Josie tackle the important issues of strikes, veganism and sex robots as well as the triumphant return of
Wednesday 7 February 2018
“Tinder gets political”. For those interested in all things Sheffield related, why not check out Features incredibly informative piece on the University buildings and where they got their names, or Lifestyle’s ode to the undisputed king of Sheffield student nights out; Pop Tarts. Over to the Entertainment sections where you can find reviews of all the big screen, game, music and arts releases from the past month. There’s also some great features in there too, including Arts’ piece on what to look forward to from 2018 and a wonderful article on the lack of female nominees in this years Grammys from our very own Music Editor Flo Mooney. But my persona favourite article of the issue has to go to Games’ interview with Mark Saville of charity Special Effects, who work to make video games more accessible for disabled gamers. As the piece explains, and something I can certainly vouch for as an avid gamer, videogames can be life
Pic of the Press
changing and the work they do means more and more disabled gamers have access to this incredible industry. Last month saw Swiss tennis ace Roger Federer win his 20th Grand Slam title, and Sports’ Editor Tim Adams has written an article honouring the legendary sporting icon. Finally, we have the print debut of our new Break (formerly Coffee Break) Editor, David Peacock, so make sure you check out his animal themed crossword. It’s just what you need to get your brain cells working, just in time for the start of the new semester.
Christmas seems like a long time ago now. Exams are finally over and the new term has started, but the chill of winter is still looming in the air. Over Christmas, the colder weather gave a beautifully eerie look across many parts of England and Europe. This issue’s Pic of the Press was taken in Germany by Ingrida, she had this to say about the image:
Lifestyle press.lifestyle@forgetoday.com Harry Gold Ellie Conlon Head of Sport Adam May Sport press.sport@forgetoday.com Josh Taylor Tim Adams
Forge Press
‘The picture was taken in the Black Forest, Germany. The Black Forest was an inspiration for numerous fairy tales, and you can see why - that place does look quite magical. Oh, and have you ever wondered where does the The Black Forest gateau come from? Yes, exactly.
See your photo here
Music press.music@forgetoday.com Ben Kempton Florence Mooney
Contact press.photography@forgetoday.com with submissions
Games press.games@forgetoday.com Chloe Dervey Tom Buckland
Get Involved
Arts press.arts@forgetoday.com Laura Mulvey Florrie Andrew
Want to join the team? Fancy yourself a decent writer or presenter? Then why not get involved with Forge Media! No prior experience is needed and anyone can apply.
Screen press.screen@forgetoday.com David Craig Joseph Mackay
Join the Facebook group “Forge Media Contributors 17/18”for all the lastest articles or to pitch your own ideas. We’ll also be at the Refresher Fair on Wednesday the 7th of February in the Octagon, so pop by our stall and say hello. If you are interested in running for the vacant position of Arts Editor then come along to our EGM on Thursday the 15th of February. The meeting will be held in Meeting Room 3 of the Octagon. No prior experience is needed and anyone can apply! Details will be announced on our Facebook page nearer the date.
Copy Editors Connie Coombs Brenna Cooper Leah Fox Harriet Evans Amy King Charlotte Knowles-Cutler Photography Kate Marron
Photo credit: Ingrida Norkute
Forge Press
Wednesday 7 February 2018
Burnett bows out Ben Warner
Vice-Chancellor Keith Burnett has confirmed his intention to retire after his 65th birthday and will step down over the next few months. It was announced by Tony Pedder, the Chair of University of Sheffield Council, who praised the ViceChancellor’s work over the last ten years.
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He said: “Over the last decade, the University of Sheffield has grown in standing as a centre of global scholarship committed to making a difference in our own region and around the world. “In pursuit of our agreed strategy, Sir Keith has led a focus on the development of international partnerships, which bring opportunities to our students and staff, as well as economic benefits to our region.” Burnett has been the head figure at the University since 2007 and has held a number of positions at a national level as well as his job at the
University of Sheffield. He co-founded the #WeAreInternational campaign in 2013 and has helped forge better links with China, being honoured by the Vice-Premier of the country in
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years as Vice-Chancellor
2016 for his commitment to Chinese language and culture. Burnett said following the announcement: “I am truly honoured to have been given the opportunity
to lead the University of Sheffield over this past decade. During that time, I have met many inspirational staff, students and alumni around the world, and I am proud to have represented them here in the UK and overseas. “There could be no greater privilege than to help talented young people in our own locality and right across the globe to achieve their own educational potential and to see our scholars do real good across the world. “As we enter this period of transition, I am now looking forward to helping secure the
opportunities we have begun to develop and to prepare to hand over the responsibility of leadership to whoever is chosen to be the next Vice-Chancellor. “That individual will inherit a legacy of public education which began with our University’s founders – the people of Sheffield themselves. I am sure they will find this is a powerful inspiration, just as I have.”
Today Programme visits Sheffield Grace Braddock
The main stage at Ponderosa Park last year; it will be replaced by Hillsborough Park this time round
Andrew Benge
Tramlines announce details of revamped 2018 festival Ben Warner
T
ramlines will be united at one site in Hillsborough Park on the weekend of 20 July, it has been confirmed by the organisers of the festival. In previous years, the different stages have been separate, meaning attendees had to travel between them. Last year, shuttle buses were organised between the stages at Ponderosa, Devonshire Green and the Folk Forest at Endcliffe Park. This year sees Tramlines at a bigger venue in Hillsborough Park, which has been licensed for up to 40,000 people. Festival director Sarah Nulty said: “We really wanted to do something
different for the 10th anniversary and moving to a bigger park means we can include lots of extra interesting elements and deliver more than just music – although saying that, we’re going bigger than we ever have before with the lineup. “We always wanted to be a citywide festival and this just extends the footprint that little bit further. “We’re really proud of what we’re delivering for the 10th year and can’t wait to unveil it completely.” They are planning for the venue to be open longer, starting at around midday on the Saturday and Sunday of the weekend, and 3PM on the Friday. There will be four stages at this year’s 10th anniversary edition of
the festival. There will be an addition of a Leadmill stage, led by the iconic Sheffield indie club on Saturday, and Jon McClure of Reverend and the
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waves of tickets sold out Makers on the Sunday. A Library stage is also being added as well, which will give attendees a place to see live performances from
new artists. The ‘Into The Trees’ area, which was launched in Ponderosa at last year’s festival, is to be expanded, to offer more family friendly entertainment during the day and party DJs from 7PM. Tickets for this year’s festival have been selling fast, with Early Bird, Tier 1 and Tier 2 having all sold out already. Extra trams will be put on in order to get people to and from the venue, but a ticket to the festival will not get free public transport on the weekend. Hillsborough Park is a 13-minute ride from the city centre on the tram. Parts of the park not being used by the festival will be left open to the public.
Justin Webb of BBC Radio 4’s Today programme presented a live recording of the show from the University’s AMRC facility on Monday 29 January. Various guests joined Webb throughout the programme including outgoing Vice-Chancellor Keith Burnett and National Union of Students president Shakira Martin. Students were encouraged to attend the programme, with free tickets being offered and a bus being put on to ferry students to the AMRC near Rotherham for the early-morning event. Justin Webb, who has previously been the BBC’s North American News Editor and the presenter of BBC One’s Breakfast, spoke with Forge News about the inspiration behind the University Tour. Speaking about the key reasons behind the focus on students, he said: “Obviously, a significant part of our audience is people who are at university and who are interested in world affairs and what’s going on in the country.” He went on to say: “I think we realise that we haven’t in the past always served students particularly well. We thought it was time to rather than talking about student affairs, to come and hear from students themselves.” Student politics is a subject of particular interest for the Today programme as they will be exploring whether there was a ‘youthquake’ during last year’s election. Webb also discussed a standout moment from the previous broadcast at the University of Kent, which went on to garner significant media attention. He said: “We had a really interesting discussion at the last programme, this just sticks in my mind, someone said that it had been easier to come out as gay to his parents than it had been to tell them that he was a Conservative.” Webb seems keen to maintain audience engagement in Monday’s show stating: “Talking to the Conservative students in Kent was a really interesting experience and I hope that we can carry that on.”
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Wednesday 7 February 2018
Forge Press
New student village coming to Eccy Road Gethin Morgan
Listen to Kerry Miller (Forge Radio Station Manager) and Reena Staves (Welfare Officer), pictured, talk about mental health at forgetoday.com
Jamie Blakeman
Forge Radio holds Mental Health Conversation Alex Peneva
F
orge Radio held a conversation about mental health with Students’ Union Officers, support services and societies who focus on welfare and mental health issues on 18 January. The talk aimed to make people more comfortable when speaking about mental health issues and mental health in general. It also explored the University support services and a variety of ways to improve one’s mental wellbeing. Mental health can be a delicate topic, as mental health issues are more frequent than expected and yet, people often struggle to recognise those who suffer from them. Tom Brindley, Activities Officer of the SU, said: “It’s not obvious if someone is struggling with mental
health. You could have the loudest, most confident, most extraverted person who still feels insecure about themselves.” Just as physical health, people’s mental health can also suffer sometimes and it is important to understand the connection between the two. However, equally looking after both can often be hard, especially during exam period. Nikhil Vekaria, Deputy Station Manager for Forge Radio said: It was a really great to be able to host an event on such an important topic, which needs to be spoken about more. We’re really grateful to Reena, the SU Welfare Officer who helped us put it together and to everyone who we interviewed who helped make it a really good event. We hope people found the content really useful! On stress during the exam period
You could have the loudest, most confident, most extroverted person who still feels insecure about themselves.
Reena Staves, SU’s Welfare Officer, said: “It can be really hard to break out of that cycle of perfectionism where you feel like if you’re not doing enough then that will come at a cost of your academic results.” “I think it’s just really important we try and maintain a focus on selfcare and taking a break, especially during this time.” In case of a mental health struggle, Reena advised students to seek help from the services available in the SU and University: the Student Advice Centre, SSiD, SAMHS, the Disability and Dyslexia Support Services and UHS. The Residence Life team are also making their contribution to preserving the students’ mental health, as they are training staff in Accommodation and Commercial Services to be mental health first aiders.
“February is LGBT+ History Month and this year our amazing LGBT+ Committee have organised a wide
variety of events throughout the whole month; ranging from socials to panel discussions, podcasts to film screenings - there is something for everyone! The Committee have worked hard to ensure the month is as visible as possible and I am sure it will be an amazing month.” 2018 also marks the second anniversary of Open@TUoS, an initiative launched to help create an open and inclusive environment for LGBT staff and students at the University. Over 1,600 members of staff have since become supporters of the campaign.
University named as one of top LGBT Employers in country Gethin Morgan
T
he University of Sheffield is one of the best employers in the country for workplace equality, according to LGBT+ charity Stonewall. The annual Stonewall Top 100 Employers List, which uses the charity’s Workplace Equality Index to measure LGBT+ inclusion in the workplace, named the University as 24th best in the country. It is the fifth consecutive year the University has made the top 100, but having moved up 64 places this
year, 24th marks its highest ranking yet, despite a record 434 employers submitting entries to the index. The only Universities that placed higher were Cardiff, Manchester and Manchester Metropolitan, while York St John University ranked joint 24th with Sheffield. The announcement coincides with LGBT+ History Month, which the Students’ Union began celebrating on 1 February with an ‘Opening Ceremony’ activities fair, followed by LGBT+ club night Proud. Celeste Jones, Women’s Officer at the Students’ Union, said:
24th
out of 434 employers
The green light has been given for a new student village to be built near Ecclesall Road. The £32m development will include 237 brand new apartments in a nine storey building on the former site of a car dealership on the corner of Napier Street and Summerfield Street. As well as housing hundreds of students, there are plans for the village to have shops, cafes and restaurants. There have been attempts to gain planning permission on the land for several years, but permission was eventually granted for the current plans in November 2016, following an application from private company Abode Hallam. Northampton based company Winvic Construction Ltd secured a deal to construct the apartments, and are scheduled to finish the project by August 2019 in time for the 2019/20 academic year.
Have Your Say: NHS Changes Ben Warner
Students have expressed their disappointment at plans to close National Health Service facilities in the area, as proposed by Sheffield Clinical Commissioning Group. A meeting was held at the Students’ Union with members of the CCG, including the chair Tim Moorhead, a GP in the city on Monday 29 January. The CCG is running a consultation in order to improve the urgent care services in Sheffield. The consultation says that the walk-in centre on Broad Lane and the minor injuries unit at the Hallamshire would be replaced with services at Northern General for adults. Students have expressed disappointment at this because it increases travel times and costs for them to travel to Northern General. However, the CCG says it will improve services because it makes it simpler for people in the city to access the services they need quickly. Ideally, they want more people to visit their GP rather than using the services. The consultation closed on 31 January.
Forge Press
Wednesday 7 February 2018
Rediscover cinema with Film Unit’s new programme Gethin Morgan
The Sheffield Students’ Union cinema Film Unit has released its programme for the 2018 Spring semester. There will be a range of films screened every Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. From new releases like Black Panther (12A) and The Shape of Water (15), to classics such as The Silence of the Lambs (15) and Alice in Wonderland (U). There are also a number of special screenings, including a free Valentine’s Day screening of Film Stars Don’t Die in Liverpool (15) and a free mental health awareness screening of About a Boy (12), as well as a special showing of Call Me By Your Name (15) in celebration of LGBT+ History Month. In the week leading up to this year’s Academy Awards there will be a showing of seven different Oscar Best Picture winners from different decades, and the following week four female driven films will be shown to commemorate International Women’s Week. The cinema, which was named best student cinema in the country in November, even provides hard of hearing screenings and autism friendly screenings. Tickets are available for £3 from the Students’ Union Box Office, and the full programme can be found around the SU. As a non-profit organisation the student-ran cinema supports five charities.
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February marks the 14th LGBT+ History Month celebrated across the United Kingdom. The Students’ Union is joining in on the celebrations. With rainbow flags draped everywhere, there are loads of activities and events taking place over the next month. There’s a Bar One Quiz on LGBT+ History on the 11th, a number of panels and coffee socials, and Film Unit will screen Call Me By Your Name on the 25th.
Photo by Harry Fender
Coffee Revolution re-opened during the exam period following a dramatic refurb which took place over the New Year break. The coffee shop has been given a new-look industrial themed makeover by local company Whitehead Interiors. As well as a new aesthetic, the opening hours have extended to 7.30-22.00 and there is a brand new dessert menu on offer.
Photo by Kate Marron
Women’s Officer launches #SheShouldRun campaign for SU elections Ben Warner
T
he Women’s Officer Celeste Jones has launched the #SheShouldRun campaign, encouraging more women to run for SU Officer positions in the upcoming elections this month. It comes with statistics showing that there has been just one female president in the last 20 years – Yael Shafritz in the 2014-15 academic year. There has also been only one female candidate for SU President in each of the last three elections for the position. The campaign is focussed mainly on trying to get more women to run in particular for President and
SU Development Officer. There has only ever been nine female SU Development Officers since the inception of the position in 1956. Celeste Jones said: “It is hard to believe that there has been only 1 woman SU President in the past 20 years, which is why this campaign is so important. We need to empower more women to go for top leadership positions, in the SU and in society as a whole. “Women make up 47% of the UK workforce however the higher up the ladder you climb the less women you will find, as a 2016 report showed only 21% of women held senior positions of power. “Being SU President is a tough
job, but this should not deter anyone (especially women) from running for the role. You should run to be SU President, you have the power to shaape and change your SU and you
First Varsity 2018 tickets on sale Alex Peneva
Varsity 2018 is coming close with Ice Hockey and Boxing events, which will be held on 21st and 22nd March respectively. Tickets for the two events went on sale at 10am on Monday 5 February from the Students’ Union Box Office. On the day students had lined in a queue in the SU building even before the Box Office opened. From Monday 12 February tickets for Sports Park, Ice Hockey 2’s, American Football
and Football final will also be available from the Box Office. Boxing, ice hockey and American football tickets will be capped at five tickets per person. More information about the events, venues and ticket prices can be found on the Sheffield Varsity website. The University are looking to make it six years on the bounce for Varsity wins, having beaten Sheffield Hallam for the fifth year in succession last year, culminating in the final event of
Get involved! Are you... ...the one who gets your friends home safe at the end of a night out? ...your residences’ Dungeon Master? ...the friend who everyone comes to for good advice? ...your house ‘parent’? ...always thinking about New Leaf salads? ...the heart of your team? Then you’ve got the skills to be an officer. Nominate yourself: sheffieldsu.com/elections
KE D TES Mon 1 January Nominations open
Sun 11 February Training and support
Fri 9 February Nominations close
Tue 20/Thu 22 February Forge Debates
Fri 16 February Candidates Announced
Thu 1 March (7pm) Results announced
Mon 26 February Voting opens
Sun 25 February Candidate rest day
Thu 1 March (5pm) Voting closes
#KnowYourVote
OFFICER ROLES
So... what d the off o icers actual ly DO?! Presi
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c du
ation
Leads the Officer team in making sure they achieve their goals. Also oversees external campaigning and student representation, and is Chair of the Students’ Union Trustee Board. Kieran Maxwell has been campaigning for greater safety on nights out, and has launched a Pop Tarts Club for loyal revellers.
Champions educational change and improvement; giving students a direct say in their academic lives while at University. Also leads campaigns on educational issues. This year, Stuart McMillan has led a group of students in a Free Education march in London, and is currently supporting the UCU pension strike.
Wome
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are elf W
Campaigns on behalf of women and other liberation groups such as LGBT+. Also tries to deal with the issues facing Women’s students at the University. Current Women’s Officer Celeste Jones has provided free sanitary products in the SU and is running the #SheShouldRun campaign.
Represents students’ views on welfare issues, as well as support and organise campaigns on such issues on behalf of students. The Welfare Officer also works to make sure we have the best welfare services possible. This year, Reena Staves has worked with other officers on campaigns such as getting home safe.
Deve l op m
t en
Int
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al tion a n
Drives forward the SU’s Sustainability work and takes the lead on developement of the SU building and facilities. Oversees development of SU Social Enterprise. This year Megan McGrath has led a Reusable Revolution, as well as trying to make sure students are more sustainable in the way they live.
Represents international students on issues such as welfare, inclusion and integration, as one of only three full-time International Students’ Officers in the country. In her position, Santhana Gopalakrishnan has ensured international students doing a year in industry will pay a lower fee percentage from 2018/19.
Supports student-led activities such as societies and committees, ensuring they have representation. Also leads development of inclusion and participation in SU activities. Tom Brindley, the current Activities Officer, has run a successful Men’s Health campaign, and run several events getting people involved with the SU.
o Sp
r ts Represents athletes at the University, as well as encouraging more people to take part in sport whilst here. Also has the responsibilities of organising events which promote sport and wellbeing for students. Flo Brookes, in the role now, played a big role in organising the national #ThisGirlCan event at the University.
Activit i es
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Wednesday 7 February 2018
Features facebook.com/ForgePress
@ForgePress
Welcome back! We hope your exams went great (or at least tolerable) and that you’re ready for a new semester. New Year’s resolutions have been and gone and frankly, all probably failed. But why not start the new year by contributing to Forge? You can write about anything. If you’re interested pop us
Forge Press
an email at press.features@ forgetoday.com! Have a great semester and we hope to hear from you. Love from your Features editors Katharine, Elsa and Megan.
press.features@forgetoday.com
Mark Firth
Richard Roberts Richard Roberts, whose name adorns the glass building across from the University Arms, was a 1968 PhD graduate from the University of Sheffield,. His work as a molecular biologist in America with Philip Sharpe was awarded the Nobel Prize in physiology/medicine in 1993, specifically for his research into ‘split genes,’ led to fundamental shifts in biological sciences. He attributes his love for chemistry to his Christmas present as an 11 year old – his father got him a chemistry set, and he soon found he had the material necessary to
make gunpowder (how times have changed). His time at Sheffield then led him to his interest in molecular biology. His name was given to the expansion of the Chemistry Department at the University of Sheffield in 2005. Roberts was knighted in 2008, and is also a signatory of the Humanist Manifesto – a declaration of atheism, and recognition of humanitarian rights and freedoms.
On his death in 1880, Mark Firth received telegrams of well-wishing from the Prince of Wales, Prince Leopold and as far afield as Canada in his last days. This prestigious individual has lent his name to Firth Court, the University’s administration centre and home to the biomedical science and law faculties. Another prince of homegrown Sheffield industry, Mark Firth began to make a name for himself when he co-founded Thomas Firth and Sons steelworks. Forever expanding his enterprise, his company would famously create an eighty-ton gun after a successful endeavour into the armaments market. By 1851 Mark was living in 85 Wilkinson Street, Broomhall with his first wife Sarah Firth, and in 1875 he built Oakbrook House, a mansion in Ranmoor that now houses Notre Dame Sixth Form. Eight years previous, Firth had been appointed as Master Cutler – basically the
ambassador of industry in Sheffield, and a position that still survives today, and in doing so he joined a list of Sheffield’s most famous. In 1876 he became mayor of Sheffield, and soon established Firth College, which would eventually be combined with the University of Sheffield. Firth died in 1880, shortly after suffering a stroke. His epitaph stands in Sheffield Cemetery and is also a grade–II listed monument.. In newspaper publications across the country he was best remembered as a philanthropist, having established several schools in Sheffield, including Firth College, and donating large sums of money to Sheffield education. For these reasons Mark Firth lends his name to a number of the University’s buildings, shoulder-to-shoulder with many other of the city’s most revered individuals.
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Wednesday 7 February 2018
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The University Buildings - Explained Contributor Joe Tryner takes us on a guided tour of the University, revealing the people behind the names of our most recognisable buildings.
Sir Frederick Mappin Frederick Mappin is the first of our ‘munificent’ individuals, whose name still proudly adorns one of the oldest buildings on campus. This grade-II listed building stands in recognition to one of the true monoliths to Victorian society, and of course, to Sheffield. Frederick Mappin, born in May 1821 and living until the grand old age of 90, must have encompassed and achieved all that nineteenth century society expected for a man of renown. At an early age he took over his father’s cutlery business, before going on ventures into the steelwork, utilities and railway industries. He eventually moved into politics, becoming the Liberal MP for the Hallam constituency
of Sheffield. His association with the University came through his patronage of the Applied Sciences Committee of the University of Sheffield, and he would soon become the University’s first Pro-Chancellor in 1905. Although his opposition to the Labour Party may irk some students today, his philanthropy in all things education, such as opening a school to aid the ‘Deaf and Dumb’ in 1886, means his name can sit proudly atop the building devoted to the engineering faculty. Fitting for a man whose social and political engineering stands as a cornerstone to the founding of the University.
Pam Liversidge Pam Liversidge, who received an OBE in 1999, is a woman of firsts. She was the first female president of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, a society that boasts a membership of 115,000 as the representative of the mechanical engineering profession. She also became the first female Master Cutler of Hallamshire in 20112012 ( the 373rd Master Cutler since its founding in 1624). Meanwhile, she remained dedicated to enhancing the position and opportunities of women in science, engineering and industry. Engineering students may be familiar with the mazey corridors of the Pam Liversidge building, attached to Mappin, sat on the corner of Newcastle Street and Broad Lane. This is a relatively new
structure, having been opened in February 2014 after a £21 million construction project, and acts as an interdisciplinary space for engineering students. As one of our contemporary trailblazers, her name was leant to the building in an honour which she claimed was the most significant she had ever been rewarded. Liversidge continues to hold highprofile roles - she is currently the director of Quests Investment Ltd. The Liversidge building fits alongside the old-stalwart of Frederick Mappin – a synthesis of new and old, traditional and modern, dedicated to Liversidge’s remarkable career, and one previously unthinkable to her counterpart’s Victorian roots.
Sir Henry Stephenson
Alfred Denny The Alfred Denny Building is well worth a visit if you’re a fan of ghastliness (or just biology.) The building is the large red-bricked structure opposite the Students Union and currently houses the departments of Biomedical Science and Animal and Plant Science. After relocation in 1990, it was named the Alfred Denny Building. Denny is another of our Sheffield centurions, who became the first Professor of Biology at the University in 1905. It contains all manner of preserved curiosities, many of which are over 100 years old, and is open to the public on select days. These exhibits constitute the collection begun by Denny back in the 19th century, and have remained as teaching
materials ever since. The museum boasts some remarkable possessions relating to Denny and his family – namely, two letters written from Charles Darwin to Henry Denny, Alfred’s father. It also holds a number of artefacts that Denny left to the University of Sheffield including a variety of fossilised specimens and extinct animal material; alongside a range of intact specimens preserved in alcohol. Most importantly however, Denny contributed to the development of an important discipline within Sheffield’s scientific educative arsenal by establishing biology’s position within the University with his assumption of the professorship in 1905.
Henry’s life takes some deviation from the above figures through his involvement in World War I. Stephenson was a Lieutenant Colonel and was awarded with the Distinguished Service Order for his duty in a howitzer regiment deployed in France. Another businessman and politician, Henry Stephenson was born in August 1865. Continuing his family’s Typesetting business, he became Chairman and Managing Director of Stephenson, Blake & Co Ltd and later, also became a chairman on the Sheffield Gas Company. He also took the position of Treasurer on the University College of Sheffield and the first Treasurer of its successor, the University of Sheffield that we know today.
In 1910 he succeeded the illustrious Frederick Mappin in becoming the Pro-Chancellor of Sheffield University. Frederick Mappin, friend and ally, believed that Stephenson had “more friends and less enemies” than anyone else in Sheffield, in a newspaper article that included praise from all other Sheffield notables in 1889, during a period of illness for Stephenson. In 1936 he was created a Baronet at Hassop Hall in Derbyshire. He died 20th September, 1947, after an illustrious career. His name lends itself to the department of Automatic Control and Systems Engineering on Mappin Street.
10
Wednesday 9 February 2018
enough with the
Forge Press
trash talk: an insight into zero-waste
T
he ever-growing demand for plastic, and other nonbiodegradable materials, is putting strain on our planet and continues to grow at an exponential rate with devastating consequences for our oceans, wildlife and climate. What can we do to make a difference? Liam Gilliver explores the zero-waste movement, and whether we can truly learn to live waste-free. The term ‘zero-waste’ reached its peak popularity on Google in 2017, popularised by eco-friendly bloggers who proclaim to have crammed three years of their waste into a mason jar. The philosophy behind a zerowaste lifestyle is to eliminate any contribution towards landfills, incinerators or ocean-tipping. This requires revolutionary changes - where the products we buy on a day-to-day basis are redesigned and made either to be reusable or biodegradable.
20,000 plastic bottles are bought every second
On average, 20,000 plastic bottles are bought every second. In 2016 fewer than half the bottles used were collected for recycling and only 7% were actually turned into new bottles. The rest ended up in landfill or the ocean, according to research by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, a company dedicated to redesigning products to minimise waste. By 2050, the ocean will contain
more plastic, by weight, than fish. In fact, a study by Plymouth University found that plastic was present in a third of UK-caught fish, including cod, haddock, mackerel and shellfish. Our demand for these products has soared at an exponential rate - so much so that our planet cannot keep up. The true cost of our plastic-addiction? Ocean dead zones, endangered species, littered coastlines and climate change. The plastic that finds refuge in landfills releases chemicals such as bisphenol which is toxic to our planet and could take up to 1,000 years before they completely degrade. The fear that we will soon run out of space for landfill is also creeping up on us at an alarming rate. There is, however, a silver lining. The zero-waste lifestyle is becoming more and more talked about. Companies are recognising consumer trends and becoming more sustainable in their practices and the internet is flooded with tips and tricks on how you can reduce your waste. The UK’s first zero-waste supermarket opened in Hackney, London this September, allowing customers to bring their own jars and containers and stock up on over 300 items. All of the produce is kept in glass jars and is locally sourced. The owner left her
previous job to pursue her vision of a business that uses no waste in order to help the environment. Earlier this year, a Swedish supermarket replaced the sticky labels found on loose produce with laser marking. The laser technology is said to create less than 1% of the carbon emissions needed to produce a sticky label of the same size. In the UK, supermarket Marks & Spencer have already adopted this practice with coconuts and are planning to expand it onto other products. Companies such as Coconut Bowls reuse the shells of coconuts that would be otherwise burned as waste. They pay a living wage to workers in Vietnam and Indonesia, who clean and sand the shells, transforming them into bowls that you can eat from. Some may fear that zero-waste could damage our economy. After all, the British Plastics Industry generates an annual turnover of over £23.5 billion and employs around 170,000. Would zerowaste living come with thousands of people facing redundancy? It’s unlikely. When the demand for plastic products decline, it sparks a demand for environmentally-friendly materials. The demand for certain products, such as straws, will always exist. However, instead of creating plastic straws, companies
are shifting to more sustainable methods such as using bamboo or steel. It is the same principle as farmers switching dairy cows for soybeans as the demand for plantbased milk rises. The demand for these products will always be there, but the way that they are met can be altered. This is because zero-waste relies on supply and demand. If we say no to straws in our cocktails, if we bring our own cup to the coffee shop, we block the demand for these one-use pieces of plastic, and therefore reduce the incentive to supply them. The fact is most of our plasticconsumption is habitual. While there are times when it may seem necessary to buy plastic, a lot of the time it’s pure custom. Take for example England’s 5p carrier bag charge that took effect in 2015. Since then, the number of singleuse plastic bags used by shoppers has dramatically plummeted by more than 85%. Is this because we can’t afford the extra 5p? Doubtful. Once our plastic consumption is challenged we begin to question whether or not we really need it. In this case, we seem to have found that we didn’t. One of the most influential internet-stars that promotes a zero-waste lifestyle is Lauren Singer. Her website ‘Trash is for tossers’ sells eco-friendly products such as string tote bags, bamboo toothbrushes and refillable dental floss. She also has YouTube tutorials on how to make your own deodorant and toothpaste from natural ingredients such as coconut oil. In the last three years, Lauren has managed to fit all of her waste (i.e. items that can’t be reused, composted or recycled) in a small mason jar. Zero-waste is viewed by some as idealistic and unfeasible. It’s
hardly surprising. Look around your house, how many things contain plastic? Is it possible to ever be truly zero-waste? What about hospitals that have to dispose of one-use appliances due to hygiene regulations? What about airports and the waste caused by securityrestrictions? The reality is that you will never be able to control how
2050
By the ocean will contain more plastic, by weight, than fish other people generate waste. However, zero-waste is an end goal, not an all-or-nothing way of living. Making small changes to your lifestyle, such as purchasing a reusable straw, is better than nothing. It helps make the transition to zero-waste less daunting and will make you more likely to stick to the lifestyle. There are, of course, other approaches to sustainable living. Taking shorter showers, carsharing or cycling to work, reducing the amount of animal products in your diet and buying secondhand clothes are all easy ways that will decrease your environmental impact. Zero-waste is admirably a great way to help the environment, but don’t feel discouraged if you feel like it’s not possible. Engage in conversation with people and share your knowledge on the reality behind our plastic obsession.
Week
Represent
Discover more about SU Officer elections and your representatives
Monday 5th February Social action
Societies
Wellbeing & Support
Sports
Employability & skills
T u e s day 6th february
F e s t i va l
10:30 - 15:30 Ac ro s s t h e S U A n d Oc tago n
Freebies Prizes G i v e away s
WEDNESDAY 7TH FEBRUARY 10:30 - 16:00 OCTAGON
Start the new term right and make sure you're looking after yourself.
Thursday 8th February
REWARD
Fantastic buy one get one free offers across our SU outlets & Coffee Revolution reopening celebration.
FRIDAY 9TH FEBRUARY
Wednesday 7 February 2018
12
Opinion facebook.com/forgetoday
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press.opinion@forgetoday.com
James Pendlington & Josie Le Vay We’ve got to the point where we’ve got no idea how many issues we’ve done and are running out of things to say. We don’t have many issues left, although we do have many personal issues to sort out before the end of the academic year. In this mini issue our four pages have been reduced to two, but don’t worry, our Tinder column remains. You also get to enjoy particularly large pictures of your favourite
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Forge Press
Opinion Editors
officers - Kieran and Stuart have expressed their backing of the staff strike. We have yet another article on veganism and a piece on sexbots. So as you can see we forgot to do anything Valentine’s Day apart from put a vegan heart on the next page. So, we’ve decided to give a few tips on what to do on Valentine’s Day if you’re single. JamJo x
St Valentine’s tips 1). Go to church and light a candle for St Valentine and all those sinners out there having pre-marital sex 2). Buy a sex robot! You never have to meet their parents 3). Don’t watch Bridget Jones and think you’re fine sat alone at home necking vodka and chain smoking. She got Colin Firth and you won’t! 4). Have a posh wank
Why you should support the strike to save staff pensions Our SU President and Education Officer explain why they are backing the University and College Union strike Kieran Maxwell & Stuart McMillan
O
ur education is under attack from all angles: we’ve seen our tuition fees tripled, grants cut for the poorest students, and now the security of University workers’ futures are under threat. The future of our education is at stake, and we as students must unite with workers to stop this downwards trajectory and these savage attacks. The University and College Union (UCU), the trade union representing academic workers across the country, have announced they will be taking strike action starting on 22 February, increasing each week until the conflict is resolved. This means that, on strike days, your lectures and seminars won’t be taking place if your lecturer or seminar tutor is taking part. Whilst this will have an impact on students’ learning in the shortterm, it comes after months of negotiations with little progress. They’ve been forced to do this because of disastrous changes that Universities UK (UUK) have made to their pensions scheme, the ‘Universities Superannuation Scheme’ (USS). Throughout their careers, staff pay into this scheme in order to receive a stable pension once they retire. The proposals threaten to change this pension payout from a stable
But this is about more than just pensions, it’s part of a fundamental attack on our education as we know it.
one based on how much staff pay in, to one which is gambled on the stock-market. This risks a loss of up to 50%, effectively ending the
pensions scheme as we know it. This is a huge change, and the level of planned strike action reflects the sheer scale of damage such a proposal would cause. The proposals will be most damaging to those at the start of their working journey, who will be paying into this new scheme for the whole of their careers. But this is about more than just pensions, it’s part of a fundamental attack on our education as we know it. As we’ve seen in places like Royal Mail, when
institutions are privatised and marketised, pensions are often one of the first things to be cut. The forces that threaten the conditions of University workers are the same ones cutting maintenance grants, driving up tuition fees and discontinuing less ‘profitable’ courses and services. Both students and workers are suffering the consequences of marketisation, and a multifaceted attack demands a united resistance. The interests of students a n d
...tell your tutors you support them, and encourage fellow students to do the same
workers are fundamentally aligned, because their working conditions are our learning conditions. UCU have consistently supported students’ struggles against tuition fees and marketisation, and now is the time for us to stand in solidarity with them. There’s so much you can do to support staff in this. You can show solidarity by not attending your lectures and seminars, share messages of support on social media, sign our open letter, or join us on the picket lines on the days of the strikes. One of the most valuable things you can do, though, is tell your tutors you support them and encourage fellow students to do the same. Sign the open letter: sheffieldsu. com/SaveStaffPensions
Forge Press
Wednesday 7 February 2018
13
Mum, it’s not a phase
Shelby Story
N
ow that January’s over, the resolutions many of us came into the New Year with (i.e. joining the gym, quitting smoking, more clearly outlining a stance on the state of a customs union with the EU etc.) are beginning to lose momentum. This year over 160,000 people took part in Veganuary pledging to go vegan for the entire month of January, but is this really all that great for animal rights? According to PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of
...why on earth would anyone choose to hurt animals when it’s so easy to avoid doing so?
Animals), vegans on average save 198 animal lives per year, so if just 10% of those 160,000+ participants remained vegan, that would mean
that over 3 million lives would be saved each year. As an animal rights advocate that’s something I have to get behind, and I would challenge any animal lover to argue otherwise.
a vegan’s heart irl
There a r e many ‘militant’ vegans out there who would argue “go vegan or go away” (though not always so politely) and I’m one of them. The only way to help animals is to refrain from using them in any way and this is a view I’ve held for
the six years that I’ve been vegan. Why on earth would anyone choose to hurt animals when it’s so easy to avoid doing so? However, unlike many of my fellow unapologetic vegans, I believe that Veganuary is a great thing. While some would argue that it sends the message that veganism is a fad and something to be tried for a month and then forgotten about, I think that at the very least it gets more people thinking about ethical eating, and at best creates lifelong vegans. As frustrating as it is to hear someone who has taken part in Veganuary say, “I can’t wait to have a bacon sandwich when this is over”, for every participant like that there’s another who can’t believe they didn’t go vegan sooner and will never look back. Even if Veganuary can look a bit like the latest New Year’s resolution craze to those not taking part, it is actually a really supportive community of new and seasoned vegans, wanting to bring an end to animal suffering, which is surely a good thing.
gets political We asked people on Tinder who their dream future Prime Minister would be. Enjoy!
Hey Jambo! Who would your dream future Prime Minister be? My name is not jambo
Want to know something crazy? PM is MP backwards, so Theresa May is both backwards and forwards. Mind = blown Who would your dream future Prime Minister be?
maxpixel.freegreatpicture.com/Love-Vegetables-Vegetarian-Heart-Vegan-Bless-You-2175501 | Max Pixel
I’d like to C.3. your P.0. Dorothy Hakim
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he tells jokes, remembers your birthday and even recites Shakespeare. She’s also a £4,000, app-driven sex doll from Real Doll who comes with an option of 18 different personality traits including kind, shy, friendly, naïve, frigid and intellectual. Surely this is a wonderful invention? No. She scares me. I’m a proud sexual liberal so I don’t tend to take issue with people’s sexual choices. However, I’m beginning to question that as I attempt to unpick why I’m still so wary. Since I live on a student budget, I’ve not had the chance to interact with a sex doll and I still can’t tell
Since I live on a student budget, I’ve not had the chance to interact with a sexdoll and I still can’t tell if I’d want to. if I want to. I think a large part of my worries are based on my lack of exposure to sex dolls. I worry that the dolls will lead to yet more unrealistic beauty standards for
all of us since they are a more tangible, more direct version of porn. In my opinion, porn is a wonderful thing but this is one of its several nasty side effects. I think that sex dolls will do the same - normalise quixotic images of how we should look during sex as the dolls won’t get
have an eerily airbrushed look; they certainly don’t look human. I also wonder if sex is ‘better’ with robots since they are always ready for you, they know what you like and will never tire. Would I then leave my partner for a more passionate, fulfilling sexual relationship with a robot? That makes me wonder if I could fall in love with a very humanlike robot. Whilst I am polyamorous and in an open,
Would I then leave my partner for a more passionate, fulfilling sexual relationship with a robot?
consensual relationship, sex with a robot weirdly seems like cheating. It’s so bizarre to talk about that I can’t even think of bringing it up to seriously discuss with my human lover. But it also leads on to something worse to me, something much more sinister. If my sex doll can have a full personality does this mean that they are somewhat human and then can I can rape them? That’s a very scary thought. Terrifying We’re very up on censorship here at Opinion, even. These are all we wouldn’t want to make a tit of ourselves real issues that we will have to deal with in our lifetimes. For my part, I’m attempting optimism and I really hope that sweaty, we deal with all of this wisely so that flushed or have any we don’t simply exclude users of sex blemishes. Although the robots that dolls for fear of the unknown. I’ve seen all look quite different to each other, I still notice that they
Myself so I could erase that fact from history (face) but sure the same would apply to anyone?
Who would your dream future Prime Minister be? Mine would be Oprah Winfrey so that we can tackle 10 Downing Street Gordon Ramsey so that we can locate the lamb suace ngl
Hi Hola amigo Who would your dream future Prime Minister be?
This beautiful man He would certainly cruise to power
Terry Crews Get Smart premiere arrival | Anthony Citrano
14
Wednesday 7th February 2018
Lifestyle facebook.com/ForgePress
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press.lifestyle@forgetoday.com
Harry Gold and Ellie Conlon
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Welcome back to Lifestyle! We know how much you’ve all missed Pop Tarts over the Christmas holiday, so what better way to start the new Semester than an Ode to Pop Tarts article? Lifestyle have been eagerly awaiting the return of the non-stop-retro-pop, and of course we’ve missed the VKs too.
Next up, Brandon Tan is back to tell us all about his experience as a study abroad student here in Sheffield. He claims that the study abroad period was maybe the best time of his life, and with the University of Sheffield being so great and the ability to travel cheaply around the whole of Europe, we can’t
Lifestyle Editors
Forge Press
blame him! We hope all your exams went well and you’re all looking forward to Spring semester.
An ode to Pop Tarts
“Duh duh, duh duh duh, DUH DUH… Let’s go girls.”
Jay Jackson
Y
ou hate it; you love it…it’s Pop Tarts. The best Saturday night in Sheffield? I’d say more like the best night out, anywhere in the world, ever. But what makes it such a Boogie Wonderland? Pop Tarts is the place where Sheffield students’ Young Hearts Run Free and for a brief period of time you can forget the boy/girl/essay/project/ work/Brexit/mortality – whatever it is that’s getting you down. First of all, let’s address the divide, the two types of people who frequent Pop Tarts. Number one is the person who can’t admit to themselves, or anyone, that they fucking love it (you know who you are). Throughout the week you maintain your image that you’re too good for it, you’d rather go to some ‘edgy’ night at Hope
Works, or just sit in and smoke some questionable weed with your mates, because that’s going to make for a much more respectable Insta the next morning. Whenever anyone mentions Poppy T’s you feel the need to explain how “it’s just not fun” and “I can only ever enjoy it when I’m REALLY smashed”. When you get there; however, it’s a different story. You storm in like the Dancing Queen that deep down you know you are. Then there’s the people who live for Non-stop retro pop, the Pop Tarts aficionados, the people who don’t just Jerk it out on a Saturday night, but all 7 Days of the week - in the IC, in the shower… in the bedroom? Ain’t Nobody that loves the small room more than you. You know the names of - and have banter with the DJ’s (not all heroes wear capes), have a set drinks order (2 red VKs) and have a dedicated Poppy T’s outfit that
comes out each and every Saturday night (whatever the supposed theme of that week is). “PokeTarts? Yeah good one mate, this shirt is Fred Perry”. Life throws up so many conundrums.What is the meaning of life? What name do you give to a small rounded roll of baked dough? But perhaps most importantly of all, what’s the best song at Pop Tarts? Your answer may well depend on which of the two rooms you spend most of your time in. If you’re a fan of the big room then you might think Unwritten, Star Girl or Toxic are the best choons. If you spend your time telling everyone that the small room is better, then it’ll be Africa by Toto, Come on Eileen or any of the ABBA repertoire that gets you groovin. Either way, the one thing that binds everyone at Pop Tarts together is the self conscious, semi-ironic but
unadulterated love of non-stop retro pop. Another reason that you’d walk A Thousand Miles to Pop Tarts, is the well priced, well safe and well good SU. You can stay at Poppy T’s All Night Long and whilst it’s not quite Club Tropicana (sadly, drinks aren’t free), there is enough fun and sunshine for everyone, and you can easily do the whole night out for under £20. The SU is the best venue in Sheffield; not only is it cheap and close to home, you feel safe there too as, like rats, you’re never more than 6ft away from a coursemate. The SU also boasts a huge dual purpose corridor, big enough to accommodate both the devoted members of cryyour-eyes-out-in-the-pop-tartscorridor-weekly club, but also well lit enough to accommodate the cadre of professional Pop Tarts Instagrammers.
Obviously, nothing can ever be entirely perfect. I am obliged to mention the solitary negative aspect of Pop Tarts – The, quite frankly, pathetic smoking area. You’re presented with a choice as a smoker at Poppy T’s, between smoking a badly rolled bifta outside where it’s raining actual rain, or just engaging in A Little Less Conversation and staying inside where It’s Raining Men instead. You can blame Pop Tarts for ruining your carefully curated sleeping pattern. You’ll Keep On Movin until you get not-so-politely chucked out at 3:45 for a Broomhill Friery (other greasy, overpriced takeaways are available) and set an alarm for a painfully early 10am to buy tickets for your next Non-Stop retro pop fix. Safe in the knowledge it’ll be exactly the same.
Forge Press
Wednesday 7th February 2018
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What’s different about Europe? A study abroad student from the Australian National University, Brandon spent six months here in Sheffield. He reminisces the way life here is different from what he’s used to in Canberra and what he’ll miss when he goes back.
Brandon Tan
A SU worthy of its acheivements
A different study experience
As we know, the University of Sheffield frequently boasts about having the number one SU for the past nine years. It’s worthy of this distinction, as one can see the layered levels of preparation and the amount of student involvement. From the everexpanding number of student societies covering a broad range of interests, to the numerous Give it a Go sessions to enhance your work skills or just develop a new skill for fun. The SU’s activities are something truly outstanding. You can see that the SU constantly works to reinvent itself to make sure students dabble outside of their studies. In a way, the SU has managed to successfully work itself into a second home for students who’ve left for a brave new world.
As Australia and England are largely similar (in contrast to the US and England), I expected the education system to remain largely the same. However, most universities don’t offer Journalism or Zoology courses. This led me to try out a subject that wasn’t usually offered in Australia. As a study abroad student you are only required to pass your subject, which meant I could focus on my own development and experiencing Europe.
The ability to explore RyanAir. It’s frankly quite unbelievable that one can travel around Europe for less than £20. In contrast, one-hour flights from Melbourne to Canberra are usually £80! Using the opportunity, I backpacked across Europe during the less busy period of January managing to avoid the tourist crowds. At the same time, I once made the mistake of travelling to Amsterdam on the twelve-hour bus from London. One weird part I don’t understand is how flights are often cheaper in comparison to bus or train tickets. Regardless, I’ve been to London six times within six months and made the effort to catch up with some high school friends who are studying across the UK.
Superior Netflix Since the UK adopted Netflix earlier than Australia, more titles were streaming on the service provider, including Breaking Bad. When coupled with the six-month free membership of Amazon Prime, you’ve got plenty of entertainment to explore. Hence, I made the conscious decision to avoid Netflix Originals for the time being and watch movies that came out last year.
Being a part of UK events Being a major city, London receives its fair share of world happenings. While I wasn’t here during tumultuous 2016, when the Brexit vote took place, I received my fair share of announcements. Firstly, there was Megan Markle’s engagement to Prince Harry, which I unfortunately won’t be here to witness. I also managed to watch the Doctor Who Christmas Special, where history was being made through the first female Doctor. Finally, I was hailing an Uber in London on the last day of Uber before the Uber ban.
A different nightlife Although its not quite my thing, the nightlife in Sheffield is much more vivid. Although I’m not quite thrilled with paying entrance fees, going out for a nightlife is much more endearing than the traditional Maccas run in Australia.
Final reflections Maybe the study abroad period was indeed the best time of my life. These six months felt like a gap year with the occasional essay submissions. I fell short of a few things such as going to see a Hamilton performance or being here when Trump visits the UK, but I wouldn’t change a thing. To quote the immortal words of David Tennant as the tenth Doctor “I don’t want to go”, and I wish my study abroad was a year instead of half that. All photos by Brandon Tan
Open to the public - tickets £3.00. Under 12: £1.50 Available from the Sheffield Students’ Union Box Office and online at tickets.sheffieldstudentsunion.com Weekday Screenings 19:30 | Sat & Sun Screenings: 15:30 & 19:30
sun 18th feb
wed 7th feb
fri 9th feb
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mon 26th feb
tues 27th feb
wed 28th feb
thurs 1st mar
fri 2nd mar
sat 3rd mar
sun 4th mar
wed 7th mar
fri 9th mar
sat 10th mar
sun 11th mar
wed 14th mar
fri 16th mar
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wed 21st mar
sat 14th apr
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wed 25th apr
fr 27th apr
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wed 2nd may
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fr 11th may
sat 12th may (matinee only)
sun 13th may
wed 16th may
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Film Unit Cinema, Sheffield Students’ Union, Western Bank, Sheffield S10 2TG tickets.sheffieldstudentsunion.com • //lmunit • @@lmunit • e: lm.unit@sheffield.ac.uk • www..lmunit.org.uk
Forge Press
Wednesday 7 February 2018
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Laura Mulvey
@ForgePress
Are you a fan of the Arts section? Of course you are!
Arts press.arts@forgetoday.com
Arts Editor
We have some exciting news for you: Arts Editor Florrie has swapped Sheffield for sunny Spain, meaning that we’re on the hunt for someone new to take on the role. This is a great chance to get involved in the paper, add something unusual to your CV, and join one of the best societies around!
Day to day you’ll be liaising with arts practitioners across Sheffield, organising reviews, interviews and features. There will be plenty of chances to write about the arts you love, as well as honing your editorial and design skills as part of a fun and friendly team.
of opinion-based questions.
If this sounds like the role for you, come along to our EGM on Thursday 15 February at 7pm in Meeting Room 3, The Octagon. You’ll just need to give a very brief speech about why you’d like to be elected, and answer a couple
Good luck!
What to see in 2018
In the meantime, make sure you’re following Forge Press on Facebook for details of how to submit your name, and email me with any questions at press.arts@forgetoday.com.
Review
Hairspray
Aisling Power
Williams who played Seaweed. He performed the song ‘Run and Tell That’ with excellent charisma as well as managing to pull off the splits in mid-air, which led to chuckles of joy from the audience. The chemistry between Edna Turnblad (Matt Rixon) and Wilbur Turnblad (Norman Pace) was electric, with the highlight of the musical being their duet of ‘You’re Timeless to Me’. This included some cheeky jokes from both the actors and even the occasional slipping out of character to laugh along with the audience, which was greeted with great reception. Not to mention the standard of music performed by the band was exceptional, with brilliant brass booming round the Lyceum Theatre. The night reached its peak at the end of the performance when the cast received a standing ovation, followed by them encouraging the audience to dance along to the finale of ‘You Can’t Stop the Beat’. As an avid Hairspray fan I thoroughly enjoyed the evening. It was hard not to belt out the songs along with the cast throughout the performance, but luckily for the people around me I managed to contain myself.
Laura Mulvey
H
appy New Year, Arts readers! With the new semester well underway, here’s our pick of Sheffield’s best arts events to see you through til summer.
S
et in 1962 Baltimore, Hairspray tells the story of Tracy Turnblad (Rebecca Mendoza), a larger than life teen whose dream is to dance on TV in the Corny Collins Show. Her story highlights not only issues of prejudice due to different shapes and sizes, but the segregation which was rife in the ’60s. Despite these heavy themes, Hairspray is without doubt one of the bounciest, most feel-good musicals around.
FEBRUARY Chicken Soup
This intriguing new production from Sheffield writers Ray Castleton and Kieran Knowles explores life and friendship on the Northern breadline. Placing two seismic events side by side – the 1984 battle of Orgreave between police and miners’ pickets, and 2016’s Brexit vote – the play sets out to discover what has – or hasn’t – changed for working class communities. Studio Theatre, 9 February - 3 March
We are the Lions, Mr Manager
In 1976, fearless activist Jayaben Desai led an industrial strike at Grunwick Film Processing Factory in London, changing the landscape of workers’ rights forever. Her tale of determination in the face of racism, misogyny and exploitation has inspired people ever since, and now Townsend Productions are bringing it back to life on the stage. As well as providing a fascinating insight into the life of a modernday heroine, this production gives you the chance to visit the iconic Lantern Theatre, Sheffield’s oldest surviving theatre venue. It’s a great place to immerse yourself in the city’s history away from the student bubble. The Lantern Theatre, 27 February - 3 March
MARCH William Blake: The Book of Job The beginning of March is your last chance to see this fascinating exhibition. Featuring 21 original line engravings of the well-known biblical story, the collection gives a unique insight into the mind of Blake as a poet and a visionary. Graves Gallery, until 3 March
International Evening
Cultural
Featuring the diverse talents of Sheffield students, the International Cultural Evening at City Hall is an annual event celebrating the city’s global community. Expect performances of traditional dance, music and drama from around the world. Sheffield City Hall, 10 March
APRIL Jane Eyre
Northern Ballet are a company well known for their creative interpretation of classic tales, and this latest production promises to be no exception. Based on Charlotte Bronte’s world-famous novel, the ballet tells the story of governess Jane’s tumultuous relationship with her employer, Mr Rochester, a brooding and mysterious man with a dark secret. With brand new choreography from Cathy Marston, the production offers a fresh way to enjoy this timeless story. The Lyceum Theatre, 10-14 April
Words of Beauty
Sheffield-based collective Our Mel have a growing reputation for innovative projects that explore black history and cultural identity. Join them at Theatre Delicatessen’s new venue on Eyre Street for an evening of poetry and live music in celebration of beauty. Whether you perform or just soak up the atmosphere, this promises to be a thought-provoking night. Theatre Delicatessen, 12 April
MAY Our Country’s Good
Follow the incredible true story of a group of convicts who, having been sent to Australia, come together to put on a play. In the face of hostile officials and even the threat of death, the performers use the power of theatre to unite people. This production comes from innovative company Ramps on
the Moon, who are striving for inclusion for deaf and disabled individuals in UK theatre. The Crucible Theatre, 12-19 May
Shappi Khorsandi: Mistress and Misfit
A regular contributor to a range of platforms including Live at the Apollo and Have I Got News For You, Shappi Khorsandi is wellknown for her warm presence and sharp wit. This latest show takes Nelson’s mistress Emma Hamilton as a source of inspiration to discuss what it means to be a woman today. Expect a lot of laughs. The Leadmill, 31 May
JUNE One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest
Based on the classic novel by Ken Kesey, this play tells the story of criminal Randle McMurphy and the challenges he faces in an institution for mental illness. With plenty of drama provided by the tyrannical Nurse Ratched, the production raises many an important question about the systems we trust. The Crucible Theatre, 8-23 June
Jersey Boys
Loved by theatre-goers all over the world, this musical chronicle of real-life rock ‘n’ roll group The Four Seasons is returning to Sheffield. Featuring many of the band’s hit songs, such as ‘Rag Doll’ and ‘Working My Way Back To You’, the performance is sure to be a dazzling spectacle and a great night out. The Lyceum Theatre, 19-30 June
Despite its heavy themes, Hairspray is one of the most feelgood musicals around. From the word go the production kicks off with loud outfits, enough sequins for a small army and hair almost as high as the ceiling. Although there is a rather large cast, everyone had their time to shine within the performance, with special note to Layton
at The Lyceum Theatre
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Wednesday 7 February 2018
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Chloe Dervey & Tom Buckland
@forgetoday
Ever since Thimbleweed Park, I’ve been on a steady indie hype. This issue marks the beginning of our indie spotlight section, and what better way to start this than with a game straight out of Sheffield’s indie scene! Find it below. Over the page you will find an interview with Mark Saville from Special Effect, the gamers’ charity. I can’t
Games press.games@forgetoday.com
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Games Editors
recommend enough taking some time to explore their website and having a look at what they do for gamers with physical disabilities. I was lucky enough to stumble across them at EGX, and now I’m baffled that this type of work on expanding the accessibility of games isn’t spoken about more. I’ve always believed that games are special, and seeing the work the charity
Forge Press
does is truly eye opening, heart warming and mind blowing. Check them out! Lastly, we have a short and sweet review of the last DLC for Breath of the Wild. Enjoy! Games love, Chloe xx Currently playing: Doki Doki Literature Club. And regretting it massively.
Indie spotlight Your esteemed games editors Tom and I, had a joyous trip to Riverside Game Night 2.0 to check out the local indie game development scene. Hosted by northern game devs Sumo Digital (think Little Big Planet 3, Dead Island 2), the event saw various indie developers come together to show off their game-jam creations. Among these, one game stood out for us above the rest: Time Runner, a 2D side scrolling platformer with a timeturning twist. Chloe Dervey
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ndependent games development studio Noskyvisible was created about five years ago. Ben Sutcliffe from Noskyvisible described that after a touch and go past of various projects yet to amount to completion, a recent period of prototyping with mobile devices saw them stumble upon the game’s ingenious wheel mechanic. This involves the player using the touch screen in a circular motion. Eventually, the team tossed aside several ideas but kept the fun control scheme of the wheel mechanic. After merging this with time manipulation, Time Runner was created. The aim of the game is to complete a series of simple platforming levels by making the character jump, tapping at the correct time to avoid obstacles. However, with the fresh additional use of the touch screen, this simple formula is transformed by allowing the player to speed up and slow down time. This is combined with a stamina concept, where time can only be manipulated in this way for a set duration. The levels of Time Runner become short, addictive puzzles all about timing and getting to know the layout of a level to enable you to clear it in good time. It is a very clever and interesting way to utilize the touch screen in tablet gaming, and a keen reminder of the innovative nature of independent games development. A very clever and interesting way to utilize the touch screen in tablet gaming, and a keen reminder of the innovative nature of independent games development in overcoming small budgets and still making something fresh.
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Wednesday 7 February 2018
Interview S
pecial Effect is the perfect example to illustrate how gaming really can change lives. Working hard to explore, modify and adapt gaming equipment and games development, the Special Effect charity work with physically disabled gamers to make the world of gaming more accessible. Mark Saville from Special Effect told Forge Press about the work of the charity and how they hope to change the gaming landscape, one player at a time.
Chloe Dervey
Special Effect works directly with each gamer who approaches them, and Saville feels this the most effective way to do their work. When contacted by an individual, Saville describes that they look at “individual physical abilities, and then work on matching those abilities to the games they want to play”. Adaptive controllers do exist for purchase externally, but creating an adaptive controller can only be effective for so many disabled gamers; different conditions can affect fine-motor abilities in different ways. As described by Saville, the charity has been approached by gamers with conditions varying from cerebral palsy, spinal muscular atrophy in their teens, to people who have hypersensitivity in their fingertips or recovering from a stroke. The oneto-one interaction and free service at delivery which Special Effect is built upon make their services unique in gaming. Looking beyond the adaptive controllers, Special Effect’s work doesn’t only change the way we view games, it’s also potentially industry-changing. The gaming industry caters very little to people with disabilities, it largely doesn’t consider that the audience may not be able bodied, and accessibility options are only really beginning to surface.
Review
Luke Baldwin
T
he chance to return to what was one of 2017’s biggest highlights in gaming, The Champions Ballad DLC for the Breath of the Wild is undoubtedly something many Zelda fans will have been eagerly awaiting. Unfortunately those with high expectations will most likely be left with a somewhat sour taste in their mouth. Touted by Nintendo as the final installment of DLC for Breath of the Wild, one would expect a brilliant send off for what is an unbelievably good game. Instead, what we have received is a glorified version of the previous DLC, the Master Trials, a series of gameplay mix ups and challenges as well as some additional items which serve more as fan service
Yet the first-hand experience the charity gains from working with disabled gamers has meant that they are also able to assist developers in prioritising the accessibility of their products. “There’s quite a range [of companies] who have asked for our help in various degrees,” Saville explains, “whether that’s a quick phone call in terms of our top three priorities for accessibility, or actually working over a period of several months and years and really getting involved in the development
I’ve had a father say to me, ‘thank you for making me feel so much better that my daughter can be independent process.” The charity is also becoming increasingly involved at the development stage of games, as Saville describes. “If we can get
that built in early, it means so many more people can be helped across the world once that product is sold.” As gaming evolves, keeping up with technology changes poses both a challenge and an opportunity for the charity. Virtual reality is opening up new ways that people with disabilities can use technology to have immersive experiences, but Special Effect are always thinking of ways in which the technology can be pushed further to reach a wider level of accessibility: “We’re looking at the integration of eye control within VR so you can give people a lot more control within that environment, so even in such a wonderful new environment there’s still steps we can take.” It is this mentality that could generate massive cultural change in gaming. As part the growing movement for representation in entertainment platforms, charities like Special Effect highlight the need to include disability in these conversations; not only for consideration in representation, but also in accessibility and participation. The industry needs to be held accountable for the community it creates and should actively explore opportunities to widen accessibility. Saville remarks that “the advent of courses in gaming at universities has the potential to be a great vehicle for introducing the awareness for these kinds of considerations really early”. Any gamer knows about the effect of escapism that games can bring: the secret which keeps the industry alive and fans enthralled. Yet in this lies further opportunity to help change lives. Special Effect is a vehicle for disabled gamers to be invited into the world of gaming and especially for some, have directly provided great levels of solace and enjoyment otherwise thought impossible or limited due to their disabling conditions. “Some of the people we work with, who have very severe disabilities, really have very little quality of life” says Saville, “and more importantly
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild - The Champions’ Ballad DLC than for practical in-game use. Still, the DLC does remain an undeniably solid experience, offering five or six hours of content including new shrines and bosses. These challenges do just enough to change up the gameplay and offer the player something new, while retaining that intuitive element of learning and problem solving that made the main game so unique and exciting. Unfortunately, where story or insight into the greater world is concerned, The Champions Ballad fails miserably. Shrines are connected by a very loose plot, but fans will have to wait for a conclusion to the main story for any indication of where the franchise is heading next. It really feels like a missed opportunity on Nintendo’s part and one that will leave many fans feeling hollow as the
final credits roll. Despite this, extra content and an excuse to return to BotW is always welcome. Whilst many will have wanted something with a bit more emotional clout, Champions Ballad still delivers a rich gameplay experience. Plus Link gets a motorbike, which is always a bonus.
they have very little quality of inclusion”. He highlights that giving people the ability to play games independently can give back selfesteem and confidence, and also change the dynamic of their family life; “It’s also the effect on the people around them, the families and the friends. Brothers and sisters are now able to play against each other and play together. It gives parents a bit of respite!” The importance of this level of inclusion and the life changing work that Special Effect does is evident in the feedback they receive. “We helped a little lad with cerebral palsy play FIFA for the first time” Saville recalled, “and at the end of that session, totally unprompted, he stopped and said ‘thank you for making my dream come true’. I’ve had a father say to me, ‘thank you for making me feel so much better that my daughter can be independent through games’. It’s an honour. It really is an honour to work with these people”.
Accessible Gaming Wishlist
Special Effect want developers to consider integrating options to create more accessible games. We really recommend checking out their 20 recommendations at specialeffect.org.uk. It opened our eyes to the issues of accessibility in gaming and how special games can be for everyone, if they are made correctly.
Our mission is to help everybody with physical disabilities to be able to game and we’re doing that one person at a time.
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Wednesday 7 February 2018 facebook.com/ForgePress
David Craig
@ForgePress
Screen press.screen@forgetoday.com
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Screen Editor
Welcome to another year of Forge Press! We hope you all had a nice break and that it wasn’t ruined too much by exams or coursework deadlines. Together we emerge on the other side of the exam period, some of us broken from the trauma we experienced, but marching forward nonethtless. Bravo, brave souls.
Anyway, we’ve taken this mini issue to catch up on some of the movies we missed over the Christmas break. Despite numerous awards contenders still readily available in cinemas across the city, I decided to see Liam Neeson’s latest masterpiece The Commuter. Needless to say, it was the most shocking snub at this year’s Academy Awards. Looking ahead, 2018 is
Review
Vera Farmiga is awesome, but doesn’t stick around for very long
Review
The Commuter
David Craig
L
Movie DB
iam Neeson has been busy over the last decade portraying a plethora of tough Irishmen each with a very similar set of skills which mostly involve punching people. The Commuter is the latest of these movies to hit the big screen, and the fourth from director Jaume Collet-Serra (who also helmed Unknown, Non-Stop and Run All Night). As a result, the film will feel instantly familiar to those who have been following Neeson’s various action man personas, but sadly squanders every opportunity it gets to break out from the pack. Indeed, The Commuter has an implausible but intriguing premise. A mysterious woman approaches ex-police officer Michael MacCauley (Neeson), tasking him with finding an anonymous individual on a packed commuter train. To do so will require a combination of fisticuffs and detective work, with money at stake and lives in danger. Although the mystery is certainly fun at first, it becomes clear as it plods forward that it simply isn’t interesting enough to support the
entire movie. Much of this is due to an apparent lack of effort: towards the end of the film the script seems to simply give up on fully explaining the plot, settling for a vague approximation of what was going on which is immensely unsatisfying.
If you’ve seen one Liam Neeson action film, you’ve seen them all The cast is similarly wasted. Accomplished actors such as Vera Farmiga, Patrick Wilson, Jonathan Banks and Sam Neill show up for roughly ten minutes each, but the majority of the film is led by an ensemble of bland newcomers.
In fairness to the lesser-known actors, most of the characters are very thinly written but there is the unshakeable feeling that more experienced performers could have elevated the material. That isn’t to say there is no fun to be had from The Commuter. ColletSerra delivers a couple of genuinely gripping moments, with one highlight being a scene where Neeson beats the crap out of someone with an electric guitar. The final major action sequence in the movie is also entertaining in how utterly ludicrous it gets, with each second somehow more ridiculous than the last. Of course, much of this success is down to Neeson himself. At the age of 65 his action hero status is getting a tad unbelievable, but he remains a charismatic leading man. Ultimately though, he can’t singlehandedly keep this film from feeling like a subpar effort. The premise and the cast are squandered in favour of another generic offering, supporting the theory that if you’ve seen one Liam Neeson action film, you’ve seen them all.
shaping up to be yet another mammoth year for movies. The UK will finally be getting Guillermo Del Toro’s The Shape of Water this month, while blockbusters like Black Panther, Tomb Raider and Pacific Rim: Uprising are also just round the corner! If you want to get involved by reviewing any of these (potential) hits, don’t hesitate to get in touch!
The Disaster Artist
Luke Baldwin
I
Forge Press
n 2003, Tommy Wiseau released The Room to widespread derision, reaping roughly $1,800 from its limited screenings despite a reported budget of over $6 million. Riddled with laughable acting, terrible dialogue and a couple of the most awkward sex scenes ever to grace cinema, the movie has since become a cult classic. The Disaster Artist tells the story of The Room’s production and particularly how one man managed to fund, write, direct and star in the greatest bad movie of all time. The film is directed by James Franco who also stars as Wiseau. While Franco’s direction is competent for a comedy film, it is his performance that steals the limelight. Much more than just a funny impression, Franco perfectly encapsulates all the weird and wonderful traits that make Tommy loveable and disgusting in equal measure. But the film’s attempts to explore this misunderstood mystery man fall somewhat flat. While there are elements of the story which explore following your dreams and the ruthless nature of the movie industry
(both crucial to understanding Wiseau), the film more often than not takes the easy route of cheap comedy. In fairness, Franco consistently rolls out the laughs, backed by solid performances from brother Dave and Seth Rogen. But a sizable portion of these are easy references to The Room, in which case you might as well go straight to the source material and watch the original movie. The rest of the humour comes from poking fun at Tommy, often coming across as somewhat cruel and cheap. It’s clear that Franco and the other creative minds behind The Disaster Artist have a genuine love for The Room. For those who haven’t seen the latter, the former offers an interesting insight into the movie industry with a couple of laughs along the way. The more referential elements may leave some viewers feeling confused or alienated, but hopefully it’s enough to make them consider watching The Room. For those who have seen Wiseau’s cinematic marvel, The Disaster Artist is an excellent homage that gives both the fascinating story of its creation and an insight into the mad mind of its star.
Franco won a Golden Globe for his performance.
Movie DB
Forge Press
Wednesday 7 February 2018
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T
hree Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri follows Mildred Hayes (Frances McDormand), whose frustration at the ineptitude of the local police department in finding her daughter’s murderer inspires her to rent three billboards to call public and media attention to the unsolved crime. This decision is subsequently met with confusion and anger from the local residents and police alike. The first thing to note is that Three Billboards seems to be the latest victim of the misleading trailer phenomena. Dialogue is chopped up and mixed around to create both moments and moods which are not representative of the film itself. Don’t be fooled. Far from the Coen Brothers-esque Neo-Western revenge comedy alluded to in the trailer, Three Billboards undeniably has plenty of laughs. But it is, above all, incredibly dark (even being labelled a “pitch black comedy”, which seems a fitting description). McDormand and co-star Sam Rockwell (incompetent police officer Jason Dixon) bring amazing passion and nuance in equal measure, commanding scenes which switch rapidly from light-hearted borderline silliness to emotional gut-punching. The well-spaced moments of humour provide just about enough respite from the unexpectedly frank and occasionally jarring dialogue. Even with its stunning cinematography and suitably tasteful soundtrack, Three Billboards is much more than just the sum of its parts and is thoroughly enjoyable as a result. The concluding portion of the film, which will remain a secret until someone inevitably spoils it online, will divide audiences. However, boasting some of the best dramatic and comedic performances in recent years, as well as already having won a handful of well-deserved awards, Three Billboards surely cannot go home empty-handed at the Oscars. My only advice: ignore the trailers, see the film.
James Lofthouse
Review
Hostiles
Charlie Roberts
this with Max Richter’s ambient score, which creates a whole other dimension for us to absorb ourselves in, and we are gifted a fairly impressive cinematic display.
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n New Mexico, 1892, the family and home of Rosalie Quaid (Rosamund Pike) are massacred and burned by a group of Comanche invaders, the first instalment of the film’s many vivid acts of violence. Elsewhere, Captain Joseph Blocker (Christian Bale) and his men roughly round up an Apache family like livestock to bring them back to Fort Berringer. On return, they are tasked with leading a detail from New Mexico to the Valley of the Bears, Montana for Chief Yellow Hawk (Wes Studi): a man he had personally witnessed slaughter several of his friends. To Blocker’s reluctance they set off, happening upon the griefstricken Rosalie who joins them on their journey across America. Although the film doesn’t shy away from scenes of fierce violence, Hostiles’ plot is essentially character-driven. Instead of compensating for a lack of story, the violence marks turning points within the characters whilst also providing a clear comparison of the raciallydriven brutality in America today. Studi’s calm and stoic Chief Yellow Hawk is powerful and initially creates a stark contrast with Bale’s Blocker, whose resentfulness eventually makes way to match the Chief’s more composed feelings of loss and a willingness to leave his feelings of hatred behind him. The film’s cinematography is as grand as the scenery it photographs. From the deserts of New Mexico to the mountains of Montana, Hostiles’ cinematographer Masanobu Takayanagi fully uses the vastness of the American landscape to add a tangible texture to the film and a constant reminder of the scale of the character’s journey. Combine
Although the film doesn’t shy away from scenes of fierce violence, Hostiles’ plot is essentially characterdriven Hostiles is a well-assembled, morally engaging RevisionistWestern with an array of strong performances and a title which is cleverly ambiguous and leaves us with more questions than it does answers.
Exposed: What Wolverine does in his spare time
Review
The Greatest Showman
Tom Buckland
T
Movie DB
he world of cinema can never have too many musicals. Mamma Mia! and Les Miserables were entertaining pieces of cinema, regardless of their critical reception (Mamma Mia! in particular has its faults). Into the post-La La Land spotlight steps The Greatest Showman, coming as a surprise for many. The film follows the life of P.T. Barnum who has been seen throughout history to be, as the title of the film suggests, the greatest showman. If you do too much research into P.T. Barnum, you will discover that the film portrays him as a far nicer person than he actually was, but that’s barely relevant in the grand scheme of things. P.T. Barnum was renowned for his circus, a place where he displayed the oddest and weirdest people to entertain the masses. Arguably this could’ve been exploitation for money, but once again the film distracts you from the
negative and entices you with the positive. With Hugh Jackman as the lead protagonist, the film was inevitably going to impress. Jackman’s charisma and personality make him engaging to watch, undeniably embodying the role of being Hollywood’s “greatest showman”. Alongside him are a number of other impressive performers. Keala Settle stands out leading the film’s central musical number, This Is Me. She is not only a phenomenal singer but also makes the supporting role of Lettie Lutz, the bearded woman, one to remember. The songs are surprisingly unique, with the opening number’s cinematography and use of sound in particular dragging you in. The film doesn’t shy away from the camp, melodramatic or flamboyant, but that isn’t a criticism. Some may not be fans, but many will be. The music was written by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, a duo that many musical fans will know as the writers for the music
in Broadway hit Dear Evan Hansen. The choreography is fascinating and incredible to watch. P.T. Barnum’s intent was to entertain people with phenomenal shows, and the musical conveys the same aweinspiring wonder that one can only assume Barnum delivered The Greatest Showman’s message has links to challenges faced within society today, preaching acceptance and courage at its core. In fact, the emotion-fuelled scenes that focus on this message are some of the best in the film. Although it doesn’t give enough attention to characters people would want to see more of (like Keala Settle and her bearded woman), the fantastic songs and choreography more than make up for these minor flaws. With its PG rating leaving it open to younger audiences, The Greatest Showman addresses mature issues in a way that only a musical can, and it does so incredibly well.
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Wednesday 7 February 2018
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Florence Mooney | Music Editor
@ForgePress
January 2018 has confirmed itself as the longest month ever. But with exams over, term starting again and Forge back in print, it is time to delve back into the music happenings in Sheffield as well as further afield. Looking back on the year just passed, the Grammy Awards were in New York City last week, celebrating the best of what 2017 had to offer. Or at least the best of what men had produced. I let my feminist temper loose again to complain about the
press.music@forgetoday.com
Music
Editor’s Picks. Album.
blatant snubbing of my beloved Lorde (if anyone thinks she didn’t produce the best album and single of 2017, come and fight me). Back in Sheffield, my fellow Music Editor, Ben Kempton, has had the chance to chat the Australian Rock band DMA’s, so be sure to check out his interview with them. Looking to the year ahead, we have a review of Troye Sivan’s new single ‘My, My, My!’. The lead single from his Sophomore album is all killer no filler, and has produced great expectations for what is to come on the album.
This is definitely a name you will be hearing more of in 2018. Finally, be sure to check out our Editor’s Picks, as well as what the Foundry has to offer in the next couple of months. So until next time, over and out.
Song.
Sleep Well Beast
‘Weclome to Jamrock’
by The National
by Damian Marley
When revising, a cool and calm album is essential. This exam season, my go to has been The National’s triumphant 2017 album, Sleep Well Beast. Every track is carefully structured around simple beats and beautiful lyrics. It is a melancholy listen, but the perfect mood for long, cold nights.
Forge Press
Exams are over!! What better way to celebrate than playing out some infectiously joyful reggae. That feeling of no more stress, a weight off your shoulders, freedom. All caputured in this wonderful homage to big Bob himself.
Single Review
Ethan Hemmati
Opinion
Troye Sivan
‘My My My!’
No Grammy’s for the Girls
Troye Sivan, facebook.com Shades of the late George Michael’s 1996 track ‘Fastlove’ run deep through 22-yearold Australian Troye Sivan’s ‘My My My!’, his latest return to pop since his slowburning and much lauded 2015 debut Blue Neighbourhood. It comes accompanied by a Grant Singer-directed music video, a mad ballet of art deco, high fashion, sex, and shimmering style, and one that recasts Sivan as a blond, leathered loverboy. There’s a clear level of sexual subversiveness being aimed for here – notice the cameo from porn star and model Brody Blomqvist – but there are also suggestions of a growing maturity in the black and white imagery, and in Sivan’s severe and self-possessed performance, as he writhes about the video in an impetuous trance. You can almost feel the crackle of the electrical power lines in the distance of the frame. Turn away from the video though, and Sivan’s gimlet eye still follows. The bruised and bashful melancholy that made Blue Neighbourhood so distinctive has now been replaced by a seductively moody hauteur. The same sexual vulnerability so previously well established by Sivan is still present, but here pushed to a greater, more direct level to rival fellow pop titans like Nick Jonas or Justin Bieber. It’s a muscular move that
seems to pay off well. The music compresses and careens under Sivan’s weight, unafraid to dive headfirst into electronic minefields, and the result is an impressive concoction of pop, electronic, and R&B. This is miles away from the agitated suburban strain that dominated Sivan’s adolescent debut, and while it may not quite be ‘old-Taylor-is-dead’ territory that Sivan is here attempting to wade into, a reinvention of sorts is difficult to ignore. Hardcore fans will want to trace Sivan’s musical narrative as a journey of sexual liberation, from an articulately nervy teenager thrust into the spotlight to a serious-minded and newfound representative of the contemporary LGBT+ movement. It can also be interestingly compared to fellow suburban poet Lorde’s recent battles with the second album syndrome who came out by delivering a breakaway album coloured by heartbreak and self-analysis. His constant dialogue with his own queerness still remains thrillingly intriguing though, and it seems that Sivan may be insisting on something else. A curious and highly anticipated follow-up album awaits.
2017 was an exceptional year for women in the music industry. With stellar returns from Lana Del Rey, Wolf Alice, St Vincent, SZA and Lorde to name a few, it is astounding how sparse female nominations and winners at last week’s Grammy’s were. Out of the four biggest awards of the night, only one went to a woman (Alessia Cara, Best New Artist) and the category for Record of the Year didn’t even have a single female nominee. Where were the nominations for Cardi B, Due Lips, and again, Lorde? After the revelations surrounding sexual harassment in the entertainment industry and even more equal pay scandals, the music industry is still a long way from equality. Neil Portnow, president of the Recording Academy that runs the Grammys, claimed women need to ‘step up’ in order to compete with the men. This is blatantly ignorant, but what is more worrying, is that this backwards mindset is held by one of the most powerful men in the music industry. Of the five nominees for Album of the Year, only one was female - Lorde with Melodrama. However,
Florence Mooney
Lorde was also the only nominee who was not offered a solo performance. As with the male-heavy nominations, Lorde being denied the opportunity for a solo performance is just another example of women being refused the chance to ‘step-up’. Following this snub, Lorde took out an advert in the New Zealand Herald thanking her fans and other music consumers for embracing female musicians. Despite the disappointing response from the Recording Academy towards female musicians and artists, there is still much hope. In 2017, women stormed both the album and single charts, with impressive efforts from Taylor Swift, Katy Perry, Lorde, The xx, Dua Lipa, Paramore and many more incredibly talented artists. This proves that consumers are willing to embrace female performers just as much as male performers. However it is important to keep calling out sexist institutions, eventually the sexism in the music industry will be defeated.
Lorde, Instagram.
Forge Press
Wednesday 7 February 2018
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DMA’s interview
D
MA’s have come from Australia to take the UK by storm. After releasing a few singles and an EP their debut album Hills End came out in 2016. Now a serious name in the indie band scene and touring all over the UK with The Kooks, frontman Tom O’Dell took some time out to have a pint of Guinness with Forge. An obvious assumption of a band name abbreviated into three letters would be that it must be related to the three band members names, however it turns out to be far more straightforward. “We had a bunch of names that became an abbreviation of letters. First it was Dirty Mars, Do More Acid, but we like to think of it as a barcode, like a symbol rather than an actual name.” Aussie bands have become a force in Britain with the likes of Tame Impala, Tash Sultana, Unknown Mortal Orchestra and Sticky Fingers soaring. “Aussie music is pretty comparable to over here, there’s just less indie rock bands in Aus. We know Sticky Fingers, but I’m afraid we don’t know Tame Impala. They’re from Perth we’re from Sydney. I’m friends with the guys
Ben Kempton
from Jaguar Mar. Both places have amazing music scenes”. Constantly comparing the two nations’ music, it became clear Tom is more than familiar with our music. Heavily influenced by Britpop and named as the Australian Oasis, their sound is authentically raw and the lyrics are emotionally fuelled with grit. “I love Britpop music. For me particularly it’s a strong influence. The other guys in the band not so much, they love their American bands but I’m so into the British music scene. I always had Stone Roses and Oasis records. My Dad is from Liverpool and so I grew up listening to the Beatles.” Forge welcomed him along for a night out at Leadmill anytime. With DMAs spending so much time touring in the UK it brings to question whether they’re done with Australia or just looking to take over the world. “Nah. We have to keep touring in Oz as well. We just try and play live as much as we can and make the most of people buying tickets to our shows. We didn’t really want to do the first album then have a long break because we felt we were building up momentum over here. It’s tiring but is-all-good”. In 2015,
O’Dell told NME that people didn’t know who they are and there is no reaction when they walk on stage. “It’s a lot different now. Constantly releasing new music is paying off. For sure we get a good reception when we walk on stage. It’s just as good as back home…especially in Scotland.” The frontman declared, ‘If you’re going to do something, you may as well try do it the best you can and see what happens. It’s still fun for us. I wouldn’t do it if you weren’t having fun.’ With such a crazy lifestyle travelling all around the globe it brings to mind a lavish rock’n’roll lifestyle, But Tom doesn’t see it like that, “Rock’n’roll? Well most of our songs are about being broken hearted which sums us up really! Life is pretty much the same for me as it was two years ago really, I just travel more. Before I was playing music, I was painting offices. It’s definitely different to that but that was where I practiced singing in big open empty offices and that’s where I found my voice really.” Their big step up to fame hasn’t phased him though, ‘I don’t get stage fright. I think stage fright is a thing where people go
up on stage and literally freeze up. I don’t get that. Although I do get nervous. Especially when I’ve been going out all week before and I’m still trippin’ a lil’bit. Then I get the shakes.” Often in touch with their acoustic, softer side, DMAs did a live cover of Cher’s ‘Believe’ on Triple J which can be found on YouTube. “Initially we kind of did it as a bit of a laugh and then when we learnt the song properly we actually realised it’s a really beautiful tune and we decided to take it more serious. Feedback was great but we’ve never played it live since Triple J and we’re not going to. It’s a great one off and besides it’s a bit of a ball ache playing live.” Is that the kind of music the DMAs listen to then? “Nah, my favourite at the moment is a really good Australian band called Royal Headache. They’re kind of an indie band from Sydney, we hang out with them sometimes but they’re a really fucking good band. Punky, soul music. We also toured with Bad Dreams and they’re really, really sick.” – bit different to Cher then.
QUICK FIRE Best album of the year? War on Drugs Biggest pile of shit of the year ? There’s a lot of shit. I can’t pick one there’s too much North or South? North Oasis or Tame Impala? Oasis Beer or cider? Beer Vinyl or streaming? Vinyl Festival or venue? 50/50 Live or studio? 50/50 man you’re killing me here I just love playing music.
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Wednesday 7 February 2018
February is quite a dreary month. Christmas is long gone, the fun is over, and we’re simply waiting for a British winter that never seems to end, to end. It’s not particularly exciting either, and in many ways uneventful. February is a time in which Groundhog Day, Artist Appreciation Day, National Weatherman’s Day and Take Your Child to the Library Day are all celebrated, and if that isn’t thrilling enough,
Break 4
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David Peacock
ACROSS
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To add a bit of excitement to the start of a slightly drab month, I’ve picked a theme for this issue that will hopefully put a smile on your faces: animals. If you’re an ardent animal lover, great! If not, I apologise in advance.
Animal Crossword!
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February is also the month that witnesses National Youth Leadership Month, Friendship Month and Library Lovers Month. Unfortunately, there isn’t much that marks out February as being particularly thrilling. OK, it’s got Valentine’s Day, but who really cares? However, one notable thing is LGBT+ History Month! Check out News to find out about the events being hosted by LGBT+ Committee over February.
Forge Press
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2. An aquatic, flightless bird (7). 5. A cross between a sheep and a camel (6). 7. A well-known owl the size of a woodpigeon (5). 8. A medium-sized carnivorous mammal that likes to swim and sometimes plays with pebbles (5). 10. A type of central African ape that shares its name with a famous British DJ (6). 12. A large, mostly herbivorous, semiaquatic mammal native to subSaharan Africa (12). 15. Men supposedly get on particularly well with this animal (3). 16. A large marine mammal with long tusks (6). 17. A popular needlefish found in brackish and marine waters (7). 19. A large, strange looking African mammal with patches (7). DOWN 1. Elongated, carnivorous reptiles (5). 3. Large flightless bird that is native to Australia (3). 4. We all have one (3). 6. This extinct bird was featured in Alice in Wonderland (4). 9. A medium-sized rodent that can be found in the dirtiest of places (3). 11. A kind of monkey with an abominable rear end (6). 13. A popular breed of goat (5). 14. A small or medium-size rodent that often makes an appearance in British parks (8). 18. A type of shark whose head seriously needs reshaping (10). 20. A herbivorous tropical lizard that had its name stolen by a restaurant company (6).
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Hey! I’m Susan the Squirrel! I’m nuts for this crossword
Kill me
Arrowdoku Arrowdoku follows the same rules as regular sudoku. The only twist is that the sum of the digits along an arrow must be equal to the number in the circle at the end of that arrow.
P O L E T N V
E E S DEPRE
D A E L
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Stand to become:
President Activities Officer SU Development Officer Education Officer International Students’ Officer Sports Officer Welfare Officer Women’s Officer Elected Student Trustee – Nominations open 10am Mon 1 Jan – 5pm Fri 9 Feb 2018 – sheffieldsu.com/elections
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Wednesday 7 February 2018
Sport Thoughts
Racial quotas are doing more harm than good William Pettit takes a look at whether quotas are the answer to South Africa’s strive for racial equality within rugby William Pettit
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hen South Africa won the rugby World Cup in 1995 it was seen by many as a chance for South African rugby to build a team free of racial bias and transform themselves into a squad that truly represented the ‘rainbow nation’. 23 years on, the Springboks have recently had quotas imposed on them meaning their squad must be made up of 50% black players by 2019. These quotas, although well-meaning, are indicative of the backwards-thinking nature of the SARU and could prove harmful to the players who form part of this quota. Rugby in South Africa has, traditionally, been considered a white man’s sport, due in no small part to the legislature that Apartheid brought with it. The Currie Cup, South Africa’s highest level of domestic rugby, did not allow black players until the end of Apartheid. Unfortunately, this is only the thin end of a very thick wedge. South Africa has one of the highest disparities between the rich and the poor, and this gap isn’t looking like changing anytime soon. Black South Africans have poor sporting facilities, a lack of funding, and most black South Africans can still remember a time when they weren’t allowed in rugby stadiums and couldn’t play the sport at school. The current Springboks team has several key black players, and they are shining examples of the progress that has been made in the last 20 years. Siya Kolisi has excelled in the Springboks jersey and is currently vice-captain of the team. Tendai Mtawarira has become adored for his
feats of strength. Bryan Habana has the second most test tries in world rugby. Crucially, though all these players were privately educated. The finest South African rugby players come from private schools and the best public schools, which
Rugby in South Africa has traditionally been seen as a white man’s sport are predominantly filled with white students. As a result black athletes often receive substandard coaching and, currently, very little is being done in South Africa to raise the standard of grassroots coaching. The quota system exists for all the right reasons: rugby has always been known as a sport for people of all sizes, but in South Africa it isn’t currently a sport for people of all races. The quota system is inclusive insofar as the Springbok squad for the 2019 World Cup will be split 5050 between black players, but if those players are not considered by the rugby world to be there exclusively on merit, it discredits their ability.
The South African national team sing the national anthem before a game
For the most part, black people in South Africa still consider rugby to be the white man’s sport. Until Apartheid ended, there were no black rugby players in the country, black fans weren’t allowed in the stadiums, they couldn’t watch it on television, and the schools in their areas had no rugby pitches. It’s only been two decades since this ended and for most South Africans the shadow of Apartheid lives long in the memory. Put simply, black athletes are not as engaged with the sport in the country as would be necessary to meet the quotas.
91.3FM: The Voice of the Cape
The question that is raised then, is what will 2019 be like for the Springboks? They have already fallen to sixth in the world rankings with no sign of that freefall changing. If their squad is full of players who, having never been given the same opportunities as their white counterparts, aren’t of international standard, then this only stands to further aggravate racial tension in the context of rugby. Black players in South Africa deserve to be given the same prospects as anyone else, but this isn’t currently the case. Until it is,
the quota system will cause more harm than good. South African rugby has for decades suppressed black athletes and this has to change, but alienating an entire generation of fans and simultaneously discrediting black players who are in the squad on merit is not the answer.
Federer: A purist role model and permanent tennis icon Tim Adams
Tennis can be a very frustrating sport. There is no way around the hard work. Embrace it. You have to put in the hours because there is always something you can improve,” Roger Federer said to Nike. You have to put in a lot of sacrifice and effort for sometimes little reward but you have to know that, if you put in the right effort the reward will come. At the age of 36, Roger Federer does not appear to be slowing down. It may be unsurprising to learn that the above quote is his. Even after 20 Grand Slam singles titles, the most by a male player in the Open Era, the Swiss and likely future world number one (again) has the same passion now as the kid with a ponytail who stunned the world in 2001. It was here on Centre Court that Federer announced himself to the universe, triumphing in five sets against the undisputed king of grass, Pete Sampras. The match, although perhaps not unexpected with Federer ranked 15th in the world, was not just the changing of the guard but
an altering of the tennis landscape. He dared to dream and everyone followed. Federer in one day had derailed a dynasty, setting his sights out for the construction of his empire. Time after time. Year after year.Never dated or out of touch, Federer was the agenda, the one to beat. A rivalry with Rafael Nadal took tennis to its purest form. Both synonymous in their belief to win, it was the disparities of style from the pair which attracted sports fans’ hearts and souls across the globe. Nadal’s rugged, counter-attacking method befitted the clay court while Federer’s grace and movement created an unbeatable aura on the grass. In 2009 Federer eventually triumphed at Roland Garros to achieve his lifelong ambition of a Grand Slam. Yet, more titles followed, and in 2012 the Swiss maestro equalled Sampras’ Wimbledon record of seven titles. With severe back and knee injuries, the following year became a struggle, and as Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray became the new rivalry in tennis it was more when than if Federer’s time at the top would end for good.
Eyes on the prize: Roger Federer serves for yet another Wimbledon title on Centre Court
The introduction of Ivan Ljubičić as a coach and successful arthroscopic surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his knee gave hope for a comeback, but the rankings told a different picture. Now well into his 30’s Federer knew that to compete at the highest level he
would have to reinvent his schedule and playing style, and the decision to miss the tortuous clay court season was nothing short of a masterstroke. This section of his life is another chapter of Federer’s illustrious career. History will tell a tale of a man without
Nick Webb
equal, leaving a generation of tennis players and fans that know only success, who believed it could never, would never end. And you know, who says it won’t?
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Wednesday 7 February 2018
www.facebook.com/ForgePress
Adam May
@ForgeSport press.sport@forgetoday.com
Sport
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Head of Sport
Hello all and welcome to the start of second semester. I hope you had a restful break, that exams didn’t go terribly, and that you’re all ready for another great year of sport. As the last firework fizzled out over the Thames on New Year’s Eve, all our attention here at Forge Sport turned to Varsity as the University of Sheffield look to make it six consecutive wins over Hallam. No pressure whatsoever. On this week’s back-page you can see how the winter stage of Varsity went for
both sides as the Students’ Union’s Sports Officer, Flo Brookes, who competed in the event, recalls the trip to the Alps. You can also find out how to get your all-important Varsity tickets for the remaining fixtures. Hopefully you managed to get your hands on tickets for Boxing and Ice hockey – they will be incredible events indeed and always live up to the hype. We also have an interesting Sports Thoughts piece from Will Pettit on South Africa’s quota system for black players, and Tim Adams takes a look at Roger Federer as he stormed to his 20th
Forge Press
(TWENTIETH!) Grand Slam triumph at the Australian Open with a five-set victory over Marin Cilic. We hope you enjoy this issue and if you’d like to get involved then please drop me a line at press.sport@forgetoday. com, or give us a follow on Twitter @ ForgeSport. We are in the midst of planning for Varsity at the moment and there will be plenty of opportunities to get involved. Here’s to 2018!
Varsity: how to get your tickets from the SU Adam May
University of Sheffield celebrate 3-1 Varsity win as the Black and Golds look for 6th straight crown
Luke Stannard and Matte Black
Ashes to Alps: Uni of claim 3-1 Varsity victory Flo Brookes
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n Friday December 15, 589 Uni of and Sheffield Hallam Students made the 24-hour coach journey to the French Alps before arriving in the world famous Ski and Snowboard resort of Val d’Isere for the 8th Ashes to Alps Snowsports Varsity competition. The Ashes to Alps holiday has a history and huge significance for the snow sports community in Sheffield. Sheffield used to be home to the biggest artificial ski slope in Europe. Birthing many of our international treasures in British snow sports, it was the training grounds for the Yorkshire Freestyle Squad, teaching the likes of professional freestyle skiers such as James ‘Woodsy’ and Katie Summerhayes, and some favourite boarders of mine: Zoe Gillings and Jamie Nicholls. The slope tragically burnt down in 2012, and subsequently has been abandoned ever since. Winter Varsity would boast 2,000 student spectators at its peak when held at the slope. The committee from Hallam and Uni of at the time had the passion and idea to not be defeated and ‘rise up from the ashes’. Thereby continuing to keep the snow sports competition alive in the alps, there saw the beginning of ‘Ashes to Alps Winter Varsity Trip’. We hit the jackpot with the weather this year in Val d’Isere. With the last two years being forced to host half
the competition at our local indoor Castleford ski slope due to lack of snow, this year every day we were greeted with fresh snow and blue skies. There was no exception for the afternoon of Tuesday 19, where the Varsity Ski and Snowboard racing was to take place. The first points of the annual Varsity competition were up for grabs and all the competitors were feeling the pressure. The Ski race and Snowboard race are worth one point each. The final is done on a dual slalom course and it is the best of three races that determines the score. First up was the snowboard race. Being a snowboarder myself I felt the stakes were even higher. Going home without a win was not an option. The Uni of team boarded exceptionally after facing some seriously tough competition from Hallam. The first team was made up of Millie Shilito, Flo Brookes, Oscar Lewis and Joe Hughes. We won the first two races and so the fate of the first varsity point for 2018 was sealed with a Uni of win. Next up was the Ski race. Both teams raced extremely well with the first race going to Hallam. The next race then saw many tumbles down the icy red run course, increasing the tension of the race. Uni of managed to win by a matter of metres, and hen it was all down to the third race. All the racers showed incredible skill and determination, however Hallam just managed to take the win.
Congratulations to the first team; Kai Hayes, Ali Miles, Max Pearce, Katy Jackson, and Lewis Garland. Kai Haynes, Ski race captain, said: “Although the end result might not have been what we were hoping for in the ski racing, it was a really close and exciting race that was a lot of fun to be a part of. Everyone on both teams skied great, so well done to all, and congratulations to Hallam for getting the win!” Ending the racing 1-1 put even more pressure on to the Snowboard and Ski Clubs in the Freestyle competition that took place on the morning of Thursday December 21. The sun was shining and the Val d’Isere Park jumps and features were freshly groomed ready for the competition. After two hours of jumps, front flips, back flips, grabws and spins the judges had made their decision. Announcing the podium winners, starting with female snowboarding, the judges were impressed by second year Millie Shilito’s style and grabs on the large Jumps. Next up was the freestyle skier Lucy Bradbury, who pushed the standard to new heights after landing 360’s on the large jumps. This sealed 0.5 points each resulting in 1 point awarded to Uni of, proving that #thesegirlscan. The male boarding point showed great competition with Hallam putting forward high standards, however they were not enough to put fresher Chris Abad off his game as
he was landing huge 360s on the big jumps with ease and style claiming the next half point for Uni of. Lastly the male ski standard was pushed to new heights from American student Nik Lampard, landing a cork 920 in the final and sealing the fate of the final half point in the freestyle competition. This meant a morning of clean sweeps on the podium for Uni of, and the overall Winter Varsity score 3-1 in favour of the Black and Golds. Alex Tapply, Snowboarding Club President, said: “It was awesome to see all the training sessions from this year pay off with another clean sweep for SUSC taking both points and all but one podium spot, as well as some brand new competitors going into 2018”. Alex Glasse, Ski Club President, added: “It was great to get everyone involved, no matter what level they are and ending up with a result we can all be proud of to kick off Varsity”. A huge thank you and well done to SUSC and Sheffski for not only giving us a head start in Varsity but all the hard work and organisation that goes into the Holidays. Holiday reps and presidents from both clubs, Alex Tapply, Alex Glasse, Nick Hare and Will May, alongside the Hallam Shu Snow committee, have worked tirelessly since June 2017 to organise the trip.
With Varsity 2018 soon to get underway, it’s time to make sure you know when and how you can get hold of your tickets. Boxing and Ice Hockey, which are to open this year’s event, have already gone on sale, with Sports Park, Ice Hockey 2s, American Football and the Football Final being released on February 12. These are available from the Box Office in the Students’ Union. The Football Final is to be held at Sheffield Wednesday’s Hillsborough this year on April 25 and is set to be a thrilling finale as the University of Sheffield look to make it a sixth straight Varsity win. The ticket prices are as follows: Sports Park (including travel) £5, Ice Hockey 2s £2, American Football £2 and the Football Final is priced at £6. The Box Office will open at 10am on February 12, and students have been told not to queue before 8:30am as the building is not open. American Football and the Football Final will be capped at five tickets per person.