Forge Issue 79

INSIDE: SELF HELP/ ROMANTIC GETAWAYS/ LITERARY HEROINES/ FIFTY SHADES/ MOOCH VINTAGE

FREE

The independent student newspaper of the University of Sheffield. Est. 1946.

Issue 79 Friday February 20 2015 @ForgePress /ForgePress

INSIDE

Comment

Prison inmates “should still have right to vote”

PRESIDENT DENIES CENSORSHIP CLAIM

Features

Ten years living on the streets

Games

Playstation turns 20 Tom Schneider SU President Yael Shafritz has hit back at a freedom of speech survey of all British universities which said Sheffield Students’ Union “has banned and actively censored ideas on campus”.

But Spiked’s Free Speech University Rankings lauded the University as an institution

which “has a hands-off approach and places no restrictions on speech”.

Spiked is an internet magazine focusing on issues of freedom and state control. Last month they ranked all British universities and students’ unions on their stance on free speech via a traffic-light system.

But Shafritz questioned the

logic behind the Union’s ‘red’ ranking. She said: “Spiked’s perspective on free speech is based on the assumption that everyone in the world is on an equal footing to start with.

“They seem to care about already privileged people’s rights yet many people are limited by oppression, marginalisation and bullying which means that they

don’t have free speech to start with”.

“They seem to care about already privileged people’s rights yet many people are limited by oppression, marginalisation and bullying which means that they don’t have free speech to start with”.

Continued on page 3

2

Fri day Febru ar y 20 2015 F O RG E P RESS

@forgepress

NEWS

/forgepress news@forgetoday.com

EDITOR

elsa.vulliamy@forgetoday.com

in brief...

ENTERTAINMENT

ENTERTAINMENT

Andrew Parkinson

Stephanie Crisp

The first films have been announced for 2015’s Sheffield Doc/Fest (June 5 to 10).

All three documentaries featured at the Sundance Film Festival, and include Stanley Nelson’s The Black Panthers: Vanguard of the Revolution, Chad Gracia’s debut The Russian Woodpecker, and the international premiere of Kirby Dick and Amy Ziering’s The Hunting Ground.

Claire Aguilar, Doc/Fest’s Director of Programming and Industry Engagement, said: “These films are captivating examples of brilliant documentaries today.”

Thousands of tickets were sold in Sheffield before the screening of Fifty Shades of Grey.

Tickets for the adaption of E.L James’ best seller were sold for 150 screenings in Sheffield over the first three days of release, with 270,000 sales nationally.

B&Q staff have been told to prepare for an increase in demand for rope, cable ties and tape.

Chief executive Tim Richards said, “The hotly anticipated Fifty Shades of Grey film adaptation and Valentine’s weekend is a match made in heaven.”

DOCUMENTARY

EVENT

CHARITY

Keri Trigg

Patrick O’Connell

Keri Trigg

COFFEE BREAK letters@forgetoday.com Helen Hiorns

A Sheffield teenager is on the road to stardom after making his TV debut on Benefits Britain: Life on the Dole.

Travis Simpkins, 18, hopes that his appearance on the Channel 5 show will kickstart a career as a reality TV star, and plans to apply for Big Brother this summer.

The programme follows Travis, from Batemoor, showcasing HIS life on benefits.

Hundreds of women staged a flash mob dance in Sheffield city centre on Valentine’s Day as part of the ‘One Billion Rising’ campaign.

The annual event aims to raise awareness of physical and sexual violence against women.

Crowds of women, men and children gathered at the Peace Gardens in support of the movement, now in its third year.

FEATURES features@forgetoday.com Kemi Alemoru Will Ross Polly Winn

Sheffield students could be soaring to victory when the Octagon hosts one of the ‘qualiflying’ rounds for the Red Bull Paper Wings contest on February 24.

The worldwide tournament is scouring the UK for fresh paper aeroplane flying talent to compete for the chance to win a spot at the finals in Austria.

Entrants will have one throw to showcase their flying skills in distance and airtime.

AWARDS

CALENDAR

Keri trigg

Jessica Green

A Sheffield filmmaker has had her talents recognised with a BAFTA nomination.

Rachel Tunnard, 35, wrote Emotional Fusebox at her home in Kelham Island, and was shocked to discover it had made the shortlist of nominations in the ‘Best Short Film’ category.

Filmed in Sheffield, Huddersfield and the Peak District, the 14-minute movie, about a girl living in a shed, stars Rachel’s best friend, Broadchurch’s Beth Latimer.

The film failed to clinch the award at the glitzy ceremony in London on February 8.

The classic Meadowhall dome has been mirrored by a pancake this week in preparation for Shrove Tuesday.

Nathan Shields was asked by the shopping centre officials to mark Shrove Tuesday with his pancake creations. The 34 year old started designing pancakes to entertain his children.

He said: “It’s about sharing something special with my kids.” His skills are admired globally with the aid of his ‘Saipancakes’ social media sites.

Elsa Vulliamy

DEPUTY EDITOR Tom Schneider MANAGING EDITOR

j.may@sheffield.ac.uk

Jon May

FUSE EDITORS fuse@forgetoday.com Phil Bayles Kate Lovatt HEAD OF ONLINE matthew.smith@forgetoday.com Matthew Smith NEWS news@forgetoday.com Patrick O’Connell Neelam Tailor Adela Whittingham Estel Farell Roig Will Morgan Keri Trigg COMMENT comment@forgetoday.com Lauren Archer Isaac Stovell

LIFESTYLE & TRAVEL lifestyle@forgetoday.com Isabel Dobinson Nikita Kesharaju SPORT sport@forgetoday.com Joseph Bamford Edward McCosh Thomas Pyman MUSIC music@forgetoday.com Rachel Bell Rebecca Stubbs GAMES games@forgetoday.com Samantha Fielding Robin Wilde SCREEN screen@forgetoday.com Joe Brennan Sophie Maxwell ARTS arts@forgetoday.com Chloe Coleman Joscelin Woodend COPY EDITORS Lucy Barnes Elizabeth Cunningham Friederike Dannheim Declan Downey Helena Egan Claire Fowler Ellie Tudor Karen Wong M edi a H u b, U n io n o f Student s, We s t e r n Bank , S hef f ie ld, S10 2T G 0114 2 2286 46

Forge Press is printed on 100% recycled paper

Forge Press is published by Sheffield Students’ Union. Views expressed are not necessarily those of the the Union or the editorial team. Complaints should be addressed to the Managing Editor in the first instance, although a formal procedure exists.

Doc/Fest titles announced

News from the Steel City

Red Bull paper plane race

Benefits teen TV debut

Local BAFTA nominee

Sheffield Fifty Shades fever

Women stage flash mob

Meadowhall pancake

Photo: Meadowhall TV

inside this issue...

News Comment

Free condom machines and increasing halls costs

“The Students’ Union is a repressive, dictatorial environment”

Features

New party: put ‘none of the above’ on ballot

♥ Lifestyle♥

Post-Valentine’s getaways and a Guide to Scandinavia

Coffee Break

Your favourite crossword and sudoku puzzles

Sport

Match debate: Rugby League vs Rugby Union

FO R GE PRESS

3

Fr i day Febru ar y 20 2015

@forgepress

NEWS

/forgepress news@forgetoday.com

YOUR UNIVERSITY

Cllr accuses Uni of free speech ‘clamp down’ Tom Schneider Students’ Union Philosophy Councillor Christy McMorrow said: “If anything, the University is more restrictive on freedom of speech than the Union. The heavy-handed reaction to the occupation of Inox Dine is just one of the many examples of the University clamping down on free speech”.

In December last year protestors occupied the University owned restaurant on the fifth floor of the Students’ Union building.

Security instigated a lockdown of Inox Dine, barring the door with a lock and chain.

In Spiked’s nationwide survey, the publication highlighted the Union’s boycott of the Sun newspaper, bans on payday-loans adverts and anything deemed to be condoning ‘rape culture’, as examples of restrictions on free speech.

In October last year, the Union barred prominent feminist author Julie Bindel from speaking at the SU. Her proposed talk was cancelled on the basis of alleged trans and bi-phobic remarks.

At the time, Bindel reacted by criticising the “petty censorious policies” that ensured “a babyish climate at British universities”.

President Shafritz defended the Union’s stance: “we have an LGBT friendly policy which aims to ensure the Union is a safe space with no platform for transphobic speakers.

“As an LGBT student, I think it is vital that we have this policy. The Spiked survey seems to suggest that people should have the right to be bigoted and oppressive”.

Backing Shafritz, SU Women’s Officer Miriam Miller said “everyone has the right to free speech but that right doesn’t come without its own set of responsibilities.

Free speech means you’re not going to be put in prison, tortured or executed for saying what you want to say.

We support the right for people to whatever they want to say, but we don’t necessarily give them the opportunity to say it here at

the Students’ Union”.

Second year Philosophy student Josh Berlyne said the real restriction of free speech was in the University’s reaction to student protestors. He said “We were told that it was against University policy to stand on the concourse with a cardboard cut of [Vice-Chancellor] Sir Keith Burnett. How is that not a restriction on freedom of speech?”

Dylan Underhill, third year Philosophy and Politics student said “we have a paradox - we are asked to be tolerant of the intolerant”.

Robin Wilde, second year Journalism student said “it’s a little bit rich for Spiked to be going on about free speech given that they originated as a mouthpiece for the Revolutionary Communist party.”

The University declined to comment on the survey.

The survey comes after allegations of restrictions on the right of students to protest on

Spiked’s traffic light ranking system for all Russell Group institutions

campus. In December, Warwick students accused the police of using excessive force after a Taser was pulled on students at a sit-in free education. Earlier this month, a security guard at City University London was caught on camera threatening to “kill” one of the student protestors.

Despite these accusations the Spiked survey does not appear to recognise hostility towards protestors as an affront on freedom of speech. Although the University of Warwick gets an ‘amber’ rating, the only reason given for this is due to the university “restricting material which is likely to cause offence”.

City University London was given a ‘green’ rating to reward their “hands-off approach to free speech”.

Despite the survey, Shafritz said there would be no change in Union policy. “Our students voted for these policies. Why would we listen to people who aren’t at our University, clearly haven’t done good research and are basing it on narrow assumptions? The policies we currently have are well aligned with our values”.

The survey uses a traffic-light system to assess and rank each individual university and students’ union. The overall ranking for the institution as a whole is generated by averaging the two rankings. A red ranking indicates “hostility to free speech”, an amber ranking indicates at “atmosphere that chills free speech” while a green ranking indicates an institution which “places no restriction on free speech”.

BIRMINGHAM

KING’S

UCL

GLASGOW

NEWCASTLE

SHEFFIELD

BRISTOL

LEEDS

WARWICK

IMPERIAL

NOTTINGHAM

EXETER

CARDIFF

LSE

CAMBRIDGE

LIVERPOOL

QUEEN MARY

SOUTHAMPTON

EDINBURGH

OXFORD

DURHAM

MANCHESTER QUEEN’S BELFAST

YORK

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

NASA to build space sub

NASA have announced plans to design a submarine capable of exploring below the surface of Saturn’s largest moon, Titan.

Titan’s surface is covered in oceans very different from those on earth. Instead of being made of water they are composed of liquid hydrocarbons.

Investigation of the chemical composition, liquid currents, waves and bottom features of these extra-terrestrial oceans will be undertaken by a fully autonomous submarine.

Information gathered from future Titan submarine missions will aid in the understanding of the evolution of organic compounds and ultimately the development of life in our solar system.

Benjamin Christmas Triplodocus

Dinosaurs may have eaten psychedelic fungi and experienced “bad trips” a new discovery in Myanmar suggests.

A blade of grass with Ergot fungus growing on the tip was found preserved in amber from the Early Cretaceous period 146 – 100 million years ago.

Ergot produces substances that can cause hallucinations, convulsions, and sometimes death.

It has been speculated that herbivorous dinosaurs may have consumed the fungus accidentally and experienced these symptoms.

Palaeobiologists have another reason to find this discovery exciting: This blade of grass, along with more mounting evidence, suggests that grasses evolved alongside the dinosaurs and not after their extinction as had previously been thought.

Charlotte Perry

YOUR UNIVERSITY

Mental health campaign launches Kemi Alemoru

Left to right: Elsa Vulliamy, Sophie Clark and Patrick O’Connell

Photo: Kemi Alemoru

Union society Mental Health Matters has launched a new campaign aimed at reducing the stigma surrounding mental health issues.

President Sophie Clark, pictured with Forge Press editor Elsa Vulliamy and news editor Patrick O’Connell, said: “Wednesday was University Mental Health and Wellbeing Day, so we thought it was a good chance to try and raise awareness.”

The social media campaign, called #Let’sTalk, also coincided with the Union’s healthy campus week.

Clark said: “Whiteboard campaigns have been used a lot and we think they’re very effective.

“There’s a general fear of being stigmatised around mental health so we thought having lots of people declaring that they’re ready to talk about mental health is important and will be helpful to people.”

Photo: Creative Commons Five Britons to colonise Mars

Four British women and one man have been shortlisted to colonise Mars out of 200,000 applicants for the one way trip.

The candidates will now face training and tests to root out who will cope best with the hardships of the planned 2024 trip. Only four of the 100 shortlisted will make the initial trip, with a further four traveling every two years with more supplies.

The privately funded mission to Mars is expected to cost six billion pounds. However, the mission will film the colonists for a reality TV series to recuperate costs.

Joey Relton

4

Fri day Febru ar y 20 2015 F O RG E P RESS

@forgepress

NEWS

/forgepress news@forgetoday.com

UNINEWS

Interesting stories from other universities around the world UCL naked oil protest

Student protests usually consist of placard waving and chanting, but a group of 35 UCL students decided to show their displeasure in a different and very messy way this week.

The activists for the Fossil Free UCL group doused each other head to toe in mock-oil before taking to the corridors to register their anger with the university’s continued investment in the oil industry, which protestors called “incestuous”.

The oily protestors, resplendent in their BP and Shell masks, were not alone in their resentment, as academics joined in the condemnation by saying that UCL’s investment in “the root cause of climate change” showed “massive disrespect” to the future of their students.

In a statement, the university said that there would be a “careful consideration of our investments” by their ethics committee.

Will Morgan Professor Snape is real

Childhood dreams are to become a reality for lucky Durham students with the appointment of a real-life Professor Snape.

Unfortunately he is more interested in religion than wizardry, and will be teaching Theology at the University, which already has one Professor Snape in the Management department, from this September.

As well as offering a module on ‘Harry Potter and the Age of Illusion’, the University and Cathedral were used as a set for the Harry Potter films, meaning students can claim to have been taught by Professor Snape on the site of Hogwarts.

Keri Trigg

YOUR UNIVERSITY

VC Burnett’s ‘formal commitment to nothing’

Neelam Tailor

Vice Chancellor Sir Keith Burnett has made ‘no commitment’ to divesting from fossil fuel companies, according to the People and Planet society.

A petition, which had over 1600 signatures when it was submitted on December 10 2014, requested that the University contact their asset manager, Sarasin and Partners, and ask them to create a fossil fuel free fund.

Global Divestment Day on February 13 was given as a deadline for The University to reply and People and Planet had high hopes for receiving a statement of intent from the Sir Burnett.

A formal reply was received on the morning of the deadline which was described by Camilla Zerr, People and Planet President, as “a formal commitment to nothing”.

In the letter, Burnett said: “We think that it would be of greater environmental benefit for the University to focus its efforts on reducing its energy use rather than on divesting its relatively modest investments in companies deriving energy from fossil fuels”.

In response to the claim that a modest investment in fossil fuels negates the impact, Miss Zerr said: “If it [the investment] is so minute, well then it can’t be such a big deal; they are not going to lose much profit from it”.

Jack Wyse, the Students’

Uni accidentally applicants

accepts

St Andrews University had to apologise to nearly 800 applicants after sending emails that congratulated them for their place in the university by mistake.

The message, which was aimed at a small group of new students who were being invited to an open day at the University, started with: “Congratulations on your offer of a place to study here at the University of St Andrews!”

However, it was sent to 760 of the 3,400 Scottish and EU applicants anxiously waiting for offers by mistake. The students received another email explaining the mistake in the less than half an hour; The University blamed “human error compounded by technology” for the mistake.

Estel Farell Roig

Keith Burnett about”.

University of Bristol and University College London, who also use Sarasin and Partners to manage their pooled funds, are also interested in campaigning for fossil free investments.

Jack Wyse said that the response from the Vice Chancellor gave the fossil free campaign more strength, with People and Planet looking to coordinate with other universities and steer the campaign towards directly pressuring Sarasin and Partners.

He said: “It’s not going to stop

just because they’ve sent a letter saying they are not going to do anything.

“The greatest thing about the campaign is the really creative ways that campaigning has been done, and that might be targeted at Sarasin’s head office in London from now on.”

Glasgow University divested £18m from the fossil fuel industry in October 2014, considerably more than the University of Sheffield currently has invested.

At the time of publication, the petition had 1,765 signatures from students and staff.

Photo: Isaac Stovell

People and Planet protest

YOUR CITY

Blades contract for brave cancer survivor Patrick O’Connell

Photo: Creative Commons

Union development officer, said: “Whilst a lot of people at the University agree with the principle, they haven’t stated that they will do anything concrete which is disappointing”.

The letter states that exposure to fossil fuels industries is estimated at two per cent, but this figure is contested by People and Planet.

Miss Zerr said: “We’ve done the calculations from our freedom of information request and we know it’s 10 per cent. I don’t know what’s going on there, but it’s another thing we want to ask

An eight-year-old cancer survivor has been given a special contract by Sheffield United in recognition of his bravery.

Blades fan Max Davies, from Beighton, Sheffield, was given a ‘one night contract’ with Sheffield United ahead of the club’s game with Colchester United.

After signing the ‘contract’ in manager Nigel Clough’s office, Max was given a Blades shirt with his name on.

He also received a special copy of his contract, signed by himself and the Blades manager, before taking his place behind the away bench for the game, while father Craig, 42, mother Sarah, 38, and sister Lily, 12, watched on from the directors’ box.

Max, a pupil at Brook House Junior School, was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma in February 2013 after stomach aches turned out to be a tumour on his bowel.

After having the tumour removed at Sheffield Children’s Hospital, Max underwent three months of aggressive chemotherapy to treat the cancer, which made him sick, lose his hair and get ulcers.

Max has since been cancer free for 18 months and he fulfilled a lifelong dream when he led the Blades out as a mascot in their FA Cup tie with Fulham last year. His family has raised more than £13,000 for the Sheffield Children’s Hospital, where medics helped to save Max’s life.

Jim Phipps, co-chairman of Sheffield United, said: “Max’s

football talents may someday prove essential to the prospects of our great club, but for today it is enough to add Max’s good cheer, positivity and fighting spirit to our ranks. We are delighted to welcome to the Club Max the Blade.”

Max’s mother Sarah said: “Sheffield United have been so supportive of our family since

Max was diagnosed.

“He lives and breathes football and attends Bramall Lane most weeks to cheer on his beloved team so this was a magnificent experience for him and one I’m sure he will remember forever.

“Sheffield United have made another one of Max’s dreams come true and as a family we cannot thank them enough.”

5

FO R GE PRESS Fr i d ay Feb ruar y 20 2015

@forgepress

NEWS

/forgepress news@forgetoday.com

YOUR UNIVERSITY

Union rubber stamps new sexual health campaign Patrick O’Connell The Students’ Union has created free condom dispensers which are to be placed throughout the SU building.

The boxes, which will dispense condoms, lubricant and STI testing kits, will be placed in the SU toilets on levels two, three and four. Previously condoms were free to collect from offices of the SU officers.

Welfare Officer Tom Harrison said: “Having these dispensers installed will complement the fantastic provision of sexual health products, including pregnancy tests provided by the Student Advice Centre and ensure that safe sex is never an issue of affordability.”

YOUR UNIVERSITY

Women’s bus goes free for a month Neelam Tailor The women’s minibus will be free for the next month, the Students’ Union has announced.

Welfare officer Tom Harrison said: “This is part of Healthy Campus Week but will continue for a few weeks after as well”.

The objective of this is to ensure that women students are aware of the non-profit service that the women’s minibus provides, dropping women who live within two miles of the Students’ Union to their door after midnight.

The women’s minibus runs from outside of the Students’ Union and the Information Commons, usually at the cost of £1.50, every night of the week.

‘Safe sex should never be an issue of affordability’ On Monday SU officers Tom Harrison, Clio Symington and Jonny Block painted the wooden dispenser boxes, which now await installation.

Six thousand condoms were ordered in for the Union earlier this week at a cost of £500, annually budgeted from the Student Advice Centre.

“This underlines the Unions’ commitment, particularly in Healthy Campus Week to ensure that students feel safe and will always have access to services that will safeguard their health,” said Harrison.

YOUR UNIVERSITY

Students mugged off at week-long State of Sheffield event Adela Whittingham Tom Harrison with some newly delivered condoms

Photo: Patrick O’Connell

YOUR UNIVERSITY

Welfare Officer blasts soaring Uni accommodation costs

Tom Schneider Students’ Union welfare officer Tom Harrison has thrown his support behind a petition student halls bosses to change its ‘profit-seeking’ behaviour.

The petition on change. org, which currently has 120 signatures, was started by University of Sheffield student Poppy Cawley in response to ‘the well-established awareness that Accommodation & Commercial Services (ACS) is a profit-making entity and is not student focused’.

Forge Press can also reveal that ACS propose to increase the cost of student accommodation by 1.4 per cent over the rate of increase in the cost of living.

Welfare Officer Harrison said “ACS are aware of the perception that they are a profit-seeking organisation and that this is damaging to their student focus.

He continued: “In their strategy, they are businessfocused and financially astute.

In terms of their strategic aims, they are performing how they want to perform. It is not the

individual staff’s fault.”

Forge asked students about their experiences with ACS. Second year Biology student Cawley said “they charged £600 for a stain on a carpet already in bad condition. They should be giving you a receipt with an exact breakdown. They are buying in bulk, the cost should not be hundreds of pounds more than going to a shop.

“We are asking for more transparent and reasonable charges. We are also asking for face-to-face staff contact because when you are charging someone that much money, there should be someone to talk to about it”, she said.

Second year Psychology student Charlie Moyce agreed: “I was charged an unreasonable amount for a small burn. I was sent rude emails and felt harassed by the aggressive way they chased me. I got a scholarship to help me pay to live at university and spent most of it on replacing a carpet.”

She continued: “I think if it wasn’t a profit-chasing organisation, then the charges and rent would be more

reasonable”.

Harrison urged students to sign the petition and give feedback to ACS ahead of the upcoming University-wide strategic review. “If students do have an opinion on how resident’s life is being delivered then flag up your legitimate grievances and then there is no excuse for ACS. There is a consultation period now and we have a better chance of getting what we want if more students are involved”.

Rent in Endcliffe is currently over £5100 per year which would leave a student with even the highest maintenance loan with under £450 for yearly living costs. ACS propose increasing this figure by 2.5 per cent for the next academic year.

This is despite the fact that RPI inflation, a measure of how much living costs increase year on year, increased by just 1.1%.

However, any increases are subject to ongoing negotiation and will be in line with Union policy. Accommodation costs vary across halls of residence and may increase by significantly less.

Harrison said he is currently in negotiation with ACS over the proposed increase. It is not the first time the Welfare Officer has clashed with ACS. Last year, he responded to a Forge Press investigation which revealed mentors could be being underpaid by over £4000 by calling on ACS to “review the system a worker’s rights matter”.

Ian Jones, Head of Accommodation Services, said: “Rent increases are calculated via a standard process each year to cover the costs of providing the accommodation.

Next year’s proposed rents are based on the forecast RPI for 2015, taken from December Treasury reports, adjusted for any over or under increase in the current year, and forecast increases in utility and labour costs that do not typically coincide with RPI. “The net figure arising from this calculation for 2015 is an increase of 2.5 per cent, which happens to match the forecast RPI. All proposed increases are discussed in detail with the SU Welfare before implementation.”

The winners of the State of Sheffield 2014, a week-long group project put on by the social science department, have been announced.

Over 2000 students took part in ‘The State of Sheffield – Global Perspectives on Local Issues’ event, which is a part of the Achieve More initiative which was added to the curriculum for students starting at the University in September 2014.

The winning groups, who were set the challenge of exploring global issues and analysing how they had an impact in Sheffield, were awarded with a mug and voucher for their efforts.

This comes after an uproar on social media this month from first year students taking part in the challenge who criticised the event as ‘pointless’ and akin to ‘medieval torture’.

The University of Sheffield website states that “all you need to do to pass is turn up, engage actively with your group and attend the daily meetings with your facilitator.”

Chloe Owens, one of the winners, said: “The voucher was useful as we’ve just started a new semester and we actually like the mugs so they should definitely reappear.”

6

Fri day Febru ar y 20 2015 F O RG E P RESS

@forgepress

NEWS

/forgepress news@forgetoday.com

YOUR CITY

Sheffield Students’ Union signs student manifesto Adela Whittingham Sheffield students launched their manifesto last month detailing their key election issues ahead of the general election on May 7.

The manifesto was launched

by Sheffield’s three students’ unions on January 26 and represents the views of around 80,000 students.

Sheffield College Students’ Union, Sheffield Students’ Union and Sheffield Hallam Students’ Union have highlighted five main themes to be used by students to question parliamentary candidates. The themes are education funding, international students’ rights, the cost of living, housing and society.

The manifesto supports the overhauling of the education funding, favouring a publicly funded education system and fair and sustainable postgraduate and further education funding systems.

It also addresses the issue of international students not being treated as temporary migrants and the reintroduction of the Post Study Work Visa which allows all non-EU students the right to work in the UK. Fee protection and hardship schemes have also been highlighted by the document, which protect international students from

Photo: Sheffield Students’ Union institutional failures and crises in their home countries.

The cost of living in Sheffield and the unaffordability of private and university accommodation are also cited as major concerns to students with the manifesto supporting reduced transport costs, an end to food poverty and food waste, the reintroduction of rent controls and an end to lettings agent fees.

Finally the manifesto supports the right to vote at 16 and changes to citizenship education.

Yael Shafritz, President of Sheffield Students’ Union, said: “Our student manifesto was

compiled through talking to a range of students across all three institutions which meant we got a huge range of issues that students care about.

“Tuition fees are an obvious one but this manifesto shows the diversity of student issues.

Obviously international students’ rights is an area that Sheffield students have consistently campaigned on and with 25 per cent of our students being international we think it’s vital that home students campaign for the general election in solidarity with their concerns.

“We’re also campaigning on

issues to do with housing and cost of living as these are issues that go well beyond the student bubble.

Lastly we’re campaigning for improved citizenship education and votes at 16. Our partnership with Sheffield College has challenged us to think more broadly about student issues and particularly that these issues begin well before university.

“We’ve already had a lot of success engaging local candidates in our manifesto and believe that this can have a real effect on candidates if and when they are elected.”

YOUR UNIVERSITY

Uni sponsors asylum seeker bursaries Estel Farell Roig The University of Sheffield will annually give full fee waivers to two local asylum seekers from next September. They will also receive a £10,000 bursary for every year they study at the University.

Development Officer Jack Wyse, who has been lobbying the University on the Equal Access Policy, said: “I’m so pleased that the University has agreed to our proposals. We’ve been working really hard to convince them that this is what students want and thanks to more than 720 students signing our petition, that’s what we have been able to do.

“Education is a fantastic gift and I’ve taken so much from being part of the University of Sheffield: it’s amazing to think that asylum seekers in the city will be able to benefit as well.”

Up until now, all asylum seekers who wanted to attend the University were treated as international students and had to pay international level fees, which reach up to £30,000.

Most asylum seekers, who aren’t allowed to work in the UK have £36 a week to live on. They cannot access student loans and grants.

International Student Officer

Jose Diaz de Aguilar, who worked with Wyse, said: “These scholarships are important because most asylum seekers are in an extremely difficult situation. Going to University will help them integrate in our community while developing new skills.

“A higher education degree will also help them when applying for refugee status and, eventually, will help them find a better job.

“We want the University to sign up to other part of the Equal Access policy, such as asylum seekers paying home students fees or let local asylum seekers use the University facilities, like the library.”

The Equal Access campaign is calling for the University of Sheffield to sign up to two principles that will ensure equal access for students seeking protection.

These are: “All those seeking refugee protection to be able to study as home students” and “students seeking refugee protection to be recognised as having additional needs just like other vulnerable groups and to be given the same access to additional support, such as bursaries.”

Alongside financial support provided by the University,

student groups will offer pastoral support for the undergraduates.

The University of Sanctuary and Student Action on Refugees (STAR) will socialise, support and connect with the new students.

STAR also has links with the city based ‘Conversation Club’, a space where students, refugees, asylum seekers and foreign speakers gather in an informal way.

YOUR CITY

Sheffield second unhealthiest city in Britain Neelam Tailor Sheffield has been outed as the second unhealthiest city in the UK, according to a new study. Censuswide surveyed 2063 UK adults, asking them if they enjoyed eating unhealthy foods. The following cities had the highest percentage of people who said yes.

Belfast

45%

Sheffield

26%

Brighton

26%

Norwich

25%

Southampton

24%

Cardiff

23%

Plymouth

22%

Manchester

21%

Leeds

19%

Bristol

18%

Sheffield students to run in election Adela Whittingham Two students from the Unviersity of Sheffield will be running in the general election this May. Thom Brown, 20, who studies Politics and Philosophy is running in Sheffield Central and Drew Carswell, also 20 and studying History and Politics in Cheadle.

The pair will be running for the Above and Beyond party which has the sole policy of including a ‘none of the above’ option on the ballot paper.

This is in the hope the option will create a wider debate about governance and whether the system works in the best interests of the public.

This will also mean that the percentage of voters who do not wish to vote for any of the listed parties can be counted.

The Above and Beyond Party are set to stand around ten candidates nationally.

Thom said: ““A prospective MP such as myself has the opportunity to gather quantifiable democratic legitimacy. It is my job to spread the message to the disillusioned and then it is up to the public to help push this reform, democratically and peacefully.””

Kemi Alemoru, Features, pg. 19

“ Photo: Facebook

Above and Beyond isn’t left or right wing. Their policy can appeal to anybody and encourages an improved democracy that would ensure more accountability

”

7

FO R GE PRESS Fr i day Februa r y 20 2015

@forgepress

NEWS

/forgepress news@forgetoday.com

YOUR UNIVERSITY

Uni’s £30m funding from arms companies Estel Farell Roig The University of Sheffield received nearly £30m from companies involved in the arms trade in the past five years, a Freedom of Information request

by The Free University of Sheffield has revealed.

Rolls-Royce, which produces military aircraft engines and earns 23 per cent of its turnover from arms, invested £4,730,924 in the University last year only. BAE systems, which is the world’s third largest arms producer, invested £1,113,859.

Around 94 per cent of BAE systems revenue comes from the sale of arms.

The world’s second largest arms producer, Boeing, is building Factory 2050 at the cost of £43m. Factory 2050 will be part of the University’s Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC). Over 70 companies currently pay to use the centre, whose core research areas include design and prototyping, machining and assembly.

BAE Systems Submarine Solutions committed £2.5m to the University of Sheffield Centre for Research in Active Control, which will be dedicated to developing stealth technology.

The Rolls-Royce University Technology Centre (UTC), located in the Mappin building, conducts research programmes under the direction of the international company.

A spokesperson for the University of Sheffield said: “The University has several innovative research partnerships with international companies, including Rolls-Royce, BAE Systems and Boeing, which bring major benefits to students, allow us to offer a unique education

experience and also drive important research projects to overcome the world’s toughest challenges.

“The AMRC are currently working with Rolls-Royce to carry out research and development into reducing carbon emissions from civil aircraft by the use of lightweight composite materials to make the engines more fuel efficient.

“Advancements in machining technology developed at the AMRC have also led to the creation of Rolls-Royce’s new £100m advanced aerospace disc manufacturing facility which has safeguarded hundreds of highlyskilled manufacturing jobs in the North East.

“We will continue to develop our partnership with these companies in order to position the University of Sheffield as a research-led university in the global environment.”

The Fund War Not Education policy declares the Union’s

opposition to the University’s dealing with all arm companies and it resolves to lobby the University to divest of its shares in arms companies.

Sheffield Students’ Union has had a policy opposing the University’s dealing with all arms companies since 2007, when ‘University Relations with Arms Companies’ was passed by referendum with 2,116 votes for, 675 against and 739 abstentions.

Welfare Officer Tom Harrison, who is responsible for the Fund Education Not War policy said: “As is Union policy, the Union does not support any involvement with arms companies, whether promoting them at careers fairs, being funding by them or academic resources being used to support their aims. The University has numerous links with arms companies, but most actively with the development of Factory 2050 and the AMRC as well an investment portfolio that includes arms manufacturers.

“I have worked with Campaign Against Arms Trade and have written a briefing about the University relationship with arms companies to be sent to the Chief Financial Officer for action.

Sheffield students have long since demanded the University of Sheffield cut ties with arms companies and I wholeheartedly support that, considering there is a legitimate academic freedoms argument to be had.

When arms manufacturers are bankrolling universities, whose interest do you think research will benefit? That goes for all private funders. As in line with the Sheffield Student Manifesto, now been personally handed to 3 of the 4 leaders of the main parties in UK, we need a publicly funded education system, paid for by progressive taxation which will go some way to help end arms trade involvement in universities, the purpose of which needs to remain in the common good.”

The brigade has launched a campaign asking people to think twice before getting themselves into compromising situations.

The advice includes: “Fingers and electrical appliances don’t mix, especially those with blades.”

They say the number of people getting stuck in handcuffs and chastity belts has increased since the publication of Fifty Shades of Grey. They fear the film release will only lead to even more people finding themselves in similar situations.

In November last year, firefighters got a call from a man who ended up needing surgery to remove two metal rings that had been stuck on his penis for three days.

Estel Farell Roig

Big Small Penis Party

Whitechapel residents are gearing up to host a sizeable celebration of the idea that good things come in small packages – with the first ever ‘Big Small Penis Party’ on May 7.

The bash is the brainchild of poet Ant Smith, who recently published the poem ‘Shorty’ about his own member.

Men’s entry to the event will be charged at 50p per inch, meaning average Joes can expect to pay £2.50-£3, while those who start brandishing notes around are likely to be met with some scepticism.

The party is open to all men and women who wish to celebrate the little willies in their lives, after all, claims Ant: “we’ve all been touched by a small penis in our lifetime.”

Photo: Estel Farell Roig

Dragon invests in city’s dessert A Sheffield ice cream maker has won a £50k investment in this weekend’s episode of Dragons’ Den. Yee Kwan had two offers from Deborah Meaden and Kelly Hoppen, but accepted Meaden’s bid of an £50k investment in return for 30 per cent of her unique ice cream business.

Kwan said: “Deborah’s got a really great track record and she’s a very successful entrepreneur, she’s been very, very supportive.”

The business is based in Sheffield’s city centre on Wellington Street and is home to 18 different Asian flavours of ice cream and 5 sorbets, all inspired from Kwan’s travels.

Kwan opened as a stall in The Moor Market back in December

London fire brigade launches fifty shades of red

Photo: Creative Commons

YOUR CITY

Jessica Davis

NATIONAL NEWS

2013, but closed April last year due to “lack of footfall.”

However, she now has a very successful business with a turnover of £100k and loyal customers such as Harvey Nichols and various hotels.

The ice cream is also available in The Interval and in the Union shop.

The risk paid off, as she is now branching out and buying new capital equipment to increase the growth of her business.

Due to filming the episode in March last year, Kwan has had to keep her success a secret from friends and family for 11 months.

Kwan stated: “It has been torture to be honest.”

She now plans to target chain restaurants and contract caterers and develop her business even further.

Keri Trigg Drunk driver finished pint before being arrested

The line between bravery and stupidity is often a thin one, as one drunk driver showed this week. Dale Sutton, 29, decided to go for a drive in his friend’s car during a night out after being given his keys for safekeeping.

Inevitably, this went wrong, as police officers found him attempting to turn on his friend’s now battered car.

Upon seeing the officers Sutton got out and downed the half pint he had left in his hand.

The man was so drunk that when asked to do a breathalyser test he said: “Don’t bother – I know I’ll fail”.

Sutton, pleaded guilty to drink driving and was banned from driving for 28 months.

Yee Kwan and Deborah Meaden

Photo: Twitter

Will Morgan

8

Fri day Febru ar y 20 2015 F O RG E P RESS

@forgepress

NEWS

/forgepress news@forgetoday.com

YOUR UNIVERSITY

Earth ‘seeded by aliens’ says University of Sheffield prof Joshua Hackett Scientists have discovered a bizarre metal sphere in the upper atmosphere, which some believe points to extraterrestrials seeding life on earth.

The orb was intercepted by a team of scientists from the Universities of Sheffield and Buckingham, using balloons launched seventeen miles up to the edge of space.

Professor Milton Wainwright of the Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, who led the team, outlined one possible explanation; that the object may contain alien microbes, intended to spread life around the universe.

Speaking to Forge Press, Professor Wainwright described the object as “a sphere made up of titanium with biological filaments on the outer surface and biological material oozing out of the centre.”

A “distinct crater” left by the object is taken to suggest it was travelling at a significant speed – too fast to have come from the Earth.

Life can certainly survive being exposed to space. Last year, experiments conducted on the International Space Station found that certain microbial spores survived for over eighteen

Photo: University of Buckingham months in the frigid vacuum.

The claim that aliens deliberately spread life around the universe is called directed panspermia. It has appeared in many works of science fiction, including the recent Jupiter Ascending, but is also a legitimate scientific hypothesis.

It was first proposed by astronomers Iosif Shklovsky and Carl Sagan, but they admitted that it was in need of extraordinary evidence.

Taken more seriously is undirected panspermia; the idea that microbes are being unintentionally spread around

by comets and asteroids.

On panspermia’s standing within science, Professor Wainwright said, “Other scientists may tell us we are wrong, but no one has given us a convincing explanation of why this is the case.”

Marking boycott conference to be held The marking boycott, which was called off last November after talks between the UCU (University and College Union) and UUK (Universities UK), has been brought back to the table after disagreement between leaders of the UCU and its membership.

Many of the academics and senior staff affected by the proposed changes to the USS (University Superannuation Scheme) pension reacted with anger when they discovered that UCU delegates returned without a compromise on pension changes. In response to this, a Higher Education Special Sector Conference has been called in which each branch’s delegates will vote on a variety of issues.

The main concern is that the forecasted deficit of £8 billion has been created by a “particular interpretation of the value of assets of the pension scheme and the returns on those assets”.

This “artificially” created deficit is the subject of the second motion proposed at the Higher Education Special Sector Conference and the Sheffield branch of the UCU have already stated that they are in “broad agreement” with it.

The other proposed motions are specifically critical of UCU leadership, with their fourth motion calling for the resignation of all delegates who bargained with UUK because they “failed to follow a democratically determined strategy for negotiations on pensions” and as such the discussion was a

“failure in union democracy”.

In addition, the conference’s delegates are going to vote on whether to restart the threatened industrial action that was called off last year. If the University’s staff do decide to strike it is possible that, on top of a lot of students’ work being left unmarked, the pay of participating academics could be docked up to a rate of 100 per cent as was previously threatened by universities such as the University of Sheffield.

The threat of this is an attempt to stop what unions call ASOS, or Action Short Of a Strike, a system where members refuse to do certain parts of their job as a form of non-confrontational protest, here meaning a disruption in marking services.

In the previous boycott attempt, this threat of a reduction in pay lead to a majority of members voting to accept the changes to the USS rather than face a loss of income.

However, in the motion proposals for the Higher Education Special Sector Conference, it is argued that this vote was more influenced by the UCU’s failure to provide a viable proposition for industrial action than any actual agreement.

The conference has been called for February 24 and the University of Sheffield branch of the UCU has said that their three delegates will vote in support of further industrial action and the resignation of the previous negotiating team.

SUMMARY: MARKING BOYCOTT

UCU • • • • •

The University and College Union is the largest higher education union in the world, with over 116,000 members.

Last October the UCU balloted their members affected by changes to the USS pension scheme.

A marking boycott began November 6 but was suspended a fortnight later.

A negotiating committee was set up for early January.

After negotiations, 67.5 per cent of the negotiating committee agreed to the new changes to the pension scheme.

USS • • • •

UoS ovarian cancer drug to be approved Keri Trigg A ground-breaking treatment born from University of Sheffield research has given new hope to ovarian cancer sufferers.

In 2005, a team of scientists led by Professor Thomas Helleday discovered a way of blocking the spread of cancers linked to the BRCA2 mutation, which accounts for 15% of cases.

Following a decade of successful clinical trials, European and US regulators have given the go-ahead to the new drug, Lynparza, which is expected to be approved in September for availability on the NHS. The treatment involves suppressing the PARP protein, which the cells use to repair themselves, so they cannot grow and eventually die.

The University and Yorkshire Cancer Research, which funded the initial project, will continue to benefit from the patent, with the money put back into local cancer care.

TECHNOLOGY

£20m development on Uni’s ‘Digital Campus’ announced Alice Farmery

YOUR UNIVERSITY

Will Morgan

YOUR CITY

The Universities Superannuation Scheme is a £38 billion pension scheme.

The USS is reported to have an £8 billion deficit.

A £50,000 ceiling for pensionable income has been proposed, meaning a third of the scheme’s members will face a reduced pension.

Many argue that the way in which the USS has calculated the deficit is flawed.

A £20m development has been approved on the same day a speculative build on the Advanced Technology Park was announced.

The first of these constructions marks the second phase of Sheffield’s ‘Digital Campus’ development which is already home to nearly fifty creative and digital businesses.

Phase two will be constructed on the site of the (now demolished) Nelson Mandela Building, situated on the corner of Pond Street and Sheaf Street.

Plans were submitted by Scarborough Group which is owned by Sheffield United owner Kevin McCabe.

A representative of the firm stressed his enthusiasm for the project, claiming: “It’s a very strong location with excellent transport links. We believe in the location, the building and Sheffield.”

Meanwhile, the building and civil engineering firm Britcon have secured a highly competitive contract for another speculative build within the Advanced Manufacturing Park (AMP), located on the Sheffield Rotherham border.

At present the AMP is home to the University of Sheffield Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre, Rolls-Royce and Castings Technology International. The technology developed there is already being utilised in leading edge projects such as the new Boeing 787 Dreamliner.

Britcon expects to start construction of the new facility in March with completion anticipated in September 2015.

9

FO R GE PRESS Fr i day Februa r y 20 2015

@forgepress

NEWS

/forgepress news@forgetoday.com

YOUR UNIVERSITY

Union denounces ‘war on drugs’ Tom Schneider The Students’ Union has denounced the government’s war on drugs as unwinnable and resolved to launch a campaign for the end of imprisonment for personal drug use.

The motion was proposed in Union Council by Physics and Astronomy Councillor, Harry Matthews, the passing of the ‘Evidence Based Drugs Policy’ motion means that Sheffield is only the second students’ union in the UK to have adopted this new policy.

Also included in the motion, which only two councillors voted against, were commitments to informing students of the support available from drug addiction and to lobbying Government to move responsibility for the drugs policy from the Home Office to the Department of Health.

Cllr Matthews said “this motion is important as we need to stop treating addiction as a criminal offence and treat it as a health issue. I’m over the moon this has passed. It is about time that we end the pointless and unwinnable War on Drugs”.

Council also noted that “a recent Government report, commissioned by Sheffield Hallam MP & Deputy Prime

The Sheffield campaign committee Minister Nick Clegg, to examine drug policies of other countries, showed tough criminal sentences for drug users make no difference to the rates of drug use”. The motion went on to say that “policy should be formed by

Photo: Students for Sensible Drug Policy evidence, not ideological dogma” and that “drug decriminalisation and legalization ensures better quality of the product and more safety for the user”.

Mr. Clegg said “I’m pleased that the University of Sheffield has

backed me on reforming our outdated drug laws. We are never going to win a ‘war on drugs’.

Illegal drugs still cause immense harm to the people who use them and to the communities they live in. We need a radically smarter

approach if we are serious about tackling this problem.

The Liberal Democrat leader, who is battling to retain his seat in the General Election in May, said “Liberal Democrats believe the first step to ending the war is to recognise that drug use is primarily a health problem. If we really want to get drug use down, then education and treatment should be the priority, not locking people up or saddling them with a criminal record that destroys their job prospects”.

Council’s motion was backed by the Sheffield branch of the Students for Sensible Drugs Policy campaign. The campaign issued a statement which said “passing this motion makes our Union one of the most progressive in the country and sends the message that students support the change we’re starting to see in drug policy internationally.

Students are a high-risk group in terms of the dangers of drugs and criminalisation. We at SSDP hope to see more money and resource for harm reduction and education initiatives for the student community.”

The Government insists that their drug policy is working and that “decriminalising drugs is not the answer”.

FORGE PRESS: BLAST FROM THE PAST February 1965: DARTS debates the worth of Students’ Union officers

xactly 50 years ago this month, E Forge’s predecessor DARTS took aim at the Students’ Union’s officers

and weighed up their worth.

In 1965, the SU employed three student officers. Now the Union employs eight full time officers.

The officers are employed for a term of one year. Each officer is democratically elected by the student body.

On March 12 the results of this year’s officer team election will be announced.

But half a century ago, two sides of a different argument were being debated. In 1965, SU officers were a new addition to the University of Sheffield’s Students’ Union, having only been introduced two years previously.

In favour of the officers, one student argues: “This system was a radical step forward for the Union, which is regarded as one of the most advanced in the country.

“The running of a big Union requires time and ability, and by relieving students of academic pressure the sabbatical year allows them to concentrate fully on their office.”

Meanwhile, opposing paid officers, another student retorted: “It is patently obvious that students as a whole are not capable—perhaps not sufficiently mature—to govern their own affairs.

“To single out three and give them a year off their studies to govern the Union serves merely to concentrate stupidity into a few hands.”

10

Fri day Febru ar y 20 2015 F O RG E P RESS

COMMENT

@forgecomment /forgecomment comment@forgetoday.com

Is there more to ‘free speech’ than being able to say anything?

Chris Saltmarsh Following the attacks on the offices of Charlie Hebdo in Paris, the issue of ‘free speech’ has been thrust to the top of 2015’s political agenda. The unashamedly libertarian “onlyonline current affairs mag”, Spiked, jumped at the opportunity to push its own agenda and published their Free Speech University Rankings in the aftermath.

Spiked, who are “not so big on ecomiserablism” but claim to be fans of liberty, economic growth and choice, examined “the policies and actions of universities and students’ unions, and ranked them using [their] traffic-light system.”

I’m sure that readers will be devastated to hear that, “The University of Sheffield and Sheffield Students’ Union collectively create an environment that chills free speech.” We got amber. It may come as a shock, however, that the University got a green light for having no actions or policies which inhibit free speech.

The Students’ Union, on the other hand, is a repressive, dictatorial environment where horrific ‘zero-tolerance on sexual harassment’ and ‘anti-sexism’ policies infringe on students’ freedoms.

Which freedoms? Those of condoning rape culture, promoting sexism and gender stereotyping. Other actions which contributed to the SU being red-lighted include banning pay-day loan adverts and joining the proPalestine BDS movement.

The irony here is that Spiked are obsessed with condemning Students’ Union policies, which exist to tackle the oppression of rape

culture, sexism and gender-stereotyping, as illiberal, whereas they pay no attention to the oppressive behaviours of the universities against their own students.

Warwick University were given a red-light, not because of the police brutality experienced by peacefully protesting students, which their Vice-Chancellor refused to condemn, but for equal opportunities and anti-harassment policies.

City University London received a greenlight despite recent video evidence of a security guard threatening to kill student journalists who were putting up posters exposing their Vice-Chancellor’s corruption.

Where is the consideration given to our own University’s decision to chain peaceful protestors into Inox Dine, creating an unnecessarily conflictual atmosphere, when they occupied the restaurant for free education last December?

Spiked have a warped view of free speech whereby active and violent repression of student voices, by the powerful, is not considered to be censorship. By contrast, they are militantly opposed to the No Platform policies of the NUS and Students’ Unions around the county, where institutions refuse to give a platform to people who promote fascist, oppressive and harmful ideas in order to maintain safe spaces and to not legitimate those ideas. This kind of no-platforming is not an assault on free speech, but a rejection of ideas and the absence of an active promotion of them.

Spiked are only concerned with preserving maximum freedom for those with existing privilege, rather than assuring liberties for

groups who are oppressed and marginalised by our established systems. Their bizarre worldview condemns the rejection of fascism, but has no criticism for the powerful who use force to repress the voices of activists.

If you really want an indication of who is orchestrating an assault on free speech, look beyond Students’ Unions and instead towards university managements, the police and government.

Spiked - Free Speech University Rankings Full report available online at: http://www.spiked-online.com/free-speech-university-rankings/ Of 115 universities assessed, only 23 got green ratings, 47 (including Hallam) got red, and 45 amber, one of which was the University of Sheffield. Policies cited as helping “create an environment that chills free speech” include: Anti-Sexism - “[prevents] the distribution of items that actively promote sexism and gender stereotyping” Zero Tolerance on Sexual Harassment - “[resolves] not to sell, play, advertise, or endorse any material that condones “rape culture’.”

News: more on this story, p3

Inmates’ inalienable rights include voting Devni Kitulagoda The UK is the only country in Western Europe to ban prisoners from voting. The only reason why they are denied their right to vote is due to a 134 year old law which is in need of serious reform.

Earlier this month, the European Court of Human Rights ruled that this blanket ban was a breach of human rights law.

However, this turned out be a reiteration of what they had said nearly a decade ago. In both instances, it was never specified that all prisoners were entitled to vote; instead, they called for “some legislative amendment.”

“Oh, alright then” - prisoners on being denied their political voice (not really)

“participating in democracy could be beneficial for prisoners, as it provides a platform to voice their concerns, but most importantly, to be heard” Voting is a fundamental right. The idea of only granting it as a reward for good behaviour, or non-criminal behaviour, is completely absurd. The aims of prison are to rehabilitate individuals and prevent any further harm caused to the rest of society.

It is supposed to be an effort towards the greater good. None of its aims, even remotely, entertain the idea that a prisoner’s right to vote should be banned in order to prevent harm or rehabilitate.

Using their vote while in prison will not further endanger the safety of the public. losing the right to vote will not help rehabilitation and their reintegration into society. It will further isolate them from the world behind the prison walls and even hinder their rehabilitation. In fact, participating in democracy could be beneficial for prisoners, as it provides a platform to voice their concerns but most importantly, to be heard.

However, many people still believe that temporary restrictions on the franchise is hardly “civic death”, but how can an elected MP or a government be considered legitimate if only a certain sector of society

has the right to vote? Most people also condemn the idea of prisoners voting for ‘their’ rights, but when did these rights become exclusively ‘theirs’?

The argument that inmates lose their rights when they commit crime is not acceptable.

A fundamental right which is designed to apply universally, without question, should not carry any notion of being “qualified” or “restricted.” Imprisonment only looks to deprive a prisoner of his/her liberty as form of punishment; it does not entail anything to do with their voting franchise.

Breaking the law does not necessarily show contempt towards society - consider how some prisoners may have broken the law in support of society, such as certain protest actions deemed illegal. Should they be condemned to disenfranchisement as well? Besides, the majority of the prison population are generally working class which could lead to a significant vote bias if they are not allowed to use their vote.

The importance of national suffrage is grossly underestimated and it is almost taken for granted. It is baffling to see how the state can condemn the deprivation of liberty but can not lift the restrictions on a basic right such as voting.

Prisoners can not have all their rights stripped off them and society cannot make them ‘non-persons’. No matter how heinous and deplorable their crimes may be, they should still have the right to vote and voice their opinions. Prisoners are still part of our society and giving them the right to vote is a sign of inclusion.

FO R GE PRESS Fr i d ay Feb ruar y 20 2015

11

@forgecomment /forgecomment comment@forgetoday.com

COMMENT

Caution: priests in the lab may prevent lives being saved Following recent advancements in genetic fertility treatments, Jack Dismorr argues that we should trust the doctors on this far more than the unfounded superstitious criticism

Jack Dismorr Earlier this month the House of Commons voted to legalize the use of donor mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) for in-vitro fertilization (IVF) conceptions, effectively allowing for the creation of children who will have three biological parents.

The technique will allow women who carry genetically defected mitochondria to have children free of a myriad of truly horrific diseases, most often of the heart, brain and respiratory system.

Such a treatment has been heralded by most as a bold and long overdue step forward for science, the culmination of decades of intensive collective effort by thousands of men and women which will have life changing effects for the women who carry this genetic defect.

Remarkably however, the introduction of this technique has been met with an enormous amount of opposition, based largely on the individual’s personal notion of ‘nature’ and what should and shouldn’t be tampered with. Added to this the predictable

revulsion from just about every major religious group and you have a wall placed squarely in the path of a genuinely revolutionary medical breakthrough.

Our MP’s should be credited (or at least the 382 that voted in favour) for breaking through this wall and making the UK the first nation on earth to offer this treatment.

The process involves the removal of the mitochondria from the egg of a woman with damaged mtDNA and replaced with mitochondria from a woman with healthy mtDNA. IVF can then be performed on the egg, resulting in a child with around 30,000 genes from the parents who provided the egg and sperm, and onethousandth of the genetic code from the mitochondrial donor. Mitochondrial DNA determines nothing of importance, other than whether the mitochondria themselves generate energy (their failing to do so causing various debilitating illnesses).

It’s absolutely right that people question whether this treatment could result in ‘designer babies’ (something that most would be repulsed by) but this scientific fact entirely nullifies the objection.

Mitochondrial

DNA has no impact on a child’s hair colour, height, nose shape or any other human characteristic; it determines only whether certain cells produce enough energy to function. The immense wealth of research and overwhelming scientific consensus indicate that ‘playing God’ with the assembly of humans from desirable strands of DNA is simply not a legitimate complaint.

Unsurprisingly, almost every major religious group in the UK opposed this new treatment, all citing reasons based largely on ‘nature shouldn’t be tampered with’, and all without an ounce of scientific credibility. While no one should be surprised that organised religion should provide such vocal opposition to an immeasurably beneficial medical breakthrough, there should be surprise at just how much value is placed on their opinions, especially on something as empirical as a new medical treatment.

It can be argued that religion should have a say in matters regarding ethics, but when it comes to pure medical fact, an organised religious institution like the Catholic Church (the group most vocally opposed to this new treatment) should be politely told to stick

No excuse for tax skimping Chris Hedges It has come to light this last fortnight that HSBC, one of Britain’s largest banks, has in the past facilitated wealthy clients with the means to secretly funnel their earnings into Swiss accounts so as to avoid paying tax in their home countries.

“tax avoidance is legal, but tax evasion isn’t and there’s a fine line between the two” Those who used these methods, which required one to buy property in Switzerland and live in the country for a short period every year, range from politicians, donors to political parties,

diamond dealers, drug traffickers and members of crime syndicates. Why anyone would be surprised by this “revelation” is more astounding than the facts themselves.

Labour leader Ed Miliband has been embroiled in a row with Tory peer Lord Fink whose insouciant contempt for the subject led him to dismissively say, “everyone does tax avoidance on some level.” This is not true but Fink does make a clear point - the culture of tax avoidance is deeply embedded in our society and little can be done to hold those who engage in these practices accountable for their actions, because it’s completely legal.

But it is pretty immoral, and it is incredibly damaging to the country. Places such as India who are overwhelmingly inadequate at implementing taxation suffer immense poverty, decrepit infrastructure and a whole series of other problems which could quickly be resolved if tax were paid

the way that it should. This is an extreme example but it shows what can happen when the uber-rich do not pay their share.

“the sad truth is that money plays too strong a role in politics” The question we should be asking is why is this still legal? Tax avoidance is legal, but tax evasion isn’t and there’s a fine line between the two. The fact is, laws are written in very astute ways and large companies will pay those who write them vast sums of money to find out where the loopholes are or even have them written in.

The most disturbing thing about HSBC’s case is the quantity of people involved that can be closely linked to the powers

to their faith-based ‘area of expertise’ and leave the life changing developments in medicine to the people in laboratories who have dedicated their careers to it.

Because of this new treatment, many thousands of women can now have children safe in the knowledge that their child will be spared a range of unimaginably cruel diseases. It’s a credit to our country and something that we as a nation should be proud of.

Got an opinion on the topics discussed this fortnight?

Contact us: comment@forgetoday.com @ForgeComment

that be. Labour and the Conservatives have received £500,000 and £5million in donations respectively, as well as a £2million loan for Labour.

But all these revelations do is further reinforce the deeply cynical attitude this nation has towards politics and politicians.

The sad truth is that money plays too strong a role in politics and it is too easy to believe that the government doesn’t serve us; it serves only its party donors in the form of some sort of plutocracy.

Why would anyone pay their tax when it’s cheaper to buy a house in Switzerland and donate a meagre six-figure sum to the party that they think is least likely to shut down these loopholes unless legislation is put in place to prevent this?

12

Fri day Febru ar y 20 2015 F O RG E P RESS

@forgecomment

COMMENT The welfare state is a lifeline, not a tool for bullies /forgecomment

comment@forgetoday.com

Riccardo Vitale Earlier this month, Malcolm Burge, a retired gardener who spent most of his life caring for his ailing father, made the decision to end his life. Suicide is a delicately complex phenomenon, and the reasons behind such a tragic choice are often coloured by a sombre selection of destructive emotions which render death a rationally viable and liberating option.

In the case of Mr Burge, the catalyst for the pain and despair entrenched within him, the strain of which was ultimately too much to bear, was linked directly to his treatment at the hands of the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), who were doggedly pursuing the sum of £800 from him in return for an earlier accidental overpayment to him as part of his benefits.

Having dealt with the terminal ineptitude of the DWP at different points over the space of two years, the indirect devastation inflicted on Mr Burge comes as no surprise to me.

During a predictably tedious graduate careers day, at one of the Conservative governments many privately contracted recruitment agencies, one of my unfortunate colleagues described the job centre advisors as ‘demi gods’, to a chorus of polite laughter.

It may have been a joke, but it is precisely the position that is thrusted upon them.

The very basis of your ability to live is shoved into the hands of advisors, who themselves are set targets by their superiors.

An interview with @jobcentremole recently even suggested that they are closely encouraged to sanction at least two claimants a day. Although my advisor was a chirpy

middle aged gentleman who often took refuge in tales of his former female conquests as a student, I still felt the dire consequences.

Some of my sanctions included being docked a months worth of benefits because I didn’t apply for a job which specifically required the candidate to possess a fork lift truck license. Another was a monotonous four week stint at a local charity shop. Ever so surprisingly, clinical depression began to hit me like a runaway train.

Perennial cretins like Ian Duncan Smith would unravel the PR spiel that such programs are working to ‘help the community’, which would sound very glamorous and schmaltzy in a quick Mother Theresa-esque Andrew Marr Show sound bite. (Likewise, please don’t be bought by the yellow hard hat permanently super glued to George Osborne’s withered head. These are not men of the people.)

“Originally a safety net, the benefits system now uses that net to strangle the life out of honest citizens”

The reality is that if this government cared so much about communities, then perhaps they would invest in the local authorities which they have systematically destroyed, rather than getting vulnerable and helpless benefit claimants to do this for them as a form of punishment. Originally a safety net, the benefits system now uses that net to strangle the life out of honest and well intentioned citizens.

You cannot foster the ideal conditions for a Britain on benefits, through wading through regional heartlands with an economic

Editorial Fifty shades of aliens Hello!

So it’s the first issue back since exam period, and it feels like we never left.

This fortnight, there’s been a lot of up for discussion. Comment are looking at free speech and prisoners right to vote.

Our friends from Mental Health Matters have been talking with us about mental health stigma, which ties in nicely with Features’ incredibly touching article about Sheffield student and former big issue vendor Del Pickup, whose mental health issues led to homelessness.

Mental health is just as important as physical health, and it is just as important that it is treated and taken seriously.

Speaking of mental health, actually, it seems that the mental health of the entire nation has been somewhat compromised and we’ve all decided that it’s a good idea to go and see Fifty Shades of Grey.

I’m not usually one to worry about what other people are

interested in, but when they thing you’re interested advocates the abuse of women I’m going to have something to say about it.

Countless real-life BDSM practitioners have confirmed my suspicions that Fifty Shades both glorifies and fetishises abusive relationships and rape.

Like it or not, the books and the films present rape as something that is sexy.

The female protagonist is the victim of abuse, and in saying that the abuse was merely consensual BDSM you are essentially saying she was ‘asking for it’. She agrees to engage in certain sexual practices, but agreeing to do something once, or even lots of times, doesn’t mean you can’t later say no.

If you think the lines between consent and rape are blurred in any way, you might be a rape apologist.

On the upside, I think Professor Wainwright has found some aliens again.

Happy Reading!

Elsa Vulliamy - Forge Press editor elsa.vulliamy@forgetoday.com

sledgehammer, then castigate those people who, against their iron will and pride, are forced to limp to the job centre.

This cyclical process of getting people on benefits then bullying them publicly through a relentlessly insidious PR campaign against the poor and out of work is perfect pattern for a Conservative government hell-bent on using the politics of fear and suspicion to pathetically prop up their hardened ideological diatribe.

William Morris, the 19th century textile designer turned social activist, argued for the innumerable virtues of useful work against useless toil. The act of work for the naturally curious human being needs to sparkle with captivation and be riddled with intrigue to prove worthwhile. There is this idea that it is fair game to shove anyone into any old job as long as it contributes to the government’s often spurious employment figures. Even ‘Red’ Ed has spoken of plans under a Labour government to push the unemployed into any job after a year, no matter what their skills or experience. To me that just sounds like a prolonged version of the current system.

You hear comments, usually from the older generation, usually directed towards the young, that there is a selfish aura of entitlement surrounding graduates in particular, and that ‘hard graft’ has been confined to the dustbin of nostalgia. But it is a timeless principle that skills and learning should be greeted with positions that they deserve, a perspective that is often forgotten in the frenzied panic inflicted by a lopsided ‘economic climate’.

The sad fact is Morris’s distinction is still a concrete reality in the 21st century. We now live in a land infected with the cancer of zero hour contracts, monotonous call

D.A.R.T.S.

centres, and wasted talent, all assisting to maintain a lost generation of beautifully gifted predominately working class people.

And, as in the case of Mr Burge, chillingly growing amounts are lost to suicide.

Capitalism as a concept blossoms in the toxic and barren mire of individualism, and this attitude filters down to your local job centre. An economic and sociological system can only maintain its organs of control when it fully convinces the individual that they are detached and foreign from everything else around them, and that their existence is entirely defined in terms of currency and property. This is absolutely not the case.

Nothing imposed on a society can truly reflect the absurd and unknowable miracle of existence. In the sterile confines of the job centre, the encroaching darkness of those seated at rows of sterile work desks is deliberately obfuscated, so that everyone is in thrall to the constant meddling demands

“Most people who have lived and died have spent lives of wretched, fruitless, unremitting toil”

of the DWP. Marxist theorist Terry Eagleton defines a socialist as “someone who is unable to get over his or her astonishment that most people who have lived and died have spent lives of wretched, fruitless, unremitting toil.”

Mr Burge was among the latest tragic victims of a system that kneels at the altar of profit, making no compromise and instilling no compassion in its ravenous pursuit. We can only strive to ensure that Mr Burge has not left this earth in vain.

Forge Press takes its satirical aim

Upsetting mental image of the fortnight

Valentines quote of the fortnight “Whoo it’s massive! And that’s not the last time I’ll be saying that this weekend...”

Chloe Coleman, Arts Editor and romantic at heart

Twitter account of the fortnight This week’s Twitter account comes from a woman who, if like me you’ve watched Burlesque 14 times, needs no introduction.

Like a drunk aunt at a christening, Cher spends most of her time boasting, shouting, and insulting anyone in her immediate vicinity. Still, your aunt hasn’t got 285 industry awards in her cabinet, has she?

Here in DARTS Towers, we have watched the online presence of Gerry Adams with intrigue and delight for quite some time.

Adams, once of “absolutely not an IRA member” fame, appears to have softened somewhat in recent years, preferring to spend his time taking selfies with goats, tweeting about cream eggs and...trampoling naked?

In a recent interview, Adams told Newstalk’s Seán Moncrieff: “Yeah, I do it naked. I don’t do it with great expertise, just the joy of it – the dog does it with me.

It saves me taking him for a walk. We just go out and bounce for a while.”

Shade of grey of the fortnight

A pretty fetching #6D6968

FOR GE PRESS Fr i day Februa r y 20 2015

13

Experience the

@forge_press ADVERTISEMENT

14

Friday February 20 2015 Forge Press

“The worst thing about being homeless is how people despise you. Once, a London Met policeman tried to urinate on me while I was sleeping.”

According to housing and homelessness charity Shelter, more than 81,000 families in England were found to be homeless during 2012/13. University of Sheffield part-time Archaeology student Del Pickup, who works several part-time jobs alongside his degree, was homeless on and off for 10 years. The mature student counsellor gave Features an insight into his life.

“I

had a difficult childhood. I was bullied in school and, by the time I was 12, I had mental health problems which were not diagnosed until much later in my life. I suffered from depression for most of my teenage years. By the time I was 15, I was drinking and smoking cigarettes.

“Surprisingly, the alcohol didn’t impact on my O levels, but as I was doing my A levels I was quite depressed and started drinking on a very regular basis until I dropped out of school. I wasn’t feeling fulfilled or that my life was going anywhere - I just wanted to get out of the town in Wales where I am from.”

After a rough start, Del made his way to London in search of a job and a lifestyle very different from the one he had experienced in Wales. At the tender age of 17, he was offered a job as a computer operator in Sutton. He describes the move to London as a “cultural shock” as he struggled to adjust to the hectic life style.

“I was on my own and struggled to adjust to life there. As I had a wage coming in then, I started to drink more heavily. I was going to the pub every day.”

On top of the resurgent drinking, Del found himself in positions where groups of men would try to take advantage of his drunken states, and on one occasion he was sexually assaulted by an older man. Shortly after, Del found himself struggling more and more to pay bills.

“I became homeless in London. Many people in the pub I was frequenting took drugs so I started smoking cannabis and experimented with amphetamines and LSD. I started to lose interest in my job and, after 10 months, I lost it. That became a pattern, until the point where people stopped offering me jobs” “I could no longer pay the rent so got kicked out. From that point, it was a downward spiral – my mental health got worse, the drug and alcohol abuse got worse.

When you become homeless, you lose all feelings of self-worth.

“My mental health issues triggered everything. They were undertreated, underdiagnosed. I felt like a worthless human being so I stopped taking care of myself.

Drugs and alcohol made me feel better temporarily. I was basically self-medicating, not a thing I would advise anyone to do. They gave me a false sense of confidence that I didn’t otherwise have.”

Despite the gradual descent of Del’s living conditions, he still has fond memories of the network of support that he found amongst other homeless people.

“You try to avoid sleeping on your own.

You tend to get together with other homeless people and share a doorway. One of the positive things about homelessness is how

you look out for each other. People look after each other because they are all in a desperate situation. No one else cares, so you’ve only got each other.

Although Del’s experience often left him with the feeling of being disregarded by the general public, he does recall acts of generosity. Humanity, it seems, is not a lost cause.

“It’s the little acts of kindness. I remember a lady who gave me a pair of socks at Christmas. I also remember a disabled woman who was in a wheelchair and, despite being on benefits and not having much money herself, she took me for breakfast every now and again. Things like that make such a difference to you. They help you maintain hope in humanity.

“My refusal to give in kept me going. I always had some selfrespect and tried to keep myself clean, for instance I would change my clothes whenever I could, sometimes in public toilets, sometimes in people’s homes. I felt embarrassed for needing that help, but I was also extremely grateful.”

Because Del has experienced first hand how easy it is to find yourself homeless, he has experienced how much we as a society take for granted. Often, people look down on those who are homeless, as if it is a position that they’ve put themselves in, whereas, in reality, it can happen to anyone.

“There is so much you take for granted when you are not in that position – having something to eat every day, being warm and being able to wash.”

“There are big misconceptions about homelessness – people seem to think you choose that as a lifestyle. But the majority of people on the streets are people like me, with undiagnosed mental health problems and with drug and alcohol issues. However, I met all sorts of people, including an ex-brain surgeon. It can happen to anyone – you just have to be a victim of a chain of events.

Homeless people are people whose lives have fallen apart for one reason or another.

“I had a friendly relationship with other homeless people, but as I had my trust betrayed so often, I was quite self-defensive.

I had put up a lot of walls and once they’re up, it’s very difficult to make them go down.

I have lost contact with most people I knew from that time. Some of them have passed away, others have moved on. I only keep in touch with people I met through support services.”

It took time, but Del eventually managed to pick himself up. After several years on the streets, he found help in his parents.

“I lived with my mum and dad in Northampton for a while, enrolled in the local college and worked in a local pub. My

I was undertreated, underdiagnosed...

I felt like a worthless human being

relationship with them has never really been easy. I was a difficult teenager because of my mental health issues.

“I think they were frustrated - they were seeing me fail and couldn’t do anything about it. They have always been there for me when I needed them, though. I have been lucky in that respect.”

But eventually Del’s depression kicked in, and he found himself once again on the streets.

“I was struggling to adjust to adjust in a new place where I didn’t know anybody. I started drinking and taking drugs again, dropped out of college and lost my job.

“Because I was unemployed, had an addiction to fund and no self-respect, I resorted to a life of crime. I started with shoplifting and ended up selling drugs. I got into trouble with the police and ended up in prison for almost five months.”

Del describes prison as a sort of turning point in his life; a point where he properly recognised several of his issues and sought help.

“I got into trouble with the police and ended up in prison for almost five months.

When you’re in prison, you have a lot of time.

I read a lot, including a book about Spike Milligan, who was a comedian with mental health issues. I made connections with my own life and realised I needed to see a doctor.

“I was in my early twenties and when I came out, I was homeless again. When I first self-diagnosed with depression in prison, I started to seek for help but there wasn’t much available at the time. Even though I started to take anti-depressants then, I didn’t get a full diagnosis until seven years later, when I had a mental breakdown.

“As well as depression, I have a borderline personality disorder, and two years ago I was diagnosed with both dyslexia and dyspraxia. I only started undertaking therapy last year, which has helped me a lot. But there are still so many unresolved issues from my past.

“I think I have now accepted my mental health issues are going to be part of my life. I am just learning to deal with them better and accept them for what they are.”

It was a tough ride, but Del has finally found a way out. After counselling for his addictions and saving up some money from becoming Northampton’s first Big Issue vendor, he found himself a way off the streets. He describes how being able to sell the Big Issue made a huge difference in his life.

“It gave me a way off the streets. Without that, I don’t want to imagine where my life would have gone.

“It gave me a different form of income that was legal. Even though the money you get varies a lot throughout the year, I would

normally make between £50 and £100 every week. I was a Big Issue vendor for four and a half years, until one of my regular customers got me a job in the local YMCA, a foundation that works with homeless people. Sadly, that person committed suicide due to depression a few years ago.

“Begging and selling the Big Issue is probably the hardest job you will ever have to do. It is not an easy way of life at all – you have to be out all day, no matter the weather.

And you still get that response from people.

They look down on you. I used to sell outside M&S in Northampton and people used to complain about me being there. I had made them feel uncomfortable and guilty.

“If homeless people don’t get the money from begging, they are going to find it another way, which will probably be through crime. If you have got an addiction or are in a desperate position, you are going to find money somehow.

“I lived in Northampton for about twenty years and, after another mental breakdown I needed to get out of the city. I had been thinking of studying for a long time – I have always been interested in archaeology and history. I used to visit a friend in Sheffield and, eventually, I fell in love with the city. I decided to make the change and apply at the University.

“I have been living in a council flat in Sheffield for three years. It is the first stable accommodation I have had in my life and it feels wonderful. Absolutely wonderful.

Del has come so far, but the memories of his experiences will always be with him: “They have made me a tougher and more empathetic person.

When you have been that low and lost everything you have got, you learn to appreciate things a lot more. It makes you grateful for things like food, and having a roof above your head.

Once you are in that position, it is so hard to get out of it. I am so lucky that I am one of the people who managed to get out.”

I was undertreated, underdiagnosed...

I felt like a worthless human being

If you are concerned with any of these issues, visit the charity Shelter at http://www. shelter.org.uk/

@forgefeatures /forgepress

@ features@forgetoday.com

Forge Press Friday February 20 2014

15

Friday February 20 2015 Forge Press

16

Britain is known for its cynical and sarcastic culture; in its comedy, its satire and its arts. But recently, changes have been made towards a more positive and accepting society. Various positivity challenges have gone viral, and for the first time people are openly expressing an interest in self-help without the fear of stigmatisation. The ‘trend’ of self-help has been massively enabled by social media, it has allowed it to go viral and gain massive momentum. But Features editor Polly Winn looks at whether the presence of social media has been more of a help or a hindrance.

exp

ect e

d

tha

t

everyone should have a

@ features@forgetoday.com

s wa It

/forgepress

jus

t

“

@forgefeatures

“

Forge Press Friday FridayFebruary December205 2015 2014

Th e dif

17

fe r e nce

degree of self-acceptance,

ce

tan

cep

-ac

f sel he

is t key

“

bet

we

en

ha

pp

ine

ss

an

dm

ate

ria

la

tta

inm

New York Times best seller list in 2013 and this saw its eruption onto social media, with any self-confessed lifestyle blogger tweeting and instagramming pictures of it next to tea in a mug that assertively instructs you to ‘make it happen’ or ‘don’t worry, be happy.’ The book chronicles Rubin’s journey throughout her year of self-improvement and search for true contentment, in which she apparently test-drives the ideas of great philosophers and new science.

However, there is a big difference between everyday happiness and goal attainment, and this is a difference that many self-help materials fail to account for. The 100 happy days challenge had thousands of snapshots of the little things in life; cups of tea, country walks, good books, cosy blankets and bed sheets, loved ones, pets, and lots and lots of food. These everyday, typical things in life can make you smile, but are they the answer to true contentment with your life and your social position?

The major fault of online self-help is that with all these people putting their happiest moments of each day online, there is almost an invitation to have an opinion on whether or not this object of happiness is valid or not.

We begin to compare ourselves. While your perfectly brewed cup of tea may have made you feel happy and comforted, when you scroll through your feed and you see that someone else’s happy thing today was that they went surfing in Thailand, it makes you feel like yours is completely insufficient. It makes you feel like you need more and you should have more in order to make yourself happy, and in my view this feeling of competition may have been a cause of the high dropout rate in the challenge. There is a difference between happiness and material attainment, but the online happiness challenge blurs those lines, and gets people confused with the difference between contentment and attainment.

There have been severe criticisms of the way that self improvement movements don’t account for inequality. The 100 happy days challenge, with its instagram filters and hashtags creates an air of exclusivity and glamour, which - if your desk surface doesn’t look like something from an instagram board - many may feel they cannot keep up with. Also, many self help resources preach a ‘go get it’ kind of attitude, one that exudes confidence and a sense of carpe diem.

However, the atmosphere that social media creates for us to display our happy moments feels somewhat exclusive. The constant competition, and the expectation for your daily photos makes you feel as if it is a competition.

Your happy moments are no longer your own, but they are there for other people to comment on and criticise. This expectation doesn’t allow you to feel the happiness that you are supposedly posting, but instead it forces you to question it - is this good enough? Should something as simple as this make me happy? The apparently glossy nature of social media blurs the lines between true contentment and attainment.

Although it is positive that our culture, particularly online, has opened itself up to the idea of self-help. In a society where mental health has been stigmatised for so long, we should really have learnt by now to be open to talking about our problems, not judging, and helping each other. However, it does beckon the question - should this method of self reflection be kept within our private lives? Gretchen Rubin, the author of ‘the Happiness Project’ was able to embark on her journey, and then she was able to reflect on it in her own way. This has also become a common element of culture now, the idea of sharing ourselves, with people like Lena Dunham authoring books that are almost journals of their lives. This new trend has encouraged us to share our experiences, it makes us feel comforted that we are not alone in our experiences. This is the kind of self-help that we need in our modern, individualised society.

The new online profile of self help makes you compare your sunny dog walk to somebody’s work trip to Paris, and that isn’t healthy. How can we ever realistically achieve a true appreciation of our own lives, when they are compared with thousands of others. Maybe the beauty of self-help is that it gives you the ability to step back rather than allow your expectations of what it means to be happy and successful cloud your judgement.

en

t is

...

“

A

bout a decade or so ago, walking around in public with a self-help book was about as socially taboo as it would be to walk around with a large sex toy today. The entire idea of self-improvement and self-help were seen as cliché and something only free spirit, hippy types invested in.

It was ridiculed and made fun of to have any kind of vision of yourself as a better, more positive and confident person – surely, in this day and age we are all already totally happy with ourselves, right? It was just expected that everyone should have a degree of self-acceptance, as self-acceptance is the key to sanity. It was a widely considered that those who bought into the industry of self-help must have something wrong with themselves.

However, Britain has a reputation for being quite cynical and negative we are the country of sarcasm after all - and this attitude is exemplified in the attitudes towards self-help. Yet there is irony in the fact that it is also inherent in British culture to obsess over certain aspects of their lives and compare them to other people.

I remember being about nine years old, and my mum having to buy me a ‘happy book’ in which she forced me to write one thing that made me happy each day, because I was just that bloody miserable about not having a new pair of jelly shoes or not being picked to represent year four on the school council. Turns out, my Mum’s ‘happy book’ was a bit of a revelation.

In the past few years, a blaze of positivity has been set alight, not only in the typical forms of informative and instructive books, but in wide-reaching, global trends.

The #100happydays trend began in 2013, with thousands jumping on the bandwagon on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and other social media platforms. The purpose of it was exactly that of my ‘happy book’ (my mum was such a genius) to document something that made you happy each day for one hundred days.

It seems like a pretty basic and achievable principle really – you’re awake for about 16 hours a day, surely something must happen in those 16 hours that at least makes you smile? Apparently, this is not the case, with over 71 per cent of those who started the challenge miserably failing.

I can personally vouch for this, I made the very ill-thought through decision to start my one hundred happy days challenge during the January exam period and I managed a grand total of five days. I know, impressive. Two of those days were pictures of food – the only exam-time salvation of course – one was of new coloured fineliners, and a new tefal pan (I am just so sad) and the other two began with me saying ‘not a lot made me happy today.’ Before I started this challenge, I thought I was a relatively positive person; it’s safe to say it made me see myself in a different light.

However, my failure made me able to see my own negativity. It also put things into perspective: okay, I was revising every day, but I was revising in the library of a Red Brick university with amazing friends that I had met there, or I was revising in my warm, cosy Endcliffe bedroom (something that I only fully appreciated when I moved into the depths of a bottom floor bedroom in Crookesmoor).

And yeah, revising is miserable, but it was contributing towards my degree, something that millions of people don’t even have the chance to attempt. The challenge made me realise that taking a step back and examining your own life isn’t cliché or hippy at all, and I started to open my mind to the idea of self-improvement.

Going back to the 100 happy days challenge, despite my distinct failure, a lot of people had great success with theirs, and this trend of selfcelebration was not confined to social media. Before the 100 happy days challenge had begun, in 2011, blogger Gretchen Rubin released the book The Happiness Project.

Despite the book having been out for about four years now, it topped the New York Times best seller list in 2013 and this saw its eruption onto social media, with any self-confessed lifestyle blogger tweeting and instagramming pictures of it next to tea in a mug that assertively instructs you to ‘make it happen’ or ‘don’t worry, be happy.’

Despite the book having been out for about four years now, it topped the

to y nit

sa

Friday February 20 2015 Forge Press

18

ABOVEANDBEYOND

?

There’s a new political party and ever yone is invited. Above and Bey ond are gaining interest as they aim to stand as many candidates as possible in this year’s general election on May 7th. All of these candidates are campaigning abo ut one single issue – the inclusion of a ‘none of the above’ option on all ballot papers for all UK general elections. Amongst these candidates are University of Sheffield stud ents Thom Brown aged 20 and Drew Carswell aged 19 who are some of the younges t candidates to run in the general election. Features editors Kemi Alemoru and Polly Winn met with the candidates to take a closer look at this eclectic party and its treasure d singular policy.

19

Forge Press Friday February 20 2015

Name: Thom Brown Age: 20 Subject: Politics & Philosophy Constituency: Sheffield Central Beliefs: Take the money out of politics

Name: Drew Carswell Age: 20 Subject: Politics & History Constituency: Cheadle Beliefs: Apathy isn’t restricted to age, politicians are becoming out of touch

@forgefeatures /forgepress

@ features@forgetoday.com Why none of the above?

Critics of Above and Beyond have questioned whether the ‘none of the above’ option is entirely necessary. Thom Brown from The University of Sheffield explained: “If you spoil your ballot they don’t actually count it and there is no way to distinguish between somebody messing up and somebody saying that they don’t like any of the parties to show that the parties aren’t good enough.”

The party aims to be able to count the exact percentage of voters who are willing to turn up and vote but do not wish to pick any of the listed parties. Recently, Above and Beyond have attracted a lot of media attention not only due to the fact that their campaign exists to promote a solitary policy, but also due to the young age of the candidates.

Age is just a number As they sit politely, albeit a little timidly around a table in the Students’ Union, it becomes clear that these two are a pair of intelligent young men who are dissatisfied rather than disengaged. Thom defends himself against the critics who have expressed concerns about his age, by highlighting that he is currently studying politics, having had an interest in it long before his university career. Drew, who is campaigning to be an MP in Cheadle expresses his belief that people can look beyond their age, stating that in order to be truly representative in a democracy, we need people “from all walks of life.”

In fact the candidates think that their age might work to their advantage. For those who feel that current politicians’ lives are so distant from our own, Drew and Thom believe that they can present an alternative to “45 year old blokes bellowing at each other in an old aristocratic building.”

Thom says that their policy is effectively aimed at young people because they are the ones whose numbers are seriously dwindling.

“If we could just get them to turn up even if it is just to vote ‘none of the above’ then politicians will have to do more to inspire young people.”

The Above and Beyond party are hoping that the inclusion of a ‘none of the above’ option will mean that politicians will have to do more to inspire young people. Drew expresses his beliefs that there should be more opportunity for children to be educated about politics from a younger age and that it could be taught much more effectively than how it is currently. He proposes that politics should be taught alongside British social history “to make current events feel a little bit more relatable”. Perhaps if children are encouraged to engage with politics at a younger age they would be less apathetic and more likely to get involved.

“Apathy isn’t restricted to age”

Apathy Absences can often be misinterpreted as apathy, but the Above and Beyond party propose a way of quantifying those who have an opinion but feel that none of the options are entirely suitable. Cheadle candidate Drew suggests that at the heart of this problem is the First Past the Post voting system.

“Apathy isn’t restricted to age. I’ve been speaking to people within my constituency of all ages that are fed up

with how the system is currently.”

He states that a lot of people feel that if their constituency has a large majority for a particular party, then their vote will not make much of an impact.

Drew believes that the narrow background of MPs is crucial to explaining the increasing apathy amongst potential voters.

“In terms of education, it’s mostly privately educated people who don’t have anything in common with people on benefits”. Considering that 19 prime ministers have previously attended Eton College, Drew’s criticisms show how power has indeed remained with a very small demographic.

The Above and Beyond party aims to address allegiances. Thom had previously taken an interest in the Green party because he felt it fit some of his views but admitted there were things he did not entirely agree with.

It is for this reason he believes that there should be another option.

“You could be from any walk of life, you could be a socialist or an anarchist and you will probably agree with what we are doing.”

Above and Beyond isn’t left or right wing. Their policy can appeal to anybody and encourages an improved democracy that would insure more accountability.

In recent years the public have expressed a desire for change from the regular popular parties. Following UKIP’s controversial success in the European elections Drew warns of the dangers of new parties with questionable policies.

“Look at what Ukip managed to do. We’re trying to give people a voice and a vote for change without aligning them with a political party that might not have particularly good MPs and doesn’t have disagreeable policies. We don’t want people to vote for the best of a bad bunch.”

Thom is quick to defend the party against those who dismiss the Above and Beyond party as a gimmick.

“I will say that it is not as relaxed as some people might think. There are a lot of candidates who have been turned down because they weren’t suitable and go through similar vetting processes.” However, due to there being just one policy, the pair feel liberated as they don’t always have to “strictly toe the party line.” Having only one policy allows them to talk freely about their own beliefs. The only strict consensus is that they have to believe that there should be a ‘none of the above’ option.

What do they think of their competitors?

We wanted to find out what the candidates hope Above and Beyond would be able to do in the long term in order to become a movement for radical change. Although the two are very much engaged with this campaign at the minute, Thom does not plan to stay in politics forever.

“I have been called a classic career politician for doing this and honestly, I don’t want a career in politics. I want to empower people.”

Whether they personally implement radical change through their own actions or whether the Above and Beyond party do so without their help in the future, they were both very clear on the changes that they would like to see.

When asked about the best way to improve our current political system, Thom and Drew were clear that we would have to “dismantle the big business politics as that is stopping progressive change.”

Above and Beyond are entirely crowd funded and do not have any ties to businesses.

“We’d like to remove money as far away as possible in terms of the lobby groups and the disproportionate power they have. Buying dinner for David Cameron then deciding policy – something needs to be done about that.”

“We’re trying to give people a voice and a vote for change”

Inspired by Labour candidate Oliver Coppard’s almost completely student-run campaign that is taking place in Sheffield Hallam, Above and Beyond plan to start a university society. Similar to the Coppard campaign, Thom and Drew have not received any funding. Thom hopes that starting a society will help to spread their message among the student population.

He views it as a good opportunity to engage with voters and, if they do abstain, to ask them exactly why they don’t vote. At first glance, the young age of the candidates and the severe lack of policies has raised a lot of eyebrows, but Drew feels that by talking to people they “become a lot more positive because we are proposing an actual strategy to get this policy to be the norm.” The two are hoping that by setting up university societies they will gain more credibility and ensure that more voters will be persuaded.

Commenting on Labour’s proposal of electoral reform, Thom and Drew express hope that it will increase the democratic legitimacy of large parties. Thom especially commends the proposal as a good start.

“If we had a proportional House of Commons then it would force the parties to respond more to the needs of the public, especially the bigger parties who are so detached because they only need 35 per cent” However, the pair were cautious of being too critical of the current political system without offering many solutions.

An obvious question is how will Above and Beyond progress if their campaign is a success? Regarding the party’s plan to right all of the obvious wrongs rather than just highlight them, Drew explains what would happen if Above and Beyond won in a particular constituency.

“A bi-election would be called and previous candidates (from all parties) wouldn’t be allowed to run again. In the event that over 50 per cent of the country voted for Above and Beyond, there’d be a national referendum on the system in general and ‘None of the above’ would be included on ballot papers.”

What does the future hold for Thom and Drew?

Thom’s Personal crowdfunding page: www.indiegogo.

Ballot Paper com/projects/ above-andbeyond-partySlightly left candidate-forsheffield Details about their upcoming fundraising gigs can be found at www.voteaboveandbeyond.org/ abovebeyondndash-all-youneed-to-know. html

wingers

Slightly right wingers Extreme view holders

None of the above

20

Fri day Febru ar y 20 2015 F O RG E P RESS

FO R GE PRESS Fr i day Februar y 20 2015

21

Fri day Febru ar y 20 2015 F O RG E P RESS

22

LIFESTYLE&TRAVEL Lifestyle loves

by Niki Kesharaju

Fashion Mooch Vintage It’s a change of scenery for Mooch Vintage, who have now found a new home on Division Street, next to The Frog And Parrot.

The new shop is bigger than their previous location on Westfield Terrace. The constantly refreshed stock features a wide range of eclectic vintage gems. Another addition is their ASOS marketplace website which features concessions as well for those of you who haven’t yet got the time to check out the new store. Mooch is fronted by the amazing Wayne, who once let me pick my own disco track to play in store. Not only will you find a great conversation in him, but also some personal shopper style tips.

You will leave getting your Image: Kemi Alemoru money’s worth...

fOOD

Pancakes Don’t worry if you missed Shrove Tuesday on February 17, there is always time to make yourself pancakes. Whether you like them thick and American style or thin and crepe-like, pancakes can be easily customised to make a breakfast, lunch or dinner based on the toppings you use. For a sweet option, my go-to is golden syrup and blueberries. For something a bit more exotic, try strawberries and cream with chopped almonds and pistachios. My savoury favourites are bacon and scrambled eggs inside a folded over crepe. Otherwise, a spinach and ricotta filling makes for a great lunch option. In a bid to be healthy, I tried out protein pancakes made from one scoop of protein powder, three eggs and a splash of water mixed together and poured out on Image: Niki Kesharaju the pan. They may not be exactly like regular pancakes, but they definitely make a high protein and low carb option, which means you can go crazy with the fillings!

@forgelifestyle /forgelifestyle lifestyle@forgetoday.com

Healthy alternatives to food you love W

e know how hard it can be to give up on sweet treats for comfort food, especially during exam and dissertation time. Luckily, Lifestyle writer Mojo Abidi is out to prove that healthy eating isn’t always boring. By swapping junk food for nutrious alternatives, not only will you feel more energetic, your skin, hair and even your bank account will start seeing the difference.

boost. Things like sugary cereals (which can contain more sugar than three chocolate biscuits) are not the best way to start your day. Why not ditch the overpriced cereal aisle altogether and make your own granola?

Customise it to your personal taste by adding nuts, dried fruit, coconut or berries. You can even bake it into breakfast bars for mornings on-the-go.

Toast is another easy option.

Try topping brown bread with mashed avocado and a sunnyside-up egg for a well-rounded breakfast.

Snacks

Image: SimpleCooking

Breakfast

They say breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Not only does it give you enough energy to get through those early morning lectures, but it gives your metabolism a major

It can be so easy to grab the nearest bar of chocolate or packet of crisps if we’re feeling peckish, but switching to healthier snacks means you can still satisfy those cravings and nibble guilt-free. Sweet potato wedges are a high-fibre alternative to classic fatty chips, and taste just as good. They even count as one of your five a day. If you have got a sweet tooth and tend to crave cookies or cakes, there are tons of recipes online

Lunch

A healthy lunch does not always mean a basic salad. Forget the Super Noodles and go for soba noodles instead. Soba noodles are low in calories and high in fibre. They can be eaten hot or cold and are easily stored in the fridge to be eaten the next day.

Frittatas are also a healthy lunch idea, similar to a quiche, yet easier to make and can be filled with a range of ingredients. For a healthier alternative to sweet and sour pork, why not try sweet and sour broccoli with a handfull of cashew nuts, sesame seeds and sliced green scallions.

Best of all, it only takes a few minutes to throw together.

Image: SimpleCooking

Dinner Healthy dinner recipes do not have to be tasteless. Pasta may be your go-to dinner, but have you tried carrot pasta? Use a vegetable peeler to make ribbons out of carrots and cook them for 4-5 minutes. Then you can add a sauce of your choice such as bolognese or carbonara.

It is surprisingly satisfying, however it does lack a high carb intake. Or keep warm during the colder months with homemade lentil soup. It is packed with fibre and potassium and makes a filling and cheap meal. Try adding celery, onion and pine nuts for an extra kick.

by Mojo Abidi

Post-Valentine’s romantic getaways ♥

♥

Carly Roberts and Laura McGuinnes share their top picks for escape destinations, perfect for you and your other half without breaking the bank.

V

alentines day may be over and done with for the year, but that doesn’t mean all romance should completely go out of the window. Ideal for a romantic mid-March weekend away or even a week off during the Easter holidays, escape the hectic life of essays and lectures and relax in the beautiful countryside. We give you the details of three perfect countryside locations in the United Kingdom for those couples looking for a peaceful trip away.

Climb the sacred mountain Croagh Patrick for a birdseye view of this beautiful country. Or if you’re not feeling the 764 metre climb, you can still visit the famous landmark and have a cup of coffee in the café instead with much less energy required.

Book your flights in advance to Knock Airport for as little as £29 and bag yourself a cozy cottage that suits your budget. The Holiday Lettings website (http://www. holidaylettings.co.uk/) has numerous cottages starting from just £28 a night.

Image: TripAdvisor

Northumberland

Travel

Expedia Secret Saver Hotels Here’s a pro-trip for all you savvy holidayers already planning your Easter getaways abroad. Use the Expedia Secret Saver Hotels deal to find yourself a cheaper hotel. I first discovered this upon booking a holiday to Amsterdam for New Year’s. Hostels worked out almost as expensive as hotels for peak holiday times. By using the Secret Saver Hotels deal, you essentially pick a particular area of the city you are going to. You then get placed in any hotel within that area.

However, the catch is that you don’t find out which hotel you are placed in until after you pay for it. It’s definitely worth the risk, as hotel prices are heavily discounted through the deal, but make sure you do your research on the various areas beforehand and see if it suits your travel plans.

Image: Wikimedia

for ‘better-for-you’ versions. Do not be intimidated by unusual recipes; why not give black bean avocado brownies or pumpkin chocolate- chip cookies a go?

Crisps are my personal weakness and can be easily replaced with courgette crisps. Another tasty substitute are edamame beans as they require no cooking skills and are quick to make in your microwave.

Image: Flickr

IRELAND Looking to escape the industrial Steel City for the peaceful countryside? Branch out to the West of Ireland, Westport in Co. Mayo. Here you can relax in your own idyllic seafront cottage, take time to explore the countryside and experience the local pubs.

Or fancy something a little more lively? Head into Westport town and immerse yourself in the mighty Irish culture. Eat some hearty Irish stew in The Clock Tavern, dance to live Ceilidh music at Matt Molloy’s pub, whilst drinking a pint of Guinness of course.

Fill your days by exploring the stunning local beaches such as Bertra and Olde Head, which are just two of the many picturesque locations. Take long strolls along the strand or even partake in water sports if you are feeling adventurous.

Northumberland is a secluded escape from the hustle and bustle of working life. It’s a place that doesn’t spring to mind at first, but is a sublime retreat for you and your partner to unwind. The county of Northumberland offers copious serene walks along the long stretch of sandy beaches, and a variety of traditional cottages for that rural feeling.

Home to the ancient kings of Northumbria, Bamburgh Castle sits on the coast of Bamburgh overlooking the shoreline. This glorious building is renowned for offering couples a snippet of history. Or, if you’re more of a hiker, the infamous Hadrian’s Wall which runs between Newcastle-Upon-Tyne and Carlise offers breathtaking panoramic views for all weather occasions.

Cottages in the quaint village of Belford, which is only one hour away from Newcastle and a close distance to Berwick-on-Tweed’s train station, range from just £50 per night.

Cotswolds

A typically English setting covering almost five counties, the Cotswolds has a lot to offer with its rolling hills and attractive views.

From open log fire pubs to roads dominated by 4x4s, the county of Gloucestershire in particular has a lot to offer to couples, old and new.

Situated in the remote village of Great Rissington is a 300 year old eatery and inn with a contemporary feel. The Lamb Inn offers fine dining and a comfortable overnight stay in the heart of England.

Take a small trip to a neighbouring village, Bourton-on-the-Water, famous for its picturesque high street and low arched stone bridges, which the river Wildrush flows beneath. This is the perfect treat for you and your other half to wind down after a long week of lectures and deadlines.

Image: Carly Roberts

Rooms at The Lamb Inn, for a limited time only range from £59 and above Sunday Friday. This deal includes bed and breakfast within the month of February.

FO R GE PRESS Fr i d ay Feb ruar y 20 2015

23

@forgelifestyle /forgelifestyle lifestyle@forgetoday.com

LIFESTYLE&TRAVEL

Society Spotlight : Beekeeping Society

Looking to do something fun and alternative with your spare time? Josh Barnes and Will Shaw showcase the Beekeeping Society and tell us why you should ditch the sports shoes for this unique and tasty hobby.

The University of Sheffield Beekeeping Society are the latest new team buzzing around campus. If you are interested in taking care of our beautiful planet, some lovely cuddly bees or have a keen taste for honey then this is the society for you.

Albert Einstein once said “If the bee disappeared off the surface of the globe then man would only have four years of life left.

No more bees, no more pollination, no more plants, no more animals, no more man.” You

can help make a difference and possibly even save mankind, if we were to listen to Einstein. With three hives in Endcliffe Village you can help take care of the bees, wear a body protector suit and harvest lots of lovely honey to eat. Not only this, but you can enjoy your beekeeping while basking in the knowledge that you are contributing to a healthy local environment.

You even have a bit more time to do your warm up stretches before diving right in to the business end of honey collecting, as the bees are currently hibernating. Beekeepers predict that they won’t re-emerge until late March but, as the old adage goes, you never can tell with bees. However, rest assured that when they do finally arise from their long sleep, honey harvesting, jarring, mead brewing and candle making will commence, much to our and hopefully your enjoyment.

It is not purely all about spending time at the hives though. Socials take place throughout the year down the pub where there will be honey to taste, bread to spread it on and maybe even condensed milk to wash it all

Fashion

Akin Lisk-Carew Sixth year, Architecture Wearing: Top from a charity shop, his mum’s scarf, trousers from Zara and shoes from Topman.

down if you, like Winnie the Pooh, enjoy indulging in more sweetness than you probably should.

The Beekeeping Society’s Committee are a welcoming and enthusiastic bunch.

They regularly post exciting opportunities within the beekeeping and environmental community for members to explore, alongside a healthy portion of bee related banter on the members’ Facebook page.

They are a mixture of experts who have been tending bees for years and beginners who

helped to create the fledgling society.

If this all sounds like your cup of tea, simply join the Sheffield Beekeeping Society Facebook page and ask to be added to the emailing list.

In the meantime, why not purchase a jar of our very own honey which will soon be available in the Students’ Union. So don’t be a wasp; grab a mead, come down and join the beekeepers. We’ll be-keeping an eye out for you at the hives.

All images: Jodi B

Concourse couture

Sophia Kelleher Sixth year, Architecture Wearing: Skirt from a charity shop, grandmother’s coat, top from Topshop and shoes from Urban Outfitters.

by Mared Gruffydd

Iago Thomas Second year, Ecology and conservation Wearing: Trousers and jacket from a charity shop and all other clothing were presents.

Olivia Rowles First year, French Wearing: Jeans from Topshop, shoes and bag from Schuh, scarf from New Look and coat from Urban Outfitters.

24

Fri day Febru ar y 20 2015 F O RG E P RESS

LIFESTYLE&TRAVEL

@forgelifestyle /forgelifestyle lifestyle@forgetoday.com

House of Sheldonhall

With London Fashion Week coming up towards the end of February, Lifestyle writer Eve Betts speaks to Steven Sheldon and Emma Hall, the creative forces behind Sheffield-based brand ‘House of Sheldonhall’ who are revealing their 2015 collection at fashion’s biggest event.

Within fashion, the name House of Sheldonhall gives the impression of a designer based in a glamorous eighteenth century building, complete with glowing chandeliers, white pillars and a servant on every floor. The reality is quite different.

“You’ll have to excuse the mess,” Emma says, kicking a pile of jumbled fabrics under the desk with a slippered toe. “It’s more of a free-for-all work space than it is a presentable studio!”

But there’s pride in her voice as she gestures to the delicately sketched models pinned to the walls and the mannequins draped in flowing emerald fabric.

“It doesn’t seem like much, but it’s perfect for us.”

Like something out of a made-for-TV movie, best friends Steven Sheldon and Emma Hall have been crafting and creating couture fashion from a tiny Hillsborough attic for seven years.

Having met at the University of Huddersfield in 2006, both studying a degree in costumes and textiles, the pair decided to follow their shared passion and pursue a career in fashion.

“It didn’t start out particularly well,” Steven says with a wry smile.

“I started an internship at Burberry Prorsum in London straight after graduating. It was a lot less fun than you’d imagine. A lot of paperwork and admin, though it was fascinating to get a glimpse behind the scenes of a huge fashion brand like Burberry.

“The problem was I love making and designing clothes - I need to be in amongst the fabrics, deciding and choosing what works best. And the London living prices were just too high. So I moved back to Hillsborough to live with Emma after a few months and got a job in a fabric shop.”

Six months later, with Emma working at a solicitors and Steven itching to go back to what he loved, they decided it was time to take a risk.

They converted Emma’s attic to bare floorboards, white washed walls, scrimped and saved for mannequins, fabrics, threads and sewing machines and House of Sheldonhall was born.

“In all honesty, it was a real shock to the system after we graduated,” Steven said. “There was no after-care for students and we weren’t sure where to start out. Although we both studied costume design we didn’t want to go into it. There’s no glamour involved, it’s all glue guns and deadlines.”

“My passion is in designing contemporary, unique pieces and that wasn’t really what we were trained for. I had a rough time during some of our course. I had to be reined in a lot creatively. It’s so refreshing and exciting to finally be doing what we’ve wanted to all along.”

“...it was a real shock to the system after we graduated...”

Since then, they’ve been creating ripples in the fashion world, with magazines and stylists ringing them daily for pieces to use.

Their clothes have just been published in A Magazine and HUF Magazine in London. The previous week, Alesha Dixon’s stylists had called and requested one of their pieces for her to wear in a photo shoot.

“It’s incredibly exciting to get this kind of response,” Steven says.

“So far actually, we haven’t had any negative criticism. But I’m anxious for us to get even bigger.”

“We’re content though with what we’ve achieved so far,” Emma says.

“I won’t be content until we’re on the cover of Vogue,” Steven

insists stubbornly and they both laugh.

Although both Emma and Steve both work part-time to fund House of Sheldonhall, their mornings, evenings and weekends are spent pouring over fabrics, sketching and more often than not, arguing.

“We do fall out a lot over silly things,” Emma laughs.

“I won’t be content until we’re on the cover of Vogue.”

“Whether it’s a disagreement over what colour to use or which hem should go where, we make up afterwards.

“We do this out of love. We love what we’re doing even when it’s hard. We do work well together. We were together through university and helped each other through all sorts of struggles.

“You need to work with someone who makes you better and who you can bounce off and disagree with. Sometimes!”

The attic walls display a menagerie of rough drawings in Steven’s distinct water colour hand, splashes of colour amongst the asymmetric shapes and patterns. The floors are strewn with threads and pots of sequins and beads are piled high on the shelves.

Steven’s award-winning designs are framed around the room. He claimed the prestigious Hand and Lock award in 2014. This coming February, House of Sheldonhall will be revealing their 2015 collection at London Fashion Week as part of their prize, the designs of which they’re keeping determinedly secret.

“We’re keeping everything quiet,” Steven says. “This new collection is so much bigger and more daring than our last that it’s going to be a huge statement when we reveal it.

“Our family and friends have been so supportive of us doing this. We drive our partners crazy with the amount of time we spend in this attic. My nan left me some money when she died a few years ago. It’s paid for a lot of our equipment and I would have loved for her to have seen what we’ve achieved.”

But what Emma and Steven want most of all is to give up their day jobs and make enough money to design and create beautiful fashion all day, everyday.

2015 is looking bigger and brighter for House of Sheldonhall, with their walk at London Fashion Week looming in the New Year and interest mounting from designers to stylists every day.

“Slowly but surely, we’re getting there,” Steven says. “Really, it’s only the beginning. I can’t imagine doing anything else.”

“Yes, we’d just be two fat friends watching TV and eating pizza otherwise!” Emma laughs.

Two friends, from a tiny hidden attic in Hillsborough with a fresh and fashionable future ahead of them.

It’s only up from here.

Image : Jill Davies Photography

FO R GE PRESS Fr i d ay Feb ruar y 20 2015

25

@forgelifestyle /forgelifestyle lifestyle@forgetoday.com

LIFESTYLE&TRAVEL Guide to Scandinavia

Travel Lifestyle writer Jay Harrison, gives you a comprehensive guide to his personal highlights from some of Scandinavia’s biggest cities, which include a fusion of food, nightlife, history and culture.

Denmark: Christiania When you think Denmark, you think Copenhagen. If you do find yourself in the Danish capital any time soon, make sure you visit the spectacular Christiania neighbourhood. Located near the centre of Copenhagen, the neighbourhood is a thriving alternative mixture of houses, art galleries, and organic eateries with a charming relationship with nature.

Here you can soak up the culture on a Pedersen Bicycle rented from the Christiania Cykler, the only place in Scandinavia you can find these rare treasures.

Visit the Grey Hall, the largest c o n c e r t

By Jay Harrison

venue in the neighbourhood, for an evening of chilled local bands or more hardcore rave experiences.

Finally, be sure to visit Morgenstedet, a unique organic and vegetarian eatery over twenty years old, built on a foundation of collectivism and run by a voluntary workforce.

Finland: Helsinki

Being the capital of Finland, Helsinki is nothing short of spectacular. A real cultural hub, there is plenty to do for those bitten by the culture bug. Visit the National Museum of Finland, which illustrates the rich and diverse history of Finland from the prehistoric times until the present, or visit the City Museum of Helsinki for an immersion into the unique art, photography and cinema of the area.

For those who lead with their stomachs, try out the continental cuisine in the restaurant Ask, serving locally sourced food in an untraditional way. Coffee house Ragetta is also a top place to eat, a small café located on the seashore which offers stunning oceanic views in the summer and beautiful views of the surrounding frozen lakes in the winter.

Finally there’s Ragu, a hybrid ItalianScandinavian restaurant, which delivers a surprise five course menu that changes every single day and includes a wine package to match.

Lifestyle reviews...

Got a sweet tooth? Lifestyle writer Kate Brown tells us about her favourite Sheffield spot to wind down after a day of lectures.

Fancie is a locally owned restaurant/bar/café/bakery located on Ecclesall Road in Sheffield, which is within walking distance of most student areas. Whether you are looking for something to cure your hangover from the night before, a nice place to go out for dinner or a location to meet up with a few friends for some drinks, Fancie is the perfect place to go.

Brunch is served from 9am until 5pm for those who like a lie in, and the menu includes a range of food varying from your standard full English, to savoury omelettes, to stacks of pancakes covered in maple syrup and bacon.

The evening menu is available from 5pm until 9pm and is equally versatile.

This menu includes meals such as burgers, fishcakes, or a chicken salad for those who are looking for a slightly lighter meal.

The first time I stumbled upon Fancie was on a bitterly cold day after running various errands, and I just wanted somewhere to warm up. The words ‘cocktail’ and ‘cupcake’ particularly stood out, so my friend and I thought we would try it out. For £3.50, I had one of the best bacon sandwiches I had ever tasted. The freshly baked bread from their own bakery located upstairs added to the homemade heartiness. This was one of the slightly cheaper options on the brunch menu and the food on average is about £5-£6. The evening meals are more expensive, averaging at around £5 for a starter and £10 for a main, but the food is delicious and the quality is certainly worth the price.

Fancie pride themselves on their cupcakes, which again are homemade in the bakery upstairs. With plenty of flavours on offer, including red velvet, salted caramel and chocolate

Sweden: Drottningholm For those planning to visit Sweden, Drottningholm Palace is a must see. The fairy tale World Heritage palace is located on the Island of Lovo, which is roughly a 45 minute boat journey from Stockholm. The site is beautiful and packed with history, with picturesque gardens and stunning bronze statues claimed as war trophies from Bohemia and Denmark. The Chinese Pavilion dating back to the late 18th century also houses a theatre, still used to this day for performances in the summer, and a theatre museum showcasing the costumes and sets used hundreds of years ago during performances.

Norway: Oslo

Despite Norway’s drinking age varying from 18 to 27 depending on alcoholic content, Oslo has a fantastic nightlife driven by a concept we all know and love- heavy predrinking.

Brooms and Hatchets, a cocktail bar in the historic neighbourhood of Kvadraturen is a gastro-pub by day and a bottomless pit of intoxicating substances by night. It contains an on-sight microbrewery to ensure only the best ales and spirits are served, all with a Nordic twist.

The Villa is a well reputed techno club with famous and up-and-coming DJs alike frequently providing guest sets. It’s also

♥

Fancie

peanut butter, why not buy an extra one (or two) to take home with you?

There is also an extensive cocktail list, which is perfect if you are feeling sophisticated.

Or if you really feel like treating yourself, go for a cocktail and cupcake combo. If you prefer a pint to a cocktail, Fancie offers a range of draft and bottled beers.

There is basically something for everyone.

The restaurant is always packed with a fun and chatty atmosphere. As an independent cafe, it is a safe alternative to chain restaurants and is the perfect place to take your home friends or relatives when they are visiting you in the Steel City. There is also a cute outside seating area that will be nice to sit during the spring and summer months.

paired with the bar Hell’s Kitchen, claiming the best pizza in Norway. Finally, there’s Tors Hammer, which is the best option for those craving a West Street Live away from home.

Iceland: Reykjavic

Besides Reykjavic being at the centre of the Northern European party sphere, there are a few other things you can do between hangovers.

The Blue L a g o o n , despite not being located within the city, is still frequented by tourists and locals alike, boasting a naturally warm and beautifully clear set of pools where one can soak away their post-night out blues. There are also a number of whale-watching tours departing from the city between March and October. Finally, the Northern waterfront is the perfect place to walk off a hangover with its beautiful views of the resident mountain, Mount Esja, as well as offering perfect views of the sunset.

All images: Alex Barker

Lifestyle’s Recipe Corner Carrot cake

by Carly Roberts

This mouthwatering carrot cake is the ideal winter comfort food if you have an undeniable sweet tooth and miss the tastes of home cooking. As a novelty baker, I found this cake quick and easy to make and a great alternative to a heavy chocolate sponge. Not only is it cheap, for a self confessed tea-drinking enthusiast, it is also the perfect accompaniment to a warm cuppa. Mary Berry – eat your heart out!

Ingredients:

For the cake mixture: • 175g muscovado sugar • 175ml sunflower oil • 3 large eggs, lightly beaten • 140g grated carrots (3 medium) • 175g self-raising flower • 1tsp bicarbonate of soda • 1tsp ground cinnamon For the icing: • 175g icing sugar • 1-2 tbsp orange juice

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/Gas mark 4/fan 160C. Oil and line the base and sides of an 18 cm square cake tin with baking parchment.

2. Tip the sugar into a large mixing bowl, pour in the oil and add the eggs. Lightly mix with a wooden spoon. Stir in the grated carrots.

3. Mix the flour, bicarbonate of soda and cinnamon, and then sift into the bowl. Lightly stir all the ingredients, until everything is evenly mixed and looks fairly soft and almost runny.

4. Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and bake for 40-45 minutes, until it feels firm and springy when you press it in the centre. Cool in the tin for five minutes, then turn it out, peel off the paper and cool on a wire rack.

Even if it is slightly out of your way, it is definitely worth taking a trip to Fancie for some delicious hearty food and a fun atmosphere.

All images: Twitter

5. Beat together the icing ingredients in a small bowl until smooth. You want the icing about as runny as single cream. Set the cake on a serving plate and boldly drizzle over the top, letting it drip down the sides.

All images: Carly Roberts

26

Fri day Febru ar y 20 2015 F O RG E P RESS

COFFEE BREAK February 20th in History

@FPCoffeeBreak /forgepresscoffeebreak

Did you know...

1547 – Following the 1872 – The toothpick death of Henry VIII, manufacturing machine King Edward VI was was patented by Silas enthroned Noble and J.P. Cooley 1618 - Philip William, 1941 - Nazis order Prince of Orange, dies Polish Jews barred from using public 1673 – The first transportation recorded wine auction took place in London 1967 – Kurt Cobain was born 1768 – The first American chartered 1974 - Cher filed fire insurance company for separation from opens in Penn husband Sonny Bono.

Not long afterwards, 1809 - US Supreme she filed for divorce Court rules federal government power 1975 - Brian Littrell, greater than any state singer in the Backstreet Boys, was born

180 million Valentine’s Day cards are exchanged annually.

85% of Valentine’s Day cards are bought by women.

53% of women would end their relationship if they didn’t get something for Valentine’s Day. On average, 11000 children are concived on Valentine’s Day On average, 196 million roses are produced for Valentine’s Day. 73% of Valentine’s Day flowers are purchased by men, but 14% of women send themselves flowers.

Truffle Faces

PHOTOGRAPH OF

Valentine’s Day is big in Japan and the demand for personal and elaborate gifts just keeps on increasing.

Shibuya’s FabCafe in Tokyo offers a novel idea for a V-Day gift, in the form of

Print-Molded Chocolate head truffles. Much more than your average box of chocolates, this service allows you to reincarnate your beloved in chocolate form.

The Café uses a twoday workshop for new customers to learn how to scan their (and their loved one’s) heads and turn them into a workable CAD model.

These heads are then digitally cleaned up and 3D printed in plastic in order to finally create silicone head mold. The molds are then used to create personalised, head-shaped, edible chocolate truffles, just in time for Valentine’s Day. Although this might be seen as more creepy than romantic, at least you have the opportunity of eating your partner’s head if the Valentine’s Day plans turn sour. Yummy.

Dates for the Diary

Photograph: Matt Titman

We may be pleased that the snow’s finally melted, but this photograph of Western Road makes us feel rather wistful.

Word

of the fortnight:

Ninguid, adjective: 1. Snowy; covered in snow

For those who didn’t receive any roses this year, who received a card off the wrong person, or who’re just totally done with Valentine’s Day for months, Coffee Break has found some alternative festivities to embrace.

February 22nd is Walking the Dog Day! Whilst the responsible dog owner should probably be walking their dog more often than once a year, today is the day to make a special effort. If you don’t have a dog, perhaps you can find a friend who does.

February 24th is National Tortilla Chip Day! The recipe for the corn chip was brought to the U.S. from Mexico by Texas businessman Elmer Doolin, and has been rising in popularity in recent decades. Today is the day to

embrace that popularity, buy a packet of Doritos or other Tortilla Chip alternative, grab your preferred dip and eat.

February 27th is National Polar Bear Day! Polar bears are native to Alaska, Canada, Greenland, Norway and Russia, and can grow up to nine feet tall when standing. Polar bears are at risk from an increasing number of threats, including climate change.

Perhaps celebrate the world’s largest carnivore by donating to a charity dedicated to protecting these animals.

February 28th is Public Sleeping Day! Sometimes, your bed is simply too far away. Your energy bar is running low. The caffeine from your cappuccino is wearing off. Today is the day to celebrate sleeping in public. Forgo the extra shot in your coffee and embrace the public nap. The IC and lectures come highly recommended.

27

FO R GE PRESS Fr i day Februa r y 20 2015

@FPCoffeeBreak

COFFEE BREAK

/forgepresscoffeebreak

PUZZLE PAGE: SUDOKU Medium

Easy 8

6

5

7

9 4

7

6

5 2

4

1

1

1

8

9

2

1

3

8

9

9

6

3 8

2

9

5

6

7

5

4

1

4 3

1

2 3 3 6

2

8

6

9 1

4

5

3 5

5

8

5 2

7

1

9

8

7

3 4

7

6 8

Hard

2 7

5

7 1

8

7

8

6

7 9

6

4

2

4 5

1

8

7

5

9

9

9

6

3

QUOTES OF THE FORTNIGHT

“

The world is populated in the main by people who should not exist

”

George Bernard Shaw

“It’s too bad that stupidity isn’t painful” Anton Lavey

“ You can’t sweep other people off their ”

feet, if you can’t be swept off your own.

Clarence Day

DINGBATS

Dingbats are visual word puzzles from which you must identify a well-known phrase or saying.

Across:

Down:

2. The criminal act of deliberately setting fire to property. (5) 4. Legendary sword of King Arthur (9) 9. Outer garment used for ceremonial occasions (4) 10. Popular search engine (6) 11. Electronic device to play and record the predecessor to DVD (3) 12. Unlike anything else (6) 14. Feeling or showing an appreciation for something done or received (8) 18. Coloured fluid used for writing (3) 19. Effervescence (4) 20. Large bird of prey (5) 22. Mythical creature, half eagle, half lion. (7) 23. Form of exercise associated with meditation (4) 24. Lack of guile or corruption; purity (9)

1. Over the top, excessive (11) 2. Air pollution, particularly around cities(4) 5. Instead of (4) 6. Legend of Old English poetry (7) 7. To set up; part of a boat (3) 8. Clear enough to read (7) 13. Organ of hearing (3) 15. Santa’s little helper (3) 16. Medicinal tablet, for sore throats (6) 17. Rage-filled (5) 21. Winter sport (3)

1.

2.

Mail Male U P S I D E

3.

HEA DAC HE

28

Fri day Febru ar y 20 2015 F O RG E P RESS

r u o g n i n i o j f o g n i k n Thi ? m a e t GM A r o f e c a p s s i h t h ! s Watc e t a d

/forgepress @forgepress forgepress

New issues every fortnight!

Want to write for us?

.com/get-involved .com

29

FO R GE PRESS Fr i d ay Feb ruar y 20 2015

@forgesport

SPORT

/forgepress sport@forgetoday.com

Matchdebating Which is better: Rugby Union or Rugby League?

League has stuck to Union’s superior World its working class roots Cup tells a story Jack Wignall Being a Northern boy, I am going to have to stick to my roots. Rugby League is faster, more skilful, more entertaining and played by a full team of athletes. There are no slow periods in games taken up by group cuddle after group cuddle or games of piggy in the middle by the two full backs to see who can kick the highest and furthest.

Instead you find big tackle after big tackle followed by a burst of pace, power and genuine skill that results in a try.

In each and every way it is a better display of how to play rugby.

Rugby was originally one single sport not two different sports separated by different codes. There were numerous reasons that the sport ended up separating, mainly regarding pay and the class system in the late 19th century. However, one of the reasons to enforce this division was the relative success and rise of the amateur working class Northern teams against the affluent Southern teams.

Within the first 15 years of the split, 200 RFU clubs had transferred to play in the ‘new rugby revolution and the game has continued to attract recognition from varied places ever since.

This is evident with the appearance of Rugby League in an increasing amount of countries around the world.

With thirty five countries having recognised international teams and over half of them distinguishing

themselves since the turn of the millennium, it is clear that Rugby League popularity is on the up.

From Russia to Morocco and even Thailand, Rugby League is slowly becoming a globally known sport.

When the split occurred, Rugby League imposed several changes to the rules in order for the sport to become a more fast paced and entertaining game.

Instead of rucks and mauls, each tackle is ended with a play the ball to keep momentum going which means the game is faster, meaning each League player has to be an extraordinary athlete to keep up with the pace of the game. In the second half of the 20th century, a restricted number of tackles were also introduced. This particular rule differs from Rugby Union greatly, as in Rugby Union there can be an infinite number of phases in a team’s attacking play but the introduction of limited tackles in Rugby League has enabled the reduction of time wasting by teams. As well as this it invites more innovative and exciting attacking plays as the limited amount of tackles and time for attacking players to score from means more creativity and skill is needed to score. It places more emphasis on inventive attacking sets instead of pointless kicking for territory that would be seen in Union and creates a better spectacle for all involved, especially the supporters.

This is a view shared by former England Rugby League captain Jamie Peacock. In a Radio

Times interview at the end of 2014 he described League as harder, better, faster and stronger than Union. He also went on to say that it is no surprise that Union teams try and ‘poach the best league players’ as they are ‘the best rugby players in the world’.

The introduction of Super League in 1996 brought with it more appreciation by a larger audience and increased popularity of the sport.

The decision to move the sport from a winter game to a summer one was based around Rupert Murdoch’s attempt to gain advantage in the battle for broadcasting supremacy. But it also allows the game to be played and watched in better conditions.

Think about it.

Would you rather watch a game played in a mud bath with plenty of mistakes that has no ebb and flow to it? Or would you rather watch a fast paced, highly charged physical encounter packed with skill, in the glorious sunshine? I know what I would choose.

With the changes and the rise of the sport, Rugby League has not failed in remembering its ancestry, keeping a tight hold of the core values of its working man founders. Grit.

Determination. Resolve.

All are features that resemble the sport, its origin and the great men and women who play it.

Anthony Phillips The debate over rugby codes has been a conversation long heard throughout Britain’s pubs, especially two weekends ago when Rugby Union’s Six Nations Championship kicked off on the same weekend as Rugby League’s Super League.

Both codes are incredibly popular in the UK, with League and Union’s World Cups being held on these shores within two years of each other. Internationally speaking, the Rugby Union World Cup is a much bigger affair than the one held by League.

This is evidenced by the 2013 Rugby League World Cup, which had 14 teams, but realistically only three nations had a chance of winning: England, Australia and New Zealand. The break-up of the Great British

international side has hindered League’s success closer to home with Scotland, Ireland and Wales not having the infrastructure or leagues in place to harbour international development.

As a result the rest of the World Cup was filled out by small Pacific islands and European nations in which Union is the much bigger code, such as France and Italy. Therefore the contests between these three nations and the rest were hilariously lopsided with Australia cruising to the final by winning their quarter and semi-finals 62-0 and 64-0 respectively.

The 2015 Rugby Union World Cup, to be held in Britain, has 20 teams, six more than League. The competition will feature a number of teams that could well challenge for the title. Wales, England, Ireland, France, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand and Argentina have realistic shots of progressing to the final. This increase in competitive sides no doubt will make the games much more interesting and will provide a much better spectacle overall then the lopsided domination found in League. Such a lack of competition means that until League is able to match Union on an international stage, Union continues to be the much better code both physically and commercially.

In terms of national infrastructure, it is evident that League has a much better grounding, with the Super League often being presented as Rugby’s T20 compared to the traditional Test-like format that is the Premiership. However League has failed to expand geographically

Forge Sport awards

Lesley Vainikolo, who has played both Rugby Union and Rugby League

with Wales’ only Super League team, the Crusaders, being a failed experiment alongside the London Broncos while the Union’s European Championship continues to grow and grow. The lack of a professional league in the other UK nations continues to be an issue, while the Pro 12 in Union is extremely competitive for international development.

Union is more of a tactical game than its free flowing sister: it becomes a battle of attrition as teams battle for the ball in the lineout and in contested scrums, something League has done away with. Union for many league fans is boring, because they simply can’t comprehend the skill set that is required by backs and forwards to ruck, maul and scrummage. Many point to League’s attacking game, but that is merely due to teams having two fewer players than Union and it is often noted that many of League’s tries come from a kick into the corner during their last attack before the ball is turned over. Union, on the other hand, is like a crescendo as the forwards move through the phases before a quick hand off to a pacy back to run in for the try.

In conclusion, Union is by far the better code. Internationally it has more success and commercialisation despite its recent switch from amateur to professional.

Secondly it’s a more tactical game, and thirdly a number of League’s best players such as Sam Burgess and Lesley Vainikolo continue to switch codes in order to play for England, thus ultimately highlighting the dominance of Union.

Photo: Wikipedia Commons

Forge Sport editor Ed McCosh chooses his heroes and villains of the week A.P McCoy

üü

The horse racing legend will retire after he has secured his twentieth jump jockey championship in succession this summer.

Afghanistan

ü

Despite a heavy 105 run defeat against Bangladesh, just reaching the Cricket World Cup is a magnificent achievement for war-torn Afghanistan.

Glen Jackson

û

Scotland were chasing the game in their Six Nations match against Wales and could have had the chance to snatch a draw but referee Jackson called time early to consign the Scots to a 26-23 defeat.

Chelsea

ûû

A small section of Chelsea fans caused outrage as the club were embroiled in a racism scandal...yet again.

30

Fri day Febru ar y 20 2015 F O RG E P RESS

@ForgePressSport

SPORT

/ForgePressSport sport@forgetoday.com

Sports personality of the week

Forge Sport’s Tom Pyman met snowboarding’s Alex Kennedy for an interview How would you describe snowboarding for those who are unfamiliar with it?

If you’re unfamiliar with snowboarding, in simple terms it is going down a snow covered mountain with a snowboard attached to your feet. Snowboarding can be done in various places and takes up different forms depending of the terrain. For example freestyle, backcountry and street snowboarding.

How important do you think the last Winter Olympics, and the success of British athletes, has been in terms of raising the profile of winter sport?

I think the last Winter Olympics in Sochi and the success of British athletes has been very important in terms of raising the profile of winter sport.

The whole event was publicised a lot, which I think was very good in terms of attracting new people to the sport. This year as a club we have had a massive increase in interest, not only from people who already snowboard, but also huge numbers of people wanting to learn. Whether or not this is down to the Winter Olympics I don’t know, but it probably is. The success of our athletes is brilliant as it gives people someone to look up to in the sport. It also helps raise the profile of the sport in the UK. A lot of our athletes took their first lessons in the Sheffield ski village, which unfortunately has been burned down. But on

the back of the Winter Olympics there has been a lot of work and petitioning to try and relaunch the ski village.

How long have you personally been involved in snowboading?

I’ve been involved in winter sports for seven years now. I started learning in order to go on the ski trips at school.

Me and my friends wanted to start snowboarding but were not allowed to do it during the holidays because no teachers did, so I learnt to ski instead and did that for the next five years. Then when I got to university I decided

“This year Varsity couldn’t have gone better as we came away with a 5-0 win” I wanted to start snowboarding and it has been my life since then.

What aspects of the sport do

you enjoy most?

I enjoy all aspects of the sport but I enjoy freestyle the most.

Ever since I got into extreme sports I’ve loved the challenge of learning new tricks and pushing myself to improve. The feeling when I’ve just landed a new trick and am full of adrenaline can’t be beaten! It’s also just the feeling I get when I’m standing at the top of a mountain with my friends looking over at the whole mountain range. It’s awesome.

H o w m u c h interaction do you have with other winter sports teams?

As the snowboard club, we have a lot of interaction with the ski club as we are very similar sports and we do a lot of activities together.

What do you enjoy m o s t a b o u t being part of a university sports club?

I enjoy the fact that you can do what you love with some of your best friends, who love it as much as you. I believe that

the snowboard club (SUSC) is very different from most university sports clubs though.

Everyone is very close and knows everyone well. We’re just like one big snowboarding family and it’s great! We get a lot of older members who graduated years ago coming back for the holidays and some socials and to our trips to the local snowdome, which I think says something about SUSC as this doesn’t really happen in many other clubs.

How important are events like Winter Varsity in terms of maximizing exposure and interest for the club?

I think that events like Winter Varsity are really important for maximising interest and exposure for the club...especially when we win 5-0! Now that it’s being held during our January holiday it makes for a really exciting and massive event to be part of! Each year we do it, it gets bigger and better, and video footage from the holiday (the main holiday edit should be released fairly soon) is a very good way of showing everyone how much fun we have, which then encourages more people to get involved. Everyone loves a good bit of competition and Winter

Seagulls stifle Owls in stalemate Football Championship Sheffield Wednesday Wigan Athletic

2 1

Ed McCosh Fifty Shades of Grey may have been the talk of the nation at the weekend, but there was only one shade of Gray at Hillsborough on Saturday and all Sheffield Wednesday manager Stuart wishes to be tied down to is a new contract as his future under new owner Dejphon Chansiri remains unclear. After this showing against Brighton & Hove Albion that extended Wednesday’s winless run to six games, Gray’s concerns are unlikely to be alleviated soon.

Critics who panned Fifty Shades labelled it dour and uninspiring, adding that it failed to get going and left viewers dissatisfied.

Had the same critics been at Hillsborough on Saturday, they would have most likely levied the same claims against the Owls’ uninspiring stalemate with Brighton.

The match in fact began with a bang; Sam Baldock, played in behind Wednesday left back Jeremy Helan, swept in a low cross that was almost turned into his own net by Tom Lees.

The home side retaliated immediately, with new striking duo Will Keane and Sergiu Bus combining before Brighton goalkeeper David Stockdale rushed out to deny the latter.

Unfortunately, the bright start proved to be a false dawn.

The following twenty minutes were a procession of half-chances, coupled with a personal battle between Jose Semedo and Beram Kayal, both of whom were booked.

However, a chance presented itself to the home side on the quarter hour mark. Liam Palmer’s whipped cross was headed goalwards by Bus but the January signing was denied by a splendid save by Stockdale.

The visitors, sitting just above the relegation zone, offered very little going forward, and when Rohan Ince was presented with identical opportunities at goal, both of his back post efforts sailed into the Kop. Wednesday threatened again just before half time as Keane’s header from a Charlie Lee centre was stopped by the excellent Stockdale.

Change was needed, and it was Keane who was sacrificed as Adthe Nuhiu entered the fray.

Brighton threatened first through Liverpool loanee Joao Teixeira, but soon Wednesday

were amongst the chances again.

Lee, in a much more advanced role than in the first half, flicked just wide before Nuhiu used his strength to outmuscle his marker and fire an effort past the post.

Lewis McGugan finally had an impact on the game after the hour mark with a poor shot and a free kick that had it all - perfect pace, placement and whip - but lacked a recipient.

Helan valiantly threw in a boot but his studs merely scratched the air the ball had long left behind.

As both teams tired, the opportunities to open the scoring became clearer. First Joe Bennett, unmarked in the Wednesday penalty area, blazed over.

Lee was then denied by both a perfect last-ditch block by Inigo Calderon and a save by Stockdale.

Brighton’s best chance to snatch an unlikely away victory came with fifteen minutes left. Teixeira teased Kieren Westwood out of the Wednesday goal before cutting the ball back for Bruno Saltor.

Saltor, under pressure from Wednesday defenders, could only lash the ball over the bar.

Two minutes later Baldock was played in on goal, but kicked air. Whether the Brighton striker claimed a

penalty to save his own blushes or was legitimately fouled was unclear.

It was Nuhiu who had the chance to have the final say, but given two clear-cut chances the striker failed to give the home side all three points.

First, he twisted and turned in the area, before his shot was deflected wide.

Then the impressive Helan beat three men on the left before presenting Nuhiu with a golden opportunity, which inexplicably the striker lashed well over the bar, The full-time whistle was met with boos from some and relief from others as Wednesday recorded their ninth home game without a goal.

A fourteenth clean sheet earned by a miserly defence provided scant consolation as the Championship’s least potent attack again failed to deliver.

Fifty Shades of Grey may have been the outing of choice for some people, but the 19,374 who witnessed yet another tepid Sheffield Wednesday stalemate in the biting cold were the true masochists on Valentine’s Day.

Varsity gives a lot of people a chance to take part. Especially when it comes to the freestyle events, it gives a chance for people who may not usually feel like they can compete to give it a go and have a great time in the process.

How would you assess the Winter Varsity experience as a whole?

Winter Varsity is awesome!

Now that it’s combined with the holiday it’s a week of skiing and snowboarding, competition, après and great nights out with a great group of people. Everyone can be a part of it whether they’re competing for the all important Varsity points or dressing up in all the black and gold they have and cheering everyone on. It’s a great atmosphere, everyone really gets into supporting us and there’s always a nice bit of rivalry with Hallam. This year it couldn’t have gone any better as we came away with a 5-0 win and secured the first five Varsity points for us. All of our competitors performed excellently. For those who don’t know, this year it took part over two days on the holiday; the freestyle events one afternoon and the racing the next afternoon. The holiday company NUCO helped us out a lot in the organization and both events ran seamlessly. Everyone had a great time. Bring on Winter Varsity 2016!

Netball 2s batter Beckett Netball University of Sheffield Leeds Beckett University

58 21

Sonia Twigg The University of Sheffield Netball 2s recorded a comprehensive victory over Leeds Beckett at Goodwin on Wednesday. The game started quickly, with the first goal scored by the home side after just a few passages of play. Sheffield’s lead quickly extended to four goals, with the visitors unable to muster a reply. The rest of the game was to continue in much the same fashion: once taking the lead from the outset, Sheffield never looked in danger of letting their advantage slip. The initial pace continued in a quick and fluid game despite a slightly scrappier third quarter, with many admirable passages of play from both teams. The last quarter in fact provided the highest number of goals with 16 scored by Sheffield compared to Leeds’ eight.

There were a number of standout performances for the hosts, with the result reflecting the evident dominance in both creating scoring opportunities and defending strongly from the first whistle to the last. That said however, the prolific goal scoring, at least for the majority of the game, has to be accredited to Lucy McDermott and Becca Mason as goal attack and goal shooter respectively.

31

FO R GE PRESS Fr i d ay Feb ruar y 20 2015

@ForgePressSport

SPORT

/ForgePressSport sport@forgetoday.com

Football’s birthplace... left to die?

Sheffield is the home of the world’s two oldest football clubs - but has been ignored in favour for riches at the top Joe Bamford

The English footballing community have been calling for investment into grassroots football for years and now, as the world’s two oldest football clubs bare the brunt of years of neglect, action may finally be put in motion.

Sheffield is the home of football as we know it - and also home to many of the game’s few remaining purists.

But the very foundations which football was built upon are in danger of crumbling - unless money at the very top of the English game begins to reach those struggling at the bottom.

The sense of Sheffield’s entitlement - and ultimate failure - to command a prominent position in the footballing community is astonishing when stepping out onto the snow-covered turf of Hallam FC’s Sandygate Road ground.

After all, this is the home of the world’s second oldest football club.

“Grassroots football might not survive another 10 years,” says Chris Taylor, cochairman of the Countrymen.

It seems outrageous that a club as important as Hallam, along with Sheffield FC, the world’s oldest club, may struggle to survive in the game of football - a word which is these days synonomous with money, glamour and riches.

“I think the thing that keeps us going as much as anything is what Hallam stands for. At the end of the day, it’s the second oldest club, the oldest ground... If you can’t protect that I don’t know what you can protect,” says Chris, who shares the duties of running the club with Steve Basford.

“Will non-league football exist still in ten years’ time? The answer is ‘no’,” chairman Chris says resoundedly.

Grassroots football, in its current state, is simply not sustainable.

“It’s just not - not until the money generated by the Premier League actually starts filtering down.

“But it doesn’t. It doesn’t filter its way down into the other professional divisions.

“We’ve said a number of times - even if every club at our level was gifted £5,000 by the FA at the beginning of each season, it would make a world of difference.”

As far as first-team manager Ryan Hindley is concerned, part of the problem Sheffield - and football as a whole - is where the two pioneers of the game play.

Hallam themselves are based up in Crosspool, while Sheffield - who I’ll remind you are the world’s first football club - play their football at the Coach and Horses Ground in Dronfield - which is in Derbyshire.

“I’m a big believer that Sheffield and Hallam should both share a ground in the centre of Sheffield,” says Hindley, who took over a Hallam side that had lost the

Hallam FC’s Sandygate Road - the oldest football ground in the world first 12 games of their season in October.

“Why not? Why not have the two oldest clubs in the world playing in a purposebuilt stadum?

“There’s no secret as to why we (Hallam and Sheffield) haven’t been as successful, relatively, as Sheffield United and Sheffield Wednesday.

“We’ve never won anything because we play up in Crosspool on a slope, and one plays in Derbyshire, nowhere near Sheffield city centre.

“What happens is the biggest talent in the area gets snapped up by bigger clubs.

“The two crown jewels of football in this city are hidden away, and that’s not right.”

Hindley says that the historical significance of Sandygate Road means that the ground would have to remain, as a monument to the game as a whole and as somewhere that the club’s other teams could play.

But as a city, Sheffield’s role in developing young English talent is hampered by its two most important clubs - the country’s two most important clubs, too gaining precious little recognition for the crucial role they played to the development of the modern game.

“The sad thing is, from my point of view

I think it might not be long before one of us goes under” is Hindley’s frank, and completely honest, assertion.

On the pitch, it’s a different story. Hindley himself has revitalised the playing staff at Hallam, taking them from rock bottom to mid-table, winning 10 games from 17.

And he’s an ever-ambitious man - not to mention the fact that he hates losing.

“I’d say since I’ve been here we’ve deserved to lose twice. We’ve lost five games but a few of those we’ve been unlucky in and having 17 new players since I arrived has meant there’s been quite a bedding-in period.

“But we’re starting to hit form now - I’m not a betting man, but if we could make mid-table this season we’ll have done well.

“Obviously I’m always aiming for better, and we’ve beaten the top teams in this division - so we know we can mix it with the big boys.

“As a manager you get all the plaudits but its the players who put your plans into action on the pitch, it’s the players who go out and perform, and I couldn’t have asked for more since I arrived.”

The sterling work done by the players and the management of the team on the

Photo: Wikipedia Commons pitch to maintain keep the club afloat is mirrored by that done by board members such as Basford and Taylor.

Hindley agrees.

“You cannot fault the facilities or the way the club’s run up at Hallam.

“If you look at the committee, the chairmen, the board, even the food before and after matches, it’s top notch. Everything’s done right.”

Co-chairmen Steve and Chris harbour hopes of balancing the ship at some point soon, as the club’s debt has come down in the last few years.

But Hallam, and countless other clubs like it, are not out of the woods yet. Not by a long stretch.

As you leave Sandygate Road, a slightly rusty blaque is nailed to the wall.

It reads “thank you for visiting The Oldest Football Ground in the World. Have a safe journey. The Countrymen”.

And it’s the sense of a quest, of a voyage, that leaves a lasting memory of the ground.

Football, as a sport, has come a long way in the last decade. But the grassroots game has reached a crossroads, and it may not be long before the journey ends forever.

No goals at Norton as Football 3s draw blank Football BUCS Northern 4D University of Sheffield Leeds Beckett University

0 0

Tom Pyman The University of Sheffield Men’s 3s earned a respectable point at home to league leaders Leeds Beckett in a frustrating affair at Norton.

While the match may have lacked goals, it was not short

on chances, or the kind of bite that would perhaps be more associated with the sides’ upcoming respective Varsity fixtures than a league encounter.

The hosts took a while to settle, with Leeds enjoying the lion’s share of possession in the opening exchanges.

There was a momentary scare for Sam Collins in the Sheffield goal when his clearance was closed down and blocked by the opposition forward midway through the first half, but Tom Jenkins was on hand to mop up the loose ball.

Dan Davis fashioned a chance for himself with some good footwork moments later, but his effort was straight at the keeper.

The closest either side came to breaking the deadlock in the first period was a header from a Leeds corner, cleared well off the line by Sheffield’s Gareth Michaels.

The game opened up far more in the second half, with Martin Soderstorme going close twice in quick succession for the home side.

A last ditch challenge from Greg Chappelle denied Leeds a certain goal on the hour, before Sheffield

were again let out of jail as Leeds somehow failed to convert after a goalmouth scramble.

The impressive Davis was beginning to pull the strings for the hosts, creating a good chance for Huw Atwood and then going close himself moments later.

Matt Merridew also saw his effort on 70 minutes creep agonisingly wide of the post, as Sheffield began to exert some dominance.

Their best opportunities, however, came in stoppage time.

Davis was at the start and the end of a flowing move that

deserved a goal, wriggling his way out of trouble, releasing Soderstorme and latching onto the end of his teammate’s cross with a deft flick that was somehow tipped onto the post by the Leeds keeper.

Soderstorme himself had a chance right at the death, but his half-volley was blocked as the referee brought proceedings to a close.

32

Fri day Febru ar y 20 2015 F O RG E P RESS

@ForgePressSport

SPORT

/ForgePressSport sport@forgetoday.com

Hockey men on the spot Shootout success over Scots puts men’s 1s in cup quarters following spirited comeback Men’s Hockey BUCS Hockey Trophy University of Sheffield University of Edinburgh

(Sheffield win 7-6 on penalties)

3 3

Rob Milne Sheffield Men’s Hockey 1s were victorious against the University of Edinburgh on penalties following a dramatic second half which saw Sheffield fight back to level the match at 3-3.

Following two back-to-back losses against Leeds Beckett and Manchester the men in black and gold were looking to get back on track and stay hot on the heels of Manchester at the top of the table.

The cool breeze was never going to faze the team travelling down from north of the border.

Yet, the Scottish side started the contest on the back foot, with Sheffield dictating play in the Edinburgh half. Sheffield looked to capitalise on the early pressure with their first short corner which was ultimately poorly executed.

Edinburgh lacked any options when looking to pass forward and were being given no time on the ball, with Sheffield being very quick into challenge. But against the run of play the first real chance fell to Edinburgh, who were unlucky not to turn in a quick pass along the floor, seeing their first shot of the game go well wide.

Following that first chance for the Scottish university, Sheffield were on the defensive, struggling to break out or win the ball back.

Although Sheffield managed to open the scoring as a scrum for the ball saw the ball ricochet out to a Sheffield stick, which was duly despatched to give Sheffield a 1-0 lead.

Going behind jolted Edinburgh into action, they capitalised on

this momentum as their first short corner was rifled into the bottom right corner to level up the score at 1-1.

Following the equalizer Edinburgh had control for the remainder of the first half.

Sheffield almost went behind when their goalkeeper was rounded but last ditch defensive pressure forced the Edinburgh attacker to hit the ball high over the goal. The teams went into halftime level.

The visitors were fast out the blocks in the second half and

before the home side knew what had happened they were two goals behind. A pass across the edge of the area found the open Edinburgh forward who calmly slotted home for the second goal and the third a clever turn which resulted in yet another Edinburgh goal.

Sheffield did not look shellshocked after the two quick goals and shortly hit back to make it 2-3 after a simple move which saw them two-on-one with the last line of defence.

Edinburgh began to lose

their composure and Sheffield looked to take advantage. With Sheffield’s third short corner in as many minutes the visitors lost their cool, distracted with bemoaning the referee they conceded on this third corner, the goalkeeper didn’t even see it as the ball whizzed past him.

In the dying moments a goalline clearance after the Sheffield goalkeeper was left in no man’s land saw the home side happy to go into a penalty shoot-out, after completing an incredible comeback.

A couple of crucial saves from the Sheffield goalkeeper saw them stay in the shootout before an attacker flicked their crucial penalty into the roof of the net to ignite celebrations on the Goodwin pitches.

The motivation boost from this victory should give the Sheffield team confidence to challenge Manchester at the top of the Northern 1A, continuing the push for BUCs promotion this season.

Indoor Athletics Badminton Swimming Boxing Karate Trampolining Fencing Judo Climbing Rifle

EIS Sheffield EIS Sheffield Ponds Forge Ponds Forge Ponds Forge iceSheffield Graves All Saints Climbing Works Staveley

13:00-19:10 10:30-21:00 18:00-20:00 14:00-21:00 N/A N/A 11:00-19:00

10:00-18:25 08:45-21:00 09:00-20:00 N/A 10:00-20:00 08:30-17:30 09:00-19:00 09:00-18:00 08:00-21:00 10:00-16:00

09:30-17:10 09:00-19:00 09:00-16:30 N/A 09:30-19:00 09:00-18:00 09:00-19:00 09:00-17:00 N/A 10:00-14:30

University of Sheffield’s mens’s hockey1s win a penalty shootout against Edinburgh

Photo: Chris Chadwick

BUCS Nationals Timetable Weigh-in (18:00-20:30)

N/A N/A

INSIDE:

Hallam FC . Rugby League v Rugby Union

. Netball . Football