The independent student newspaper of the University of Sheffield // www.forgetoday.com
Issue 21 // Thursday March 18 2010
Who gets your vote? Features page 15
FUSE
Graphic content
Interview with the student creators of a new graphic novel
Faith in marking lost in translation 4Worries final exams may not be fairly marked after student ‘test’ Rosie Taylor
Fuse pages 8-9
FEATURES
A-class cheat?
Students using stimulant drugs to get an edge in exams Features pages 18-19
Fears that final year exam papers may not be accurately marked have been raised after students carried out their own “test” of fair marking in their department. Three final year French students worked together to produce almost identical copies of a non-assessed translation, which was a copy of an exercise they are expected to complete in their final exams. They submitted the three very similar translations to three different tutors within the department to see how accurately the tutors – who will be marking their exam papers – assessed students’ work.
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TRAVEL
Explore Yorkshire
Forge Press visit Leeds, York and the Peak District to see what Yorkshire has to offer Travel pages 24-25
LIFESTYLE
Friends and Lovers When friendships and relationships collide
Send a letter to letters@forgetoday.com Each of the translations was placed in a different classification, with one receiving a first with a grade of 76.5 per cent, one receiving a 2:1 with 60 per cent and the final paper receiving a 2:2 with 53 per cent. Education Officer Holly Taylor has termed the results of the students’ test “very worrying”. She said: “Although I have not seen the feedback that each of the students received, the discrepancies here are very worrying. “For such a short piece of assessment it should be fairly easy for an academic to establish which grade bracket it falls in to, which clearly is not the case here.” One of the students, who received 60 per cent for her work, told Forge Press that she believes that some tutors may not be
Photo: Adam Harley with marking criteria and not on any personal opinions on the topic or the student. She said: “The University has issued a set of principles around assessment and feedback for students. “I would ask both students and academic staff to use these as a way of knowing what is expected of the assessment feedback process. “This should help in stamping out situations like this one.” Continued on page 6
Assault investigation following arrest at Space Paul Garbett
Lifestyle pages 20-21
The three almost identical scripts and their corresponding marks. sticking to a standard marking these tutors might be the ones system. marking our exams.” She said that she and her Another of the students who course-mates are now anxious submitted similar papers said about their final exam results. she was “really demoralised” She said: “I’m now worried after receiving 53 per cent for her about who is going to be work. marking my exam papers, She said: “I’ve lost confidence especially as I’m currently on the in my tutor. I don’t trust them borderline between two degree to mark my work now and I’m classifications. worried about who will mark my “Our test showed that there are final exam papers.” some tutors who mark fairly but Holly Taylor said she definitely others who are harder appreciated that all Arts subjects and too picky over small details. were subjective but that work “Now we are concerned that should be marked in accordance
A student has been arrested after an alleged assault at Space club night in the early hours of Saturday morning. The 21-year-old student, who does not study at the University of Sheffield, has been bailed as police continue to investigate the alleged assault. The alledged incident happened at around 2.40am inside the Octagon Centre.
The Octagon Centre was later evacuated after a fire alarm was smashed inside the venue. The evacuation forced hundreds of students to congregate outside the building, with 10 police officers called to the scene in order to control the crowd. Security staff locked the Octagon doors to prevent people from re-entering the building to collect items from the cloakroom. Some students have raised concerns about the way the evacuation was handled.
Eve Capewell, a third year English Literature student said: “They shut the doors and told everyone that they weren’t allowed back in to get their coats and things. “It was very annoying and resulted in a cold walk home.” Union President Paul Tobin said that the staff followed the correct procedure. He said: “Following the smashing of one of our fire alarms the security staff were required to get everybody out of
the building. “Procedure was followed completely and the only reason the evacuation took longer than usual was because the alarm was smashed and needed to be reset.” A spokesperson for South Yorkshire Police said: “South Yorkshire Police have arrested a 21-year-old man in connection with an alleged assault which occurred at about 2.40am at the Octagon Centre, Durham Road. “He has been bailed pending further enquiries.”
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NEWS UNIVERSITY
Editor
Robert Golledge
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News
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International students celebrate World Week with city parade
Rachel Blundy Leanne Rinne Rosie Taylor
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Features
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Lucie Boase Paul Garbett Oliver Hughes
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Travel
Victoria Shaw
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Fuse
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Music
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FORGE PRESS Thursday March 18 2010
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Screen
Brendan Allitt Melissa Gillespie Peter Walsh
Arts
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Students celebrate their differences at the World Week parade.
More than 200 of Sheffield’s International students brought traffic in the city centre to a halt last week in a parade to celebrate their cultural diversity. The parade, organised by the International Students Committee (ISC) on March 13, was part of World Week at the Students’ Union. Participants held banners, waved flags and sang their countries national songs as they made their way from the Students’ Union to the Peace
that we have and gives a glimpse of different world cultures.” Other events during the week included a world sports day, global pub quiz and a battle of the bands contest. International Students Officer, Alex Erdlenbruch, said: “This week-long celebration of our multicultural and global student body will give all our students the opportunity to show their pride in their heritage and home culture.” The University has over 3,900 international students from 125 countries - 21 per cent of the total student population.
LOCAL
UNIVERSITY
Ex-Press editor dies at 40
Matthew Burgess Forge Press is published by the Union of Students. Views expressed are not necessarily those of the University, the Union or the editorial team. In the first instance all complaints should be addressed to the Managing Editor, although a formal procedure exists. Forge Press is printed on 100% recycled paper
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VOLUNTEERING
Design Islamic Circle Graduate host events runs for seat competition The Islamic Circle has been hosting a range of volunteering events for Community Week. The events aim to give Islamic Circle members the opportunity to give something back to the community. Vice-President of the Islamic Circle, Hafsah Qureshi, said: “Contrary to the images and messages conveyed in the mass media, Islam is a religion of peace. We hope this will encourage students to participate in volunteering activities on a regular basis.” Leanne Rinne
Photo: Matthew Burgess
Gardens in the city centre. They also collected money for the Haiti earthquake appeal. Cypriot Nina Ebanoidze, the European representative of the ISC, said: “We must say thank you to the ISC for organising the parade, to all the national societies that took part today. “There are people here from all regions of the world.” Union President, Paul Tobin, joined students from Bulgaria, Cyprus, Poland, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Turkey and Africa. He said: “Sheffield is a cosmopolitan city and this celebrates the different students
A University of Sheffield graduate is standing as a candidate for the Labour Party in Fulwood for the upcoming local elections in May. Tim Jeffery, 22, graduated with a History and Politics degree last year and now wants to get involved in Sheffield City Council. He said: “I don’t think there’s ever been a more important time for young people to get involved in politics. Many key student areas of the city lie in marginal wards and so students have a key opportunity to decide the outcome of the election.” Kirsty McEwen
The Faculty of Arts and Humanities is holding a design competition to come up with a new logo. The winning entry will be used on posters and awarded £2,000. Senior Lecturer in Cultural History, Dr Karen Harvey, said: “We want the competition to get students thinking about the shared endeavour of the Arts and Humanities in understanding human culture and society. “It is also a great opportunity to showcase our students’ interdisciplinary, creative and artistic talents.” Rachel Blundy
Rosie Taylor A former editor of the Sheffield student newspaper has died while on holiday in Thailand. Adam Bennett, who edited the student newspaper - then known as Steel Press - in 2000, passed away due to natural causes in December last year. He was 40 years old. The Journalism Studies graduate was at the helm of Steel Press when it was voted best student newspaper in the country in The Guardian Student Media Awards 2000. Bennett, who was from Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, edited magazines in the Middle East after graduation and later retrained as a plumber. Paul French, who co-edited
President of the Kazakhstani Society, Saya Saliyeva, said: “Everyone knows about Borat and thinks that is what we Kazakhstani people are like. “We are here to introduce that Borat is fake and to change the perception of us and show our true culture.” Second year student Irene Tormo joined the parade to represent the Belly Dancing Society. She said: “Belly dancing can help international students with integration and helps to show the different cultures of the students.”
Steel Press alongside Bennett, said: “I can’t even begin to sum Adam up but just thinking about him has bought a massive smile to my face. “Shine on you crazy diamond.”
Adam Bennett.
FORGE PRESS Thursday March 18 2010
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UNIVERSITY NEWS
Burger van owners clash over permits
Dave Stone’s catering van threatened with fines of up to £1,000 per burger sold after rival van Gourmet Pizza Box reported him for not having all the correct licences
VS Gourmet Pizza Box van outside the Hicks Building (left) and a student at work in Dave Stone’s catering van outside Interval (right). Leanne Rinne The owner of a burger van situated on Union property for over 20 years has revealed that he was threatened with fines of £1,000 per burger he sold if he continued to trade without the correct licence. Dave Stone, owner of Dave’s Van, which is currently located outside Interval, said his business was “hit hard” last semester when rival van owner, Djafar Hamroun, reported him to Sheffield City Council. Mr Hamroun had been making an application to trade opposite the Hicks Building where he now runs a van selling pizza and other fast food - when he discovered Mr Stone did not have a street trading and premises licence.
But Mr Stone argued that he had been paying rent for parking on the Concourse for 15 years, and did not realise he needed to pay further costs. He said: “I entered a contract with the Students’ Union 15 years ago, which gave me job security, and I didn’t think I needed a street trading and premises licence.
Have your say Comment on this article at Forgetoday.com Send a letter to letters@forgetoday.com “But, if the public have access to the van, apparently I do.” In the first week of the autumn semester three policemen, accompanied by a member of
Sheffield City Council and two licensing officials, told Mr Stone he could be fined £1,000 per burger he sold if he did not shut down immediately. Mr Stone said: “I thought it was a little bit out of order and heavy handed.” Edward Clay, one of four students employed by Mr Stone, said: “Mr Hamroun came down to the van on two occasions to complain during freshers’ week.” A representative from the Students’ Union accompanied Mr Stone to the licensing office the next day, where he was told that he did need a street trading and premises licence before he could resume normal business hours. Dave’s Van was shut down for 10 days before he was granted a temporary licence to work four
nights per week for 18 days until the full licence came through. He said: “For the first few weeks of term I normally trade six nights a week, which is when we take the bulk of our annual income, so it hit us hard.” But van rival Mr Hamroun, who has been trading outside the Hicks Building since August, said Mr Stone had “been milking it for 21 years”. He said: “Dave Stone is on private property and pays rent, but he still needs a trading licence. “He went 21 years without reporting it, and I could have taken it to the taxman but I didn’t”, he said. Mr Hamroun claims that he pays up to £1,500 a year to keep his licence. “Mr Stone may have lost money during freshers’ week
Photos: Rosie Taylor because the council shut him down until he got the licence, but this is nothing if you consider what he hasn’t been paying to the council for the licence for the past 20 years.” Union President Paul Tobin defended Mr Stone, saying it was still not clear whether he needed the licence to operate on the Concourse. He said: “Dave does have a trader’s licence for other locations and also has all the relevant insurances and food safety documentation. “What was not certain was whether he needed a licence specific to the concourse and we still think that this is unclear. “As soon as Dave applied for this licence it was granted without any concerns from the Council.”
Gun-wielding student sentenced to 120 hours unpaid work Leanne Rinne A 20-year-old student who fired a rifle in Broomhill has been sentenced at Sheffield Crown Court. David Wilson was spotted waving an air rifle at houses on Marlborough Road, near the Goodwin sports centre, after drinking for several hours. A girl in one of the houses saw the gun pointed at her and heard more than one gunshot, the court heard. She called 999 and armed police were called to the scene on November 27 2009, at around 11.30pm. When armed officers arrived they found Wilson was drunk and carrying an air rifle. Wilson, an Economics student
at the University of Nottingham, had come to Sheffield for a friend’s 21st birthday. The court heard he had started drinking at 5pm and had downed beer, wine and vodka by 11pm. Welfare Officer Jennifer Hastings has said this could have “easily” been any student who drinks irresponsibly. She said: “Unfortunately, incidents like this can sometimes unfairly tarnish the reputation of Sheffield students. “I don’t think, however, that this is about blaming students, instead it should draw people’s attention to the much bigger issue of binge drinking which is certainly not specific to Sheffield.” Miranda Bevan, defending, said the gun was unloaded and it was a “disastrously ill-judged
prank”. Prosecutor Paul O’Shea said Wilson, who pleaded guilty to threatening unlawful violence, had apologised and confessed immediately. The court heard that Wilson has been predicted a First in his degree but Judge Michael Murphy said he deserved a “First class honours degree in stupidity”. He said: “Anyone in the 21st century who has a gun on the street in a big city can expect trouble. “This conviction will come back to haunt you year after year for the rest of your life.” Wilson will serve a 12-month community sentence with 120 hours of unpaid work. A spokesman for Broomhill Action Neighbourhood Group said that they frequently received
reports of drunken students in the area. They said: “We are concerned about the safety of drunken students in our streets. “There is a particular problem along Whitham Rd where we have often observed young people very much the worse for wear wandering around in the road late at night. “Cars can speed through taking little notice or suddenly appear from around a corner. “There have been a number of fatal road accidents in the centre of Broomhill and we think that alcohol could be a contributing factor.” Hastings said that students who are worried about a friend’s drinking should encourage them to make an appointment at the University Health Service.
The site of the incident.
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NEWS UNIVERSITY
Leaked papers reveal possible staff wage cuts Leanne Rinne The University of Sheffield could ask staff to work a four-and-a-half day week for a year to cut costs. Confidential documents which were leaked to the Times Higher Education Supplement revealed that this is just one of 13 costcutting proposals drawn up by the University to help plug the Higher Education funding hole in 2010-2011. According to the University, shortening the working week of its staff would save a total of £22million. Other options put forward include providing no pay award for staff in August 2010, which could save £4.4million. It has also been proposed that internal staff take an eight to nine per cent reduction in net pay. A further proposal is for staff to take four weeks’ unpaid annual leave. If half of all staff agree to this the University could save £7.3million. Compulsory redundancies are another option proposed by the University - saving an estimated £1.85million. Union Education Officer Holly Taylor has said the Students’ Union has not yet been told about the proposals officially. She said: “We know that the University’s HR department is exploring ideas of how to make more savings but nothing else has been said to us at this point in time. “My priority is the students and I do not want them to be misled or panicked by information that has not been confirmed.” She said the University should engage with students in a thorough consultation process before any ideas are taken forward. The national head of Higher Education at the University and College Union (UCU), Michael MacNeil, is also calling for “an early dialogue” to explore
Women speak of life in Palestine
appropriate ways of promoting job security at universities. He said: “We are urging national employers to start talking to us about a national solution to a national problem.” A spokesperson from the University said it is considering a wide range of strategies to prepare for future cuts in Higher Education but has made “no formal proposals or decisions at this time.”
Have your say Comment on this article at Forgetoday.com Send a letter to letters@forgetoday.com He said: “The University of Sheffield shared in confidence potential savings that might be achieved via a range of different and fairly common approaches. “This was done in order to inform preliminary discussions with local trade unions, and with a desire to work in partnership with them from the earliest possible stage. “Staff and students should be reassured that we will do our utmost to continue to seek to find ways to manage any reductions in funding with minimum disruption.” He added that once clear plans have been agreed, they will be shared with staff and students. The news of the potential cuts comes at a time when staff are already having to cope with the loss of five per cent of University employees. More than 300 staff left Sheffield this year after Vice-Chancellor, Professor Keith Burnett, proposed a Voluntary Severance Scheme (VSS) in a bid to save the institution £13million. He aimed to “bridge the significant gap between predicted expenditure and income,” which had been expected to reach £25million by 2011, before the VSS was put into place.
Dalia Abuhilal speaks to students about her life in Palestine. Nicole Froio The Union’s Palestinian Society invited three female students to speak about their life in Palestine in honour of International Women’s day last Tuesday. The women spoke about their personal struggles to get an education whilst living in a country where Palestinians and Israelis are fighting. Safa Shaheen, a postgraduate student of Anjah University, spoke of the obstacles she overcame to get her degree. “There was a calm two months last year but then Israeli soldiers arrested students and lecturers, they killed three students,” she said.
An eggs-traordinary discovery Tom Geddes A University of Sheffield professor has made a significant breakthrough in decoding the DNA of ancient and extinct birds. Professor Mike Parker Pearson of the University’s Archaeology department has successfully extracted the DNA of the elephant bird (Aepyornis) from its fossilised egg shells. This is the first time that DNA from this bird has been acquired. Professor Parker Pearson achieved the extraction whilst researching with a team in Madagascar. His findings, which were published in the scientific journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B last Wednesday, will hopefully lead to new information on other species.
Professor Parker Pearson and his team can now use the DNA to create a genetic profile of the elephant bird, and reveal details of its everyday life.
Professor Parker Pearson.
“It’s amazing that we now know so much about its genetic make-up, its diet and its habits”, he said. It is believed that the threemetre-tall bird, described as an oversized ostrich, became extinct around 1650 after it was wiped out by humans living in its natural habitat in Madagascar. Professor Parker Pearson’s team’s successes confirm that egg shells contain a good source of DNA. “Researchers have tried unsuccessfully to isolate DNA from fossil eggshell for years – it just turned out that they were using a method designed for bone that was not suitable for fossil eggshell”, said researcher Charlotte Oskam of Murdoch University, Australia. With this advance, DNA can now be collected from eggs up to 19,000 years in age.
Social Work student Dalia Abuhilal, aged 20, described her day-to-day life as a student. “People are searched for no reason and that made us late for class. The soldiers can do anything and we can do nothing,” she said. Abuhilal read one of her poems to the audience in Arabic, and explained that it was about a Palestinian girl who thinks she has nothing to protect herself with except a handful of stones. She added: “What can I do for my country that is now encircled by this ugly wall?” The third student, Rawan Amreiya, who now has a scholarship to study Applied Anthropology in Goldsmiths University, London, said she was
Photo: Sam Bennett
experiencing freedom for the first time. “I’ve missed two final exams because of soldiers searching students. The army can invade anytime. It’s not a healthy environment to study,” she said. When asked how UK universities could help their cause, Safa Shaheen said: “The most important thing is to give the right picture of what is happening and pass this on to more and more students.” All three women said they felt they suffered because of a loss of their dignity. “It’s humiliating living in your own country but not being allowed to live freely or to question why this is happening”, said Miss Shaheen.
Funding for uni sports Tom Bollard Universities are set to receive £10million of National Lottery funding in a bid to persuade more students to get involved in sports. Under Sport England’s Active Universities project, universities will be given money to encourage students to participate in sports at least three times a week. Sport England surveyed 1,000 students and revealed that one in five dedicate less than one hour to sport each week, but more than a quarter of the students spend up to 10 hours in the pub. The survey found fewer than three in ten students play sport regularly, many claiming to be too busy to make a regular commitment. But half the people surveyed said they see participation in
sports as a way of making new friends, and more than one in five thought sport was a way of meeting a potential partner. Chief executive of Sport England Jennie Price said: “There’s already a strong tradition of competitive sport within universities, but this is a big opportunity to increase participation through more informal and social formats.” Paul Blomfield, Labour MP for Sheffield Central and board member of uSport, welcomed the news of increased funding. He said: “Students who play sport at university are likely to carry on playing after university, so initiatives to make it easier to get involved with sport will help to develop healthy habits and lifestyles. “Britain’s Olympic legacy will hopefully be a more active, healthier nation and our universities are central to this.”
FORGE PRESS Thursday March 18 2010
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New President defends his position after breaking rules
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UNIVERSITY NEWS
Disabled access to Bar One for 2010 Rishi Vaidya
Rachel Blundy Union President-elect, Joshua Forstenzer, has defended his position despite a proposal at Union Council last week which questioned the legitimacy of his presidency. Forstenzer was the subject of controversy on elections night after it was revealed that he broke 10 different campaigning rules. He later went on to claim victory in the Union presidential race for 2010/11. The rule breaks included using speakers on the Union Concourse to amplify music playing from a laptop, and asking Union societies to endorse Forstenzer’s campaign through the social networking site, Facebook. Current Union President, Paul Tobin, spent 36 hours deliberating with the other returning officers over whether Forstenzer should be disqualified from the election race. But after consulting with the NUS (National Union of Students), who said other unions had disqualified candidates for similar rule infringements, it was eventually decided that Forstenzer should be deducted 354 votes – half of the numbers of students in the Facebook groups which endorsed him. He went on to win the election with 2,043 votes, beating his main competitor, Ben Woollard, by just 78 votes. Forstenzer said he was “grateful” that Union Council held the returning officers accountable for their decision not to disqualify him for cheating. But despite accepting full responsibility for the mistakes he made during his campaign, Forstenzer said he does not believe that the rules which he broke gave him an unfair advantage in the elections. In an interview with Forge Press, Forstenzer said that it was often difficult to control what members of his team were doing on a day-to-day basis. He explained that he had between 50 to 80 people campaigning for him over the two week period. He said: “I regret breaking the rules. “It’s not easy to understand them if you’re not already involved in student politics. “We didn’t always know what to tell members of the team and we ran a very different campaign. “I wasn’t comfortable having a silly gimmick and a slogan. I wasn’t comfortable wearing a T-shirt with my name on it. We spent a lot of time just knocking on doors.”
Forstenzer speaks... On Chris Lowry and Rajin Chowdhury, the election’s ‘joke’ presidential candidates: “I think they brought an element of reality to it. I’d like to make papiermâché models of them and put them somewhere in the Union.” On Ben Woollard or ‘iBen’: “Ben would have been a great President. I think he demonstrated a lot of courage. The non-verbal attacks on him and his team were unacceptable.”
Work will begin at the start of the summer holidays on a new and improved Glossop Road entrance to Bar One, complete with disabled access. The building works are scheduled for completion in time for freshers’ week in September 2010. Estimates put the cost of the improvements at £24,900. The work, which had its final plans agreed last December, will extend the existing Glossop Road access, creating a larger entrance with sliding automatic doors. Disabled students will be able to access the entrance via a hoist, while other students will be able to use the same steps as those which currently lead down to the entrance. Currently disabled students must enter Bar One via the beer garden. Despite the work not starting until the summer, Chris Jesson, Disabled Students’ Councillor, is optimistic about the redevelopment. He said: “Widening the Glossop Road entrance will be a marked improvement and will make this popular venue a more inclusive space.” Finance Officer Martin Bailey is confident that the building works will be completed by the beginning of next academic year. He said: “This will truly improve the lives for wheelchair users and those with mobility issues that love Bar One.”
Joint Uni and Hallam socs Ellie Neves President-elect Joshua Forstenzer inside the Union. But Forstenzer remains officers’ executive decision to confident that the mistakes he keep Forstenzer in the running made during the campaign will for President was the right one. not affect his presidency. But after the proposal to He said: “I don’t think it will overturn the election results was have changed peoples perceptions. thrown out by Council, Lennox I am very surprised that I won. said: “The students have spoken “I think people understand and Joshua Forstenzer will be that I wanted to say that student Union President 2010/11. politics could be done in a “I wish Josh all the best for different way.” the coming year, and for his But Biblical Studies Councillor presidency.” Peter Lennox, who ran for the Speaking on his policies for the position of Education Officer in coming academic year, Forstenzer the recent elections, put forward said his main priorities will be to a motion to disqualify and remove open up the Union to all students, Forstenzer as President at Union as well as reinforcing links with Council last week. the local community. Lennox said that he wanted Forstenzer, who was born in to ensure that the returning America and grew up in France, said he would like to find a way to replicate the model at American universities which reward On student politics: “It’s a scary students through academic thing to put yourself forward. If I credits for their extra-curricular had not been a candidate I might activities. have seen this as a farce.” “I am really dedicated to working with the University in developing On being an undergraduate: “It an outreach programme. was hard to see how I could be “I want to try and see how useful to other people. I was the University can facilitate learning how to be a student.” the opportunity for local school children to enrol here if they have On the Union: “The emphasis the ability. has to be on problem-solving. We “I see it as a three-sided project have the potential for a creative between us, the University and solution. I want to bring students the local community,” he said. to the deliberating table.” Forstenzer believes that his six
Photo: Rebecca Trivett year stint at the University, in both teaching and student roles, will give him the experience to support each Sabbatical Officer. He also hopes to incorporate some of the policies originally proposed by his election rivals. He said: “All the candidates brought something to the table. I know the relevant people already. It’s just a matter of being a catalyst.”
Photo: Adam Harley
Proposals have been put forward to form societies with open membership from Sheffield Hallam University and the University of Sheffield in an attempt to attract higher numbers and a wider range of talent. Activities Officer Claire Monk and Hallam Societies Officer, Ben Heaton, are discussing how the joint societies can work. Suggestions include joint funding and having a representative from both universities on each society committee. Claire Monk said: “A lot of people are positive about the idea of joint societies and discussions are still underway. “Communication between the two universities would be important for the sharing of information, so that students were safeguarded from fake or illegitimate societies.” Emma Banyard, a student at the University, said: “It could lead to more competition inside the societies themselves. “In all honesty I’m not entirely convinced that people would be willing to join joint societies.” But Tom Exton, a Sheffield Hallam student, said: “I think that they should be encouraged. Having joint societies could put an end to the rivalry and tensions, and increase the talent range.”
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French marks questioned Continued from page 1 Head of department, Dr David McCallum, was asked whether he agreed with the specific grades given to the three students but did not comment. He told Forge Press that the department did all it could to ensure marking was fair. He said: “The University is aware of differences in the marking of translation scripts in the Department of French. “There is no single, ideal translation for any given text, this is the case in all language departments and is part of the nature of the exercise of translation.” Professor McCallum insisted that what were perceived by the students as “slight differences” between the three translations, such as the difference between “its” and “it’s”, were in fact more significant. “There were several differences in the scripts submitted in this case which could not be considered negligible distinctions in either meaning, grammatical accuracy or idiomatic construction, which demonstrates these were not ‘near-identical’ papers”, he said. He stressed that students should not be concerned about who is marking their exam papers. He said: “In an official exam, translation marking of scripts is always carried out in teams of two to ensure an accurate mark is reached. “Language exam papers are also marked across the whole year group, so that each paper is marked in the context of the students’ peers. “All final-year language papers are also seen by experienced external examiners who read and sample them for the fairness, consistency and range of marking applied. “The students can rest assured that final-year language exam papers will be fairly marked.” Despite their concerns, the students praised one lecturer, Professor David Walker, for his conduct. “He went through the exam criteria in detail with us,” one student said. “He also explained exactly why he marked as he did, which eased my mind a little.”
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FORGE PRESS Thursday March 18 2010
RAG exceeds fundraising target Sheffield Raising and Giving held more than 15 different events last week to raise almost £9,000 for local charities in South Yorkshire Lauren Bell Sheffield Raising and Giving’s (RAG) annual fundraising week has raised over £8,600 for local charities so far. The total easily exceeds the original target of raising £5,000 in seven days. RAG week, held March 8 to March 14, included a sponsored bungee jump, a rave night in Fusion and Foundry, University Challenged and a student version of ITV’s Take Me Out at Tapton Hall of Residence. The week also saw students on Fargate dressed as superheroes, geeks and animals, collecting money from the public for charity. One of the week’s most popular events, Take Me Out, held last Friday in the Tapton Junior Common Room, raised over £100. It attracted 120 people to watch 18 girls either “slate” or “date” five eligible bachelors. Each male contestant performed a talent, ranging from samba drumming to oiled-up shadow boxing to impress the ladies. Those left without a date at the end of the night were treated to a rendition of Roberta Flack’s famous ballad ‘All By Myself’. The other major event of the week was a bungee jump at the Magna Science Adventure Centre in Rotherham. More than 25 students took part in the jump at the only indoor bungee jumping centre in the UK. The 150 foot drop was situated in what is called ‘The Abyss’, where those taking part had to climb 143 stairs to reach the platform and then plunge back down towards the floor. All participating jumpers had to raise a minimum of £100, with £50 from each going to Magna Centre and the rest going to charity. Those taking part managed to raise around £1,500 for RAG. Katie-Marie Bailey, 20, a
Students and Activities Officer-elect Rachel Colley getting involved in RAG week. second year Journalism student said: “I took the opportunity to do something a little bit different. “Beforehand I had a mixture of emotions: anxious and terrified but excited. “The jump was amazing, the best experience of my life. “It felt like flying and I would definitely do it again.”
Rachel Colley, chair of RAG, was very pleased with the week’s events. She said: “I think RAG week was really successful this year, especially considering it’s the end of term and everyone is tight on money. “I thought that because of the recent bombardment of
everyone on the concourse with the elections, it may be hard to get people’s attention, but people really got into the spirit of it.” “I also think it is important to let the local community know that students still do good things to help them, as all the money goes back into South Yorkshire charities.”
‘Students must help in the fight to reduce CO2’, says University Rachel Blundy The University’s director of estates has said that students must help in the fight to “bare down on the consumption of energy” in order to cut the University’s carbon emissions by 20 per cent by the year 2015/2016. Neil Cameron detailed the University’s environmental targets for the coming years at Union Council. The proposals included reducing the University’s total emissions by 80 per cent by 2050, despite statistics which show a steady increase in the institution’s carbon emissions since the early 1990s. Statistics from the Estates department revealed that between 2009 and 2010 the University as a whole created 40,000 tonnes of CO2 - enough to fill 550 Arts Towers. Cameron explained that until
recently, the current government had encouraged the University to boost its annual income and subsequently increase its CO2 emissions, but was now offering financial rewards for businesses
that significantly reduce their carbon footprint. He said: “We have a huge agenda and everyone needs to do their bit for it. Next April, we have to give the Government
The University of Sheffield wants to cut its carbon emissions.
around £500,000 from cutting our carbon waste. “If we manage to do this, we will get some money back. If we fail, we know there will be financial penalties.” He also added that the University was refocusing its attention on existing and “neglected” campus buildings, rather than spending money on new projects. He said: “You cannot build your way out of this problem.” A spokesman for the Union’s Ethical and Environmental (E & E) Committee said that the University’s plans were realistic but claimed they were not as comprehensive as those recommended by the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE). They also said that the University’s plans on renewable energy were “vague” and needed to be prioritised. They said: “We would
like to ensure that the ViceChancellor and the Pro-ViceChancellors demonstrate their full commitment to the carbon reduction schemes, by taking an active role and considering environmental efficiency for the planet’s sake, as well as to save energy costs and ensure full funding from HEFCE. “Students have a useful role to play in putting pressure on the University to ensure that their promises are followed through, although they should not be made to feel responsible for the University’s emissions, especially as students’ home lives are not counted in the University’s calculations. “But while students may feel that their own carbon footprint matters little relative to that of big organisations, if every student actively engages with environmental issues we can have a massive collective positive impact.”
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Asperger’s sufferer to publish autobiography Tom Donnelly Disabled Students’ Councillor Chris Jesson has written a new book about his experiences with Asperger’s Syndrome (AS). Jesson was diagnosed with AS and dyspraxia when he was nine-years-old, and he hopes that his experiences will be able to comfort others living with the same condition. Asperger’s and Me has taken Jesson four years to write, and is a journey through his childhood and teenage years. He describes the book, which he hopes will be published soon, as “light hearted and funny in places”, but also “intimate and honest”. He said: “I know that I have been fortunate to develop social and behavioural skills to live and socialise independently. This is a position which many with AS would like to be in and one that parents, or those with no connection to autism, might find inspirational.” Jesson believes that he has grown to cope with AS well, and has found the syndrome can be used to his advantage. “Nowadays I appreciate the differences it brings, like attention to detail. This comes in handy for the likes of pub quizzes or getting about places”, he said.
Jesson said he has faced many challenges at home and at school, including anxiety and sensitivity to noise, but is proud to work as a representative for other disabled students for the Students’ Union. He said: “Many people with AS do not reach university because the environment is too strenuous or previous education has not exploited their academic strengths. I consider getting this far to be a major achievement for anyone with AS.” Jesson is now in his final year as an Urban Studies and Planning student. The first letter of each chapter in the book title spells out the word ‘Asperger’s’. “I wrote the chapter titles in this way to reinforce the message of the book subject. “But it also shows that AS is something that should not be hushed, and that I have nothing to hide,” he said.
Chris Jesson’s book cover design.
Asperger’s syndrome facts •
Asperger’s syndrome is a form of autism.
•
It affects how a person makes sense of the world, processes information and relates to other people.
•
There are over half a million people in the UK with an autism spectrum disorder.
•
Research into the syndrome suggests that a combination of genetic and environmental factors may account for changes in brain development.
•
There is currently no cure and no specific treatment for the condition.
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UNIVERSITY NEWS
Interfaith Café a success Anna Dewhurst Students gathered in Coffee Revolution last fortnight to discuss religion and the effects it has on student life. The event, dubbed ‘The Interfaith Café’, was organised by the Activities Officer Claire Monk as part of her plans to create cultural unity across the Union. At least 25 people of various faiths attended the event, including Jewish, Christian, Sikh, agnostic and atheist students. Monk said she came up with the idea after speaking to the Chair of the Sheffield Faiths Forum. She said: “I’m trying to get the faith societies together to do things, to generate a real sense of cohesion despite differences in faith.” Monk believes that repeated
meetings of The Interfaith Café will help increase partnerships between different faiths within the Union. She added: “It was a fantastic success. “The whole atmosphere was really relaxed but the quality of discussion was phenomenal. “Many people said how much they enjoyed it and are looking forward to the next one.”
Students discuss faith.
Big thumbs up for comedy Rachel Blundy The Union’s annual comedy festival attracted scores of fans last weekend. The event, organised by the Union’s award-winning improvised comedy troupe The Shrimps, included workshops on magic, mind reading, standup and improvised musical comedy.
Rhe Underwood, one of the organisers of the festival, said: “It was great to get the best of student comedy all together in one place and mark Sheffield as a university known for comedy. “We’ve had high profile messages of support from the likes of Stephen Fry and Eddie Izzard, so we were keen to make the comedy festival bigger and better to place Sheffield on the comedy map.”
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LETTERS
LETTERS
Have your say
iBen sceptics not anti-Christian Dear Forge, Whilst I would clearly condemn any physical or verbal abuse Ben Woollard and his supporters suffered during their campaign, as a member of the “iWorried about iBen” Facebook group, I must object to being informed I was “hiding behind my laptop” engaging in “malicious persecution”. I didn’t join or comment on the group because I hate all Christians, or because I have a personal grudge against Ben indeed I have heard nothing but praise for his character. I joined because I was concerned about his personal beliefs, which are certainly relevant when evaluating the best candidate to represent you; whether they are acted upon or not, and wherever they stem from. Whatever potentially ‘unsubstantiated rumours’ might have been flying around don’t need to be taken into account. Ben, in his own statement on the ‘uForums’, said that “As
Star letter is sponsored by Your Harley
The winner receives a free meal for two and a Lock-In membership at Your Harley a Christian I believe that any sexually active relationship outside of marriage is not ideal. This is because I believe God
originally created sex to be enjoyed between men and women within a long term committed relationship.” If such sentiments weren’t couched in such elegant and moderate language, or within the framework of the sociallyaccepted belief structure that is Christianity, then we would have little hesitation in considering someone who said “Eurgh, guys or women being together is wrong.... yeah,sure, up to them, it’s a free world innit.....but it’s just wrong” to be homophobic - or at least worryingly old-fashioned. Whether Ben believes heterosexual relationships are preferable because his father, his society, a bearded guy in the sky, or a talking duck told him so, I’d like to think I’m free to judge him for such concerning beliefs without somehow being dubbed ‘prejudiced’. Yours, Emily Butler Politics and Philosophy Third Year
Write: Forge Press, Union of Students, Western Bank, Sheffield S10 2TG Email: letters@forgetoday.com Please include your name, course and year of study. We reserve the right to edit letters for clarity and space.
Opposition to animal testing is not a ‘bandwagon’ Dear Forge, An article in the last issue accused students of ‘jumping on a bandwagon’ concerning buying cosmetics and products free from animal-tested ingredients (‘“Don’t pigeon-hole me,” said the cat to the Union Shop’, page 13, Issue 20). Whilst there may undoubtedly be some for whom this is true, the majority of students who take the time to check their purchases are cruelty-free do so out of a genuine concern for the suffering of animals. It is wrong to generalise in this way and, in doing so, trivialise the issue at hand. Cosmetic testing has been partially banned in the UK, but companies continue to test new ingredients, which is required by law. However, they are driven only by the unnecessary desire to develop new ingredients despite the thousands currently available
Forstenzer did not break rules with malicious intent
Students’ concerns dismissed
Dear Forge,
I’m writing in response to the editorial from the last edition entitled ‘Bully-boy tactics have no place here’ (page 10, Issue 20). The editorial in question was little more than an unjustified tirade, critical of a group of people with a wide range of motives and opinions. It ridiculously and shamelessly dismissed out of hand the genuine concerns raised by some students, branding them ‘pathetic’ and ‘childish.’ A group of students had, due to actual experience, genuine concerns about the possibility of their Union being run by an individual who did not condone their sexuality; a fairly relevant concern in the eyes of most. Various claims were made with varying degrees of truth behind them and with various motives. But what the editorial in question failed to address, at all, was the genuine and real concerns of some students that led to the group being created. It seems to have been implied that everyone who is a member of the Facebook group in question was either out to sabotage Ben’s
I’ve been moved to write this letter, as despite your very good coverage of the elections, I think there’s an element of the whole episode you’ve failed to capture. There were indeed cries of foul play regarding the new President, Josh Forstenzer. But I would like a chance to place those cries in some context. Josh broke a lot of rules. As a fellow candidate, I would argue that some were vague, some were poorly communicated. And some were broken entirely by Josh’s campaign team without his knowledge. But this of course is irrelevant. Every candidate must take responsibility for their campaign. Two days were spent deliberating over a suitable punishment. One was implemented, and Josh still won. Many people appear to be forgetting that fact. I’ve heard people ask why a harsher punishment was not enacted, why a “cheat” has gotten away with it. Which is what compelled me to write this letter. Firstly, though Josh’s team broke the rules, as well as being punished, I would speculate that he was not disqualified because he has run his campaign in the spirit of a free and fair election as was instructed by the returning Officers. Rules broken were not done so with malicious intent, and no obvious advantage was gained. Personally, I was swayed to vote for him because of the way he spoke and conducted himself, not because some members of his team played music through electric speakers instead of using an acoustic method. Secondly, Josh has run a campaign unlike any other. Over 30 candidates ran a campaign this year, the same is true of last year. In lecture shouts, in hustings, and speaking to people throughout his campaign, he challenged the
status quo of student politics. To imply foul play has taken place is an insult to Forstenzer’s integrity. And if ever a campaign for President has been run with integrity, this was it. Supportive of others, respectful of students’ judgement and, as anyone who has spent more than five minutes in his company will attest, a genuinely nice bloke. The vast majority of candidates have indulged in slightly embarrassing gimmicks to get publicity and general awareness (myself included). It would be appropriate to point out that all other candidates for President ran very impressive campaigns, and should all be proud of their efforts. I mean in no way to disparage the way they ran their campaigns. As one of many candidates that has a questionable issue of ripping off a corporate image, and a candidate that attempted to win with a gimmick as much as any other, I have no high horse to stand on. But Josh was, frankly, a bit above all that. Much fun as I had, I couldn’t help but feel a bit silly wearing the standard logo T-shirt and spouting a catchphrase when standing next to Josh. I would suggest that many people who have branded Forstenzer a cheat are really rather bitter. Bitter because he didn’t play on other people’s playing field. He broke many rules of the game of student politics, but was ultimately standing above it. With an experience and message that made him look presidential, and all other candidates in other fields look small. That’s why he won, and when he did it almost redeemed my personally disappointing election night. Yours, Max Baker Unsuccessful Welfare Officer candidate
Dear Forge,
campaign or else is anti-religion. Everyone is entitled to their private beliefs, and whether we choose to agree with the nature of those beliefs is irrelevant. However, equally, everyone also has a right to ask questions about candidates who may represent them. This is exactly what happened in this case and I see no problem with it whatsoever. I don’t know what beliefs Ben holds personally, and now that the election is over, I don’t particularly care. I do however very much dislike being lectured to and insulted by the author of the editorial in question for simply looking to find out more information about a pretty relevant issue surrounding a candidate who may very well have represented me. Much like Mr Woollard, the author is entitled to their opinion, though I see no justification for their position whatsoever and would hope they will review their stance and rethink the issue. Yours, Joseph Markham Biblical Studies Third year
Can we celebrate democracy? Dear Forge, I find it extremely saddening that you concentrate so much on the negatives of the recent Union electoral process. I have been heavily involved in campaigning for one of the key candidates and I am left feeling like all you celebrate is scandal. This takes away from the hard work of the candidates, their teams and from their messages. It makes me think people will become more cynical about voting and about Union politics. Why not celebrate, not just unsavoury bits, but all the great moments that campaigning has brought to the student
Will you vote for an MP that opposes fees?
community? The personal successes; the reasons why different people voted for different candidates; what excited the candidates to run in the first place? Paul Tobin is quoted in your paper as saying ‘This result shows Sheffield Union of Students’ is the most democratic student’s union in the country’ (‘Elections break national record with massive 7,216 votes’, pages 4-5, Issue 20). Can we celebrate democracy? I would love to see more of a celebration in your next issue. Yours, Daniel De Arriba Course and year unsupplied
and already proven safe. Although the Union labelling system is a good step, it may sometimes be mistakenly labelled. It is very quick and easy, however, for anyone to check whether a product has BUAV or Vegan Society certification (or equally stringent statements on their animal testing policies for smaller companies) by simply checking the product information on the packaging. Animal testing for the sake of cosmetic vanity is entirely avoidable. Hopefully the option of becoming a fully BUAV-certified Union will in the future be put to referendum to give students choice as to whether, as a Union, we wish to support such outdated practices. Yours, Katherine Stewart Vegetarian & Vegan Society
Criticise the GaGa, not the Lady Dear Forge, I’m writing in response to Tom Fletcher’s ‘No GaGa’ article (‘Lady GaGa pastes herself in Marmite’ A-side, Fuse page 2, Issue 20). I was incredibly taken aback when I read the debate. I can understand disliking her - I’m honestly not much of a fan myself - and was interested to read a well-argued criticism. However, describing her as dressing like a ‘mannequin prostitute’? Seriously? I have never seen a prostitute dressed from head to toe in red lace netting, for example, but maybe I’m not looking in the right places. Even so, women have a right to dress how they like and I suspect that if a male was wearing similar attire, no mention of prostitutes would be made, mannequin or otherwise. I was also surprised to see her described as a ‘daft bitch.’ That is critique neither of her music or her public persona. I found the tone of the article to show, as Helen Lawson pointed out, ‘inherent misogyny.’ There are many other, more valid things to critique GaGa for, as Fletcher did, and I feel the article would have been far more effective had gender not come into play. Yours, Ace Carroll Management School Second year
Got something you need to get off your chest? Have your say, email: letters@forgetoday.com
The melodrama of a TV show has no place in a real election Dear Forge,
Daniel Newton Physics Third year
Rachel Johnson French First year
Ian Hartnell English Literature First year
Emma Broomhall Maths and Management Third year
I plan on abstaining. There’s no point voting against fees - they’ll never be scrapped.
I doubt I’ll vote, but if I found out an MP was against fees, I’d probably be more inclined to vote.
I’ve not thought about it much, but if I did vote, it would be for someone who opposed them.
Yes, probably. Fees are a major burden on all students, so it’s very important.
Lack of election research ‘foolish’ Dear Forge, Whilst reading Thomas Booker’s comment on last weeks student Union elections (‘Candidates were nothing to shout about’, page 11, Issue 20), I couldn’t help but be angered by what appeared to be the moronic ramblings of a naïve cynic. That was until I reach the line ‘Perhaps this is because I’ve only been in the building since September’, at which point I realised Mr Booker was just a poor journalist straight out of A level English literature who seemed to have missed the class about the benefits of research. Had the author attended, one can hope he would have spent a little time reading candidate manifestos as well as their experiences before sitting down to have his say. At that point he would then have realised that Rachael Colley, our newly elected activities officer, is one of the union’s biggest assets. I would go as far as to say that she has clocked up more hours “in the building” over the last summer working unpaid for RAG, whilst the rest of us were off relaxing or waiting for our A-level results, than Mr Booker has spent in his time at university in general. Research would have also saved him the embarrassment of writing ‘And informing me you were on the History Committee just tells me you once organised a bar crawl’. The members of the History Society (as it is correctly known) did an outstanding job last year turning a society of just 30 to
one of the biggest societies in the union with over 500 members, earning multiple prizes at the Society Awards last year such as, Most Improved Society and Society of the year. Presidential candidate Charlotte Tobin was the society president who over saw all of this, earning her the Outstanding Contribution to Union Societies Golden Award. Carly Wilkinson, another presidential candidate, is chair of the Xchange, a programme that brings to the union a whole host of political and public figures. Joshua Forstenzer, the Unions new President, has been president since 2008 of one of the Volunteering committee’s biggest projects Philosophy in the City. He’s also recently founded a new project, ‘Rising Stars’, that works with teenagers in Broomhill helping them to access university. Even Raj, who only ever asked us not to vote for him, is the president of the successful Debating Society. I could go on for most of the candidates, but that is not the point. The point is that all of this information was just a click away, which would have saved Mr Booker the trauma he evidently experienced whilst walking across the concourse. One might question whether Mr Booker made an active decision to not participate in union politics or just failed to pay attention. Had he attended either of the hustings events he would have realised how hard each and every candidate worked and how much
they knew about their potential positions. This would have also have provided him the opportunity to air some of his concerns, a criticism he makes of the student body in general but would perhaps be better suited to himself. Mr Booker seems to have also misunderstood the point of Student Politics. Whilst there is no direct phone line to Gordon Brown, the Student Union council represent the voices of students in the union on issues that matter. Such as the recent proposal for the council to investigate and potentially lobby the University to fix international student’s fees for the rest of their course, or the current proposals to review the current retail and promotion of alcohol in the union which could see the price of drinks rise in the union. On the other hand, maybe Mr Booker would prefer students not to have a voice or not even have the democratic choice of whose voice will represent the view of the student body? Whilst everyone is entitled to their own opinions and the freedom of speech, I would suggest that maybe our not-soesteemed reporter spend a little more time researching his before committing them to print for all the world to see. That way may be next time he can avoid looking quite so foolish. Yours, Rose Colville History & Philosophy Third year
We need more than just a consumerist attitude Dear Forge, In his article ‘Candidates were nothing to shout about’ (page 11, Issue 20), Thomas Booker asks in relation to an episode with the Welfare Committee vicechair ‘was I wrong to think the customer is always right?’ His framing of the relationship between Union and students as one of customer and retailer is telling. Students pay for their education. Accordingly, the culture of the Union is more aptly described as that of a consumer rights organisation, not a ‘Union’ in the same sense as Unison or Unite, for example. In this respect, when Sade Olaniyi writes in her piece ‘Officers play vital role in Union politics’ (page 11, Issue
20) ‘students are interested in ensuring […] they are duly represented,’ we must ask what she means by ‘representation.’ Does she mean simply representing students’ consumer concerns or, more broadly, their local and national political interests? Of course, the latter is an essential part of dealing with the former. You can’t combat local cuts to higher education (HE) without a basic understanding of the broader issues in political economy and government spending priorities. Neither can you campaign effectively on these issues without joining broader political movements. Consumerist outlooks, engendered by the advent of tuition fees, render us
ideologically incapable of dealing with bigger issues. If our focus is limited only to consumer issues affecting students ‘as students’ (whatever that means), and not the bigger picture, we’ll never provide the answers needed to combat the crisis in HE funding. We need to raise the bar in student elections. Now is the time for a holistic, progressive politics for students. Anything less is to fiddle while Rome burns. Yours, Sam Browse School of English Postgraduate (Research) Representative Councillor
Last Friday saw the birth of the new Student Union cabinet; however the seemingly successful election was not without hitches. The incidents of one candidate using dirty tricks to tout voters and another being picked on has not only given the election the much desired publicity, but also changed how people view the whole election. It goes without saying that integrity means almost everything to a candidate, as voters often value that quality over others. Joshua Forstenzer was said to have breached election regulations, which according to some of his rivals’ supporters, gave him an extra edge in the election leading up to his victory. Joshua responded that cheating was not his intention and he owed his ‘mistakes’ to the vague and late issuance of rules of election. I met Josh on one or two occasions and he certainly made a good impression on everybody present with his charisma and enterprise. I am sure Josh would make a perfect President of the Students’ Union if it was not for this socalled integrity issue. With the benefit of doubt, let us just take him at his words and move on to see what lessons can be drawn from this furore, and seek to improve the flawed system to ensure that all candidates compete fairly against one another in the future. On a similar note, discrimination and abuse of any forms are not to be tolerated inside and outside election. It is regrettable to see a particular candidate and his supporters had to suffer insults levelled at them by their dissidents. Allegedly this involved fingerpointing, malicious words-trading and physical attack, all stimulant ingredients you can find in a typical political TV drama. But can we just leave what is in the TV show where it belongs? In a society we call democracy, every individual is free to hold different opinions and has the right to support anyone he/she
favours, so long as it is done in a right way. Blackmailing, coercion and other vicious moves to interrupt the election’s proceeding are by no means the said right ways. If university is a microcosm of society, are student elections microcosm of government elections? Just because there is resemblance between the two does not mean that we need the culture of dirty politics transplanted here. I vote because I believe someone has the capability to realise the vision that we share, not because of their knack for slick campaign tactics. All we ask for is a clean democratic election, genuinely for the students’ good. It is simple as that. The person who preaches and practices this has my vote. Yours, Colin Kin Ning Wong Journalism (Study Abroad) Third Year
Praise for ‘Sexy Week’ article Dear Forge, I am writing to congratulate you on the most balanced and positive article I have read in Forge Press for a long time. Emily Cresswell’s article on the Union’s ‘Sexy Week’ (‘Let’s talk about sex before we try burlesque’, page 12, Issue 19) was first class. When reporting on a Union initiative it seems people are tempted to draw attention to their articles by slating an idea, or praise it simply to please the Sabbs. However, Emily engaged with the issues, especially burlesque, beautifully. I heard many people commenting on it around the Union and think Emily deserves congratulating. Her wit and tabloid-free style is worthy of the front page. I would love to see more from Emily whenever you next go to print. Yours, Amy Palmer Working with Communities Postgraduate
Corrections and clarifications Sheffield Raising And Givimg (RAG)’s fundraising target for RAG week is not £37,000, as stated in ‘RAG aim for 40K target’, page 2, Issue 20. This figure is the amount raised by RAG last semester. The referendum on the Union Shop’s animal testing policy was an update of a policy that has been active for three years, and not a new policy as implied by the comment article ‘“Don’t pigeon-hole me,” said the cat to the Union Shop’, page 13, Issue 20. This policy refers to items from companies involved with animal testing, not whether the individual item has been tested on animals. No insinuation was meant on the part of Martin Bailey that the shop staff have been doing their jobs incorrectly. In ‘Woollard and his team verbally and physically attacked during election’, page 2, Issue 20, we incorrectly stated that Matthew Baren was the creator of the iWorried about iBen Facebook group. Baren was listed as an admin of the group and not the creator. We are happy to put the record straight.
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COMMENT
Editorials A pivotal year for HE and our Union
After an exhaustive election campaign scattered with elements of controversy and misdemeanours, common sense has prevailed and the results have been accepted by Union Council. Following the returning officers’ decision to deduct eventual winning presidential candidate Josh Forstenzer 354 votes for rule breaches, rumours of contesting the legitimacy of the result have been rife. Tabled and rejected by Union Council last Thursday, Forstenzer’s victory stands and there will be no election rerun. Forstenzer, 26, who has experience as an international student, an undergraduate and a postgraduate student, will see the Union through some of the most pivotal moments in recent student history. He must make sure that the Officer team under his leadership: n Campaign to stop the lifting of the tuition fee cap which will have unprecedented changes on our national university system. n Make sure students’ needs are always a priority for local politicians – and not just at election time when promises are made based on attempts to woo votes. n Scrutinise every measure proposed by the University to cost-cut and challenge every decision that has repercussions on learning and teaching. n Ensure that societies and committees remain at the heart of the Union. Belated congratulation to all the successful Officer-elects. Good luck and serve us well.
FORGE PRESS Thursday March 18 2010
Gap year lecturers to add to Uni woes Cutting teaching time would leave sour taste after VSS cull
Access for all
Accessing the Union is such an easy and frequent occurrence for the majority of students that you may not have realised that Bar One is a complete no-go area for wheelchair users. But come next year that will all change after the Union has invested £25,000 into adapting the Glossop Road entrance so that disabled students – particularly wheelchair users – will finally be able to get in. The fact that the main Union bar has been inaccessible for such a long time is a big deal; why has it taken until 2010 for something to be done about it? It is pretty inexcusable that for an institution that puts inclusiveness and diversity at the heart of its existence, it should be so blatantly restrictive for so long. The campaigners and representatives from the Disabled and Dyslexic Forum must be congratulated for finally getting the problem addressed. It is important that the Union is a place that all students can retreat to – whether it be for prayer, social or work purposes. It is equally important that the correct provisions are always adhered to. So to all of those who will be able to enjoy the delights of a Saturday afternoon in Bar One: enjoy, and have a pint for us.
Praising volunteers
Another successful Rag week has seen more than £8,000 raised for local charities, The Sheffield Comedy Festival was another huge success and Sheffield Volunteering continue with their excellent participation and contribution to residents across the city. It has become too easy for some to erroneously state that students are not connected to the cities they study in. Surely no other group of people engage with and support residents and local projects than students?
Forge Press Editor, Media Hub, Western Bank, Sheffield, S10 2TG, forgepress@forgetoday.com
Art: Michael Westwood
Sade Olaniyi TOP OF THE AGENDA You are on a gap year backpacking across India. The year out has given you the opportunity to meet a likeminded individual who, like you, is taking a break from education. The both of you bond over your love for cider and he even shares your interest in 80s music, but your new friend isn’t the typical 18-year-old back-packer. Your new friend is 45 years old and teaches English at a university. It might sound a bit farfetched, but according to recent proposals outlined by the University of Sheffield, this scenario might soon become the norm. The increasing strain on funding has meant that the University has had to introduce cost-cutting initiatives to handle the recent cuts in Government funding. There has been talk of unpaid sabbaticals, pay cuts, and even shorter working weeks for staff.
The plan is that, with these measures in place, the University can hoard a few quid. According to an article in the Times Higher Education Supplement, a four-and-a-half-day week will cut the University’s bill by about £22 million and ‘compulsory redundancies’ will result in £1.85million that it does not have to pay in staff salaries. But at whose expense? Pay cuts mean that lecturers are required to do the same amount of work for less money. Shorter working weeks means less contact time for students. What makes these plans to cut costs frustrating is the fact that they come less than a year after the Voluntary Severance Scheme (VSS), where 320 staff members left the University.
The plans are only temporary measures The VSS had been introduced to avoid further cuts and compulsory
redundancies. Yet here we are once again talking about more cutbacks. At the moment, these plans are still in the proposal stage and it is highly likely that the measures to save money by cutting salaries will raise severe criticism and be opposed by trade unions and other relevant bodies. The University is obliged to seek the co-operation of trade unions. They also have to, at the very least, consult with the people who are going to be impacted by their plans and I can’t see any of them agreeing to this latest attempt at saving money. We must also not assume that our lecturers do nothing other than teach. Of course, that isn’t the case. We know that the University of Sheffield, being a member of the Russell Group, expects a much effort on the research front. If Sheffield wants worldleading research, the last thing it should do is damage the morale - and the ability - of those who can make it happen. It is obvious that cost cuts will impact on the quality of the research work that Sheffield produces.
If standards slip, the University’s reputation inevitably suffers and that in turn impacts on my ability to get a job when I decide to stop living in my academic bubble.
Shorter working weeks mean less contact The recession and reduction in Government funding have meant that the University has had to tighten its belt. There is a budget shortfall that needs to be fixed. But surely, by cutting staff pay and sending them away on unpaid sabbaticals, we are only creating a new problem and using it to fix an existing one. The University’s plans are only temporary measures that will offer no long-term solutions. What we need are long-lasting methods of fundraising. Ideally, without resorting to cutting the salaries of people with bills to pay and dragging down the University’s reputation in the process.
FORGE PRESS Thursday March 18 2010
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11
COMMENT
Debate: Is it an attractive proposition to join a sports club while you’re at university?
Socials a bonus No newbie fun to Club Sport amid an inane success stories booze culture Agie Ntambi
Luke Martin
To your right is a student puking their guts up. You look away just in time to see another crumbling down in a stupor. You shake your head and laugh. It’s just like any other night at ROAR! Recent posts on one Uni sports club’s message boards suggests that pissed-up sportsmen in West Street’s Wednesday nightspots have become a regular fixture. But are some clubs thinking more about drinking games than winning games? I don’t think so. There’s much more to university sport than a game of Ring of Fire. People get involved in sport to keep fit, to make friends, to learn something new, or to keep up a passion they’ve had all their lives. The socials are just a bonus. After a 28-5 defeat at York on a grim afternoon in the middle of February, the least the rugby lads deserve is a bit of fun and a night off to try and forget the terrible ordeal. Socials do go hand-inhand with the sports clubs, but vilifying rugby, netball, or any club’s members for a few boozy antics is unfair. After all, the chance to make new friends over a tipple is sewn into the fabric of most Union societies. But it’s even more important to build bonds in sports teams. Playing in a team with strangers would be slightly
If religion is to believed, and bad things in life are punished with eternal damnation, then I would be heading to the annual Sports Fair in the Octagon. I’d be sent for an endless day of inane, over-zealous, grinning simpletons trying to get me to play Ultimate Frisbee. No. Fuck off. In the second semester, against my better sense and judgement, I cast aside my doubts and decided to ‘Give it a Go’ with the running club. I’m a runner anyway so it wasn’t something I was new to. The meet was at the Goodwin sports centre. No “hello”. Instead, a ‘have you paid?’ was the warm greeting. There was no warm-up, and no details of the route. We were just told to follow the person in front.
uncomfortable. Feeling comfortable enhances togetherness; and togetherness helps build a winning mentality in most cases. Labelling sports clubs as drinking clubs is a misconceived stereotype. And like most stereotypes, it doesn’t give a complete picture. Just look at some of the Sheffield sporting successes to emerge from the BUCS Championships last weekend. I doubt Lisa Radford and Dominika Kolarova were out getting trashed in The Cavendish last Wednesday. But I do hope they were celebrating come Friday. The table tennis pair certainly deserved a drink after making the Uni proud by beating Southampton to become national champions. And medals in athletics, climbing and korfball show we have a sports set-up to
Art: James Wragg rival our more reputable neighbours come Varsity after the Easter break. Wouldn’t it be nice, after two successive draws with Hallam, to prove we are the best in when it comes to sport as well as education? Joining a sports club at Sheffield is an attractive proposition. I couldn’t imagine not playing a sport around lectures and seminars. A bit of netball, badminton or tennis is the best way to forget about my studies. Whether I’m any good is questionable; but sometimes, just being part of a team makes up for a shortage of talent. We’re lucky to have Club Sport and the Goodwin Sports Centre’s facilities at our finger tips, as there’s something for everyone. You can even take up ballet lessons; but believe me, it isn’t as easy to master as Billy Elliot made out.
D.A.R.T.S.
Freshers have to be ‘totally hairless from the neck down’ This ended with the competent runners zipping off; us intermediates in the middle; and the guys who went dressed for pub golf lagging behind. Being from Sheffield I knew where I was; so with no leadership, I just went home. I didn’t want to be right. Well, I did. But I didn’t think I would be so
spectacularly right. The existing members obviously knew each other and just talked in their little groups. This I was okay with, as I’d rather not lose 10 minutes of my life talking about Family Guy or last week’s ROAR! But what if someone new really wanted to be a part of the club? Club Sport introduced a code of conduct for sports clubs in September 2009, which was a useful start. But this is surely beyond the remit of what the extremely busy sports reps and administrators should be doing. A short series of clicks from the main Union website will take you into the world of the sports clubs’ socials. A quick cut and paste and you’re into the forums, which have details of initiation ceremonies. In one ceremony, as stated by ‘club rules’, freshers have to be “totally hairless from the neck down”. And it’s a relief to know that such farces are ably assisted by current club members ‘Golliwog’, ‘Child Abuse’ or ‘Menstrual Muncher’. Hilarious. This sort of thing is still happening after the code of conduct. And the Union shouldn’t have to police educated adults when they’re out on socials. This is not all sports clubs but
one is too many. The Intra Mural leagues attract over 4,000 students and offer a wide range of sports, with the added bonus of competition. But what if you’re a postgraduate and don’t want to compete with 18-year-olds? The finances and resources could be better used by building on existing successes, and providing more variety for students. So is joining a sports club an attractive proposition? No. Inane simpletons, badly-managed events, derogative socials and an endless quest for trophies totally take away the fun aspect. Spending time with reprobates such as ‘Golliwog’, ‘Child Abuse’ and ‘Menstrual Muncher’ doesn’t sit well with me, but it at least gives an insight into what life would be like at Loughborough University.
Forge Press takes its satirical aim
UNI HALLS ALLOWED TO FIND JESUS
OFF THE MARK
LIVE A LOTTIE
Anyone who has lived in halls will know that they are hardly the most moral of places. But that’s all set to change due to the removal of a politically-correct rule banning religious societies from promoting themselves around areas of campus. Faith societies are now allowed to publicise around the student villages after an over-sensitive ACS policy was overturned.
Turns out tutors in the French department rate the same piece of work rather differently. Perhaps the only way to get a fair mark, then, is to follow figure skating by marking papers thrice and ignoring the anomalies. The French department’s answer to Jason Gardiner and Emma Bunton won’t matter, and students won’t be left feeling lost in translation.
History Union councillor Lottie Tobin was a ‘Mysterious Girl’ at last week’s Council meeting. Lottie, who came third in the recent Presidential election, missed a vital vote to overturn the election result because she was busy bopping away to ’90s six-pack Peter Andre. While she may have been keen to become President, maybe she didn’t have the ‘Flava’ for politics after all.
The policy meant posters asking students to “explore the claims of Jesus” or inviting people to ‘Meditation and Buddhism’ were banned from Endcliffe, Tapton and Ranmoor. Thanks to the change, next time you pop down to one of the Villages you could well find the fresh-faced first years engaged in prayer, rather than downing shots of Vodka whilst dressed in a loincloth.
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COMMENT
That’ll be the day that I get a steak and a BJ 4A succession of meaningless celebrations makes March a month to forget 4I can’t even force myself to enjoy a lovely pint of Guinness on St. Patrick’s day
Michael Hunter
Guinness. Or your own mother. Which do you love more, eh? At least that’s what it felt like I was being asked when, strapped for cash this time last week, I realised two of the most ‘oh, not again’ events on the Gregorian calendar beckoned. That’s right. Mother’s Day and St Patrick’s Day. Or, ‘Pointless-OffspringSentiments’ Day and ‘Suddenly-RememberYour-Dead-GreatGrandfather-was-Irish’ Day, as I prefer to call them. In the end, I saved my last few pence by deciding to celebrate neither. Me – one, the alcohol and card industries – nil. Oh, and me mam – nil, I guess. Mother’s Day is a bit like an MOT test. You thought the last one wasn’t too long ago, yet the details of the event are difficult to recall. Same can’t really be
said of St Patrick’s Day. Particularly if you reckon the perfect place to get ‘Paddied’ is Embrace, who last year pimped out two dwarves as leprechauns and hoisted above the stage in a cage. Fitting. My mam wasn’t too bothered, fortunately. Twenty-two years of staunch apathy towards greetings cards had clearly given her little hope. Anyway, I’m pretty sure I made her some toast when I was 14, so I’m golden. Ultimately, Mother’s Day represents 24 hours in which fathers and children actually get a bit of respite. You see, mums aren’t allowed to bend any ears on Mothering Sunday. At least, it’s against protocol.
So I downed a bottle of Marston’s Oyster All dads and kids have to do is spend a few quid on some flowers and make her a cup of tea and bacon
sarnie in the morning. Mum has to be grateful, despite inwardly lamenting the lack of subsequent washing up. Whilst I always remember it being nice to have me mam out of mother mode for a day, it also tended to result in a half-arsed meal. Mince and dumplings isn’t a Sunday lunch. Nowadays, of course, I’d buy all the greetings cards in the Union Shop to have someone cook me mince and dumplings every Sunday. After all, there’s just no time to slave over a hot Morphy Richards electric oven at the moment. Instead, I’m busy updating my diary on all the forthcoming days of celebration. In March alone, we must also find time to salute International Women’s Day, World Book Day and World Water Day. The latter isn’t until Monday, but I decided to save time at the start of the month by taking a Slovenian hooker and a hardback copy of ‘Clarkson on Cars’ down to Chapeltown Baths. It’s a good job I got them out the way, because since then our Union has added
to my woes with the bucketshaking RAG Week and the learn-a-language-a-day World Week. After the minimal expense of my Slovenian, I had a bit of loose change to dump into the RAG collection. Though sadly, I was told my day out with Olga wasn’t quite in keeping with the World Week celebrations. Unfortunately for World Week organisers, it has happened to coincide with two ‘Days’ which I feel quite passionately about: Steak and BJ Day (March 14) and Touch a Boob Day (March 17). Y’know, causes you can really get behind. As for Paddy’s Day, I celebrated that by locking myself indoors and away from the craic down Bar One, with all the Endcliffe villagers sipping curiously at their first pint of Guinness for the sake of a big foam hat. What I hate most about St Patrick’s Day is that I, a semi-regular Guinness drinker with an acute awareness of other people’s perceptions of me, can’t actually have a Guinness. All because I don’t want
to be chucked in with the novelty Guinness-drinking crowd. So instead, last night I put my feet up and downed a bottle of Marston’s Oyster Stout in a stand against predictability – despite it also being a stand against my own pleasure.
Mince and dumplings isn’t a Sunday lunch And as someone who has no family link to Ireland, I went out of my way to avoid Eire’s most famous sons as I wound down in front of the box. Though recoiling from the screen whenever Patrick Kielty or Graham Norton appear on it is more of a knee-jerk reaction than a contrived effort. Drinking Guinness on St Patrick’s Day sits about as comfortably with me as having a hysterectomy on Father’s Day. (Which, admittedly, sits fairly uncomfortably with me any day.)
Photo: Adam Harley The rise of St Patrick’s Day in this country is difficult to fathom. You don’t see half as many Irish-for-a-day Brits going on an all-day St George’s knees-up. Of course, it’s not as easy for breweries to target the young binge-drinkers of our nation with promotions on Theakston’s Old Peculiar and Beefeater gin. And I’m not saying it’d be a good thing to encourage grown men to don their England shirts and swig classic English tipples such as Carling into the early hours – a Friday night down Rotherham is testament enough to that. But it might be nice to have some more visible celebration of England’s history and culture without it verging on an English Democrats’ rally. We could start the day with some passages of Shakespeare’s finest work read to the world by Ben Shephard and Kate Garraway, before ravishing a chip butty splash in a field for lunch. And after that, of course, we’d wash it all down with a nice cup of tea. Spiffing.
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Junkies Mr Pizza and Mr Burger really whet appetite Calorie conscience vanishes after dreary PowerPoint presentations Nina McArthur
Competition is an inevitable part of being alive. When you’re five-yearsold you want to be the first one to dive into the school sandpit at break time. When you’re a bit older you want to be the first to cross the line with your egg and spoon. And when you’re 10-years-old and have baked Rice Krispie cakes to sell at school, competition comes in the form of the teacher’s pet over the other side of the playground with their perfectly-risen carrot cake muffins. There is a distinct tension in the air as crowds flock to the muffins, leaving you stood calling out cheaper and cheaper prices to get them back. The competition must be even more intense between the burger and pizza vans outside the Union, who serve the floods of junk-
food-thirsty drunks after a Union night. Mr Pizza probably tries as hard as he can to flog more margaritas than Mr Burger can sell cheese burgers. And Mr Pizza recently tipped off the authorities that Mr Burger was trading without a licence. The two are obviously not the best of friends.
It’s tempting to grab a quick bag of ketchupstained chips But whatever rivalry there may be, do the students that line up at one or the other most nights actually prefer to eat the convenience food from these grotty vans rather than the food provided at the University’s numerous eating outlets? The Students’ Union alone boasts over five different options for food, from Mexican (complete
with the pungent aroma surrounding it most days) to fish and chips in Fusion. We would assume that eating from an outlet at the University is the healthy option, rather than from those greasy takeaway vans, but I’m not convinced that’s the case. Do we actually know if any ingredients of higher quality go into the University food, or is it just the same quick and cheap components as the vans? And do we really care? I’d like to say that I’d eat from the University outlets because I feel as if I’m being healthier. But it is so tempting when you’re coming out of a lecture to grab a quick bag of ketchup-stained chips or a pepperoni pizza to help relieve the stress of being talked at for an hour by a man with a projector. Then again, it’s not a whole lot better when your conscience kicks in the next day and you buy a chicken salad sandwich from an ‘Eat With Us’ cafe, only to look at the label and realise that its loaded with mayo and has a mountain of calories in it.
Art: Natasha Maisey
So I think the moral of the story is eat whatever you fancy, be its a burger from Dave’s van; a calzone from the pizza rival next door; or a salad sandwich dunked in calories. Just get your money’s worth and save those last
remaining pennies of your student loan. Better still, if you want to make sure what you’re eating is good for your insides, buy a pack of pasta and have a bash at your own spag bol. As far as buying food
around the Uni and Union goes, it seems that as long as the vans are battling for each other’s turf, the deals will just keep getting better. And that doesn’t do our bank accounts any harm at all.
Dastardly put thrill factor into election season Peter Brennan
Hail to the thief. The greatest political scandal since Robert Mugabe had opposition voters chased with sticks has taken place on our doorstep. You might have believed that this year’s Union Presidential election was a dull affair; with friendly competition, innocent campaigning, and the winner ultimately decided by a nice big popularity contest. Yet this year’s elections had more of The X Factor to them, having seemingly been commissioned by Simon Cowell and a cast boasting an evil overlord Dick Dastardly breaking
the rules on his way to victory. Three separate Union societies endorsed President-elect Joshua Forstenzer’s campaign via Facebook, blissfully unaware that such tactics were in breach of the rules. As a result Forstenzer was docked 354 votes, a figure that left him the victor. But only just. The figure represented half the number of people in the various Facebook groups. Had it been the full 708, he wouldn’t have been elected President. The Union understandably doesn’t want the hassle or expense of running another election.
But surely they wouldn’t pluck an appropriate figure out of the air to make it look like they’re taking a tough stance when in fact it’s merely a façade? Of course, the Union would want a fair election with a deserving winner regardless of convenience and reputation. Forstenzer broke the rules. Six candidates presented the returning officers with a page-long list showing different breaches of regulations, including failure to return receipts. Clearly he’d learned little from the high-profile expenses scandal. The fair way of dealing with this would have been to expel him from the process, which is how other Unions have dealt with similar incidents. Yet this didn’t happen.
He was docked his remaining campaign budget for cheating over his use of posters. But why wasn’t he disqualified?
The greatest scandal since Robert Mugabe had opposition voters chased Maybe it was partly due to the man who came second. ‘iBen’ Woollard, who assumed the role of Crazy Christian Candidate, was chastised by people both close to the issue and light years away from it. He was tarnished with accusations of homophobia and had a viral campaign opposing
his own campaigning efforts. In the aftermath, Woollard claimed he had been subjected to personal and abusive attacks against his faith. So, if the Union had disqualified Forstenzer we would have had this Extremist as our Führer, possibly not the form of representation our Union desires. So what about the possibility of a rerun? Undoubtedly the Union wouldn’t want to go through the hassle and expense of this measure as the elections already ran up a £10,000 bill. The Union also achieved what was then a national record for votes cast in a Union election. So what is the cost of democracy? And at what point is a fair and truly representative process less important than the winner? It ultimately seems rulebreaking does prosper, as Peter Lennox’s proposal for a re-election was thrown out by Council.
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FEATURES
Battle of the ballot box: the fight for student votes With a hotly contested General Election on the horizon, Forge Press asks why young people have become disillusioned with mainstream politics. Natasha Lewis Henrik Ibsen’s An Enemy of the People has been showing at the re-opened Crucible theatre this month and if you’ve seen Jaws, you’ll know the story. Ibsen’s theatrical creation provided the plotline for the shark-infested film, with both tales following the struggle of a maverick trying to bring safety to a town in the face of poisoned water or sharks respectively. The play ends with the protagonist Dr Stockmann descending into a manic denunciation of democracy with unbridled horror at the irrational mob mentality in the face of his attempted reasoning. While it may be unlikely that the constituency of Sheffield Central will be attacked by sharks anytime soon, the political issues that Ibsen addresses in the play are a potent reminder that politically, there are no easy answers. Right now, if I was filling in a survey question about my political intentions I would probably be hoping for a box at the end labelled ‘multi-curiousconfused’. I consider neoliberalism to be, frankly, rubbish and am not a fan of Capitalism in general. Whether either of these considerations matter in the land of mainstream politics and the General Election is not totally clear. In fact, nothing is very clear at all. A recent survey claimed that almost half of Sheffield students do not plan to vote. The main reason cited for this disengagement is a lack of real difference between the main political parties, a worrying idea to be prevalent if you’re a politician trying to garner votes. Paul Blomfield, the Labour candidate for Sheffield Central, blames complacency about democracy for political apathy. He said: “Democracy is actually something we ought to be actively engaging with and something we ought to be cherishing. We take democracy for granted.” This idea that we should exercise our democratic rights with pride and a belief in their power was also echoed by Council Leader and Liberal Democrat candidate Paul Scriven whose main emphasis through our conversation was his insistence that young people must use their “weapon” of a pencil and put a cross in a box. Lizzie Walsh is a second year student and member of People and Planet and Sheffield Activist Network. She studies Politics and History and is planning to vote in her home constituency of Orpington in London. She sees her vote as less an exciting expression of her views than a means of
Both Labour and the Liberal Democrats are targeting student voters in the closely fought Sheffield Central constituency. Art: Natasha Maisey stopping the Conservatives from of people have very different about the democratic process a sticker covering her mouth gaining power. views on how we should address strength of conviction is surely printed with the slogan ‘no vote, When I asked about why she issues. an essential criterion for those no voice’. plans to vote for the Lib Dems “We shouldn’t always see we vote in to represent us. This suggests that voting is our she said: “I don’t like tactical compromise as a bad thing.” In Sheffield Central in 2005, sole means of political expression, voting and I don’t like the fact Jillian Creasy, Green Party more than 10 per cent of the a suggestion that Paul Scriven that the system makes you vote candidate for Sheffield Central votes went to smaller parties denies, citing demonstrations and tactically but Labour’s never doesn’t think it is so simple such as the Green Party, Respect petitions as equally important. going to win where I live. So though. and UKIP. He said: “Ultimately in a I’ll probably vote for them [the “How can people vote Labour If the electoral reform that all democracy the only way you’re Liberal Democrats].” when Labour have been in power three of the candidates that I going to affect political change since 1997 and just haven’t spoke to support goes ahead, the is by engaging in the political delivered?” she said. proportional representation that process and voting”. “They’re supposed to be a will replace the current system Lizzie Walsh sees this sort socialist party and actually the will mean that a vote for a smaller of response to activism as gap between rich and poor has party will count for much more. reflective of a lot of society, that got worse.” if you engage in mild forms of As the party of government protest you get “patronisingly Labour is bound to be under that congratulated”. sort of scrutiny and on other The Greens believe direct issues, too. While Paul Blomfield action and civil disobedience was opposed to both the Iraq war are a necessary part of political The Sheffield Central and top-up fees, his party was expression, so maybe they are constituency is a more not. the most progressive and freecomplicated affair though, with As Ibsen’s character Dr thinking? the race between the Liberal Stockmann delicately puts it, the But will they win a seat? Not Democrats and Labour looking concern that “A party is like a according to Paul Scriven, who evenly matched. sausage machine; it mashes up In the current system these believes the Liberal Democrats However, many young all sorts of heads together into the votes act as a medium of are the ones to vote for if people don’t seem to share the same mincemeat-fatheads and expression. Jillian Creasy from progressive but realistic is what enthusiasm in the glossy election blockheads, all in one mash” is a the Green Party says: “If we get a you’re after. propaganda that piles through valid one given the Westminster good percentage of the opposition All sides agree that young our letterboxes. bubble’s power to suck away at votes it does stimulate the other people need to use their right Paul Blomfield points out that an MP’s personal convictions. parties to take on board the green to vote, but with young people democratic politics is inevitably That’s something that each of issues.” seemingly so disillusioned with about compromise. the candidates claim they will The poster from Sheffield what’s on offer, its unlikely this He said: “It’s about recognising strive to avoid if they win the City Council designed to inspire General Election will provide the that across the board, a lot seat and if we are to get excited younger voters shows a girl with answers to all of our questions.
A survey claims half of Sheffield students do not plan to vote
All sides agree that young people need to use their votes
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The Greatest S
As a new exhibition shines the spotlight on legendary showman P.T. Barnu after his birth, Forge Press reveals some of the curious secrets behind his entice us with promises of girls who grew another head, or babies born with eight limbs.
Lucie Boase “Words cannot describe it, pictures cannot portray it, nor can the imagination conceive the glorious beauties of this amazing marvel”. So proclaims a flyer’s elaborate description for ‘The Greatest Show on Earth’, brainchild of entertainer extraordinaire, Phineas Taylor Barnum. ‘Humbug! Celebrating 200 Years of P.T. Barnum’, a recently opened exhibition at the University’s Western Bank profiles the life and work of the late great American entrepreneur on the 200th anniversary of his birth. The impressive exhibition brings together never-beforeseen banners, flyers, ticket passes and other memorabilia from the National Fairground Archive, which is housed at Western Bank Library. Barnum, a self-made impresario, business-man and entertainer made his living from stage shows which toured the world. From The Greatest Show on Earth, presented by the Barnum & Bailey Circus, to his promotion of General Tom Thumb (whose 1861 wedding to Lavinia Warren briefly knocked the Civil War from the news headlines), Barnum’s exploits earned him international acclaim. His skills at marketing and PR were substantial and vastly ahead of their time. While freak shows were only one component of travelling exhibitions such as Barnum’s during the Victoria period, their importance cannot be down-played.
‘I don’t believe in duping the public, but attracting and pleasing them’ P.T. Barnum, showman The attraction of viewing a socalled freak, monstrosity or marvel of nature was not just based on physical difference; showmen worked hard to create a beguiling and captivating atmosphere in order to market the particular attraction to the curiosity-seeking public. Barnum himself justified
Barnum’s world-famous hoaxes included 161-year-old Joice Heth
Above: Tom Thumb’s wedding to Lavinia Warren. RIght: the Feejee Mermaid his hoaxes or “humbugs” as monkey’s head and torso, stitched “advertisements to draw attention... to a fish tail. I don’t believe in duping the public, Jumbo the Elephant was another but I believe in first attracting and high-profile member of Barnum’s then pleasing them.” circus. A popular fixture at London As the exhibition’s creator Zoo, 100,000 schoolchildren wrote Professor Vanessa Toulmin says, to Queen Victoria begging her not “They were performers. People to sell him to Barnum when he didn’t just come to see Tom Thumb initially offered. because he was very small; he sang The exhibition’s subject matter songs, did impressions. For many highlights an intriguing aspect of these people, there was no other of human nature - our innate way to make a living”. fascination in ‘curiosities’, such as Barnum is particularly those famously displayed by P.T. remembered for promoting Barnum. celebrated hoaxes, including Joice Professor Toulmin is keen Heth, a former slave who Barnum to point out that freakshows claimed was 161 years old and only form part of the National the erstwhile nanny of George Fairground Archive’s collection, Washington. and photographs of them are When she died, Barnum deliberately not included on the commissioned an autopsy to prove archive’s web pages. her age, and when the surgeon However, they were a mainstream said “80”, he insisted that it was form of entertainment for much of the wrong body, and that Joice was the 18th century, and the public’s still on tour. interest today has not waned, Other attractions included although they are now witnessed in Chang and Eng, conjoined twins a somewhat transmuted medium. who between them fathered 21 As Libby Purves commented children, and The Feejee Mermaid, in a recent article in The Times, which Barnum purported was “We secretly crave grotesques, caught in 1842 by a “Dr. J. Griffin” extremes, impossibilities” – and (who transpired to be Levi Lyman, we seek them out in all manner one of Barnum’s close associates). of places, from fantasy films like The supposed mermaid, which Tim Burton’s Alice, to ‘true life’ transfixed millions, was actually a television documentaries which
Although this desire to witness the strange and unexpected is perhaps not laudable, Purves claims that, “real or invented, we have to confront abnormality lest it take us by surprise”. In displaying these exhibitions, Barnum was doing what all artists must do: “showing us wonders, jolting our complacency, teaching us that to be human we have to accept that anything is possible – even if it isn’t”. Barnum’s influence is further reaching than he could ever have anticipated, and his impact is still felt today in the world of media, entertainment and marketing. It has recently been announced that Barnum’s life and legacy will be further celebrated in an upcoming film starring Hugh Jackman. Through his passion and commitment to public entertainment, Barnum arguably changed the face of 18th century American society. Before Barnum, public entertainment had been regarded as inappropriate and not fitting with the standards expected of moral and civil behaviour. As Barnum’s career progressed, he created the newly-titled American Museum, promoting it as a place for family entertainment. The museum, which prior to
Barnum’s ownership had only enjoyed a small success, quickly became the New York’s most popular attraction for 23 years, showcasing natural curiosities alongside artistic and historic exhibitions. Allegedly, Barnum used to hire the worst musicians he could find to play on the balcony above the museum’s entrance, on the theory that a terrible noise outside would drive punters inside. Accompanying the Humbug! exhibition is speciallycommissioned artwork by Anthony Bennett and Mark Copeland. Bennett, a local Sheffield sculptor, has created a piece titled ‘Humbug – What is it?’, a life-size half-man, half-insect ‘Entomological Angel’. Bennett describes his work as being a depiction of Barnum as “one of his freaks, a Jiminy Cricket, a guardian, for the dark days of the Civil War’. BAFTA winning artist Mark Copeland, who is also known for his intricate creation of the Insect Circus Museum, is showcasing a series of tradeunion style cloth banners depicting some of Barnum’s greatest attractions. Copeland says of Barnum, “although at times [he] knew he was hoaxing the public, he genuinely believed that he was improving people’s lot by providing distraction and entertainment. “Personally, I would have been very happy to be hoodwinked” T h e exhibition is made up of items taken from ‘the National Fairground Archive’, a phrase with which you’ll be forgiven for not being overwhelmingly familiar. Tucked away in the dusty recesses of Western Bank Library, I only happened to chance upon it on a quiet Saturday last year when trawling the Stacks for books.
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Show on Earth
m 200 years success. The little picture of a carousel accompanying its sign initially sparked my curiosity. Created in 1994, the National Fairground Archive (NFA) is a unique collection of material which covers all aspects of the culture of travelling showpeople and popular entertainment. The collection has been growing since the archive’s inception and now boasts over 80,000 images in the photographic collection, as well as audio and video material, journals and magazines, and almost 3,000 monographs. It is an invaluable resource for researchers, fairground enthusiasts and the general public alike. The Barnum exhibition’s guest book is already full of the scribbled praise of visitors, many of whom pay tribute to Professor Toulmin’s hard work (‘Coming to see yet another Professor Vanessa spectacular!’; ‘Great – as expected’). And recognition is surely due; Toulmin not only devised the Humbug exhibition (which is fresh from a run at Blackpool’s Showzam festival), but founded the National Fairground Archive originally, and now acts as its Director. Hailing from a Lancashire showland family, Toulmin’s inherent interest in the area prompted her as a student at the University of Sheffield to create the Archive in 1994. She completed her PhD on Travelling Showpeople in 1997.
‘It’s important to keep Barnum’s spirit alive today’ Professor Vanessa Toulmin, NFA Director Toulmin’s work – which includes several books and the curation of other equally successful exhibitions prior to Humbug – is now internationally recognised. As Professor Toulmin acknowledges, having previously unseen archive material on display in the P.T. Barnum exhibition is critical to retaining Barnum’s relevance in the public’s consciousness. “By showcasing these never-before-seen items, this groundbreaking exhibition will revitalise Barnam’s historic legacy, 200 years after his birth and ensure his spirit is kept alive today”.
P.T. Barnum as depicted by Mark Copeland on a banner specially commissioned for the Humbug! exhibition
Images: National Fairground Archive
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Show on Earth
m 200 years success. The little picture of a carousel accompanying its sign initially sparked my curiosity. Created in 1994, the National Fairground Archive (NFA) is a unique collection of material which covers all aspects of the culture of travelling showpeople and popular entertainment. The collection has been growing since the archive’s inception and now boasts over 80,000 images in the photographic collection, as well as audio and video material, journals and magazines, and almost 3,000 monographs. It is an invaluable resource for researchers, fairground enthusiasts and the general public alike. The Barnum exhibition’s guest book is already full of the scribbled praise of visitors, many of whom pay tribute to Professor Toulmin’s hard work (‘Coming to see yet another Professor Vanessa spectacular!’; ‘Great – as expected’). And recognition is surely due; Toulmin not only devised the Humbug exhibition (which is fresh from a run at Blackpool’s Showzam festival), but founded the National Fairground Archive originally, and now acts as its Director. Hailing from a Lancashire showland family, Toulmin’s inherent interest in the area prompted her as a student at the University of Sheffield to create the Archive in 1994. She completed her PhD on Travelling Showpeople in 1997.
‘It’s important to keep Barnum’s spirit alive today’ Professor Vanessa Toulmin, NFA Director Toulmin’s work – which includes several books and the curation of other equally successful exhibitions prior to Humbug – is now internationally recognised. As Professor Toulmin acknowledges, having previously unseen archive material on display in the P.T. Barnum exhibition is critical to retaining Barnum’s relevance in the public’s consciousness. “By showcasing these never-before-seen items, this groundbreaking exhibition will revitalise Barnam’s historic legacy, 200 years after his birth and ensure his spirit is kept alive today”.
P.T. Barnum as depicted by Mark Copeland on a banner specially commissioned for the Humbug! exhibition
Images: National Fairground Archive
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FEATURES
In a class of its The rising popularity of concentration drug Ritalin has hidden dangers. Forge Press investigate the use of prescription drugs by students.
Anna Rosario Elicano Coffee. Red Bull. Caffeine pills. Cigarettes. For many years, these items have been choice arsenal for students who need to pull allnighters. But in recent years, there’s been a new addition to the list: ‘smart drugs’. The most popular of these is Ritalin, a brain-stimulating drug which is usually prescribed to sufferers of attention deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD). It allows non-sufferers to remain awake and alert for hours. Little wonder, then, that it’s becoming the pill of choice for students who want to study longer and concentrate harder.
‘When I took Ritalin I would be awake nonstop for three full days’ Sarah, former Ritalin user
Sarah - not her real name - is an American postgraduate student at the University of Sheffield who has used Ritalin in the past. She confided that she first learnt about the drug from the unofficial online forum of the school she went to in the US. “People tossed around jokes and funny comments until a girl said that anyone interested in buying should contact her through an email address she was going to keep for a week,” Sarah recalled. After the first few transactions, she and the student dealer became friends. Sarah later found out that the girl went to a doctor and claimed that she had ADHD to get a prescription for Ritalin. Self-administration of a drug such as Ritalin is potentially dangerous. As a spokesperson for the University of Sheffield’s Health Service says: “under specialist supervision, Ritalin can be prescribed for those diagnosed with ADHD. “Patients who take the drug require careful monitoring of heart rate and blood pressure. The dose is carefully adjusted and may differ from one individual to another. “Ritalin is obviously a prescription-only medication and not for self administration.”
But according to Sarah: “It’s really easy to fake ADHD. My friend told her shrink that she was watching TV and listening to her mum talk at the same time and couldn’t remember a word her mum said or anything about the show afterwards.” No tests were conducted, and by the end of the appointment, the girl left clutching a signed prescription. The procedure is so straightforward that apparently some students don’t bother going through a dealer anymore. Why is it so easy? Sarah shrugged. “Well, the US is pill happy”. The ‘smart pill’ habit may have started in America but soon it reached UK shores, years before Sarah left the country. An article from The Independent, dating as far back as 2003, documented the beginnings of the craze in British campuses. However, many universities still don’t do drug tests for Ritalin or clearly stipulate the disciplinary actions they will take against students who are caught using it. When asked to comment on recent newspaper claims that nationwide, students would be tested for drugs before exams, a spokesperson for the University of Sheffield’s Student Services, said “there are currently no plans to introduce random drugs testing. Taking prescription drugs would not constitute a disciplinary offence under university regulations.” The consequences of possession without prescription have not been articulated by university-issued student handbooks, although media reports have commented on the growing phenomenon.
Critics warn of the dangers of selfadministering drugs such as Ritalin “If not prescribed, Ritalin is a class B drug in the UK, meaning possession can lead to a five-year prison sentence and dealing could put you behind bars for 14 years,” the BBC helpfully notes in an online article. Is it worth the trouble? Sarah thinks so. “The effects of coffee and Red Bull wear out in a few hours. “When I took Ritalin, I would be awake non-stop for three full days
and had a lot of energy. I was very focused and had complete control over my motor movements,” When asked, Sarah said that she was aware of the side effects of the drug, but she didn’t sound entirely certain. “That would have to be damage to the heart or a heart attack, longterm, right?” According to the University Health Service, side effects can include heart rhythm disturbance, blood pressure changes, mood change and nervous tics. Stimulants may precipitate anxiety symptoms including panic, particularly in those with a history of coexisting anxiety. The NHS also lists headaches and stomach aches as other side effects. Some medical studies even reveal effects that range from blurred vision to brain aneurysms. The loss of appetite leading to a drop in weight is another side effect. Sarah confirmed this: “I knew girls who intentionally took Ritalin because they wanted to be thin. “Eating disorders were huge at my university back home and so I guess it’s not surprising that popping Ritalin soon followed,” Sarah told me that she took Ritalin for a completely different reason. She excelled in school and wanted to keep it that way. Studies in the US indeed show that it is high-flying Ivy League students under immense pressure, not slackers, who are more likely to rely on Ritalin to get them through coursework and revision. Some students condemn Ritalin abuse as cheating, comparing
it to the controversial use of performance-enhancing drugs by athletes.
‘There are currently no plans to introduce random drugs testing’ UoS Student Services Sarah disagreed: “All it does is to keep you stay focused. Besides, some great academics and authors have used drugs. “Hunter S Thompson was on mescaline when he wrote Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas” She added: “If someone were to discover the cure for a major illness, like cancer, while on Ritalin, would it diminish that person’s contribution to humanity?” Sarah’s use of Ritalin was sporadic and she says that she will definitely not continue taking it after graduation. But Ritalin is a drug, and drug abuse all too often leads to addiction. Critics worry that students who depended on it to get them through all-nighters for exams may fall into using it again. The only difference would be that they would have jobs and be pulling all-nighters for project deadlines,
not university work. Sarah claims that she hasn’ swallowed a single pill since sh started her postgraduate degre at the University of Sheffield las September. But when I spoke to her, she half joked, “Do you know if I can ge Ritalin from anyone on campus?” With Ritalin abuse becoming a growing problem in British universities, the answer would have to be a yes.
What is Ritalin?
Methylphenidate, which goes under the trade name of Ritalin, is a medication generally prescribed to sufferers of ADHD.
Ritalin acts as a stimulant on the central nervous system, and its potency is described as being ‘less than amphetamines but more than caffeine’.
When taken as prescribed, Ritalin is a valuable medicine. Research has shown that people with ADHD do not get addicted to their stimulant medications at treatment dosages.
However, in recent years use of the drug has become mainstream amongst healthy individuals seeking its stimulant properties.
Particular fears have been raised about the practice of crushing and snorting Ritalin tablets, which are available on prescription from a GP.
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FORGE PRESS Thursday March 18 2010
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Lifestyle
Fashion Food & Drink Health & Fitness Technology Sex & Relationships
FORGE PRESS Thursday March 18 2010
Hero of the fortnight Kathryn Bigelow She is the first woman director to win at the Oscars, while also beating her ex to the honour.
Your relationship or your friend
Four of the best: Unique to Sheffield When your better half and your friends don’t get on, it’s you th Amy Garrod
Freshmans: Just off West Street, on Carver Street this boutique offers a wide selection of clothes both male and female. It even has cool one-off pieces by local designers, such as Alice takes a trip. It also offers some great inspiration for fancy dress with cheap ties for school uniform themed nights out.
Mookau: Found on Ecclesall Road this little shop is perfect for buying gifts for those difficult people who have everything and you never know what to get. They stock jewellery, watches, picture frames and cards. There’s also some cute kitsch items to decorate your house or your uni room with.
Lauren Astbury It’s pretty much assumed that the people who you love should all love each other too. No-one likes it when their best friends aren’t getting on, or when their boyfriend and their best friends just can’t see eye to eye. Your boyfriend or girlfriend is the one person you want to see a lot of and who you expect to be there for you when you need them, and vice versa. Sometimes they can become a pretty significant part of your life. Best friends on the other hand, make life fun: they’re the ones who you will spend a Saturday night dancing away to bad ’90s music in the union with. They are there for the nights out, the hangovers and more often than not, there when you need someone to bitch with, or console in. Suppose you find yourself in the situation then when your girlfriend/ boyfriend admits to you… ‘I don’t really like your friends’. It could be that she finds their behaviour or jokes pretty disgusting or unfunny, or maybe your boyfriend thinks they are too bossy or bitchy. Whatever the reason, life becomes awkward when they cannot even be in the same room as each other… Here’s a fairly controversial statement though: Who cares?! I know it can be upsetting when your beau just can’t see why your BFFs are worth the hassle, but should you let this make an impact on the relationship? The answer is to relax about it and don’t try and force them to get on. Here’s an example of how not to do it: This summer I became absolutely, unashamedly addicted to ‘The Hills’. The whole series basically revolves around the war between Lauren Conrad, Heidi’s Best friend, and Spencer Pratt (Surely
the most apt surname EVER), Heidi’s boyfriend. The ‘drama’ becomes so much that Heidi and Lauren end their friendship. Yes, Lauren hates Spencer and yes, Spencer hates Lauren… but why so serious guys?! It’s the perfect example of how overwrought and dramatic we can often become. It’s not nice that your boyfriend or girlfriend may not appreciate your mates in the way you do, but why let it become an issue? We’re still pretty young, and dating someone you like is the most important thing. As long as you can still see your boyfriend, and still see your friends I fail to see why it needs to become a dramatic situation. Just remember why YOU love your mates, and why you love your boyfriend. Friends are important but it’s not imperative that your beau thinks they are as brilliant as you do. Assuming everyone can act l i k e adults which we are, there’s no reason to think it’ll play out as overhyped and ridiculously soap opera as ‘The Hills’. Let’s keep the dramatics for the telly.
Victoria Watson In the words of the Spice Girls: “If you wanna be my lover, you gotta get with my friends.” My friends are very important to me and while I don’t base my decisions solely on their approval, it would be nice to know that they like any potential boyfriend. Likewise, I hope that I would get on with a friend’s boyfriend. I’m not talking endless hours of socialising with him, but at a minimum he should be polite and take an interest in your friends. I like introducing people to others and enjoyed it when my friends from home met my uni friends. Everybody got on well and it made me really happy as both sets of friends mean a lot to me. Why should it be any different with a boyfriend? I would be proud to introduce my boyfriend to my friends and to get their opinion on him. After all, isn’t half the fun the de-briefing with friends after a date or the first time they meet him. Why would we have these conversations, if we didn’t value our friends’ opinions and hope they like him too? Sex and the City would have been a much shorter programme if Carrie and the girls didn’t care about each others’ men. Surely if a guy really likes you, they should want to get to know your friends and spend time with them. Even if they don’t necessarily like them, I would hope they would make an effort when in their company - or maybe I’m being very naïve. I value my friend’s opinions and if they didn’t like a boyfriend, it would probably make me question why. After all, our friends know us better than anyone.
Similarly, if a friend’s boyfriend made a bad first impression or didn’t make an effort with me it would stay with me and make me question whether he is good enough for my friend. Presumably, the longer and more serious a relationship is, the more times your boyfriend and friends will meet. Isn’t it better for everybody to get on? Nobody wants to constantly be acting as mediator. As soppy as it sounds, if a girl’s friends are important to her, then a boyfriend should make the effort to get on with them. Likewise, I realise that a guy’s friends are important to him, so if the relationship is getting serious, I should meet and get to know them too. So, by the same sentiment as the Spice Girls, I think it is in a man’s interest to get on with his girlfriend’s friends.
Mooch: This cosy shop, located in Broomhill, is reasonably priced and great for gift. They’re also a whole host of really friendly sales assistants. Selling great accessories as well as unique jewellery and stationary it’s a great pit stop for something a bit different.
The Forum: With the likes of Alexa Chung shopping in this collection of boutiques hidden away on Devonshire Street you can be sure to find something in high fashion or something no one else is wearing. It’s even been voted ‘hot shopping destination’ by Cosmopolitan.
Should John care that his friend doesn’t
FORGE PRESS Thursday March 18 2010
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Gadget of the fortnight
Product of the fortnight
Villain of the fortnight
Gorilla pods £17.99/£34.99 Amazingly bendy and versatile, these camera stands are available for both regular and SLR varieties.
Botanics cleanser for men £4.49 Nobody likes a dirty face boys, keep yours nice and clean with this gentle cleanser.
Facebook hate campaigns A young father was left fearing for his life after a group falsely ‘outted’ him as Jon Venables.
dship?
Highlights of... London Road
hat can suffer.
Keri O’Riordan
What can you do? Ensuring that you, your better half and all your friends in between are happy is impossible. However making sure that you’re happy is more then possible, in fact it’s actually doable. Firstly think about why there are problems. Is it your friend who’s kicking up a fuss or your lover? If it’s your friend, then is this the first time that they’ve acted like this when you started seeing someone. Also if they are they only friend that seems to have a problem with a potential love interest then maybe their problem lies a little closer to home. If a number of your mates are showing concerns then maybe it’s time to take a hard long look at who you’re sharing a bed with. However if its your partner who’s making waves with you’re friends then you have to really talk to them. If they really want to be with you then they should make an effort to make life as easy as possible. We can’t all get on but we don’t have to go around declaring war with everyone who wrongs us. Ultimately its easy to get on with someone without liking them and if your lover really wants to feature in your life then they would make a good effort to remain friendly. However it is always important to remember that any unhealthy relationship whether it is with a friend or lover should never be tolerated. Remember if you wouldn’t accept that kind of behaviour from a lover why should you accept it from a friend. Photos: Sam Bennett
like his girlfriend?
Try something a bit different: London Road.
Photo: Hannah O’Connell
London Road lies in the heart of Hallam country, and so for me it was only a very recent discovery. However it wasn’t long before it became one of my favourite areas of Sheffield. Why? Because London Road offers the widest range of restaurants I have probably ever seen outside London proper, spanning from Japanese tapas to Chinese fondue. One of the premier restaurants to feature is WasabiSabi an immense Japanese restaurant which offers everything from sushi to tapas. Fans of the cuisine will endorse it’s tasty food. While a nod to it’s authenticity can be noted when you spy Japanese people enjoying the food right along side you. Staying in the far east Jabu a Chinese hot pot restaurant will offer anyone an enjoyable evening. Any gap year tragedies among you, may have tried this style of cooking on your travels. You are presented with a selection
of raw foods, which you then cook on the table in a hot stew. The effect it both enjoyable and really tasty. However in Cambodia where I first tried this, I accidently added what I’m now pretty sure were dog testicles but in Sheffield there is little to no risk you’ll do the same. Also worth a try is Pho 68 a Vietnamese restaurant, the interior is modern but cosy and food is good value for money. Finally if there are any food fanatics out there who still haven’t felt the need to go running like a wild cat to the S2 area, then maybe you can be tempted to visit by Zeugma. A small Turkish restaurant where the food is cooked on charcoal right in front of you. The food is spot on and there are those all important large portions. Also once you’ve taken your taste bud’s on a world tour why not visit the Cremorne for a post dinner drink.. An atmospheric little bar, which is cool in a dark and dingy way without feeling dodgy.
Get the S/S 10 beauty buzz Alex Kallai Even though it’s still freezing outside you can enjoy celebrating the (alleged) arrival of Spring with a makeup overhaul. Brighten up your look with some of the new season’s beauty trends, the revival of acid-bright, eyepopping colours is sure to cheer you up no matter what the weather looks like. Paul Smith rocked apple green and icy blue lips with his latest collection, if this daring look is a bit too much for you, and let’s be honest it’s a big leap from the catwalk to the streets of Sheffield, why not make an equally bold but more wearable statement with a bright matte lipstick in hot shades of red, pink or coral. The models at Prada wore stunning red lipstick, try Mac ‘Lady Danger’ (£12.50) a vivid bright coral-red, which is perfect for Spring. Avoid gloss and keep it matte to make a statement. With regards to eye-makeup, a purple haze descended over the catwalk at Versace, with models wearing a wash of purple all over eyes, right up to the brow-bone, with a slick of same coloured eyeliner along the upper lash-line. As the most popular and wearable of all the pastels, purple is bang on trend. Pair
iridescent shades with silver for an ethereal look. Try Mac Eye Shadow in Very Violet (£11). For a more demure look, Audrey Hepburn style flicks were all over catwalks, with feline eyeliner seen at D&G and Versace. Collection 2000 Fast Stroke eyeliner (£2.99) goes on bold, is long-lasting and smudge resistant, all at a fantastic low price. Polished and glowing skin is a Spring must have. The look is ‘no makeup’ makeup, where skin is meticulously prepped before makeup is applied. For foundation try new wonder-product Mac Mineralize Foundation (£23), described as ‘A rich, luxurious compact foundation offering a creamy application for a flawless, naturally revitalized, finish.’ It suits all skin types and contains SPF 15 so is worth the £23 it costs. Highlighters and gloss used to create luminescent sheen, try Benefit Highbeam (£17.50) to create stunning cheekbones. Old favourite Vaseline (from £1.95) offers a cheap glossy alternative, doubling up as lipbalm, eyebrow tamer and eye-gloss. For nails, a major trend is the colour ‘greige’, a mix between grey and beige. The trend aims for ‘mannequin nails’ that seem to blend into the hands to give a mannequin effect. This colour trend was predictably started by the colour gurus at Chanel. Their new shade Particulaire (£19), is described by Elle as ‘a deliciously murky shade of mink.’ Seen on Lily Allen and Sandra Bullock, it is selling out as fast as it comes into shops. Get yourself on
the waiting list at Selfridges now by calling 020 7318 2372. Cheaper and more readily available alternatives are Boots No 7 Speed Dry Nail Colour in ‘Beanie’, £7.25 or Essie nail polish in ‘Jazz’, £8.95. If you don’t fancy this go for the more Spring themed pastel nail colours, you can always rely on Barry M to bring out the latest shades at an affordable price, all the pastels are in the collection but for Spring try their new Mint Green Nail Paint (£2.95).
Purple eyes are one of the hottest beauty trends around this season.
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Lifestyle
Monsieur Derrière:
Rules are meant to be broken
One pound lunch box Never go hungry again, with these tasty lunch time treats. Lauren Merryweather
I
’m a strong believer in rules. Without rules there can be no sex, unless of course it’s bad, drunken sex. One of my biggest rules when dating men is that if you can find three reasons why you shouldn’t shag someone, then don’t do it and automatically move onto the next guy. So I’m at a house party in London, the booze is flowing and being celibate for three weeks was killing me. I got talking to Jack who is your typical sports jock, complete with six-pack, guns and the most beautiful protruding arse. However, there were three reasons not to sleep with him. Firstly, he’s 17 (but that’s still legal) and only three years younger than me. Secondly, he’s straight - but that’s never stopped me before. In fact, it’s a bigger turn on. I like to fuck men. I don’t want to fuck some prissy, queen.
‘Then it dawned on me, the third reason I shouldn’t shag him is that he’s my brother’s best friend.’ So the flirting continues and we make our way up to the bathroom. Before I know it I’m on my knees looking at heaven in the form of his genitals. After working my magic I work my way up to his mouth before he bellows “no kissing”. Why is it that straight men will always be happy to be sucked off by a guy but refuse to any kissing? “Jack if you want a shag you’re going to have to kiss me.” I knew this would work. Before long, his schlong was so far up inside me it nearly caused an instant explosion. “We really should do this more often, but don’t tell your brother,” he said. Oh shit, it then dawned on me that the third reason I shouldn’t shag him is that he’s my brother’s best friend…it’s just so hard to resist when you have a man of that stature on top of you. We did everything and he loved it. Next time I’m in London do I go back for round two? For once in my life I don’t know, so help me out and send in your answers on a postcard.
To read more from Monsieur Derrière go to www.forgetoday.com
With the essay season nearly upon us, very soon we will all be clogging up the IC, trying to atone for a half term of complete laziness. So in order to fuel those 40 hour stints you’re going to need some good grub at a cheap price. Enter Lifestyle which has compiled a list of tasty lunches, which will keep the brain cells running, without straining the purse strings. Tomato and feta couscous 150g Couscous – 15p Vegetable stock – 2p Cherry tomatoes – 10p Cucumber – 20p Feta cheese – 40p Olive oil – 10p Total = 97p Put the couscous in a heatproof bowl and pour in 200-300 ml of vegetable stock, leaving to soak for 10-15 minutes. Stir, fluff up and mix in the toppings.
Chicken Caesar Wrap Wrap - 13p Chicken thigh – 50p Black pepper- 1p Handful of salad mix – 16p ¼ red pepper – 12p Caesar dressing – 6p Total Cost = 98p Season the cooked chicken with black pepper and cut into strips. Place all the fillings onto the wrap, spreading over as much dressing as you want, and roll. Cream Cheese, Bacon and Lettuce Bagel Bagel – 20p Cream cheese – 10p Rasher of bacon – 25p Lettuce – 18p
Fast, Cheap and Easy Lunches.
Photo: Lauren Merryweather
Total Cost = 73p Toast the bagel then spread on cream cheese. Add cooked bacon pieces and lettuce. All prices based on veg from New Roots on Broomhill/Glossop Road and everything else is from Tesco.
Society of the fortnight: Tax know-how: claim back what is yours Belly dancing Vicki Watson
Hannah O’Connell
When I realised we’d be reviewing the Belly dance Society, I eagerly offered to go along and try it out. I had high hopes of an exotic evening, where I learnt to become something of a Shakira. Fast forward to me and my flatmate standing in our leggings, in the food court of University House. Not quite the setting I had imagined. My expectations of the night were raised by our teacher, the lovely Stephanie, who has been belly dancing for nine years and has specialised in Turkish belly dancing for the last four. As this was a give it a go session, it was mainly for beginners which hopefully meant nothing too challenging. With the Turkish music blasting the class started. Once I got over the initial fear of shaking my hips in front of a room of strangers, I started to have a lot of fun. We learnt how to hold our posture and how to pop our hips. We were also taught how to do the ‘camel’ with our stomachs, which involved tensing and releasing our abs. We also learnt the different variations of Egyptian and Turkish dancing. Snake arms and shimmying were a little easier to master. Stephanie taught us how to lock our bodies so that only the upper or the lower body moved, to try and make our moves look
If you’re anything like me then you are owed well over one hundred pounds in tax and you haven’t done anything about it. Now although one hundred pounds isn’t a fortune, it’s a lot more than the current balance of my bank account which has reached a lowly £54. However, I’m sure that I’m not alone in avoiding the perceived hassle of claiming back overpayments of tax and I want to know how hard it really is. Although you can claim tax back at other times of the year, it makes sense to clean up your finances by sorting any tax queries out before the start of the next tax year - April 6 2010. If you aren’t already aware that you are entitled to a rebate, then this might also be a good opportunity for you to check any past pay slips to make sure that you have received everything that is yours. Use this as an opportunity to also check that you have been given the right tax code. Information on this can be found on www.direct.gov.uk/ studenttaxadvice, where there is also lots of other tax related advice that has been written
Photo:Vicki Watson professional. As effortless as our teacher made it look, I still questioned whether I was at all coordinated. Ultimately it’s all about subtle moves and tensing the right muscles. Changing directions of hip circles or ‘figures of eight’ even proved challenging for some of us. Going along to the class made me see it is a lot harder than it looks. But don’t expect to perfect belly dancing from just one class. It’ll be a long time before I give Shakira a run for her money. I would definitely like to give it another go. The belly dancing society meets every Thursday at University House: 6-7pm for beginners and 7-8pm for advanced classes. It’s £2.50 for members and £3 for non-members. Society membership is £5.
especially for students. Astoundingly, it has been estimated by HM Revenue and Customs that over one million of us aren’t actually aware that, as students, we can earn up to £6, 475 without being taxed. It looks like we all need to get a little more savvy when it comes to our tax and the Government appear to be making an effort to help us do it. As well as the student pages on their website, HM Revenue and Customs have also created a page on Facebook which includes a tax calculator that helps you to find out how much you are entitled to claim back. It seems that if you’re still working for the place where you have been overtaxed then it’s quite simple to get your refund. If you speak to the company’s tax office, they’ll tell you if they need you to send any forms to them; then you should get any refund paid directly into your wages. Even if you don’t work for the company anymore it is still seems fairly simple. You need to send off certain forms, such as your P60 and P45 to your local tax office where they calculate any refund and then send you a cheque. It doesn’t seem too difficult so let’s stop putting it off: claim back your pennies now.
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TRAVEL
How much can you di
Escape the IC for a day, grab your mates and go for a road trip. Sheffield’s centrality and its
A trip to ‘Devil’s Arse’ Sarah Darby Descending into the Peak District’s Hope Valley, the quaint sleepy village of Castleton is set amidst a barren yet spectacular landscape. It’s Valentines Day, freezing cold, and my boyfriend and I have taken a daytrip to wander around this enchanting village. Castleton boasts four striking show caves including our first stop, Peak Cavern, known to the locals as the “Devil’s Arse”. Despite the imagery this conjures up, the “Devil’s Arse” is stunning and well worth your afternoon and the £6.75 admission fee. Visitors to the cavern can wander deep into the earth along the natural walkways alongside a flowing underground stream which cascades over the unusual rock formations to create eerily beautiful acoustics. Neighbouring Speedwell Cavern is also worth a visit to view its beautiful, raw, underground canals. Hardhats on, we descended hundreds of slippery carved steps to little wooden boats where our guide steered
us through a maze of entwined waterways. At the end of our cosy tour, we stared into the ‘Bottomless Pit’; a dramatic subterranean lake, so vast it’s impossible to see the top.
Wander around this enchanting village If caving isn’t for you there is plenty in Castleton above ground to keep you entertained for the day. Take a hike up the steep hillside through the blistering cold wind to Peveril Castle. We gazed across the charming parish submerged within an expanse of never-ending bleak rolling hills and decided that it was definitely worth the exhausting climb just for this. A mere half hour drive away and accessible by train, the harsh and forlorn vastness created surprising beauty and makes Castleton and the Hope Valley the perfect romantic daytrip.
Castleton
The perfect pudding Maya Collyer At only a 40 minute bus journey away from Sheffield is Bakewell, a traditionally British tourist market town set in the heart of the Peak District National Park. It is well worth a day trip for a complete change from Sheffield day to day life. The town’s architecture has a real historic character to it with cobbled streets and rustic looking buildings.
Fantastic for paddling on a warm day Bakewell is ideal for those who enjoy walking. A meander along the river Wye which leads to Holme Hall, an old manor house dating back to 1664 run by the National Trust, is definitely worth a look around if you’re interested in grand architecture. The river is quite shallow in parts, fantastic for paddling on a warm day, or just to sit by and feed the ducks. For those who prefer to go off the beaten track and explore, there are plenty
Chatsworth Bakewell
of walking routes around the hill tops, where you can gaze down on picturesque Bakewell, if you’re lucky you might meet the local pack of Llamas. In the historic town itself, there is an abundance of cafes, pubs and restaurants, all selling the famous Bakewell tarts. My friend and I stopped off at the Original Bakewell Pudding Shop for a Bakewell tart, which we thought was a must-do during our visit and were asked by the waiter if we would prefer a Bakewell Pudding instead. I had never heard of these before but I decided to step into the unknown and tantalise my taste buds. The puff pastry pudding had a jam and egg-custard like filling and the all important ‘secret’ ingredient and was served warm with custard - truly scrumptious. The town also holds one of the country’s oldest markets every Monday, which dates back from 1300 and is worth a look around, to sample the local produce and hand made gifts. Why not go and discover Bakewell and its puddings for yourself.
Swapping student life for a day of o Emily Williams Probably best known for its iconic status as Pemberley home of Mr Darcy in the BBC adaption of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, Chatsworth House, set amidst the stunning scenery of the Peak District provides an unforgettable day out. Home to the dukes of Devonshire and progressively extended across the ages, the neoclassical stately building that stands today is monumental, imposing and yet beautiful. The luxurious interior, stuffed with fine paintings, breath taking
marble sculptures situated in grand halls and corridors is awe inspiring. You certainly don’t need to be culture savvy to appreciate and marvel at the splendour of this country estate. The gardens alone are worth visiting, filled with magnificent water features, including the famous cascade, and a range of sculptures dating from the eighteenth century to contemporary periods. The maze provides entertainment regardless of age and the extensive and beautiful blend of landscaped and wild environment provide miles of interesting trails. New rooms and displays open this year including an exhibition on the life of the Duchess Georgiana,
whose life was recently cinematised in The Duchess and an exhibition of contemporary sculptures.
By no means a typical student attraction
Moreover it’s worth keeping an eye out for the many events that are held at the property throughout the season. In May alone it is hosting the international horse trials and a Tudor fair. This is by no means a typical student attraction, it represents
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iscover in a day?
s proximity to the Peak District means a new adventure is never far away.
A charming destination Hannah O’Connell
York
Leeds
Other places worth a visit • • • • •
Cleethorpes Eyam Skegness Nottingham Clumber Park
opulence and grandeur
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a chance to leave the university bubble, escape the cell that is the student room and experience something new. There is no one feature that can be singled out as an incentive to visit Chatsworth house. It offers an entire experience, a chance to step back in time into one of the
finest country houses in the United Kingdom. It is a chance to experience opulence on a scale rarely encountered in modern life, a chance to experience an extraordinary range of material culture. At the very least it presents an opportunity to escape your S6/ S10 postcode, grab an ice cream and relax in the beautiful parkland and surrounding peaks.
At only one hour and 10 minutes away, in either a car or on a train, York is a day trip that must be done whilst living in Sheffield. There’s plenty to do in York and it is worlds away from the industrial looking skyline that is on offer in Sheffield. The first stop we made when we arrived in the city was at the York dungeons. Yorkshire’s version of the London dungeons only cheaper and if you have a scout around you can usually get a 2-for-1 voucher to bring the price down even more. I was more scared during the experience than the five-year-old that was also on our tour, but it was really entertaining and something a bit different. Next stop was a hearty pub lunch followed by a walk to the cathedral and a peek inside. You do have to pay to have a proper look around, though you can enter inside up to a certain point and it is evident that the gothic cathedral is truly beautiful. If you like your history there are loads of other attractions that will appeal to you in York; highlights include the JORVIC Viking centre and the York Castle Museum –
where there is an authentic and fully-functional Victorian street. If you are a bit strapped for cash the walk around the walls of the city where you can take in the picturesque views is absolutely free.
The gothic cathedral is truly beautiful The shopping in York, like the city itself, is also charming. The narrow cobbled streets are packed with local stores as well as well known high street brands; a particular favourite of mine was the Cath Kidston store. Reflecting the quaint vibe throughout the city were fudge and tea shops that were sandwiched periodically between the regular shops. Betty’s tea room, which comes complete with traditional china tea cups, saucers and cake stands, is found in the main square and attracts hundreds for afternoon tea – there was even a queue to get inside. Therefore, if you’re into history, tea, fudge or Cath Kidston then York makes for an enjoyable, relaxed and charming destination.
TRAVEL
City Scout: Birmingham Clare Morris Get there from Sheffield by: Train to Birmingham New Street takes one hour and 15 minutes. An advance return ticket is £22.95 with a Railcard but booking two advance single tickets could work out much cheaper. Where to stay: The Britannia Hotel is located in the city centre, just outside Birmingham New Street, and has double or twin rooms from £28 per night. If you want a bit more luxury and don’t mind paying a bit more you can stay on Broad Street in the 4-star Novotel for £69 per night. Things to See and Do: Birmingham is fantastic for shopping - it has the huge Bullring in the city centre with the impressive Selfridges and also right outside is the main high street. If you’re really looking to splash the cash you can also go to the Mailbox for designer shopping. The NEC (National Exhibition Centre) and the NIA (National Indoor Arena) both have massive concerts in the evenings and big exhibitions during the day. If you fancy something a bit fun there is Cadbury World and the Sealife Centre. On the other hand though, if you’re looking for something more cultural, the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery has exhibitions.
A buzzing metropolis Vicky Shaw Just a 40 minute train journey away from Sheffield is the vibrant city of Leeds, don’t get me wrong, I love living in Sheffield but I have to admit it doesn’t have the same metropolitan buzz that cities such as Birmingham, Manchester and Leeds do. In less than an hour after leaving the hilly sights of Sheffield I step out into Leeds city centre and I can sense I’m going to enjoy this city already; the attractive stone buildings create the perfect setting for an afternoon of shopping. Serious shopping. The city was worthy enough to house the first ever Harvey Nichols outside of London which demonstrates Leeds status as a fashion forward city. Unfortunately my student budget doesn’t quite stretch to the Harvey Nicks’ price tags but there were plenty of other high-street and boutique shops to feed my shopping habit. Like Sheffield, Leeds has a big student population and Headingly is the Leeds equivalent to Broomhill, only bigger...much bigger. The main road through Headingly is full of pubs, bars, restaurants, cafes, boutique shops and much more besides.
There are a vast number of students who live in Headingly and consequently the place has a young, hedonistic vibe and is always busy. If you are spending the night in Leeds it’s definitely worth starting off here before heading to a club in the city centre. Headingly is also the main scene for the infamous ‘Otley Run’, a fancy dress bar crawl that has become somewhat a tradition in the area, if you fancy giving it a go yourself the Run has its own Wikipedia page with all the info. If you fancy something a little more ‘cultural’ than shopping, eating and partying then a great place to visit is Kirkstall Abbey, which claims to be ‘one of the most complete examples of a medieval Cistercian abbey in Britain’. The Abbey ruins and the little museum housed inside are free to explore and the historical feel of the place is impressive. Even if you aren’t much of a history buff the Abbey ruins create a picturesque backdrop for a picnic and a game of rounders in the surrounding grounds. Leeds is definitely a city worthy of a visit, whatever you enjoy you are sure to find it here.
Nightlife: The main areas to go for a night out in Birmingham are Broad Street, the Arcadian or Brindley Place. Broad Street is the cheapest and most lively, it has lots of big bars with music and dance floors such as Bar Risa and The Sports Bar. If you are a fan of dance music head to the newly refurbished Gatecrasher club. Broad Street is your best bet for a wild night out until the early hours of the morning. If you’re after a more relaxed evening Brindley Place, next to the canal is the ideal place to go for a sophisticated meal and drinks. With restaurants and bars such as Pizza Express and the Pitcher and Piano you can enjoy the serene setting along the canal for a reasonable price. If you fancy a night filled with cracking banter and side-splitting laughs head to The Arcadian which houses comedy venue, The Glee Club. Unfortunately this Glee Club is of no relation to the television program but that is the only down side. Where to Eat: At Brindley Place, the Arcadian and the Mailbox you can find pretty much all your favourite chain restraints such as Zizzi, Cafe Rouge and Handmade Burger Co.
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FORGE PRESS Thursday March 18 2010
PUZZLES & HUMOUR
Coffee Break SUDOKU
CROSSWORD
Fortnightly quiz 1. What was the first human invention that broke the sound barrier? 2. How many successive pots must a snooker player make to score a 147 break? 3. Which was the first colour film to win a Best Picture Oscar? 4. What country has the largest coastline? 5. Royston Vasey is the real name of which comedian?
8. In which English city is the TV comedy One Foot In The Grave set? 9. In what year was the typewriter invented? 10. What is the only mammal that can fly? 11. What country did Romans call Lusitania? 12. The Life of Riley is a pop song by which British band?
6. What was the first product to be advertised on ITV? 7. What game starts with a squidge off? Solutions: 1. The Whip, 2. 36, 3. Gone With the Wind, 4. Canada, 5. Roy ‘Chubby’ Brown, 6. Toothpaste, 7. Tiddlywinks, 8. Bournemouth, 9. 1829, 10. The Bat, 11. Portugal, 12. Lightning Seeds.
Across 1. Abandoned town (5,4) 8. Electromagnetic telecommunication (5) 9. Flat surface (5) 10. Female parent (6) 12. Portable shelter (4) 14. One of the Channel Islands (4) 15. Subject to death (6) 17. Sound (5) 18. Storage centre (5) 20. Soon (9)
Down 2. Did possess (3) 3. Oral (6) 4. Outstanding (4) 5. Most feeble (7) 6. Likely to turn out well (9) 7. Provide with fresh air (9) 11. Small dog (7) 13. Made of wood (6) 16. Chief god of ancient Greece (4) 19. Comrade (3)
COMPEtition: Spot the ball
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Issue 20 crossword solution: Across: 1. Originate, 7. Cacti, 9. Tempt, 10. Oars, 11. Boxer, 14. Bugle, 15. Rasp, 18. Spell, 19. Omega, 20. Etymology. Down: 2. Gain, 3. Nation, 4. Temperate, 5. Actor, 6. Sty, 8. Corpulent, 12. Slalom, 13. Spear, 16. Ask, 17. Toil.
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mOST POPULAR web CONTENT 1. Singles reviews: What’s coming up 2. Forstenzer elected President 3. Live blog: Student Officer Elections 2010
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4. The Forge News Session - Thursday 5. Apocalypse now: Film Unit struggles to survive 6. Lecturer ridicules students’ mistakes 7. Animal testing policy blunder 8. Proposal to restrict alcohol sales thrown out of Union council
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9. Sheffield demands top grades 10. The James and Tom Show
Keep up to date with Forge Media by visiting forgetoday. com; featuring articles, podcasts, listen again shows, video content and lots more.
OVERHEARD IN SHEFFIELD In the Union: Girl: “Wanna go to the sexual health clinic? I want to give my vag a once over.” In the IC: Girl: “JK Rowling would be bloody awesome in bed. Think of the imaginative
foreplay with all that fantasy and stuff.” In Weston Park: “I’m glad I’ve been born because if I wasn’t, I wouldn’t have gotten to experience Corp!”
On Western Bank: Boy One: “That bird is an absolute stunner.” Boy Two: “You’re not wrong there. Sometimes I don’t even bother with porn, I just go to her Facebook page.”
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WIN a pair of Sheffield wednesday tickets SPOT THE BALL! To win a pair of tickets to a Sheffield Wednesday home game just tell us where you think the ball was in Helen Munro’s photo taken at a recent men’s football firsts match. Email sport@forgetoday.com with the grid reference you think is home to the missing ball by Friday, March 26. Good luck!
FORGE PRESS Thursday March 18 2010
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COMMENT, NEWS & TABLES SPORT
Great Britain cannot really be described as a sporting nation Chris Rogan Comment Recent events in the sporting calendar have forced us to question Britain’s role within the world as a nation of sport. I’m not trying to say all British teams are rubbish, but certain results in certain sports in particular have left me confused about the ability of our home sides. Most notably, the Great Britain Davis Cup tennis team crashing out in a tie against Lithuania that should have been a formality. It was the fifth consecutive Davis Cup defeat for Team GB, captained by former Wimbledon mixed doubles champion John Lloyd, and a humiliating eye-
opener for fans of the sport. The result means that GB will now be at its lowest point in the modern era, despite the fact that Andy Murray, the best British player since the 1930s, has reached two Grand Slam finals in the last year. What is especially odd is the fact that the British Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) has an annual budget of around £50million plus, whereas Lithuania spends £90,000 a year. Britain has hundreds of ranked players, Lithuania has three. Why did Britain lose then? It’s mystifying. Of course, other sports in Britain are flourishing: athletes are winning gold, like Dwain Chambers and Sheffield-girl Jessica Ennis, who just last weekend hauled in more medals, and I do not want to take anything away from their achievements. The GB cyclists are still living the high life after dominating
Beijing 2008 and the England hockey team did quite well in the Hockey World Cup. But it is the failings that are often highlighted rather than the victories.
The LTA has a budget of £50million, compared to Lithuania’s £90,000 a year Let’s face it, not many people knew that England were in the semi-final of the Hockey World Cup, and even athletics is a somewhat acquired taste, especially out of the summer
Davis Cup member Dan Evans (left) and John Lloyd, and (far right) Amy Williams, the GB medallist at Vancouver.
Ennis triumphs again
months. It should be noted that England threw away a 3-1 lead in the Hockey third-place playoff to lose 4-3. This can hardly be described as a success, can it? Even the England football team lost some of their credentials that the World Cup qualifiers brought after a decent enough 3-1 win over Egypt on March 3, but a lack of skill and flair was clearly evident. The much-documented moral matters off the pitch regarding John Terry’s extra-marital activities have also taken away from England’s sterling performances in the qualifying period. I’m not the first to say that a national team captain should probably have considered the outcomes of using bodily organs other than his brain to make decisions. Hopefully the result of the World Cup in the summer will ensure that his mistakes will be forgotten by the general public. The recent Winter Olympics will have also left a sour taste in the powers that be in British sport. A solitary medal was probably not what Team GB had hoped to earn. Like the Davis Cup, British Winter Sports must justify their results against the funding they receive. Understandably Britain has little in the way of alpine terrain, but surely using foreign bases to train athletes should lead to more than one medal at Vancouver. The England Rugby team, too, is hardly the once dominant side it was earlier in the decade, with questionable results against Italy and Scotland in the Six Nations. Teams do have peaks and troughs, obviously that happens everywhere in the world, but it rarely seems that a peak in sport in Britain lasts very long, or even results in a major victory, and it is a great shame. I hope the upcoming sporting fixtures in 2010 will prove me wrong.
Chris Rogan Jessica Ennis has made the headlines yet again with another gold medal victory. The Sheffield-born star claimed victory in the pentathlon relatively easily at the Indoor World Athletics Championships in Doha, Qatar, last weekend. Ennis beat the three medallists from Beijing 2008, during which she was sidelined with injury. She said: “It’s really great to beat them all either here, or in Berlin [at the Athletics World Outdoor Championships], and that’s the nicest thing - to come here and prove that I wasn’t a one-hit wonder.” Questions had been raised over Ennis’ fitness, as she had missed two competitions last month due to a foot problem. But any doubts were soon vanquished as she stood head and shoulders above the rest of the field. Ennis was not the only British athlete to triumph in Doha. Veteran sprinter Dwain Chambers also won gold in the 60 metres, clocking 6.48s, the world fastest this year. A visibly delighted Chambers, the first British man to win the event in seven years said: “I wasn’t as relaxed as I expected, it was the longest six seconds of my life.”
Jessica Ennis, champion in Doha.
British Universities & Colleges Sport tables Football - Northern Conference Men’s 2B
Badminton - Northern Conference Men’s 1A Pts Leeds 1st................................................................. 21 Sheffield 1st............................................................. 19 Liverpool 1st............................................................ 16 York 1st.................................................................... 14 Manchester 1st........................................................ 13 Lancaster1st........................................................... 4
Sheffield 1st............................................................. York 1st..................................................................... Newcastle 1st.......................................................... Hull1st...................................................................... Leeds Met 2nd......................................................... Teeside1st............................................................... Football - Northern Conference Women’s 2B
Badminton - Northern Conference Women’s 1A
Pts Teesside 1st.............................................................. 19 Durham 1st............................................................... 19 Leeds 1st.................................................................. 17 Sheffield1st............................................................. 10 York St John 1st....................................................... 9 Newcastle 1st........................................................... 0
Pts Leeds Met 2nd........................................................ 23 Newcastle 1st.......................................................... 19 Manchester 1st....................................................... 14 Sheffield 1st............................................................. 12 Bangor 1st................................................................ 19 Liverpool 1st............................................................. 7
Lacrosse - Northern Conference Men’s 1B
Basketball- Northern Conference Men’s- 2B Pts Leeds 1st.................................................................. 24 Leeds Met 2nd.......................................................... 18 Teeside 1st............................................................... 18 Sunderland 1st........................................................ 9 Northumbria 2nd...................................................... 6 Sheffield 1st............................................................. 3 Basketball - Northern Conference Women’s 2B Leeds Met 2nd....................................................... Bradford 1st............................................................ Newcastle 1st......................................................... Sunderland 1st........................................................ Sheffield 1st............................................................ York St John 1st.......................................................
Pts 25 22 11 9 7 4
Pts 30 26 24 23 22 21
Netballers against Hallam.
Hockey - Northern Conference Men’s 1A
Rugby Union - Premier Women’s North
Pts Manchester 1st......................................................... 28 Durham 2nd............................................................... 19 Leeds Met 1st............................................................ 12 Sheffield 1st............................................................... 11 Newcastle 1st............................................................ 7 Liverpool 1st.............................................................. 6
Pts Leeds Met 1st.......................................................... 27 Loughborough 1st.................................................... 22 19 Edinburgh 1st...................................................... Manchester 1st......................................................... 12 Sheffield 1st.............................................................. 3 Northumbria 1st....................................................... 0
Hockey - Northern Conference Women’s 2B
Rugby Union - Northern Conference 1A
Hallam 1st................................................................ Sheffield 1st............................................................. Leeds 2nd................................................................ Leeds Met 2nd......................................................... Newcastle 2nd......................................................... York St John 1st.......................................................
Pts Durham..................................................................... 24 Hallam....................................................................... 18 Leeds Met................................................................. 18 Sheffield.................................................................... 18 Northumbria............................................................. 12 York........................................................................... 6 Leeds........................................................................ 3
Netball - Northern Conference Women’s 2B
Lacrosse - Northern Conference Women’s 2A
Rugby League - Midlands Men’s
Pts Leeds Met 1st........................................................... 15 Leeds 2nd................................................................. 12 Sheffield 1st.............................................................. 12 Hallam 1st................................................................. 6 Manchester 2nd.................................................... 6 York 2nd.................................................................. 3 Keele 1st.................................................................. 3 Manchester Met 1st...................................... 3
Pts 24 21 15 15 3 3
Pts Leeds Met 3rd......................................................... 25 Leeds 2nd................................................................ 21 Sheffield 1st............................................................. 12 Hallam 1st................................................................ 10 Durham 2nd............................................................. 9 York St John 1st....................................................... 3 Pts
Hallam 1st................................................................. 15 Cambridge 1st.......................................................... 11 Notts Trent 1st.......................................................... 10 Warwick1st............................................................... 8 Sheffield 1st............................................................. 6 Lincoln 1st................................................................ 3
Pts Hallam 1st................................................................. 31 York 1st...................................................................... 31 Liverpool 1st.............................................................. 30 Sheffield 1st.............................................................. 21 Leeds Met 2nd.......................................................... 19 Northumbria 2nd...................................................... 13 Durham 3rd.............................................................. 4 Manchester 2nd....................................................... 1 Tennis - Northern Conference Men’s 2B Sheffield 1st............................................................. Durham 2nd............................................................. Leeds Met 3rd.......................................................... York 1st.................................................................... Northumbria 1st...................................................... Leeds 2nd................................................................
Pts 27 18 14 9 5 3
Tennis - Northern Conference Women’s 2B Pts Leeds 2nd................................................................. 27 Leeds Met 3rd.......................................................... 21 York 1st..................................................................... 15 Durham 3rd.............................................................. 12 Sheffield 1st.............................................................. 4 Hallam 1st................................................................. -2
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FORGE PRESS Thursday March 18 2010
SPORT BUCS FEATURE Fast Facts
Sky will be showing a one hour highlights show on April 7 at 7pm
University sport is healthier than ever
From left to right: Exodus Geohaghon (Peterborugh United), John Inverdale and Ian Watmore (The FA chief executive). All were keen to show their support for university sport.
Matt Duncan As you will have seen in this issue of Forge Press, last week saw the BUCS Championships descend on Sheffield and, whilst it is easy to get caught up in the festival of sport, a number of questions were raised. Is the standard good enough? Is there enough funding? And is it a worthwhile investment? It is easy to ask questions, anyone with two brain cells can do that. What is more difficult is answering them. John Inverdale, possibly one of the most respected broadcasters in the country and also the president of BUCS, put forward some answers when he opened the Championships at Bramall Lane last week. “My recollection of university sport is that it was organised to a point but never beyond that. “I remember playing one rugby match where we went up the motorway whilst the opposition were going down the other way. I’m not suggesting that was typical of the university sport administration, but I think what has happened in the last few years is the sheer infrastructure of running university sport has improved.” The Championships themselves were put forward as evidence of this change. “It’s now a case of ‘I want to go to a big event and meet lots of
people who are involved in sport and compete at a high level’.” So the organisation of sport at our universities has improved but has this had any effect on the quality or the participation figures?
‘In the last few years the sheer infrastructure of running university sport has improved.’ John Inverdale Well, if we take the Championships as an example, the event has grown over the three years of its existence to the point where this year saw 6,000 athletes compete over 26 sports. The participation is certainly there then but is the quality good enough? Is the system producing results in the form of athletes moving onto the next level? The indoor athletics answered this quite well. Wandering around the EIS on Saturday you could have found yourself bumping into Olympians Jeanette Kwayke and Simeon Williamson both of whom are former BUCS competitors.
Meanwhile RJ Pierre’s winning time of 6.67secs in the 60m would have been enough to come seventh in the World Indoors final at the weekend. Looking wider than just the athletics and it is easy to find people happy to testify that the quality is definitely improving. University of Portsmouth boxer Holly Keats won the 64kgs category for the second time and was adamant that it was harder this time round. “That was hard. In female boxing the quality has gone so high. At points out there it was scary; I am so proud of that win.” As well as her happiness at her victory, Keats was keen to show how much fun the week had been. “We came up on Wednesday morning, there are 14 of us and we have all been staying in this little youth hostel. I have had an amazing time.” One of British university sport’s biggest problems is our cousins across the pond. In the states college sport is massive and is always brought up as a direct comparison. Inverdale believes that we need to be realistic in our aspirations. “It is never going to be like it is in the States. Universities do not have the same standing here, they are not so close to the hearts and souls of the people.” He is right. We need to understand that the setup of professional sport in this country means that there is no room
for an American style system. In the States college teams fill the gap where there is no local professional team, that is not a problem for sports fans in this country. This does not mean that university sport doesn’t have a part to play. As well as producing athletes who will reach the highest standard, universities can also provide a place where the traditionally mutually exclusive disciplines of sporting excellence and educational achievement can be combined.
‘It is a case of education stepping in and showing them that there is more to life.’ Exodus Geohaghon A perfect example of this comes in the form of Exodus Geohaghon. The Peterborough United defender has a degree in video and film editing from the University of Wolverhampton and captained the British Universities football team at the World University games last year.
“It’s not a bad thing to be smart, it’s not a bad thing to have an education. I don’t mind having the paperwork to back me up when football is finished. “A lot of young people might not be able to make it at the highest level and not wise enough to get an education and they fall out and end up doing nothing with their lives. “It is a case of education stepping in and showing them that there is more to life and that they can make something of themselves.” So university sport does have a role to play and it appears as though it is fulfilling that role better than ever. The major question that remains is that of funding. Do universities get enough money for sport and is it invested in the right places? Unfortunately the figures are so vague and difficult to interpret that it is impossible to be definitive on that issue. All universities would want more money for sport but few have managed to find the extra spare cash. The state of sport in our universities is good and it is getting better all the time. Anyone who had any contact with last week’s spectacle would be hard pushed to find much wrong. There was high quality sport on display in world class venues and, most importantly of all; everybody seemed to have found that balance between competition and fun.
FORGE PRESS Thursday March 18 2010
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BUCS ROUND UP SPORT The BUCS Championships is the third largest multi-sport event in Europe
Fast Facts
Five days of BUCS Championships action a great testimony to uni sport
Clockwise from left: Women’s football at Bramall Lane, boxing at Don Valley Arena, water polo at Pond’s Forge, and (below), futsal also at Pond’s Forge. Matt Duncan Last week’s BUCS Championships produced some outstanding performances amid a festival atmosphere. The event embraced many of Sheffield’s world class sporting venues and the quality on display did not seem out of place. The event was officially opened on Wednesday by John Inverdale, President of BUCS, alongside FA chief executive Ian Watmore and Peterborough United’s Exodus Geohaghon. All were keen to point out that the five days would be a carnival of student sport and that for some it would be the pinnacle of their sporting achievements whilst for others it would be another step on the road to 2012. The first day of action saw Northumbria University claim the women’s football Championship after they defeated Leeds Metropolitan in a penalty shootout at Bramall Lane. Meanwhile Loughborough claimed the men’s Championship at Don Valley Stadium, overcoming a stubborn Bournemouth side, 2-1. Thursday’s highlight was the Rugby League championship final, played at Headingley, the home of Leeds Rhinos Super League team.
The match saw Leeds Met, overwhelming favourites before the match, eventually run out comfortable winners over Loughborough but not before they had conceded a try within 40 seconds of kick off. Earlier in the day Abbeydale was the venue for the hockey finals. Amidst a feverish atmosphere Exeter edged out Loughborough 3-2 with Tom Carson’s winner coming two minutes from time. The women’s final was won by Birmingham whose team was full of under-21 internationals. Amongst these was rising England star Sophie Bray who was awarded the Player of the Final. As the weekend approached the schedule became increasingly hectic. Friday saw the futsal competition reach its conclusion at Ponds Forge as well as the finals the table tennis and fencing at the EIS. Northumbria claimed the women’s futsal title to add to their football glory earlier in the week. The men’s championship was surprisingly won by the University of Teesside after they defeated last year’s champions UWE Hartpury in the last minute of extra time. At the EIS, as well as victory for Sheffield’s women’s team, there was success for Loughborough’s
men as they beat Cambridge 9-4. In the fencing the glory belonged to Cambridge and Edinburgh as they won the men’s and women’s championships respectively. Saturday saw the centrepiece event, the indoor athletics, get underway. The first medal to be decided went to Ben Gregory of Loughborough in the men’s pole vault. This was to be a sign of things to come as Loughborough went on to claim the overall men’s team gold medal. The day’s other notable result came in the men’s 60m. RJ Pierre of Brunel claimed the gold in a championship best 6.67 seconds, edging out Sven Knipphals of Bournemouth. Away from the athletics the biggest event of the day was the team swimming final at Ponds Forge. As the end of the competition approached it appeared as though Loughborough had built up an unassailable lead, however E d i n b u r g h mounted a late surge to steal victory by a single point. At Don Valley the large crowd that gathered to watch the finals of the boxing tournament were treated to a number of
great bouts. Holly Keats retained her 64kgs title after outpointing Katherine Atkins in amatch that swung back and forth between the two fighters. The best fight in the men’s section of the draw came at 81kgs. Liam Daly of Northampton defeated Bath’s Mahmoud Farag after the Bath fighter’s trainer through in the towel in the third round. Farag was not happy with this course of action and showed his feelings by shouting at his trainers and throwing his gloves to the floor, one of which hit a ringside judge. The final day of the Championship brought with it a deluge of finals. In the athletics three championship records were also broken. Sven Knipphals made up for his disappointment at missing out on 60m gold by smashing the 200m record by a tenth of a
Photos: H Munro and A Harley second to romp home ahead of Bath’s Danny Talbot. Teesside’s Jonathan Taylor beat the 1,500m record whilst Loughborough long jumper Matthew Burton’s leap of 7.69m was enough to beat the previous record by a single centimetre. In the women’s team competition Brunel denied Loughborough the chance to complete the men’s and women’s double as they claimed victory by 10.5 points. The final events of the weekend were both of the basketball finals. The men’s game saw London South Bank lose their second successive gold medal match, this time to Leeds Met. The best basketball action came earlier in the women’s final as perennial champions UWIC were pushed all the way by the Leeds Met women, finally prevailing by a single point. The atmosphere throughout was electric and, coupled with the quality of the game, was a wonderful advert for university basketball. As the crowds of spectators and competitors began to leave on Sunday evening it was impossible to find many who had a bad word to say about the event. Many of the venues were full, the quality of the sport was very high and the vast majority of the matches were played in the best possible spirit.
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FORGE PRESS Thursday March 18 2010
SPORT BUCS CHAMPIONSHIPS Fast Facts
6,000 the number of student athletes
26 different sports
Good showing from Sheffield sports McCormack saves her best for last to win surprise athletics bronze Paul Garbett Sarah McCormack produced an impressive sprint finish to claim a surprise bronze medal in the women’s 3000m at the BUCS Indoor championships. The American athlete ran an incredible final 200 metres to claim third place behind Loughborough’s Kirsty Milner and Bristol’s Imogen Ainsworth, who both set a quick pace from the start. With a lap of the track to go and the two leaders out of sight, McCormack stormed past her opponents in breathtaking fashion to finish third in a personal best time of 10.01.94, winning Sheffield’s first national athletics medal for years. After the race she said: “I can’t believe it, I’m absolutely delighted to win bronze. “I don’t really know where that sprint finish came from, I think the fact it was a straight final helped me a lot because I didn’t have to go through the heats and could save energy for the final.” Having finished in tenth place at last year’s championships, McCormack was an unlikely medal contender on the track, with club captain Steve Garrett saying the medal is a great boost to the club. He said: “I think everyone was really surprised but so
delighted for Sarah. “It’s the first medal we’ve won since I’ve been here, so its great news for the whole club. “She’s beat some really good girls here and won us a medal which is fantastic. Over that last 200 metres she just went ballistic.” McCormack’s medal winning performance capped a promising weekend of athletics for the University of Sheffield, with club captain Steve Garrett also reaching the final of the men’s triple jump. The tenacious skipper competed in three events on the final morning in a battle to add to Sheffield’s BUCS points total and picked up a deserved point for his eighth p l a c e d finish in the triple jump, with a best leap of 12.70 metres. Elsewhere on the track, female sprinter Suki Cirillo continued her strong form indoors with a personal best time in the women’s 60 metres. Cirillo has already run against world heptathlon champion Jessica Ennis this season in the Northern Indoor Championships and continued her progress with a time of 7.80 seconds in her heat. Captain, Steve Garrett said he hopes the performances will inspire the club to further success this year. He said: “It’s been a good weekend and to come away with seven BUCS points is great. “This is a good start to the outdoor season, and hopefully this a sign of thing to come. “As a team, we should be able to do even better than this, which is promising ahead of the outdoors.”
Sarah McCormack (left) seals bronze, the athletics proved a highlight of the competition.
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Sheffield results
BUCS Gold medals.
Photo: Kate Davis
Table Tennis ............................................................ Women’s team champions Korfball ..................................................................................Overall Champions
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Athletics ................................................... Sarah McCormack, Bronze, 3000m Karate ...................................................................... Lewis Carter, Bronze, Kata Archery ............................ Individual Gold, Silver and Bronze, 3rd novice team
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Climbing .............................................................................. Katy Piddock, Silver Ultimate Frisbee ................................................................................. 5th overall Men’s Lacrosse ....................................................................... Trophy runners-up
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Men’s Futsal ............................................................................. Quarter finallists Trampolining ..................................................... 6th Elite ladies, 14th Elite men Uni futsal.
Photo: Helen Munro
A long jumper and water polo competitor.
Photos: Adam Harley
FORGE PRESS Thursday March 18 2010
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BUCS CHAMPIONSHIPS SPORT
5 days of competition
18 venues across Yorkshire
clubs at BUCS
Solid performance for trampolining squad on their tournament debut Lauren Bell
Photos: Helen Munro
Korfball team defeat Hallam to claim gold in Championship grudge match
Korfball
University of Sheffield Sheffield Hallam
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Andrew Magee
The University of Sheffield oversaw their Hallam rivals to claim the Korfball gold medal with a 9-7 victory at the BUCS Championships After both coming through their groups and quarter finals the day before, the two teams had to fight hard to win their place in the final. Uni had beaten a determined Cambridge team 7-5 in their semi-final while Hallam only just squeezed past St Andrews 5-4 after a golden goal in extra time. The fierce rivalry added some spice to the final, and the Graves Leisure Centre was packed to the rafters. The rival fans tried to drown
each other out as the match began; Hallam with a drum, Uni a more unorthodox wooden spoon and frying pan combination. Uni got off to a great start and soon found themselves 3-0 up, after some aggresive opening play. However Hallam began to claw themselves back thanks to some solid work from key player Charles Vogwill. Despite starting the stronger, it was Uni who began to falter as Hallam managed to draw level on 4-4 at half-time. In the second half a storming ten minute period for Uni was summed up by Player of the Final Anna Woodhall’s three goals which saw them take an 8-5 lead. Despite some hard work, notably from England Students player George Buttinger, Hallam were unable to find a way back into the game, with Uni’s slightly better defensive play making the difference between the two sides. Uni won to a rapturous response from the fans.
Fast Facts
After the game University of Sheffield captain Dan Brooks was delighted with the effort put in by his players, especially for beating their fierce rivals. He said: “I’m really happy and thrilled with my team. We had good organisation, good fun and a good final. It was massive to beat Hallam in front of a big crowd and it just felt fantastic.” Coach Liam Clark was also impressed with the teamwork shown by his players. “I’m very pleased with the performance,” he said. “We’ve been disciplined throughout. People have been doing the jobs they’ve been asked to do, sacrificing their own glory for the team. “It’s been an absolutely wonderful day.” Earlier in the day, St Andrews claimed the bronze after beating Cambridge 10-7 in the third place playoff and the University of East Anglia won the Plate final having beaten Kent by a score of 5-4.
Sheffield University’s trampoline club had six representatives in BUCS National finals last Sunday, each of whom performed well in their respective categories. Megan Stevens, Dale Bevan, Nathan Bunch and Lauren Bell all automatically qualified for the finals, as they were representing the top two categories in the competition. Chris Hawkins and Annabel Eastwood however, fought for their places in the three and four categories at the regional heats back in February. The event had national judges and trampolines, drawing a huge audience eager to watch some of the best trampolining in the country. Eastwood, 19, started off the day and was competing against 27 others in her BUCS four category. She showed two solid routines, but a wobbly end to her set meant she gained slightly higher scores in her voluntary routine. Her performance landed her in a respectable fifteenth place. This was closely followed by Chris Hawkins, 19, who has competed on many occasions throughout the last season, being placed highly in many recent competitions. He competed in BUCS three but unfortunately, although he performed his first two moves competently, it was followed by a shaky landing on his tuck-back to seat and consequently went on to miss out a move of his routine. Lauren Bell, 20, competed in the BUCS two category and was a recent step-up from a lower level, attempting to compete a higher-tariff routine than usual. Although struggling to get through her routines on Saturday’s warm-
Action from the trampolining.
ups, she managed to complete both with respectable mid-7s scores and came twenty-sixth out of 67 in her category. Dale Bevan and Nathan Bunch, both 18, were both entered in the highest category, BUCS one, competing against some of the best trampolinists in the country. Bevan, who took time off training this year to settle into university life, still managed to pull two routines out of the bag, both including a double somersault and several complicated twisting elements, which gained respectable scores. Bunch completed both routines showing good form, performing a solid ‘rudi’ move, and his voluntary contained three double somersaults. Megan Stevens also competed in BUCS one. She completed both routines with beautiful form, ending on unusual moves: double bounce roll and barani ball-out. Despite a recent ankle injury, Stevens managed to finish in the top eight in her category, taking her into the finals. The finals contained performances from the top eight men and women trampolinists from the universities in the UK. Stevens completed her final routine to silence and awe from the entirety of the hall’s sizeable crowd. She completed her final routine again with great form, showing a range of skills, including three double somersaults, eventually finishing in sixth place. Although no medals were won, Sheffield University’s representatives put in a great effort with better success than originally anticipated and now have their sights set on Varsity, hoping to break their losing streak from recent years against Sheffield Hallam.
Photo: Lauren Bell
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SPORT
BUCS Championship special Pages 28-32
John Inverdale on University sport Page 28
Radford and Kolorova finally taste BUCS gold in last ever partnership
FORGE PRESS Thursday March 18 2010
Another win for Jessica Ennis Page 27
Lacrosse lose out in tight final display BUCS Lacrosse University of Sheffield Loughborough
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Oliver Hughes
Dominika Kolorova and Lisa Radford hold the BUCS Table Tennis championship trophy.
BUCS Table Tennis University of Sheffield Southampton
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Paul Garbett Dominika Kolorova gave longterm partner Lisa Radford the perfect leaving present as her winning shot handed Sheffield the BUCS National Championship in their last ever match as a pairing. Following their silver medal at last year’s championships, the Sheffield duo went one better in this year’s women’s team event, triumphing with a 3-0 whitewash of Southampton University in the final at Sheffield’s English Institute of Sport. The talented pairing set up a clash with Southampton after just managing to overcome Exeter University in an epic semi final match. Exeter got off to a perfect start in the semi final tie, with their
talented number one seed, Sarah Hall beating Olympic-hopeful Radford 3-1 in the opening rubber. Hall then completed a double over the Sheffield team with a 3-2 victory over Kolorova to give Exeter a 2-0 lead in the tie, and give Sheffield a scare. With Exeter needing to win just one of the three remaining matches to reach the final, Sheffield produced a fantastic comeback to stun the Devon university’s pairing. Radford kick-started the Sheffield revival with a 3-0 drubbing of Exeter’s second seed Abigail Moore before Kolorova levelled the tie with another 3-0 victory over Moore. Sheffield dominated the decisive doubles match, eventually running out 3-0 winners to set up a final with Southampton, after they fairly easily overcame University College London in the second semi final. Radford and Kolorova produced a dominating display to see off
their rivals, dropping just three games in a one-sided final. Radford got Sheffield off to the perfect start with a commanding 3-0 victory over Caroline Linz in the opening match of the tie. Kolarova then doubled Sheffield’s advantage with a strong 3-2 victory over Joy Whitehorn to pile the pressure on their Southampton opponents. Southampton needed to win the doubles match to stay in the final, and the paring of Linz and Whitehorn won the opening game 11-6 to raise hopes of a comeback. But their hopes were dashed by a great display of table tennis from the BUCS doubles champions, with Sheffield taking the second game 11-6 and third game 16-14 to put them in front. The victory was wrapped up with a resounding 10-6 win in the fourth game, with Kolorova hitting the winning shot to give the University of Sheffield their first gold medal of the BUCS Championshps.
After the final, player of the tournament Lisa Radford said: “We’ve tried every year to win it and this is my last year, so it’s a great end to my career playing at the University. To get player of the tournament and the gold medal is amazing, you can’t ask for any better than what I’ve got now really. We had a bit more pressure on us because we were favourites going into the final and there was a very nervy moments but we played well and gave a good performance. I’m glad we finally won it as we’ve been a great partnership over the years and Dominika really deserves it.” Dominika Kolorova also commented on the ending of their partnership, saying: “I’m not sure I’ll find a partner as good as Lisa but hopefully we can come back next year and win some more medals. She added: “We played well but we really have to thank the big crowd who came here to cheer us on too, it was fantastic.”
Tom Leahy’s five goals was not enough to secure Sheffield the men’s lacrosse trophy final against Loughborough as they stumbled to a 10-9 defeat. Will Sugden smashed the winner in late on for Loughborough as the defending champions couldn’t find an answer despite late pressure. Loughborough pressed early on and deservedly broke the deadlock when Sugden popped up with his first from distance. But Sheffield’s Mike Armstrong quickly equalised. Some slack Sheffield defending at the back let Lucas Johnstone slip through unchallenged to restore Loughborough’s lead just before the second period. Tom Leahy levelled matters with some great movement after the break, but the away captain David Raybould saw his long ranger sneak past Sheffield stopper Stuart Mulvaney. Mulvaney, in only his third game, pulled off a number of great saves to keep Sheffield in the match. But it was Loughborough who took a surprise two-goal cushion in the third period, despite Sheffield having a man advantage for two minutes. Freddy Thornton was left in acres of space on a swift break and was allowed to smash the ball home with ease. But Sheffield got back into the match with great work from first Joshua Sherry-Brennan who shimmied and powerful shot into the goal. Leahy then made it 4-4. Loughborough’s Johnstone then made it 5-4 with an effort that caught everyone by surprise from long range. Sherry-Brennan restored parity again, but Sheffield squandered possession in defence and Hugh Mitchison handed Loughborough another advantage. Leahy then secured his hattrick when a Loughborough longstick missed the interception and the England U19 man made no mistake with the finish. Loughborough then sped ahead at the end of the third period as Marc Le Maistre and Johnstone gave Loughborough University an 8-6 lead. Sheffield heads didn’t drop as they pulled it back to 8-8 midway through the final period. Leahy then made it 9-8 with ten minutes to go to secure the comeback, but Johnstone levelled matters deep in the last period. It was Sugden who wrapped up the win in the final few minutes, and despite a late rally from Sheffield, Loughborough held on amidst jubilant scenes from the travelling support.