Forge Press Issue 46

FREE Issue 46

Thursday March 29 2012

INSIDE

The independent student newspaper of the University of Sheffield. Made for students by students. Est. 1946.

COMMENT Is ‘God Save the Queen’ an appropriate modern English anthem or is it time we had a change? p.9

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LIFESTYLE

The big top and the circus have come to town and taken over the Western Bank library

In a test of what they’re made of, our editors take on The Harley’s Man vs Burger challenge p.22

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Inside Fuse.

Music speak to The Crookes, Screen’s best films, plus reviews and much more inside

Nights out could be moved to city clubs p.12-13

David Parker Students have expressed concerns over plans to move nights out away from Sheffield Students’ Union later this year while Foundry and Fusion is closed for redevelopment.

The Union has said that the majority of nights out will be moved to the Octagon Centre as the nightclub venue undergoes a major redevelopment.

But Forge Press has seen documents suggesting some nights out could be moved to clubs in town while Foundry and Fusion is out of use.

These include Corporation, O2 Academy, City Hall, Plug, DQ and the Edge.

City Hall confirmed that they had been in contact with Sheffield Students’ Union about hosting events, but did not make any further comment.

First year Architecture students Gabriela Pop and Kobenedz Alyz said they would not go to Union nights out in town as it is too far from university accommodation.

They said they would prefer a club closer to Endcliffe as more students would go.

But Nandnee Bhudia, a second year Mechanical Engineering student, said she would go to Tuesday Club if it was held at DQ. She said: “Tuesday Club at Octagon would not work, you need somewhere that is closed in.”

However, she said that it would be a shame for freshers arriving

at University next year who would have heard great things about the Union.

The Octagon Centre already hosts gigs, talks, fairs and other events throughout the year.

But the Union has said that all these events will still take place at the Octagon, as well as the majority of club nights.

The Students’ Union has also expressed concerns that it will lose money on events held at the International Food Court.

A document seen by Forge Press said: “We have significant concerns that ‘all commercial activity’ in the space will be managed by Accommodation and Commercial Services (ACS) and income returned to the University.”

The redevelopment of Foundry and Fusion is part of the multi-million pound works on University House, scheduled to begin in July this year.

This project will begin after graduation ceremonies in July have taken place.

This will be less than a year after the £5 million redevelopment of the Students’ Union was completed.

Student and staff services throughout University House will also be affected, including the Student Advice Centre, SSID, the Job Shop, the Students’ Union Shop, New Leaf and The Pool Room.

The Pool Room will be moved and redesigned less than a year after it underwent refurbishment as part of the previous Bar One redesign.

Photo: Nuru Liyana Yeo

Union fears it will lose money during University House refurb

Hallam deal knockout blow in Varsity finale

For all the results see back page and 16 page Varsity pullout.

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FORGE PRESS Thursday March 29 2012

NEWS UNIVERSITY

Senior female judge visits University Jack Billsborough Baroness Hale of Richmond, the most senior female judge in the history of the United Kingdom, praised the huge power and influence of the Supreme Court at a visit to the University of Sheffield last Friday.

In a one-hour long speech she talked about the influence of the new Supreme Court, established in 2009, and its effects on the British judicial system as a whole.

Lady Hale, also known as ‘Ms Diversity’, is widely considered as one of the greatest legal reformers of our time and is a fervent speaker on issues such as human rights, gender equality, terrorism and domestic abuse.

Speaking at the Octagon Theatre, the room in which she received her first honorary degree, Baroness Hale began by explaining the huge power and influence the Supreme Court has over Parliament, mainly through the role it plays in making sure domestic law is compatible with international law.

Lady Hale, whose father was born in Sheffield, gave details about the Supreme Court’s function as an interpreter of European Law such as the Communities Act and Human Rights Act. After the process of devolution, it now acts more like an American Federal Court, she said.

The court has recently advised Scotland to change its policy on ‘immediate questioning without representation’, a principle it has always followed, but now appears to be incompatible with European Law. However, she also made clear that the Supreme Court is not a body which reverses incorrect judicial decisions; but merely ‘advises’ High Courts on particular issues through the careful interpretation of international laws.

Photo: University of Kent/FlickR Baroness Hale.

Students and staff from city’s universities raise funds at race

Photo: Chris Kelk

Photo: Thetelf/FlickR The race saw students, staff, and Alumni run the 10-kilometre course around Don Valley Stadium.

Nicholas Carding Over 350 students from Sheffield ran a new Varsity 10 kilometre race, in a charity event designed to make students from both of Sheffield’s Universities compete against each other regardless of ability.

The Sheffield Varsity 10k was a new race organised by respective University of Sheffield and Sheffield Hallam University graduates Alison Muir and Alice Fairhall, and open to students, staff, graduates, and locals alike.

The event pledged to give all proceeds to St Luke’s Hospice, a Sheffield charity which provides help for people with incurable illnesses.

Geography graduate Muir, 27, said: “Me and Alice used to play Korfball against each other, and even now we still wanted to compete against each other.

“So we thought an event like this - where there’s no team selection, and everyone could

come together - would be fun.

“We didn’t have a clue as to how many people would turn up and do the race, to get over 400 is brilliant, and we’re delighted with the number of people who have run the race.”

The race attracted 291 University students, while there were 93 Hallam students taking part.

Premiership referee Howard Webb opened the race, and duly completed the course in just over 45 minutes.

Webb, fresh from refereeing Stoke-Manchester City the day before, said: “It was a great course because you could see your family in the stadium three times as you did the laps.

“But then you also went up one of the big hills and thought ‘I’ve got to go up here two more times.’

“I thought it would be a nice recovery run after doing the premiership match yesterday, but once I got started I got very competitive and tried to get

matt.burgess@forgetoday.com

Matt Burgess

DEPUTY EDITOR Nicole Hernandez Froio MANAGING EDITOR Mikey Smith WEB EDITOR Ben Williams FUSE EDITORS fuse@forgetoday.com James Garrett Rachel Dixon

PICTURE EDITOR Adam Harley NEWS news@forgetoday.com Nicholas Carding Katie Davies David Parker COMMENT comment@forgetoday.com Hannah Frost Tom Geddes LETTERS letters@forgetoday.com Holly Wilkinson

FEATURES features@forgetoday.com Lauren Clarke Rebecca Cooke Jonathan Robinson LIFESTYLE AND TRAVEL lifestyle@forgetoday.com Ina Fischer Fay Guest Laura Davies SPORT sport@forgetoday.com Jack Burnett Adam Hancock Anthony Hart

and I’m going to give it to the British Heart Foundation. I lost a close friend last year to heart disease.”

The race was won by University of Sheffield graduate Joel Stevens, who won the race in just over 34 minutes.

Stevens said: “It was good fun, I loved every moment of it. It was surprisingly hilly in some parts, although I think I tackled them alright. I’ve trained in the Peaks so I’m used to going up massive hills.

“I didn’t really know what to expect, a friend told me about the race so I thought I’d come along and do it.

“It’s always good to represent University, and always fun to beat Hallam.”

Despite University winning both the male and female classes, Hallam won the overall competition with an average time 18 seconds faster than University.

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EDITOR

Photo: Thom Arnold. Inset: Howard Webb.

round as fast as I could.

“I’ve got to say, the response from University was way stronger than Hallam’s.”

Webb also refereed Wednesday’s football Varsity final at Hillsborough.

Many of the runners managed to raise over £100 for different charities while others were happy to complete the course in the blazing heat.

Garreth King, an Archaeology graduate, said: “It was shattering, I was so close to throwing up.

When I was halfway round the course I got cramp as well.

“I’ve been raising money for the MacMillan Cancer charity after my aunt died. I’ve raised over £100 and will try and do more things like this in the future.”

Barbara Bradshaw, who works in Marketing at Sheffield Hallam University, said: “It was fantastic. I entered for the running side really.

“I raised a bit of money, mainly from parents and close friends,

MUSIC music@forgetoday.com Sam Bolton Coral Williamson

ARTS arts@forgetoday.com Tim Wood Rowan Ramsden

GAMES games@forgetoday.com Arnold Bennett Ellen Jurczak

COPY EDITORS Olivia Adams Hamilton Jones Kristin McIntosh Alisha Rouse Melanie Sisson Lianne Williams

SCREEN screen@forgetoday.com Tom Fletcher Tom Wardak

Forge Press is printed on 100% recycled paper

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

Photo: Mark McKay

FORGE PRESS Thursday March 29 2012

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UNIVERSITY NEWS

‘Untrained, under-equipped and soulless: my student finance hell’ Katie Davies A first year Architecture student has spoken about his ordeal after an error by Student Finance England left him to survive his first four months at University on a budget of just £250.

Louis, originally from London, was left without any funding except an emergency loan provided by the University.

“I am from a low income familymy dad is disabled and mum is deceased,” he said. “I had no other source of finance and no one to bail me out. I applied for student finance way before the deadline.

“After sending my forms, I phoned to confirm receipt and they said that it was fine.

“A week before I left to go to University, I phoned Student Finance again. They told me they had no record of my application and processing a new one would take three weeks.”

“Eight weeks later and I still had no money. I had been phoning student finance every Thursday and Friday for hours at a time. Each time I was told I would need to wait.

“Then, I was told that there is apparently a problem with my national insurance numberbut after checking with the Department of Work and Pensions, I was told that there was no problem and they could see no reason for the confusion. I had to wait a further three weeks.

“At this point, I had been almost starving for months, only living off the £250 loan the university offered me.

“I was getting letters from the accommodation sector of the University weekly demanding rent payment and threatening me with gross fines. Alongside this, I was studying Architecture, one of the most time consuming and expensive degree courses in the university.

“Whilst the other students were partying, I was at home wishing I had enough money for toilet paper, and wishing I had family that could help. It’s a situation Student Finance and the majority of students may never understand.

“By Christmas, I didn’t have enough money to get home.

“I spent my holiday on the phone to Student Finance.

Finally, someone noticed a small error which was stopping the application from going through.

The advisor fixed it, saying that it was a minor error and they couldn’t understand why no one had spotted it.

“I had a hellish first four months of university because of the untrained, under-equipped and over bureaucratic, soulless machines in Student Finance offices.

“Not one of them put the effort in to find out the problem. All of the workers in Student Finance England see their job as the

What’s on your mind?

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responsibility of someone else within the organisation.

“They don’t see the human behind the red tape. I know there are many others up and down the country who feel the same.”

Students’ Union Welfare Officer, Mat Denton, has described Louis’ ordeal as increasingly common among ‘nontypical’ students in the Student Finance system - and with fees being raised to £9,000, he believes that things will only get worse.

“Essentially, the issues that we have found with Student Finance England are that with ‘nontypical’ students, they struggle enormously to handle their cases,” said Denton.

“These students are frequently

the ones who are most in need of financial support, and have their funding severely delayed.”

“The proportion of applications that were dealt with on time has increased, from 73 per cent last year to 83 per cent this year.

“However, the number of complaints has consistently risen, from 1,431 in 09/10, 3,653 in 10/11 and 4,122 by January for 11/12 year.

“I think this demonstrates that SFE is able to get the ‘typical’ students right, but is getting worse and worse at handling the ‘nontypical’ students mentioned above, leading to an increase in complaints for a smaller number of people.

“They don’t have plans in place for when fees go up to £9,000 next year, and they are not going to be able to cope. They’re not coping now.”

At the Students’ Union Advice Centre, funding queries have risen from 1,800 in 2009/10 to 2,306 in 2010/11.

Mark Cassidy, Head of Processing at the Student Loans Company said: “Some applications can be processed very quickly, even within 24 hours.

“However, if cases are more complex, some may take from 6-8 weeks depending on the complexity of the family circumstances and the time taken for applicants and their sponsors to return the requested evidence to us.

“We are on track to deliver a good service to customers this year.”

Student Finance: The Facts  The Students Loan company was first formed 1990 and gave extra help with living costs for 180,200 students.  In 1990, the average Student Finance loan was £320, and was given to of 28 per cent of students.  Tuition fees were first introduced in 1998, charging students £1,000.  Fees rose again in 2005 to £3,000, £3,290 in 2010, and will be reaching £9,000 next year.  SFE also provide tuition loans for EU students, although they are not eligible for a maintenance loan.  Universities can still give students extra bursaries and grants on top of what they are entitled to receive from Student Finance.  An investigation by journalists in early 2012 found that Chief Executive of the Student Loans Company, Ed Lester, was having his salary through a private company in order to reduce the amount of tax he would have to pay. Following the findings, the Students Loan Company pledged that Lester’s salary would be taxed correctly in the future.

NUS President outraged as University places slashed David Parker The National Union of Students (NUS) has criticised the Government after it slashed the number of university places available next year.

10,000 more students will miss out on a place after the coalition government reversed a decision

by Labour to increase the number of places to accommodate the huge increase in demand.

The previous government said they would fund 20,000 more places for next year to cope with a 16.5 per cent increase in demand.

But the coalition government has said that only 10,000 more places will be available as a result of deep cuts to public spending.

NUS President Liam Burns said: “The Government must come clean on their plans for higher education.

“Universities and students are left trying to pick through occasional trickles of information such as this looking for some clue about their futures.

“Ministers claimed marketising higher education would offer students more choice but slashed budgets, bigger debts and thousands of fewer places show that the experiment has already failed.

“To avoid denying a generation the opportunity to gain a foothold in society this government must urgently change direction and invest in our futures.”

Forge in Brief Future of English under scrutiny The University of Sheffield has organised a European-wide project to examine the future of the English language and how it dominates the world.

Academics from all over Europe will research how English is seen by other countries and how other languages are fighting against its dominance.

Principal Investigator Professor Linn said: “For a long time English was generally seen as a good thing, something which only brought benefits.

“However, throughout Europe there is a rapidly growing concern that even well established languages like French or Danish are increasingly losing out to English.

“People see English as a threat to the national languages of Europe and even as a threat to national cultures and identities.”

The project will also seek to address how nations can maintain identity and culture through language in today’s global environment.

Emma Robinson

Broadband now at high speed The number of homes in Sheffield with access to highspeed broadband is to increase, following BT’s latest rollout programme in the city.

Over 40,000 homes and businesses in Sharrow and Wadsley Bridge will benefit from the scheme, which is branching out to include more residential areas.

BT’s expansion will increase the total number of Sheffield homes and businesses with the high-speed technology to 157,000.

Jonathan Robinson

Atheletes given funding boost The University of Sheffield presented talented student athletes with scholarships last week to help them reach their sporting potential.

Dan Walker, presenter of BBC’s Football Focus and Sheffield alumnus, awarded 31 students the Elite Sport Performance Scheme (ESPS) scholarship for their ambitions both sporting and academic.

Great Britain hockey player and Economics student Hollie Webb was awarded a scholarship.

She plays for a nearby club and the University team and has to train several times a week on top of her studies.

She said: “Without the scholarship I wouldn’t be able to play at the level I am and do well at University, so it’s helping me to reach my goals.”

Emma Robinson

NUS President Liam Burns has criticised the Government’s decision

Photo: Mark Sheffield Alumnus Dan McKay Walker

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An Ipswich man has said he Dozens of local inspirational Saint Philip's cannot believe people “would people will carry the Olympic Wicker Netherthorpe stoop so low” as to steal his Torch through Sheffield when it artificial front lawn. arrives in June.

Ponderosa Steve Woolnough said his wife Thousands of celebrating D was the first to notice the 10-ft-sq spectators are expected to Saint Vincent's on Netherthorpe Road turf was missing from the front welcome the flame which will Crookesmoor garden of their home in Bramford light up Sheffield’s streets on The torch will be in Lane.

Barker’s Pool for a Monday, June 25.

Crookes Park Woolnough told the BBC: “I Castle Square celebration event at The flame’s journey through Valley Crookes phoned the police and said ‘I’d Sheffield begins at Chapeltown, Park 17:30 until 20:00.

Cathedral like to report a theft.’ going on to Ecclesall and The torch will be running “The guy said ‘what’s been Hillsborough.

City Hall Sheffield around the Brook Hill stolen?’ and I said ‘the Astro Turf The flame will be carried roundabout and past the A57 from my front garden.’ along Penistone Road, Ecclesall Saint George's Sheffield City Centre d ster Roa Information Commons.

A spokesperson Suffolk Road and then into the city Manchefor police said: “It would have taken centre. There will be an evening Crosspool some time to remove such a large celebration at Barker’s Pool.

A57 quantity of Astro Turf from this Local girl Carys Hall, 18, garden and needed a vehicle to who works with the Sheffield Devonshire Quarter Sheffield Station/Sheffield Ha take it away.

Academy of Young Leaders and B6069 Kingas a mentor for young sporting Broomhill Edward enthusiasts, will beMaone the nchestof er Roa d 300 sex-offenders sent to A57 VII School A61 lucky people carrying the torch e South Yorkshire prison us Broomhall through the city.

Tapton ho e k She saidRanmoor she wanted to ar More than 300 sex offenders have School Broomfield Cl the Olympic Games been sent to a South Yorkshire volunteer at Student Village themselves.

Granville Road/The Sheffi jail in a move described by the Sheffield A61 “I’ve met people from all over Hallam d town mayor as “outrageous”. a d B6069 o University Roa the world by volunteering at Endcliffe The town’s elected mayor Peter all R ry's Collegiate Ranmoor Eccles St Ma Student Davies questioned where inmates sports events. It will be amazing Campus Village Sheffield A621 would go on their release from to be an Olympic torchbearer,” Botanical she said. the category C jail.

Gardens Simon Green of Sheffield Endcliffe Category C prisons are used Park G to hold offenders who cannot be City Council, who nominated ad A61 Ro trusted in an open environment Carys, said: “Carys has such all s le but who are not thought to be at enthusiasm and passion for sport Ecc The torch will reach in Sheffield, and it’s a privilege Sharrow risk of escaping.

Ecclesall Road at 18:40Highfield to be a “The extra workload is massive to have nominated herEndcliffe before making it’s way A61 Park torchbearer.” with public protection issues, towards the city centre.

Hunter's Bar Sharrow Vale Cllr Julie Dore, Leader of release on licenses and discharge Sharrow Head A621 conditions - but certainly we can Sheffield City Council, said she wanted to pay tribute to the truly Lo cope,” Davies told the BBC. Bingham inspirational people who will do nR Parkbe carrying the torch along A625 its Lowfield journey.

Police error after riot shooting Another torchbearer, James Whiteley Map: OpenStreetMap contributors Woods Needham, was confined to a f Adam Harley Overlay: Greystones A621 The head of the Independent wheelchair ea aged seven and now Police Complaints Commission plays wheelchair rugby for Great Needham, who teaches Doncaster.”

“The impact of the 2012 (IPCC) has said it made a “serious Britain. en R wheelchair skills and helps newly Cllr Dore said the Olympic Olympic Games beyond London, ce error” in its handling of the Mark r R a perfect “It’s a huge honour to have injured people, added: “I’m really Torch coming to Sheffield and Sheffield has been oa Duggan shooting. been selected as an Olympic looking d Nether Edge of hard work example of a city that has forward to representing resulted from years Brincliffe Duggan’s shooting death in Torchbearer.

Carrying the all those who I’ve worked with at and will put Sheffield firmly Heeleyevery Bridge opportunity with A621 on grasped Banner Cross Tottenham, London, sparked the Olympic flame will be an the Backup Trust and students the sporting map nationally and both hands,” she said.

Heeley nationwide riots last August. experience like no other,” he said. at Southfield Primary School in internationally.

Jane Furniss said it had been Heeley Green Gle a mistake for journalists to be ad A625 les told there had been an exchange sR oa of fire. d High Broadfield She told the Leveson StorrsInquiry School that the press had been quick to criticise the affair, according to A621 Brincliffe Edge the BBC. A61 Ecclesall The IPCC is the body that oversees the police complaints Katie Davies National Association of Student Dominic Johnson Meersbrook system.

Money Advisers, said: The Leveson inquiry is The number of Sheffield residents “It is a sign of the difficult University of Sheffield alumnus currently examining the press depending on payday loans financial times - high cost lenders Donald Tomlin, 94, has been and its relationship with the has risen to an all time high, are preying on students who given the Professor Robert police, after allegations of bribery according to the Citizens’ Advice really do not have a lot of credit Boucher Distinguished Alumni and corruption between police Bureau (CAB).

Award for his pioneering work options available to them. and journalists.

In a report made to the “Their adverts and websites into the use of radar in the Second Business, Innovation and Skills are made to look very plausible World War. select committee, the CAB said and in some cases even affordable The award acknowledges the that the loans were adding but borrowing your way out of achievements and success of to people’s long term money financial difficulties is never a former students. problems.

Mr Tomlin, of Malvern Link, good option no matter how easy it Some CAB advisors have seems in the advert. graduated with a physics degree reported meeting people with “We would urge students to in 1940 before working for the more than 20 of the short term approach the support services government developing radar. loans.

Radar, which uses radio waves within their university or college Payday loans companies, who if they need money urgently.” to detect and track objects, was offer short term loans with a high Stella Creasy MP, said: “These in its infancy during the Second World War II veteran Donald Tomlin rate of interest, have boomed legal loan sharks target people World War. in recent years. In 2006, an on low incomes with aggressive It enabled the early detection his archive papers on radar and estimated 300,000 people used marketing. of incoming enemy aircraft and also his collection of books on the the companies, with that number “I urge students not to be proved vital for Britain’s air early teaching of science.” rising to 1.9 million in 2010. taken in by this company and defence and the Luftwaffe.

Photo: Michael Thompson/ FlickR A number of payday loans to approach their student union Miles Stevenson, the What’s on your mind?

Mark Duggan’s shooting sparked a companies, including smart-pig. welfare advisors or a local credit University of Sheffield’s Director Comment on com and wonga.com, have come union if they are in financial of Development and Alumni spate of riots across England. under fire from student groups difficulties.”

Relations, said: “Don has been an this article and MPs in recent months for Wonga.com has now taken active member of the University online: www.forgetoday.com targeting students. down the student section of it’s library.

Lynne Condell, Chair of the website.

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FORGE PRESS Thursday March 29 2012

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UNIVERSITY NEWS

Locals sleep outside for charity

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World NEWS Pope Benedict XVI tells Cubans to find “authentic freedom”

The Cathedral Archer project provides food, clothes, and medical care for homeless people. Photos: Mark Mckay Mark Mckay A Sheffield charity for homeless and rough sleepers invited supporters to sleep out on Sheffield Cathedral’s forecourt on Friday night.

Twenty two people took part in the event organised by the Sheffield Cathedral Archer Project.

Tracy Viner, marketing development manager of the

Archer Project, said those involved would gain a small insight into the lives of homeless people.

“The idea is they will see what it is like to spend a night outside on the streets of the city. Hopefully tonight will change perceptions of homeless people.

“The Archer Project is somewhere homeless people can come and get a lot of support. We can change their lives and help

them out of homelessness.

“We will hopefully raise around £5,000 from this evening. But that is just a drop in the ocean of what we need.” she said The Archer Project, which costs £410,000 a year, provides food, clothes and medical care to over 75 homeless people every day.

Bobbie Walker, 65, who runs a soup wagon in Sheffield, said she wanted to experience sleeping rough for a night.

“If we sleep out we can say ‘we have shared it too.’ We have been lucky with the weather staying dry, but it is about the experience,” she said.

Gavin Smith, who has been homeless for 20 years, said: “The Archer Project does very important work but you can’t learn from one night what it is like. Anybody could do one night, but you’ve got to do six or seven months. One night is nothing,” he said.

Kym Hall, 29, from Sheffield said: “I’m here to find out what it’s like being homeless. I’m expecting it to be cold hence the 15 layers I have on.

“I think more could be done to help the homeless. We live in 2012 and you’re telling me we’ve got one million people who are homeless in the UK.” On Saturday morning Andy File, 39, who runs his own recruitment agency said he could not sleep rough every night.

“We did it for one night but others do it every single night of the year. It puts things into perspective and makes you appreciate what you have and how fortunate you are. It’s quite humbling really,” he said.

Cleric banned from Hallam speech after protest Alex Chafey A talk by Saudi Sheikh Assim Al-Hakeem, was prevented from taking place at Sheffield Hallam’s Adsett’s building on Tuesday after controversy around the speaker’s views.

Sheikh Assim’s views include support of female genital mutilation, gender segregation in work and education, polygamy, the execution of apostates, as well as belief that homosexuality is an illness and that a woman is not entitled to refuse her husband sex.

Sheffield Hallam’s Vice Chancellor cited failure to comply with booking procedure as the reason for the cancellation.

The issue was raised at Union

Council by Hispanic Studies councillor James Donnelly. It was decided that the University of Sheffield’s officers should negotiate with their Hallam counterparts to encourage the Islamic society to cancel the talk.

Sheikh Assim had been due to speak at an event organised by Sheffield Hallam Islamic Society on the position of women in Islam. Following the decision, the society proceeded with the talk in an off-campus location.

Last week Sheikh Assim was banned from speaking at Hertfordshire University following pressure from antiextremist group Student Rights.

They said: “We are concerned that an individual with Al-Hakeem’s intolerant views is being allowed

to preach to students given the hate speech that can be found on his website.”

A protest against Sheikh Assim’s views, planned to take place outside the talk, was cancelled as a result of the location change.

Organiser Hannah Morby said “Although we were not campaigning against Sheikh Assim’s right to talk, we felt it was important to show how distasteful we found his views and feel that it’s deeply concerning that members of our local community wished to welcome him.”

The Sheffield Hallam Islamic Society had not commented at the time of going to press.

Last month a talk by controversial speaker Hamza

Tsorzis at the University of Sheffield’s Islamic Circle went ahead in spite of controversy around his views on homosexuality.

The student campaign for fairer wages for workers at both the University of Sheffield and its Students’ Union will be brought to a vote at Union Council after Easter.

The Living Wage Campaign seeks to give all staff a minimum of £7.20 an hour. This figure is determined to be the minimum income with which people can live.

The national minimum wage for over 21s will rise from £6.08 to £6.19 in October. The pay rate for 18-20-year-olds will remain at £4.98.

A living wage for all workers at the University and Union was one of the demands of students who occupied a lecture theatre in the Arts Tower in December.

The students’ campaign was backed by the Union Council, before they joined forces with Sheffield Labour Students’ campaign.

Thirty Union staff and 348 University staff currently receive below the living wage.

Having received the support of the Union Council, Students’ Union Finance Officer, Harry Horton, established a select committee with Welfare Officer Mat Denton and student

councillors to discuss a living wage policy last month.

The cost of establishing a living wage for all staff would stand at £220,000, which was decided as too expensive for the Union.

The policy, if implemented at Union Council, will lobby the University to provide the funds to increase staff pay, requiring an additional £181,000 for only permanent University and Union staff.

A further £39,000 would be needed to cover casual staff.

Elva Lynch-Bathgate, who helped to start the campaign, said: “Our next step is to hopefully become an official

Photo: lacrimarum-valle.blogspot.com Pope Benedict XVI.

USA cut off North Korean aid The USA have suspended food aid plans to North Korea after officials in the capital Pyongyang announced a new rocket launch has been scheduled.

USA say the launch will break previous agreements made last month as tensions between the two nations increase.

Under the deal signed in February, North Korea agreed to a partial freeze in nuclear activities and a missile test moratorium in return for US food aid.

North Korea claims the launch - which is scheduled for between April 12-16 - is only a satellite and is for scientific purposes.

Strauss Kahn sex case to begin

Photo: Studentsright.org.uk Assim Al-Hakeem.

Hundreds of signatures collected for fairer wages Alisha Rouse

The Pope has urged Cubans to find “authentic freedom,” just days before he is due to meet the country’s former leader Fidel Castro.

Pope Benedict XVI warned the listeners against “wrongly interpreting this search for truth, leading them to irrationality and fanaticism.”

Hundreds of thousands of Cubans gathered to hear his words on the final day of his visit, including the current President, and Castro’s brother, Raul Castro.

The Pope’s sermon expanded on the theme that Cuba should build a more open society, based on truth, justice and reconciliation.

society.

“Since we have the support of the Students’ Union Officers and the Union Council we want to legitimise this as a student campaign and feel that being an ‘official’ society could help make us even more inclusive.

“At the moment there are nearly 350 members of University staff, not including casual or agency workers, who are paid less than living wage.

“So we believe that the University should and will back our campaign, and that ideally, by the end of the academic year Photo: Parker we will be well on David our way to fairer wages for all staff.”

The hotel maid, who was the subject of a sex case against Dominic Strauss Kahn - former leader of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) - is starting a new trial against him.

The hearing in New York will be the first stage in the civil case brought by Ms Nafissatou Diallo after criminal charges were dismissed against the former head of the International Monetary Fund.

Mr Strauss-Kahn will not be in court. He is fighting claims in France that he was involved with a prostitution ring.

Photo: fotopedia.com Dominic Strauss Kahn.

6

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FORGE PRESS Thursday March 29 2012

NEWS UNIVERSITY

Tyson guilty of former students’ murder Jack Bilsborough and Katie Davies A 17-year-old man has been found guilty of murdering two University of Sheffield graduates in Florida.

Shawn Tyson, who was 16 at the time of the killing, shot James Cooper, 25, and James Kouzaris, 24, while they were holidaying in Florida in April last year.

Tyson had been charged as an adult with two counts of first-degree murder and faces life in prison without the possibility of parole.

The jury retired for approximately two hours before returning to pass the verdict of guilty.

Tyson, who pleaded not guilty, refused to speak for his own defence.

The families of Mr Kouzaris and Mr Cooper were not in court.

However, in a statement released by both families,they described Tyson as “evil”.

They said: “We are satisfied with the verdict. It is a fact that we were given a life sentence when our sons were so brutally and needlessly taken from us.

“Ours is a life sentence, with no chance of parole from a broken heart, and a shattered soul.”

Jurors had heard how Mr Kouzaris and Mr Cooper had wandered into the area where Tyson lived in the early hours.

The friends, who were spending three weeks in Florida on holiday with Mr Cooper’s parents, had been drinking at a bar throughout the night.

When they tried to return home, they found themselves in the Newton area of

the city, a neighbourhood with a history of problems with violent crime.

Prosecutor Eduardo Brodsky told the court in Sarasota, Florida, that Tyson had tried to rob the two friends but had shot them when he found they only had a little money.

Both victims were found stripped to the waist but still had cash in their wallets, a mobile phone and a digital camera.

Tyson’s DNA was found on Kouzaris’ jeans in four places.

The prosecution also told the court that seven empty shell casings were found buried in the backyard of Tyson’s friend, 19-year-old Marvin Gaines, shortly after the shooting.

Police said the casings were the same size and type as the bullets that killed Cooper and Kouzaris.

Gaines admitted to hiding the casings and told the court that Tyson had confessed to killing the two men.

Gaines was not charged in exchange for his testimony.

Defence lawyer Carolyn Schlemmer argued that the case against Tyson had been built on ‘deals and lies.’

Schlemmer told the court that some witnesses were convicted criminals who had lied to the police in earlier stages of the investigation.

A number of witnesses in the case gave evidence in return for lighter sentences.

Two other witnesses who lived near the crime scene received federal housing vouchers to move away before they agreed to testify.

Tyson in court in Florida.

Students lock themselves Physical child abuse now easier to detect in to highlight trafficking Emma Robinson

University of Sheffield researchers are developing techniques to help accurately identify whether children’s injuries are sustained by abuse or by accident.

Currently medical professionals do not use scientific evidence and instead use prior knowledge and experience.

If they make the wrong decision this can have huge repercussions for the parent and the child.

Researchers at the University and Sheffield Children’s Hospital are creating a system aimed at providing robust scientific evidence to assess how an injury could have been sustained.

Dr Amaka Offiah, consultant at Sheffield Children’s NHS

Foundation Trust and lecturer at the University of Sheffield, said: “There needs to be a more scientific way of determining how an injury might have been caused.

“Most physically abused children are too young to say how their injuries came about and we as medics have to make a decision about whether what the parent is saying is realistic or not.”

The team of engineers and medics are creating computerised models which show how children’s bones react to different forces.

They have done this by examining the effects of forces on pig bones, which are used as substitutes for human bones in laboratories.

The researchers found they could predict the amount of force

needed to make a fracture and where the fracture would occur with 90 per cent accuracy.

Dr Offiah said: “It’s sometimes very difficult to determine how an injury has been caused, even for extremely experienced clinicians.

“Obviously we don’t want to remove a child from a loving, nurturing home, but equally, noone wants a child to return to a situation where they are being physically abused.

“The most important part of the research will be to improve the confidence in judgements made when abuse is suspected and ultimately to improve the safety and wellbeing of vulnerable children.”

The project has been funded by The Children’s Hospital Charity.

University Professor honoured with Women’s Day science award Beth Surgenor Students locked themselves in a mock jail on the University concourse to protest against human trafficking on Monday.

The flash mob event was organised by the Stop the Traffik society and other student campaigners.

Three students stood inside a cage in the centre of the concourse with ‘For Sale’ signs to represent people who are bought and sold into slavery.

One by one, the flashmobbers stopped around the cages and froze, blindfolded, facing those inside.

Organisers of the event said that the blindfolds were used to highlight that society is blind to the continuing problem of human trafficking, and emphasised the ‘Open Your Eyes’ message of the

flash mob.

Students were encouraged to come along and sample free Fairtrade chocolate, which was given out during the event.

The warm weather and sunshine also meant there was a large crowd, with many students relaxing on the grass and walls around the concourse.

Miriam Dobson, of Stop the Traffik Society, said: “I think the flash mob was highly effective and really made people stop and think about the issue.

“Sunday March 25 marked 205 years since the abolition of the Slave Trade in the British Empire. Yet there are still more slaves in the world today than there were in 1807.

“We hope this original event has opened many eyes to the issue of modern day slavery”.

Dominic Johnson A University of Sheffield professor has been honoured in a ceremony to celebrate leading women in science.

Professor Marysia Placzek, of the Department of Biomedical Science, was presented with a jewellery heirloom by the Medical Research Council as part of their Suffrage Science project, which commemorates more than 100 years of female pioneers in life science.

During the event, held on International Women’s Day, the hand-crafted heirlooms were passed on to the current recipients by their previous owners.

Prof Placzek will pass on her heirloom in two years.

Prof Placzek said: “It is an enormous honour – a huge accolade. It’s not just the

personal achievement, but the knowledge that the research that I do, and that I love doing, is so well-regarded by my colleagues.”

“The idea of passing on heirlooms is a wonderful way of nurturing and supporting individuals,” Prof Placzek said.

“I already think of people whom I have nurtured in my lab as my scientific sons and daughters, so this is a way of extending that family.”

The heirlooms were designed by students at Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design and consist of a silver pendant and brooch, which take inspiration from jewellery of the suffrage period.

Nine other women were honoured at the event, which was entitled ‘Women in Science: Nurturing Nobels’, held at the Science Museum’s Dana Centre

in London on March 8.

It was hosted by science journalist and broadcaster Vivienne Parry, one of the original heirloom recipients.

Prof Placzek hopes the award will also have an impact on students at the University.

She said: “It’s a really important statement to our undergraduates and postgraduates.

“It shows that we are doing cutting-edge research that informs our teaching in the Department of Biomedical Science.”

What’s on your mind?

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7

UNIVERSITY NEWS

We’ll fight for Uni staff ’s Resits offered to students ‘pensions’ say UNISON after exam complaints Lauren Clarke Second year Biomedical Science students will have the chance to resit a module exam after complaints that they had been given the wrong information about the test.

Students said they had been told by lecturers that the exam would include 30 multiple-choice questions with pictures to label.

Instead, there were no questions with images in the exam paper.

A number of students also complained that the exam was unlike the online test they had taken last semester, despite assurances that both exams would be similar.

The department has confirmed that students will be allowed to resit the exam.

However, if students do choose to resit then their second set of

marks will be counted towards the module, regardless of whether they are higher or lower than their original score.

Biomedical Science student, John Berry, 23, said that the paper was unexpected by everyone.

Berry said: “It’s better than nothing but it still doesn’t really address the original issue.

“The only difference is we at least know what to expect this time round.”

“Most people didn’t do too badly but I’m sure most of the people that decide to do it probably think it’s worth a resit, especially with the extra revision time.”

The module, lead by Martin Cambray-Deakin, focused on the anatomy of the human head.

The exam was worth 40 per cent of a module.

A spokesperson from the University of Sheffield said:

“The department is aware of an issue with an element of the overall assessment for a Level Two anatomy module in that the questions did not match the expected format - that they would be related to images.

“Although the questions did not rely on any image content, they had been used in assessments in previous years.

“The more substantial element of the overall assessment did have image and specimen related questions.

“However, it was decided to allow students to re-sit the exam if they wished.

“Given that many students performed very well in the assessments, the retake will be optional so that the students who feel their performance was compromised will have another opportunity.”

Photo: Katie Davies The University staff have held protests over the pensions scheme.

Nicholas Carding

Inset: Module leader Martin Cambray-Deakin

Trade Union bosses have slammed University of Sheffield’s pensions scheme and vowed to fight to ensure all their members receive a proper pension package.

Currently, the University has its own pensions scheme which members sign up to, while Sheffield Hallam University’s workers are part of a local government scheme.

UNISON, the trade union representing the workers, say the University’s pension scheme could pay members only 40 per cent of what they had been expecting.

UNISON Regional Organiser Steve Torrance said: “What the university have done with the pension scheme is a heartless, cynical manoeuvre.

The University claims it is all about reducing risk, but the pensions of grades one to five represent a tiny proportion of the University’s pension risk.”

The University of Sheffield was named University of the Year

by Times Higher Education, but their support staff now have the worst pension of any workers in higher education, UNISON claim.

UNISON Branch Secretary Stuart Anderson said: “This is morally repugnant. The University of Sheffield is not the

bricks and mortar of the building, it is the people, and when the University’s leaders feel that it is right to push the lowest paid workers into pensions poverty it damages the institution as a whole.

“UNISON will not stay silent while its members and the good name of the University they work so hard for are degraded.”

The trade union urges the University to become a member of the SAUL pension scheme, which oversees the pensions of over 50 colleges and institutions linked to higher education including University College London.

The response from UNISON comes as the University have appointed Capita Hartshead to look after its 3,000 member pension scheme for non-academic staff.

The Sheffield-based business has been at the centre of an employment tribunal which ruled that they had unfairly dismissed an employee who was made redundant after the pensions she was working on were wound up by the company.

What’s on your mind?

Comment on this article online: www.forgetoday.com

University given £21 million grant to build engineering facilities Dominic Johnson Work on the University’s new £21million Engineering Graduate School is set to begin next month and will be completed

by September next year.

The 5,300 square metre building will be the centre of postgraduate research and teaching activities for the Faculty of Engineering when it is completed next year, and is the first part of a major programme of investment.

Aerospace Engineering student Chris Hibbard said: “By investing so greatly in engineering I think the University are showing their belief in improving the student experience and quality of graduates from here, as well as showing support for the industry.”

Situated on the corner of Broad Lane and Newcastle Street, the building will create new facilities and space for future growth of the Engineering Department at Sheffield.

Director of Estates and Facilities Management Keith Lilley said: “This important development will be the first step in meeting the challenge of expanding and upgrading our engineering estate to meet the needs of 21st century engineering teaching and research.”

Lilley said: “The site for the new Engineering Graduate School is ideally located very close to the Mappin quadrangle, which houses much of the faculty of engineering, making it easy for students and staff to move between locations.”

The faculty is one of the largest in the UK, covering seven departments with over 4,000 students and 900 staff. It is expected to continue to grow in the future, leading to new development and refurbishment of the engineering estate.

Construction on the new graduate school marks the start of a 15 year investment in engineering facilities at the University of Sheffield, costing over £40million and covering 13,000 square metres.

Plans include the refurbishment of St George’s Campus, including the Mappin and Hadfield buildings, and future development on the empty Jessop East site.

The multi-million pound facility will be built by next September

8

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FORGE PRESS Thursday March 29 2012

LETTERS

Have your say All Betts are off on Student Council Tax Dear Forge Press,

I was dismayed at your coverage of the recent debate about student council tax exemption.

Both the news article and comment pieces were misleading about the Coalition’s, and more particularly, the Lib Dems’ position on student tax exemption.

This story was snapped up by the Torygraph and printed carelessly. That story has since been referred to the Press Complaints Commission

on the grounds of misrepresentation.

In short Forge, you should have known better.

It must have escaped your attention that the Rt Hon Clive Betts, MP for Sheffield South East and erstwhile leader of the city council actually attempted to amend a bill in parliament to remove student exemption from council tax.

The move would see Sheffield’s student households landed with an extra bill for £988.55 a

Tyga, Tyga burning not so bright Dear Forge Press,

year, the charge for a Band A property in 2012/13, although, the bill would be larger for higher band properties.

Fortunately, Mr Betts’ amendment was defeated by Government MPs. I would urge students - and Mr Blomfield - to write to Mr Betts and ask him why he thinks students paying council tax is such as great idea: clive.betts.mp@ parliament.uk.

Yours , Phil O’Neill

Don’t be fooled by Labour’s lies Dear Forge Press,

I am both surprised and disappointed with the level of lazy journalism in the last edition of Forge Press on the story and then opinion slots on Students and council tax.

As a local Liberal Democrat Councillor for Broomhill, I read Forge Press and know you usually aspire to better reporting standards.

Let’s be clear the Liberal Democrats do not and I repeat do no support or have a policy to make students pay council tax. To suggest otherwise is both wrong and misleading.

In fact, what your paper

did not say in a balanced way is what is the position of a senior local Labour MP who chairs the Parliamentary committee on local government , Clive Betts, took when the local government finance bill was been discussed in Parliament only last year.

This Labour politician moved an amendment that students should pay council tax as part of local government finance income generation. It is there for all to see in Hansard and the official reports of Parliament. I am pleased to say Lib Dem MPs voted this down.

Email: letters@forgetoday.com Write: Forge Press, Union of Students, Western Bank, Sheffield S10 2TG Please include your name, course and year of study.

We reserve the right to edit letters for clarity and space.

I am writing in response to a recent music review on Tyga’s new album ‘Careless World’ where it was given a 2/10.

It reminded me that Drake’s latest album ‘Take Care’ also received a similar rating.

Now anybody who knows something about hiphop will tell you, irrespective of personal taste, that Drake’s album was evolutionary and daring. It did not deserve such a low rating.

Likewise with Tyga’s album. It is not of the same standard but by no means a 2/10. It seems to me that the people writing these reviews either do not understand just how low that kind of rating is, dislike the genre they are reviewing and/or do not understand it.

Comments about the song ‘Rack City’ clearly showed a lack of understanding about its appeal to hiphop fans. It is too much of a throwaway to simply call it

‘commercial’.

I appreciate that Sheffield isn’t exactly a hot bed for hiphop and it is fair enough that people don’t like it but my point is, if that is the case, don’t review it.

It is pointless journalism because the rating seems almost predestined as a result of its genre. I’d seriously recommend finding people who know about hiphop to write about it.

Yours, Alex Mason

Your tweets to Forge Press

party in the UK that has put an amendment down in Parliament, to change the it the law to charge students for council tax. That is the Labour Party through Clive Betts amendment.

Also let’s be clear Lib Dem MPs voted it down.

This is clear evidence of what the Lib Dems have done to stop Labour imposing council tax charges on not just local students but across the UK. Yours, Cllr. Paul Scriven Lib Dem Councillor, Broomhill.

So let’s be totally clear in the last few years the only

Your comments on www.forgetoday.com to: Sports Officer restricts media access to Varsity 2012 This is totally ridiculous. officers are meant to support students.

Graham

Stop making this into a story, the focus should be on varsity and not how you have let your university down by foolish and immature behaviour.

Alan Pardew Leung’s justification for blocking everything is just “I AM THE BOSS?” I’ve heard of irrational, and this is it.

LD Wow. This is almost as stupid as Ryan Giggs trying to enforce a superinjunction about an affair EVERYONE knew about. Well done Forge for challenging this barmy restriction.

Officers need to be put in their place sometimes.

Rachel Blundy

What’s on your mind?

Got an opinion on the topics discussed this fortnight?

Contact: letters@forgetoday.com

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9

COMMENT

With the Olympics just months away, Forge Press asks: is ‘God Save the Queen’ an appropriate national anthem for England, or is it time we had a change?

We don’t need Our anthem is God, the Queen, at the heart of English heritage or saving Alice Burrow

With the approaching summer Olympics, the English national anthem is being brought under increasing scrutiny. Many feel it’s time we swept aside the old and brought in an anthem that represents our diverse nation.

The most hotly criticised part of the national anthem is its focus on the monarch.

There are a select few calling for the abolition of the monarchy, feeling it is too costly and unnecessary in modern England.

However, these feelings certainly do not reflect general opinion of the royal family.

We need not look any further than the national frenzy over last year’s royal wedding to reveal widespread enthusiasm for the royal family.

If we look beyond the crap merchandise and annoyingly overwhelming media exposure, it reveals that royalty still firmly has a place in society. As part of our much-treasured national heritage, the royal family seeps into other areas of popular culture and an obvious example of this is the roaring success of films like The Queen and The King’s Speech.

Our current national anthem represents something which is cherished in society and therefore, it would make no sense to abolish it.

‘God Save the Queen’, is

also questioned due to its religious connotations. We seem to be an increasingly secular and multi-cultural country but officially Britain is still Christian and the Queen is head of the Anglican Church.

To change the national anthem over this issue of religion would mean changing the monarchy and government as well, as we live in a country that cannot claim that the Church and state are completely separate entities. Religion is firmly entwined in Parliament.

For example, in the House of Lords there are 26 bishops. Religion remains part of our daily lives and it should not be considered a controversial part of our national anthem.

Religion and monarchy aside, the anthem as a song exudes English spirit. It is a huge source of pride and unity in our nation and as a firm fixture at sporting events, it is used as a sign of good sportsmanship and for podium position athletes it is associated with triumph.

It is in this sense that the national anthem has transformed its position in modern England.

No longer is it a representation of war and empire but instead, sporting prowess. With London 2012 just around

the corner, the national anthem is going to be ringing throughout the world and used to represent England internationally. It emphasises our country’s pride and determination and thus reflects a strong, positive image of our society to the rest of the world. The act of singing ‘God Save the Queen’ also binds us together.

We live in a nation that is home to people from a variety of ethnic and religious backgrounds, and as a nation we are deeply proud of our heritage. Our national anthem lies at the heart of our rich heritage and to lose a part of this would be a huge shame.

It can be important to get the national anthem right...

Hannah Frost

The scene is all too familiar: an English team are lined up on impossibly green grass, with straight backs and even straighter faces.

Music swells, and English mouths open and close with all the enthusiasm of the endless chomps of a semi-decayed zombie. The pride of a country, looking vaguely stoned as they try to mouth words they don’t know - or worst, stand still with sheepish expressions.

The singing of a national anthem at a sporting event should be an occasion for heartswelling pride, for both spectators and players.

To see what it should be like, you can look to the Scottish rugby team and their

supporters, singing along to a song that rouses and inspires those who stand behind it.

In true British style, the anthem we have, like the law we have, has never been made official. The most widely-accepted ditty is, of course, ‘God Save the Queen’.

A minority of sporting events - cricket, women’s international lacrosse - use ‘Land of Hope and Glory’, or ‘Jerusalem’.

There are two main issues with ‘God Save the Queen’.

Firstly, there’s the Queen bit. What with around 30 per cent of people wishing to abolish the monarchy, it’s a bit awkward that our current, most-used, anthem is one that blathers on about how bloody brilliant the Queen is.

Royalism aside, the main issue on contention is the God part.

God is fairly out of trend right now. In fact, according to a survey by relief and development charity Tearfund, only 15 per cent of UK adults attend Church at least once a month.

It becomes clear that ‘God Save the Queen’ doesn’t really represent the nation. What else, then, would we choose?

Looking to our closest neighbours, it would seem a good idea to draw inspiration from pride not of a monarch or of religion, but of the country itself and our

independence: Welsh ‘The Land of My Fathers’ talks about “fav’rite Wales”, and both Scotland and Ireland celebrate their war efforts.

For England, however, until we boot Elizabeth out of her various palaces, kiss goodbye to our overlords America and leave Europe by the wayside, we’re stuck.

It’s not until they’re out of the picture that we could consider writing a song about the central pillars of English society.

Perhaps it would be a cheerful ditty about beer and bigotry. Or maybe a more morose tune, bemoaning queuing and health and safety laws.

Jests aside, it seems ‘Jerusalem’ would be the hottest contender.

Yes, it’s religious, but it is ultimately about England.

Moreover, it’s a song that inspires and makes the heart swell – not a painfully slow melody made for outof-tune groaning.

Of course, there will be those who support the continued use of ‘God Save the Queen’ on the basis that it’s traditional, part of our history. Well, so are public hangings and incest: a prolonged existence shouldn’t be cause for a continued existence.

Come the Olympics, maybe our sports teams will be on those podiums, proudly belting out a new tune.

England is a country that has more to be proud of than just some old bird on a fancy chair.

New wage policy far from on the money Alisha Rouse We’re all pissed off about the budget. But remember what happened a bit before that?

Just two days before we all got inundated with a depressing briefcase seemingly filled with sorrow, misery and crying children’s lollipops, the coalition announced that the minimum wage was going to rise by 11p an hour for workers over the age of 21.

The move was criticised by basically everyone; it seems that, shockingly, the Torys can’t do anything to please us. And why are people surprised, having elected the shoulder pads of Maggie Thatcher with Blair’s smiling face forced on the front?

The national minimum wage for 18-21-year-olds will remain at £4.98 an hour, compared to the new £6.18 for those slightly older.

The problem with this is pretty obvious, even to the grinning Etonites who plague

our lives.

I work in a bar. Said bar hammered me with 55 hours per week until I turned 21.

That same weekend of the celebration of my joyous birth; my hours got slashed in half, the rota magically seemed to employ anyone younger than me more than me.

Vince Cable justified the move in that, “raising the youth rates would have been of little value to young people if it meant it was harder for them to get a job in the long run.”

Essentially, for business to flourish, they can’t pay us lowly lot very much. So young people must work hard until the age of 21, to reap the rewards of a prosperous employment market that they have ‘slaved to save’. Except at 21, their jobs will be replaced, with younger and cheaper workers coming into the workplace instead.

Large corporations who simply can not only employ people under the age of 21 do not generally pay in hourly rates - they have a salary.

So from Tesco to Greggs, companies that can employ a few general managers on a

salary can also employ the vast majority of their employees from the desperate recruitment world of the young.

Perhaps this move will encourage businesses to hire more young people, and with Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) out the window and Child Tax Credits capped, parents are needing their teenagers to go and get a Saturday job more and more.

‘The national minimum wage is a pillar of our welfare state, it must be distributed fairly’

But for those for whom a job is not just a weekend gig to pay the rent through sixth form, but an independent life necessity, the fear now grows that come 21, they will be replaced by middle-income kids saving for Thailand.

On the other end of the spectrum, the British Chamber of Commerce (BCC) said

that “the decision adds significantly to the cost of doing business.”

Despite inflation being at 3.4 per cent, and the cost of living having risen by 3.6 per cent, not only have workers between the age of 18 and 21 been left to like it or lump it, the percentage increase for over-21s is only half that of inflation rate anyway.

But, for John Longworth, Director General of the BCC who, I’ll throw it out there, is probably a Tory, this is disappointing news. Yes, inflation is hurting the lowest-paid workers, but hey, let’s not forgot about lining the glove compartments of BMWs with wads of cash.

The national minimum wage is a pillar of our welfare state, and for it to remain the egalitarian device it was intended to be, it must be distributed fairly and in line with current inflation rates.

Or else it becomes a tool of subversion, which allows young people to be used for their age, then cast aside carelessly come 21 by the businesses they have helped to save.

www.forgetoday.com // comment@forgetoday.com FORGE PRESS Thursday March 29 2012

10

COMMENT

Bitter graduate recruitment rant: are they taking the pith?

Applying for Graduate schemes can make university a juggling act: perhaps it’s time recruiters took inspiration from elsewhere to aid their quests to find the best graduates.

Tom Geddes It is all too easy to blame the system for one’s own shortcomings – but that’s exactly what I’m going to now do.

There has been a lot written about graduate recruitment, much discussion bee-lining the limited opportunities the current economic climate presents, and how rotten this makes life for those for whom graduation is a nearing reality. However, little has attacked the system itself.

There are, no matter how damning the press may be, graduate opportunities out there.

They are more competitive than they were a decade ago, but still, each and every one of us who meets their criteria has a (minute) chance of securing one of these roles – providing we put in the effort to actually apply.

Now this is where said gripe arises. It is the purpose, and responsibility, of the application process to find the best candidates for the job at hand. From several thousand applicants, the labyrinth of forms, tests and interviews we are forced through is intended to filter the talent pool down to a mere few.

Employers make it quite clear what it is that they look for in these mere few. Words like ‘inspirational,’ ‘driven’ and ‘leadership’ litter graduate scheme pages; the need for a

strong extra-curricular presence comes through loud and clear.

Yet, the very nature of many application processes immediately shoots these experience-rich candidates firmly in the foot.

For one to stand a realistic chance in progressing through the first stage of an application, one is required to invest considerable time and effort into it. Knowledge of the company, industry and your inner self are considered the bare minimum for any application.

It is a time consuming process – something those with extracurricular commitments can not necessarily afford to partake in.

‘What would it take for companies to extend deadlines after Christmas?

These first stages can often take hours, if not days, to complete.

Those with commitments on top of their degree, those with the experiences and passions many companies claim to be seeking, will struggle to make space for these applications.

I speak from personal experience. My involvement with Forge – the fortnightly deadlines and unscheduled errors that the role brings – has limited my potency in the job market. While I desperately want a job for next year, I have made a commitment to Forge – one I cannot ignore in favour of personal goals. However

creatively I manage my time, something is always going to lose out.

Employers don’t seem to be currently aware of this issue.

The deadlines for many graduate schemes tend to fall between October and December – the final weeks of a final year term; a period renowned for its stresses and complications.

What would it take for companies to extend these deadlines until after the Christmas period, a time when your workload tends to subside and commitment-laden students can enjoy a brief respite from term time madness?

Currently, application processes appear to play into the hands of the diligent; those who get the grades without leaving any real lasting impact on the university environment.

This is not a bitter tirade – anyone who can successfully navigate themselves through a graduate application system arguably deserves the job for that feat alone. No, the purpose of this article is to highlight the overall flaws in a highly profitable and important system.

‘It is ironic that the system improves the further through it you get’

If companies are right in their criteria - that extraordinary

experience-rich individuals are those that will serve their purposes best - then surely the current system needs attention.

Can they afford to continue with this system that so obviously disadvantages the individuals they so vocally seek?

The sad truth of the matter is yes, they can afford to. There are currently so many students applying for these graduate schemes that, however they conduct their search, companies will find someone satisfactory for the positions they need to fill.

‘Satisfy your own needs first, those of employers can wait until next year’

It is slightly ironic that the system improves the further through it you get. The barriers that plague the first stage of many applications are removed as you get deeper into the process.

For those who do progress through the first stage which interestingly is the stage where most applications are disregarded, they are faced with a much more intelligent system from then on.

Numerical and verbal reasoning tests may be an ugly flashback to our GCSE years, but they do effectively measure our abilities in these fields. They also have the benefit of taking half an hour.

Interviews, however scary they

may be, are a tried and tested way of letting one express oneself.

Nerves aside, they give quite a clear indication as to one’s calibre and suitability. They may eat up days, and require you to travel the lengths of the country, but when you’ve got this far, that matters little.

One can justify missing a meeting, seminar or deadline for an interview; I fear there’s not the same leniency when the excuse is a mere application form.

What we do with the rest of our lives is quite a big question, one we will all ask ourselves throughout our final year at university. It’s one worth asking, but don’t get too hung up on it.

Enjoying your final year in this incredible environment is much more important than worrying about the relative monotony that will undoubtedly follow.

My advice? Make the most of university while you can, focus on satisfying your own needs first, those of employers can wait until next year.

Just make sure you get that 2.1 so that when you finally have to succumb to the system, you at least stand a tiny chance of beating it.

Got an opinion on the topics discussed this fortnight?

Contact: letters@forgetoday.com

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COMMENT

The U.E.B - Utterly Elusive Bureaucracy Hamilton Jones

Have you ever heard of Professor Keith Burnett?

Can you name the Pro-Vice Chancellors?

No? Well these are just some of the members of the University Executive Board (UEB), a group of people responsible for most of the important decisions made by our University.

For a lot of students, the first and last time they will meet Professor Keith Burnett (Vice Chancellor) will be on graduation day, when he hands you your certificate and sends you on your way into the real world.

But this reporter thinks that this just isn’t enough, and I would like to see a little more of the UEB during my three years here at Sheffield.

Whether it be joining a society or working parttime, many students do get involved in the Students’ Union here at the University of Sheffield, but many of us do not know about the decisions being made that directly affect our time here.

Admittedly, there are ways for students to get more involved with the decisions that are made.

Unless you have been living under a rock for the last few months, you won’t have failed to notice the plethora of campaign signs and pun filled slogans

littering the concourse outside the Students’ Union building. These were in aid of electing next years new Students’ Union Officers.

The eight elected officers are in charge of running the Student’s Union and campaigning on behalf of the students for fair representation. There are also representatives for all of the departments in the University who are responsible for raising the concerns of students.

Any students in the University can put themselves forward for these roles to become more directly involved in the decisions of the University as an institution.

The Union Officers are not, however, a part of the UEB and have no influence or involvement in a lot of decisions

regarding admissions, staff, finance and more.

Arguably, students do not need to be involved in the UEB. The Student’s Union Officers offer a more than adequate service to help improve the welfare of students, and a lot of the decisions made by the UEB are future initiatives that will not affect the current student body. They liaise with other universities and external bodies and have the best interests of the University at heart.

So while we may not have much contact with the members

of the UEB, we are still able to get involved in our University and influence many of the decisions that are important to students.

What goes on behind the scenes of the University has succeeded without the involvement of the student body, and I expect it shall continue to do so in the future.

If you are interested in what the UEB have discussed, the minutes of their fortnightly meetings are available at www. sheffield.ac.uk/ueb/ meetings for students and staff to read.

Editorial Keep calm and cover Varsity

This week’s Varsity has been one of the most closely run in recent years and we’ve loved covering every second of it, well almost.

Halfway through the varisty week we hit a stumbling block and found ourselves in the middle of argument between the Sheffield Students’ Union Sports Officer Ben Baldwin and the Hallam Sports Officer.

They had both agreed not to announce the running score to build up excitement for people to go to the football finals and build up gate receipts.

Baldwin asked Forge Media not to report the overall unofficial running score for Varsity and asked one of our reporters to not tweet the scores from the trampolining event, or to leave, as well as threatening to take press passes from reporters.

Forge Press have editorial independence according to the Students’ Union constitution which allows not to be restricted in what we say.

Baldwin was unjustified asking us not to report on the running score. If we had agreed to do this it would have damaged our journalistic integrity.

As journalists it is our public duty to report items of public interest that we know – it isn’t our responsibility to ensure the Union gets enough people attending events to put money in the coffers.

Fortunately the decision to remove press passes was not followed through. Heading into the final football match our unofficial score was 31-31, if anything having the score in public increased the hype around the match and the atmosphere at the game. Anyone who was going to go to the football would go because they wanted to watch the match not just because they didn’t know the score and wanted to find it out.

A tribute to the Forge team

As this is my last issue as editor I am going to take this opportunity to thank everyone that who has contributed, read, written or even noticed the paper in the Students’ Union and beyond.

A special mention must be made for the current editorial team who although they have given me the most stressful year I have ever had it has also been the best one.

Working with such a passionate, committed and dedicated team has been a pleasure and allowed the newspaper to be the best it possibly could be.

I wish every single one of the departing team the best of luck in the future and hope the next team can be as successful as the outgoing team.

Matt Burgess - Editor: matt@forgetoday.com

Does he look like Napoleon Dynamite? Yes. Is it Richard?

D.A.R.T.S. What a load of pollocks:

Sheffield’s River Don has become unfishable according to those who frequently reside on its sides.

The River Don is a prime fishing hotspot, for enthusiasts and those who just do it for the halibut. However the shores of Sheffield’s river may no longer be the best plaice to fish.

Apparently the water levels in the river have dropped, making it Cod awful for anglers to practice their ‘sport’ - leaving fishermen to mullet over as to where they should go next.

Meander friend have found quite a good location further down the Don towards Rotherham. Salmon myself are not experts, but we’d bank on crowds soon flocking to this better stocked hotspot.

This is my last Dart - I hope you have enjoyed them, I’ve had a whale of a time!

Website of the fortnight:

http://govern.dept.shef.ac.uk/ council/11_04_11/11-04-11_15.pdf

You know those three, four, five years that you’ve been slaving away, trying to get yourself that certificate that renders you a University of Sheffield graduate? Well, there’s a much easier way of going about it.

Take Martin Fry for instance. Lead singer of ABC who, at the age of 16 decided the world of academia was not his cup of tea, and decided that a career in a world leading pop band was more to his tastes. Well to rub salt into the wound, he now has exactly the same qualification our essays and exams determine.

Apparently having a highly successful music career just isn’t enough for some people these days. For some it’s just as simple as ABC.

Forge Press takes its satirical aim

Tweets of the fortnight:

- Alisha Rouse on Varsity tweets to Ben Baldwin

Everyone at sport is dedicated to providing the best Varsity coverage, to support uni sport and the University teams. #suvarsity” - Ben’s reply silencing Alisha. All’s well that ends well!

“@AlishaRouse probs best if you stayed at home then”

Comment: A year in review

As the academic year 2011/12 draws to a close, here at Forge Press it’s time to look back over a bizarre and controversial 12 months.

What’s come out of the controversy is more of an awareness that more than anything, the University of Sheffield is meant to be a community.

Yes, it’s a community in which there will be disagreements, protest, and sometimes, fighting talk.

But in amongst this, all the fighting is for one thing: a better Union. It’s only by encouraging this debate that collectively we can work together.

It’s time for people to sit up and take notice of that old cliche: “Be the change you want to see in the world”.

Consider it a call to arms, a rallying cry: Forge Press is a newspaper run by and for, students. Everyone is entitled to contribute, and with the newspaper using Facebook and Twitter in addition to traditional meetings it couldn’t be easier to get your voice heard.

We’ll be sad to leave a section - and indeed, university - that’s so passionate about issues big and small. We’re leaving it in the more-than-capable hands of Martin Bottomley and Hamilton Jones, whose rants and witticisms have regularly graced these pages.

Their first meeting as editors will be in Gallery Room 3, at 5:30pm on April 24 - keep up to date with this and other meetings at http://forgetoday.com/get-involved/.

Best of luck to you all, whether you have more time at Uni to go or you’re leaping headfirst into the big wide world.

If you’re not moving on, we urge you to get involved.

University opportunities are not to be sniffed at, this is a unique environment. You can meet some great people whilst achieveing things that you’ll remember for the rest of your lives.

Journalism wasn’t, and isn’t my intended career destination, but I would take the 12 months I’ve had at Forge again and again. Not only have I made some fantastic friends that I will keep for years to come, but I have some real life experience that I’ll remember, and draw on throughout whatever career I choose.

Tom Geddes and Hannah Frost

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FEATURES

Weird & Wonderful The circus has taken over Western Bank library Words: Lizzy Jewell Photos: Lauren Clarke

R

oll up! Roll up!

Gather round the big top and bring the kids because guess what, the circus has come to town. Until May 3rd you can immerse yourself in the fantastical world of the circus, with examples of show-business paraphernalia - some of which dates back to its humble beginnings of the circus in the eighteenth-century.

The National Fairground Archive has curated the collection, which can currently be seen in the exhibition space of the Western Bank library.

It shows an overview of the history of those who innovated and shaped the magnificent showcase of the circus. Displayed is an array of posters, costumes and other memorabilia, recreating the magic and spectacle of the circus. It’s free, and a nice bit of respite from a day of hard work in the library. Take a break, pack up your books. Step out of the silent study area, and in to the rich tapestry of the history. Perhaps use this as an opportunity for escape: ignore the toils and stresses of deadlines and dissertations just for a while, and run away with the circus.

Maybe this is what we all need really, once in a while. One of the greatest appeals of the circus is that it can serve as an escape: whether it is fleeing from society to become an audaciously bold acrobat, or merely being an observer, using the dazzling spectacle to remove yourself from the clutches of the grey ordinary of the real world. The written introduction to the Circus Showmen exhibition defines the concept of the circus itself as ‘a space for the celebration and exhibition of great skill, humour, strength, dexterity and courage’. Admirable qualities, assuredly. Something everyone could do with a little more of, don’t you agree?

The National Fairground Archive was founded by the University of Sheffield in 1994, and has a far-

“

Take a break, pack up your books. Step out of the silent study area, and into the rich tapestry of history.

”

reaching collection of historical primary sources, encompassing the cultural history of the travelling performing community.

This is crucially important because of the significance of its history, its influence can be felt across the realms of modern

“

Give in to the flamboyance, and get swept away with a puff of smoke and a flourish of sequins into circusland.

”

entertainment, and is undeniably part of our own cultural heritage.

The National Fairground Archive’s most recent endeavour is the current exhibition in the Western Bank library, and it serves as an interesting gateway into a world of potential for further research on the subject.

The Circus Showmen exhibition showcases and celebrates the characters of the circus over the years.

With each generation, a new personality shows up to challenge and modify the art form. This is surely where the long lasting success of the show comes from: bravery, accomplished performers and light-hearted entertainment never go out of style, and its constant re-invention by the showmen portrayed is what keeps the circus en vogue.

After all, the circus has changed a lot, over the years. A quick search online yielded numerous videos of the Bertram Mills’ Circus, a true testament to what the circus used to represent, also shot in what now feels like heart-warmingly antiquated shaky black and white. Bertram Mills was one of the re-inventors and once-household names of the twentieth-century circus, and although the name might be unfamiliar to the circus rookie, his influence and legacy on the English circus tradition is palpable. His shows included wild and dangerous stunts, including horses and elephants performing tricks that, frankly, animals were not really naturally built to do. Plus, a bear on a bicycle, which is not something you see all the time these days. And regardless of where your opinions lie in terms o f

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FEATURES animal rights, what is undeniable is the popularity of the show: close up shots of the crowd depict the unrestricted glee of mirthful applauding children.

The audience descend into genuine hysterics from the slapstick japes of the clowns: which even now, decades later, can still tease a chuckle out of the biggest cynic.

While the use of circus animals has become the subject of a lot of scrutiny, the fact that the show can reinvent itself, and continue to present fabulous entertainment is a continuing process, and isn’t going anywhere.

Additionally, while some elements of the circuses of old may seem a bit crude, or blindly politically incorrect - for example the showcasing of the ‘circus freak’, arguably exploiting those who are deformed, mistreating both humans and animals.

These are tricky concepts in the day and age where everything is so severely criticised, but watching the audiences shows what is at the heart of the circus: at the core of the matter, it is supposed to be fun.

Hearing the reaction to the overtly light-hearted entertainment, to shock, to surprise, but ultimately to amuse.

That is what light entertainment should be about.

Thankfully, modern circus entertainment has progressed past the abuse and exploitation of animals, replacing this with consenting adults, who are equally able to be outrageous and entertaining.

Although it is constantly changing, it appears that the circus is most definitely not a thing of the past, but it has been seen to evolve in form to something a little more macabre.

Gerry Cottle’s circus in the 1980s faced scrutiny for the inclusion of animal acts in the circus - undoubtedly a growing source of stigma and so took a new direction in the 1990s.

It was here that the circus grew a little darker, a little edgier, and a little less family-friendly. Thus, the blood curdling Circus of Horrors was born.

Embracing old-fashioned showmanship with an influx of rock and roll, throwing in a healthy dose of the gruesome and grotesque, the circus had been reborn yet again.

The Circus of Horrors have been relentlessly touring theatres around Britain over the last few years and also appeared on Britain’s Got Talent, proving that after hundreds of years, the fine art of the circus can still be as prolific and popular as it was in its infancy.

The exhibition itself promotes a sense of unmitigated nostalgia.

The joy of the circus of decades gone by seems to portray a sort of innocence, a prevailing cheerfulness that continued across the twentiethcentury, not wavering in strength despite it being a century of political upheaval and two World Wars.

While the majority of the student population do not have the experience of age to feel this nostalgia, the public guest book shows that the exhibition has not only been visited from lands far and wide, but by those who enjoyed the art of the circus from previous decades.

‘Lovely to reflect on past joys’,

writes one visitor, and so it is clear that the circus is able to represent and capture the blithe joy of childhood.

But you don’t necessarily have to have been witness to the circuses of yesteryear to be caught up in the magic, a second-year student remarks that ‘I’ve always found the culture of the circus interesting.

There’s this air of mystery around it.’ So, ladies and gentlemen, and children of all ages, the circus is family entertainment at its finest - from old to young, there is frankly nothing wrong with a bit of clowning around.

So if you are considering a life of electrify-

ing spectacle, and potentially packing your trunk to run away to join the circus, it may not be as remote a scheme as you think.

The University of Sheffield’s very own circus society, the Flying Teapots, meets weekly and you could pick up a myriad of skills ranging from juggling to unicycling.

They also have free tea and biscuits, which is a pretty sweet deal.

Or pick up a leaflet for Clowns International, the longest established clown organisation in the world.

It welcomes clowns, aspiring clowns, and ‘friends of clowns’.

Sounds like a right laugh. Pun intended.

But if taking part as a performer is not quite your thing, there is so much more to find out about.

An ‘extra for experts’ realm to discover what lies in t h e N a tional Fairground A r c h ive s themselves, with collections housed in the Western Bank containing literally thousands of historical artefacts to appreciate. Portraying the circus and the fairground as an important element of our cultural heritage, it is difficult not to get carried away in the whimsy of the art of performance.

So give in to the flamboyance, and get swept away with a puff of smoke and a flourish of sequins into circus-land. After all, it’s only show business. While the cruelty of lion-taming may be a thing of the past, and the clown masks might be, admittedly, slightly creepy, trapeze artists will continue to astound, and tight rope walkers will continue to balance on the brink of catastrophe.

And who knows what will come next? With a new generation of shows and performers, the centuries-old tradition of the big top will surely carry on to excite and astonish.

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FEATURES

FIGHTING THE STEROTYPES The teenage mum vs The working mum Society often takes an odd view on pregnancy. Who determines the right age to have children?

Words: Alice Burrow Art: Jonathan Robinson

Y

“

ou can’t be arsed with your baby...”

“I’m a teenage mum, what do you expect?” r e p l i e s 15-yea r-ol d Tonie, slumped on the sofa as her mother cradles her young baby in the BBC Three documentary Underage and Pregnant.

Despite the recent news that teenage pregnancy rates in England and Wales are the lowest they’ve been since 1969, there is still a noticeable stigma attached to teenage pregnancy.

However teenagers aren’t the only recipients of heated criticism, older mothers are also being increasingly questioned over their decision to conceive in their 30s and 40s.

The media widely insinuates that older parents have somehow ‘missed out’ by not having children in their 20s and early 30s. Is it time we gave mothers, old and young alike, a break and let them enjoy the freedom of choice and child rearing?

Recently it emerged that the teen pregnancy rate in England and Wales has reached its lowest since 1969.

Statistics released by the Office for National Statistics show that the number of conceptions in under18s dropped from 38,259 in 2009 to 34,633 in 2010, a decrease of 9.5 per cent. The FPA put this down to

the effects of better sex education, contraception and local services to help young people confidentially.

The University of Sheffield Women’s Officer, Sarah Charlesworth, agrees this accounts for the decrease.

She says: “Teenage pregnancy is likely to drop when there is good and mandatory sex and relationship education in school from a young age.”

The acceptance that teenagers are having sex, encouraging them to do so safely and asserting the awareness of STIs is having better effects on the teen pregnancy rates than encouraging abstinence or simply ignoring the problem.

However, this news is not necessarily a cause for celebration.

Britain still has one of the highest rates of teenage pregnancy in Europe and while the teenage pregnancy rate has fallen considerably, these statistics have highlighted the failures of New Labour’s ten year strategy.

Launched in 1998 under Tony Blair, the Government hoped to reduce the numbers of teen pregnancies by half. By 2010 they had fallen by 23.8 per cent from 1998 levels, meaning that the Labour government achieved barely a quarter of their target.

However, it would be too dismissive to write off the plan as a complete failure. Instead, the successes should be noted such as the improvement in sex education and the increased spread

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FEATURES in availability and awareness of contraception.

For many female students, the thought of having to raise a child on top of the pressures of university work is nightmare inducing. This, however, is a reality for many students in our own community who are raising children while undertaking their university studies.

At the University of Sheffield there are 1,000 student parents.

Frances Moxon-Smith, a Primary Education student at Sheffield Hallam University, knows only too well the difficulties of working her life around childcare and university life. She fell pregnant aged 17.

“Juggling university work and childcare is very hard, me and my partner own a house together so we have housework on top of that,” says Frances.

Raising a child alongside university studies can be a very costly endeavour, an obstacle which no doubt discourages many from taking it up in the first place.

Childcare is one of the more costly aspects to being a student mother as Frances says: “Nursery fees are more than our mortgage.”

While the teenage pregnancy rate continues to drop, the stigma surrounding the subject appears only to be stiffening.

Speaking from experience, Frances believes that the media only focus on a select group of teenage parents: “I think its more a class thing. The media seem to focus on lower class teen mums on benefits.”

It is noticeable that the media places the spotlight on a small subsection of the population of teenage mothers. That is not to suggest that teenage parents who receive state benefits are any less able than other parents but financially, a great deal of them struggle to keep up with the rising costs of childcare.

Furthermore, as with any group of people in society, the actions of a minority can impact on the reputation of a majority.

Lately there has been a boom in television documentaries about the lives of underage expectant mothers.

These programmes have a tendency to revel in depicting teenage parents as sullen, bored adolescents being mercilessly nagged by their parents, who are often left holding the baby.

Unfortunately, this is simply television producers satisfying the appetites of a disaster-hungry British audience. However, perhaps this is a somewhat cruel sweeping interpretation of the influx of these programmes.

Frances believes that, for the most part, these programmes have good intentions at heart and deliver a positive impact on the perception of teenage mothers.

“The programmes provide a realistic view for young people who may regard mothering a child at an early age as ‘fashionable’ but it also gives some good role models and representatives if teens do find themselves in that situation.”

Critically, the problem seems to be the assumption that no teenager makes a good parent and all cases of teen pregnancy are mistakes.

Sarah Charlesworth says: “I think you have to appreciate that if a woman wants to have a child at 17 or 18 then great. I know quite a few women who choose to do that.

But ultimately it’s about choice and being aware of all the options.”

Of course, the majority of teenage pregnancies are unplanned but this does not necessarily mean they will not make good parents.

In a recent study by Simon Duncan, Rosalind Edwards and Claire Alexander called ‘Teenage Parenthood: What’s the Problem?’, it’s argued that there is no reason to present teenage pregnancy as a catastrophe when evidence actually suggests it has a positive impact

“

If a woman wants to have a child at 17 or 18 then great. But ultimately it’s about choice.

Sarah Charlesworth, Women’s officer

”

upon the lives of teenage parents.

According to the study, teenage parents see themselves as “just another mum or dad”. Frances asserts this viewpoint with her approach to childcare. “I blend in with the mums at my babygroup, I cook all meals from fresh with a balanced diet, I take my son to museums, parks, farms and I spend a lot of time teaching him at home.”

While some are choosing to have children in their teens, the recent statistics have also shown a rise in women in their 30s and 40s having children.

Conceptions amongst women aged 40 plus rose by 5.2 per cent from 2009. Experts put this trend down primarily to financial reasons, particularly the recent economic recession.

Parents that find themselves out of work have more time to spend on raising a child. However, most parents enter the ever-so-slightly scary world of parenthood with the expense in the back of their minds.

Of course, the joy and love a child brings is foremost but to put it bluntly, raising a child is not cheap.

In fact, that is perhaps not blunt enough; raising a child is horribly expensive.

A study by Liverpool Victoria revealed that by their 21st birthday a child will, on average, cost their parents £210,000. This would surely serve as a deterrent to starting a family in tough financial times.

In addition to this, times of austerity mean that securing a good job is becoming increasingly difficult. Although very much illegal, it’s often argued that women are less likely to be hired if an employer is aware she has child commitments which may provide an answer as to why women are having children at an older age.

When this increase in mothers aged 30 and over was reported in the media, it was widely claimed that women were ‘missing out’ by having children later in life. However, this is somewhat unfair.

We live in a society where contraception and medical care mean women have the option to choose and the risks of pregnancy at an older age are significantly lower than what they once were and therefore, we can now question whether having children in your 20s continues to be perceived as the norm.

In their 20s, women experience the peak of their social lives and face the increasingly difficult task of securing a position on the career ladder.

With the freedom of choice over fertility that modern life brings, it’s no wonder that many women wait until their late 30s and 40s to start a family. Why should they be expected to conceive in their 20s?

In a blog for The Guardian, older mother Mariella Frostrup berates the media for commenting that women were missing out by not having children in their 20s.

She said: “Is it possible that these women might actually be dictating their own fates, rather than being unable to live up to other’s expectations?”

Ultimately the key to this issue is choice. As Frances nicely points out: “Age is just a number.”

Whether a woman has a child at 18 or a child at 40, it is simply her decision and one that does not deserve criticism from the media and general public.

It is about time we realised that stigmatising teenage parents does more harm than it does good by alienating those facing the already difficult task of raising a child.

Furthermore, the falling statistics are a cause for celebration as it shows that the improvements in sex education and contraceptives are providing real results.

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FEATURES

Tracing the traffickers Modern slavery is real and insidious Words: Beth Surgenor & Miriam Dobson Picture: Stopthetraffick.org

T

he slave trade was legally abolished in the British Empire on March 25 1833, yet the illegal trade of people continues today and is a growing problem. The very nature of the trade, appropriately named ‘human trafficking,’ means gathering statistics on the scale of the problem is near impossible, but it is estimated that between two and four million men, women and children are trafficked across borders and within their own country each year. This means one person is trafficked across borders every minute.

The trade earns double the worldwide revenue of Coca Cola and is the fastest growing international crime. A report published by Patrick Belser in 2005 estimated that human trafficking was the second largest source of illegal income worldwide, exceeded only by drugs trafficking.

The UN Office on Drugs and Crime has since stated that there are some reports that trafficking groups are changing their cargo from drugs to people.

This enables them to achieve higher profits at a lower risk; people can be sold and re-sold a number of times and for various uses.

Human trafficking is a huge injustice and the US Department of State declared in 2003 that the trafficking of people to be ‘one of the greatest human rights challenges of our time’. It is becoming increasingly prominent in the media, however it is still hard to detect, and therefore hard to prosecute perpetrators.

Location of trafficking victims is also hard, and there have been only 25 convictions a year for sex trafficking since 2004 in England.

In October last year, Scotland had their first prosecution for human trafficking and Northern Ireland’s first conviction was in early February.

Both these convictions were sex

trafficking offences, yet trafficking for the sex industry is only one of many different forms of the crime.

Simon Chorley of Stop the Traffik said: “between April 2009 and June 2011, 60 British nationals- men, women and children- are believed to have been tricked or forced into exploitation in the UK or another country.”

Sophie Hayes* from Leeds is one such victim- she was trafficked into the sex industry by her boyfriend, Kas*, whilst on holiday in Italy.

She says “my life fell into a horrific routine.

“Kas used violence to keep me in check... Working all night and sleeping all day, I could barely manage a mouthful of food. I was so sickened by what my life had become. As the months went by, I became racked with endless illness from standing in the freezing cold every night, and my weight plunged to six stone.

But still, I was forced to sleep with up to 30 men every night, earning Kas up to €1,200 (£1,030).”

Sophie however was lucky as she managed to escape from her horrific ordeal. She has recently published a book, Trafficked, to tell her story, under a pseudonym as she cannot safely tell her story under her real name.

So what is human trafficking? It is when someone is deceived, taken by force or abducted and then bought, sold and transported into slavery.

In many cases, family members or friends deceive parents into releasing their children or selling them for as low as $20 to local gang masters of serious organised international trafficking rings.

Victims of trafficking suffer repeated physical abuse, fear, torture and threats to break their spirits and turning them into a saleable commodity.

A person can be sold and trafficked many times, within their own country and across international borders. It takes many different

“

One person is trafficked across borders every minute.

”

forms, the most common being sexual exploitation but it also can be work in sweat shops, child brides, circuses, sacrificial worship, forced begging, sale of human organs, farm labour and domestic servitude.

Trafficking may seem like a crime committed far away – terrible, yes, but ultimately of little consequence to a student at the University of Sheffield. Think again. UNICEF has said that cocoa, coffee, clothing, electronics, jewellery and many other everyday products that we take for granted bear the taint of slavery, especially child slavery.

For example, the Ivory Coast, which produces 40 per cent of the world’s cocoa (a key ingredient in the production of chocolate), often uses child labour in their factories and fields. The US Department of State estimates that 10 per cent of the children employed are trafficked labour.

One victim told the organisation Stop the Traffik his story: “When I was 10, I left home to try and earn some money to help my family.

When I got to Sikasso I didn’t know anyone.”

A locator found me at the bus station and asked me if I was looking for work. He told me that the work in Mali is not worth my trouble; that I should go to Korhogo, and when I get there I could make lots of money.

I told him that I could not say that this was true, because I have never been to Korhogo, and that I was too small to go.”

But I could not get away from him and he talked and talked and convinced me. He put me in his car and we went to Ivory Coast and sold me to a planter for 20,000 CFA ($40).”

Children like him work in inhumane conditions which involve long working hours, dangerous tools, exposure to pesticides, work in gruelling heat, and beatings.

The children who are trafficked into work on cocoa plantations are denied basic human rights, including

FORGE PRESS Thursday March 29 2012

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FEATURES the right to an education. Education is integral in breaking the cycle of trafficking – the more educated and informed people are, the more able they are to avoid being deceived by traffickers.

A deadline was set for major companies to certify their labour to be “child labour-free” by 2005; however, this deadline was missed and extended to 50 per cent child labour-free by 2008. This too passed with only insignificant, surface reforms, and now in 2012, child labour is still used widely in cocoa plantations across West Africa. This includes slave labour from children taken from their homes against their will.

Companies can become complicit in the crime of trafficking without realising it.

Many source ingredients or products from other companies who in turn source from other companies – and so the chain goes on.

This can eventually lead back to a supplier who uses trafficked labour on their plantations or in their factories. On the other end of things, traffickers may use a company’s products or premises to facilitate their trafficking activities.

One key way in which the use of trafficked labour can be reduced is by reducing the demand for trafficked labour in the first place.

Reducing the demand can range from reducing the use of brothels and prostitutes (who are often trafficked and forced into work in the sex industry against their will), to educating consumers about product origins.

Whether it’s sex or chocolate, awareness and education are key in reducing the consumer demand that keeps those who run slavery industries in business.

At the global level, the United Kingdom is primarily a demander, rather than a supplier, of trafficked labour. Although internal trafficking in the UK exists, relatively few UK citizens are actually victims of human trafficking.

However, this means that we are one of the countries that supply the demand for trafficked labour.

Therefore, the onus rests on us, as residents of the United Kingdom, to do what we can to combat human trafficking. How is this achievable?

The easiest way to be traffick-free is to ensure your purchasing habits do not support trafficked labour.

The simplest way to do this is to buy Fairtrade produce.

Fairtrade is such a large movement now that you can easily buy a significant proportion of your everyday groceries from Fairtrade or similar ethical suppliers.

It may cost an extra quid or two, and that can be quite significant for students on a tight budget, but surely the long-term benefits are better than the short-term expenditure.

Fairtrade food is easy, however clothing is unfortunately harder to come by and a lot more expensive relatively compared to Fairtrade food.

One alternative is to buy vintage or second-hand clothes. Another is to check out shops’ ethical policies – you can usually find their pledges on their websites.

One thing to look for is whether shops are a member of the Ethical Trading Initiative or have a similar alternative policy.

If you can’t work out where a shop’s goods come from, a great way to put pressure on companies to change their practices is simply by emailing them to ask about their ethical policies and whether they are certain that there is no trafficked labour involved in any of the stages of making their product.

As well as this, it is important for businesses to know where all parts of their products come from – businesses must be told that it is just

“

I was sold to a planter for the equivalent of $40 Victim of human trafficking

”

as bad for them to indirectly engage in trafficked labour as it is to directly engage in such practices.

As consumers we have an enormous amount of power over companies. The only reason that the Fairtrade movement is so successful today is that people have bought Fairtrade goods.

If companies turn more of a profit by stocking Fairtrade produce than they do non-Fairtrade produce, they will begin to stock more ethical goods. So use your money as you would a ballot paper on Election Day – it really does make a difference.

At the policy level, stronger labour laws and unionisation has been shown to reduce the ease with which trafficked labour can be used – so long as they can be extended to cover currently-excluded groups of people such as undocumented migrant workers (trafficked people are often undocumented).

Two common end points for trafficking (domestic work and sex labour) are completely undocumented, and pressure on the government to change this would make it harder for traffickers to use forced labour in the UK. There are many organisations across the world working hard to end the slave industry.

GoodWeave is one example; they work to end child labour in the rug industry. Many children are forced to work in the rug industry, and there have been examples of child labour from children as young as five.

These children face health risks such as malnutrition, impaired vision, deformities caused by working in cramped conditions, and respiratory diseases from inhaling wool fibres.

Children trafficked into industries such as the rug business are often re-trafficked, for example into the sex industry, and face a lifetime of slavery.

Chameli, 12 was sent by her father to work in a carpet factory in Nepal from the age of ten. She would wake at 5am each day to walk to the factory and start to weave rugs straight away, having had no breakfast.

She worked until 8pm each night with only a short rest in the morning.

She earned the equivalent to £3.50 a month with and was unable to go to school. But then an inspector from GoodWeave came and persuaded the factory to allow Chameli to go to their rehabilitation centre.

There she is taken care of and is able to have an education. She says “GoodWeave has changed my life... if [they were] not in Nepal many children like me would have to work in carpet factories. They would be deprived of love, care and education.”

Stop the Traffik is an organisation established in 2006 with the principle aims of preventing the sale of people, protecting the victims of the trafficked and also to prosecute the perpetrators of trafficking.

It does this in three key ways; to educate; to advocate and to fundraise.

The organisation endeavours to raise awareness of the issue of human trafficking and ways to act by engaging with communities and professionals to establish an environment where it is harder to traffick, hide and exploit people.

They raise money to finance Stop the Traffik projects and antitrafficking activities throughout the world, working with campaigners as well as those who are vulnerable to, and have been, trafficked.

To get involved in the fight to end human trafficking, search ‘Sheffield Uni Stop the Traffik Society’ on Facebook and get in touch.

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Fashion Food & Drink Health & Fitness Travel Sex & Relationships Technology

Lifestyle & Travel

FORGE PRESS Thursday March 29 2012

This fortnight...

Varsity has just finished, our assignments have been handed in and we’re all heading home for Easter. Here are some of the things we’re going to miss most about Sheffield.

FOUR OF THE BEST

Books to read over Easter The Help by kathryn stockett The book has grown in recognition since the recent film. It is an engaging read about African American maids working in white households in Jackson, Mississippi during the early 1960s. It is heart-breaking and inspiring, and very difficult to put down once engrossed in the past of Black civil rights in America.

A thousand splendid suns By khaled hosseini This is Hosseini’s second novel following The Kite Runner.

It focuses on the lives of two Afghan women and explores how their lives cross each-other, spanning from the 1960s to 2003. It offers an interesting and enlightening perspective of life for Afghan women and the sometimes shocking day-to-day realities they endure.

WE need to talk about kevin by lionel shriver Not the easiest read, but once the half way mark has been reached it cannot be put down.

The story is about a fictional school massacre in America, but is written from the first person perspective of the killer’s mother, and written as a series of letters to her husband.

the lovely bones by alice sebold

The story is of a teenage girl who, after being raped and murdered, watches from her personal Heaven as her family and friends struggle to move on with their lives while she comes to terms with her own death. It is very readable and ultimately positive, but also very sad.

Olivia Adams

Editorial

Our highlights from the Lifestyle year Fay

I genuinely cannot believe my year as your Lifestyle and Travel editor is over.

It has been the most frustrating, stressful, panicked, fun filled, hilarious, educating, informative, absolutely bloody brilliant experience.

Truly I could have not have asked a better way to spend my final year at university.

My own personal highlights include the hilarious Man vs Burger challenge at The Harley (see page 22), our very own Tom Wardak experiencing some intimate waxing, and the launch of a charity lipstick by the very inspiring Clare Madden in conjunction with Macmillan, amongst many others.

Fay Guest, Ina Fischer & Laura Davies I would like to take this opportunity to thank our lovely contributors for sticking with us throughout this year, and for writing such fantastic articles, I couldn’t have wished for better. I’d also like to thank the rest of the Forge team (because I will never say this to their faces). I’ve made some of the best, most fun and most supportive friends I’ll ever have while working on this fantastic newspaper and I am so glad to have met them. The side splittingly hilarious times we’ve had will stay with me forever.

Finally, I’d like to wish all our readers and the rest of the team all the luck in the world for the future, I know you’ll all set the world alight one way or another.

More people than ever before are getting Fay Guest As students, sexual health is something that we are told we must be aware of.

We are constantly given free condoms and invited to take chlamydia tests or visit the genitor-urinary medicine (GUM) clinic for checkups.

Chlamydia is one of the most common sexually transmitted infections in the UK, with over 180,000 people in the UK testing positive for it in 2010. As a result of this there is much awareness among the public about it.

It may be surprising then, that genital herpes is also a very common condition according to the NHS website, particularly amongst 20-24 year olds.

In 2008 29,000 people visited a sexual health clinic with a first attack of genital herpes.

According to the NHS website, it is caused by the herpes simplex virus (HSV) type one or two, and can cause painful blisters to appear on the genitals.

HSV is very contagious and is passed from person to person through skin on skin contact such as during any kind of sexual contact.

It is easily passed through mucus membranes, like the moist skin that surrounds the mouth and the genitals.

As a result, it is possible for genital herpes to be caught through having oral sex with someone with a cold sore.

Unfortunately, once a person has caught the HSV virus, it is likely to recur and cause new episodes of genital herpes throughout a person’s life.

Another worrying fact is that

Student Life

symptoms of genital herpes may not appear for several months after initial infection, so a person may not be aware of it which makes unprotected sex substantially riskier.

Genital herpes causes painful blisters to appear in and around the genitals, which can then burst to leave open sores.

Alongside this, the NHS website lists symptoms that can include a general feeling of being unwell, fever, blisters and ulcers on the cervix in women and a high temperature.

“I wish I’d never had to know, but unfortunately this is something that I’ll have to deal with for the rest of my life.”

Once a first infection has subsided the sores will disappear but the virus remains dormant in the body and recurrent flare ups can happen throughout a person’s life.

If recurrent infections are severe, it is possible to be prescribed anti-viral tablets but a recent study from the University of Washington found that the virus was able to navigate the nerve pathways to the skin.

As a result, it can easily be passed on even if the infected person is not displaying any visible symptoms.

When we were young, dreams

Ina

Never would I have thought that a year can go by so quickly; I still vividly remember laying out my first pages as a newly-elected Lifestyle & Travel editor. Back then it took me about 15 minutes to figure out how to type text into a page, something you can probably tell I’m rather good at by now.

However, that is not the only positive thing that came from my time with Forge Press. It’s been very challenging and inspiring at the same time, and I would like to thank all of our contributors for continuously supplying us with great content and ideas. Thanks to everyone who stepped out of their comfort zone to complete a ‘5 day challenge’ or write a sex column; your frankness has been a great source of amusement for our readers.

I would also like to say thanks to Hannah Pearson, who I had the pleasure of working with for the first half of the year.

If I had to chose a personal highlight, it would probably be the time I dragged our Sports editor Adam Hancock to a cupcake decorating and cocktail mixing night for reviewing purposes. Don’t tell him I said this, but I’m pretty certain he enjoyed the free champagne and pastel-coloured cupcake decorations just as much as I did.

Laura

I joined the lovely Lifestyle & Travel team in November, and the past six months have whizzed by far too quickly.

It’s been a whirlwind of ups and downs, chronic writer’s block and frantic deadlines but I can honestly say that I have enjoyed every minute.

So I’m glad to say that I will be spending my summer coming up with intriguing article ideas and will be back as editor of Lifestyle & Travel next year, joined by the lovely Olivia Adams.

Highlights from my time so far have got to include reviewing Cubana - any excuse to eat yummy tapas and ‘sample’ cocktails - and writing the article which got me the job, on inspirational travellers. One of the main perks of the job though, is getting to meet so many great people. From our faithful contributors (thanks guys!) to the whole Forge Press team. It’s been fantastic getting to know the lot of you, and for those who are staying, let the good times continue...

Curtis Bhatoe

Emma Obank

Aspired to be: Dinosaur

Aspired to be: Olympic Swimmer

From a young age, Curtis had a more niche vision of his future career, stating: “For a really long time I wanted to be a dinosaur. I just thought they were really cool and I was a bit upset that they weren’t around anymore and just wanted to bring them back”.

As he has grown older, Curtis’s ideas have become more realistic; though perhaps have not decreased in eccentricity.

He explained that he is currently interested in becoming a voice over artist for animated films, as it would be an interesting line of work with many opportunities for creativity. Or, as Curtis put it “cool”.

Emma’s young mind was more focused on athletics than on business.

“When I was younger I wanted to be an Olympic swimmer – but for Australia because I had an Australian Olympic swimming costume.

“And then I wanted to moonlight during the non-summer months as a lawyer”.

Nowadays, Emma has thrown in the swimming towel.

She was Venue Manager for The Shrimps, and would now love to work behind the scenes at the Edinburgh Fringe festival.

In the future, Emma can see herself heading back down the academic route, into teaching.

FORGE PRESS Thursday March 29 2012

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Wednesdays at Corp

21

All day lie-ins

Beans on toast

It’s one of those nights we all love to hate. Dressing up in a shirt and tie and reminiscing back to the days of schoolyard shenanigans, those red pints will be missed. Perhaps not by our livers...

It’s back into the loving fold of home, where food is free and vitamins come on a plate rather than in tablet form.

Not neccessarily a bad thing!

There’s no way your nagging mother will let you laze around at home, so you may aswell kiss those hungover lie-ins goodbye, right now.

The unspoken truth about herpes diagnosed with herpes, an incurable STI which we all know far too little about. Lifestyle delves deeper into the issue...

A doctor in Sheffield, who refused to be publicly named, said “It’s not so much the physical symptoms that are the problem, but the psychological damage that having genital herpes can cause. The actual physical symptoms of recurrences are trivial.”

This statement is contradicted by one sufferer, who says “I agree that the psychological implications of having genital herpes are steep, but there is no way that anyone can say the physical symptoms are trivial.

They are incredibly painful, and I get them everywhere around my genitals and I feel very ill before and during the flare up.

“The NHS website and other university research has shown that the physical symptoms can be very unpleasant so I find it disappointing that a doctor would refuse to be named and try and play down exactly how distressing and painful it is.

“It adds to the stigma and does not do anything to fuel much needed knowledge.

“I accept that some people may suffer worse than others, but I am not the only infected person I know, and I have not met anyone who has said the symptoms are trivial, they are anything but.”

This is echoed by another sufferer, who has recurrent flare ups every time she feels stressed and becomes very ill as a result.

Not only this, but her personal relationships have been massively affected. She says: “There is never any room for mystery, before I take things with a partner any further I have to tell them this about myself, that I suffer from genital herpes.

“I’ve had partners who have been very supportive, but I have had negative responses in the past which have made relationships impossible.

“I often feel very ashamed about it, and it sometimes feels like I will never find someone to accept me as I am on a permanent basis.

“I hope to get married and have children, but worry that this will stop me.” However, it is possible to live a normal life with genital herpes.

One sufferer, who is in her 40s, says: “I have had three children, all by natural births, although I am aware

that if a flare up recurs during labour women have to have a C-section.

“There is enough information around about things like that though, what they don’t tell you is just how ill you feel when you get a recurrence.

“They don’t tell you how painful it can be to go to the toilet, or how difficult it is to deal with the mood swings that accompany herpes.

“I am however lucky enough to be married with a family, and it is something that we deal with.

“When you’re first diagnosed it is easy to think that you will never find

anyone who understands and is willing to accept you, but it is.”

The fact that it is possible for a simple cold sore which affects 70 per cent of the UK population, to cause genital herpes is a worrying thought with the amount of students who pull on nights out.

A simple kiss can cause a person to suffer from cold sores, which could then in turn potentially infect a sexual partner.

“Not enough people know nearly enough about genital herpes,” says another sufferer.

“I had no idea about it really until I was diagnosed, and I wish I’d never had to know, but unfortunately this is something that I’ll have to deal with for the rest of my life.”

However there is help out there for students in Sheffield.

Welfare Officer Mat Denton says “STIs are common in the student community, and we encourage students to practice safe sex.

“Free condoms and chlamydia tests are available from the Sabbatical Officers and in the advice centre. The LGBT lounge also stocks free condoms.”

Sheffield Contraception and Sexual Health Service also visit the Union every month, and offer a full sexual health screening.

They are next here on April 24, and will have a stall in the foyer and a room for screening.

There is help out there for sufferers of all STIs, and it is important to seek that help in order to live as full a life as possible.

Herpes: at a glance

• There are two strains of the Herpes virus; HSV-1 and HSV-2. The second is the most common cause of genital herpes.

• 180,000 in the UK alone were diagnosed with herpes in 2010.

• Symptoms can stay dormant for months after initial infection.

• Unlike most STDs, this one cannot be kept at bay by a condom as it is passed on through any skin-to-skin contact - even from a kiss.

• Once caught, the herpes virus cannot be cured. The symptoms can reccur for your entire life.

• While it cannot be cured, there are medications to relieve the symptoms once diagnosed.

If you have any worries or concerns, visit the Sheffield GUM Clinic at the Royal Hallamsire Hospital.

Phone: 0114 276 6928 Website: www.sth.nhs.uk/ sexual-health

When I grow up...

s of being movie stars and animals were the norm. Lifestyle takes a look at how those ambitions have changed

Rachel Howell Aspired to be: Archaeologist Rachel was a highly ambitious child, who had her sights set on becoming an archaeologist from an early age.

Her reasoning: “I liked getting dirty…when I was about five, not when I was like 13!” she hastened to add.

“Now I just want to be rich and clean”.

Although this is her only criterion, Rachel has still found it difficult to pinpoint exactly what career path she hopes to take.

Although she did mention that being a WAG would be suited to her taste.

Charlie Gill

Jack Anderson Aspired to be: Spy

Katie Ward

Tom Wardak

Aspired to be: Rabbit Charlie’s initial occupation ideas were on a similar wavelength to those of Curtis.

“I wanted to be a rabbit because I really liked their ears until I realised that I actually couldn’t be a rabbit”, she admitted.

“Now I want to be a lawyer so it has kind of changed dramatically.

It’s a little bit more human”.

Miss Gill’s fall-back plan was to become an actress “but that changed because it’s nearly impossible to get a career in acting”.

Perhaps she would have had more luck becoming a rabbit.

Following in the footsteps of the fast-thinking secret agent, James Bond, a young Jack Anderson dreamt of becoming a spy.

Despite this, it was only his fall back option for when his days as a superhero were over.

Several years later and he has whittled down his job prospects to some more sensible and less life threatening occupations, although his dreams still linger.

“I still want to be a spy but I’m going to go into law I think and write on the side because I love writing and I also like money”.

“I wanted to be lots of things when I was younger, but for a while I wanted to be a surgeon because I watched too much Holby City”, Katie stated.

If that was her reasoning, we can just be thankful that she didn’t overload on The Demon Headmaster.

However, Katie’s dreams were soon quashed when she realised that she’s “actually quite squeamish so it might not be a good idea”.

At present, Katie is thinking about putting her Modern Languages degree to good use and “possibly going into teaching”.

Tom has been a fan of Luke Skywalker ever since he received the Special Edition boxset at the impressionable age of eight.

Now an English Literature Masters student, he’s got more realistic ambitions.

Once his course is over, Tom plans to head to China and teach English for a year with friends.

Sadly Tom’s love for Star Wars has dwindled over the years.

On his return from China, Tom dreams of becoming a film critic... so that he can finally, and more importantly officially, slate Star Wars.

Aspired to be: Surgeon

Aspired to be: Luke Skywalker

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Thursday March 29 2012

FORGE PRESS

Lifestyle & Travel

UMN L O C X SE

Relationships

Purely platonic?

It can be beyond awkward when some kind of romantic involvement ends and for some reason or another one or both parties attempt a friendship. Lifestyle asks if you can ever be just friends with someone who has been up close and personal...

Noisy neighbours So picture this. You’ve just rested your head on your pillow and begun to count sheep, ready for a peaceful night’s sleep.

All of a sudden, your hopes and dreams are shattered as all hell breaks loose.

Your wall-sharing friend has decided to taunt you with sounds of a toe-curling orgasm.

Or perhaps that faint banging, which you had tried to pass off as a noisy pipe, has suddenly become all too rhythmic and is gradually increasing in pace and volume...

Either way, we’ve probably all been there at some point in our student lives.

Whether it was through the paper-thin walls (and ceilings) of Endcliffe and Ranmoor, or through the creaky floorboards of a drafty second year house, having to share intimate moments with your flat mates is an all too common experience.

For me, it has recently become a regular occurrence.

Long gone are the days of the occasional disturbing one-night stand, and in have moved the dreaded ‘boyfriends’.

When it comes to getting down to it, they couldn’t be more different.

On one side of my room, I have the extrovert who orgasms like nobody’s business, and on the other I have the silent but squeaky type.

Over the past few weeks of sleepless nights, I’ve had plenty of time to consider which is worse.

And I’m really not sure. I mean, at least the noisy one is enjoying it, right?

Both types of sexual liaison are going to stop me from sleeping, so they may as well let loose their vocal chords and share their excitement with all of us.

But perhaps I’ve got it wrong.

Maybe my seemingly silent and questionably unsatisfied housemate is actually some kind of kinky sexual-animal with a penchant for being gagged?

I suppose that would explain the deathly silence.

But I honestly think I’d rather never know.

If you’re the confrontational type and it’s one of your beloved housemates, then perhaps the best way to tackle their generous but unappreciated ability to share is to make a joke about it.

Something along the lines of, “So, good night eh?” with a cheeky wink will speak volumes and hopefully prompt a reduction of theirs.

Or do as some cheeky guys near me have, and rename your Wi-Fi ‘We CAN hear you having sex’.

Perhaps that will at least guilt trip all those in the surrounding area into silence.

But if you’re the peaceful type then for now at least, take my advice.

Tuck a pair of earplugs into your bedside drawer. They may just help keep your sanity intact.

Anonymous

Fay Guest It’s the question that divides many; can you ever be ‘just’ friends following a romantic involvement?

Aside from the fact that the other person may well have been up close and personal with your naked bits, there’s the issue of leftover (possibly unwanted) feelings and of course general awkwardness.

Particularly if there is a scorned woman and/or man involved.

Obviously, if there is a scorned, and therefore angry and rather upset, partner, it is unlikely for a while at least that friendship is going to be smooth sailing.

Unrequited love, generally pissed off and occasionally humiliated people mean that there could be a few awkward silences ahead in the immediate aftermath of something ending.

Moving on in time, and say that both of you are managing some kind of friendship/civility, is it ever really ‘just’ friendship?

There is always the chance that the something that attracted you to that person in the first place will still be there, and therefore so may the chemistry that once existed.

The above however, is quite possibly the reason you should definitely at least make the effort to stay friends.

Okay, so possibly not any leftover scraps of sexual chemistry, but in most cases there is a reason that a person is attractive to you.

The best chemistry comes

Review

from personalities that bounce off each other, and there is no reason that you can’t be friends with that person providing you can avoid... complications.

Often all that may be needed is that great healer, time. And space.

And various getting over him/her nights out, drinks, food etc etc.

One student said: “I was devastated when my ex ended things after cheating on me following two and a half years together.

“I was angry and hurt and I ended up very bitter. I needed some time to get over him, which I did, and now two years later we’re rebuilding our friendship.

“I still care about him but I no longer have any feelings for him that go any deeper than friendship,

which means there is no power imbalance.

“There is absolutely no way I could have considered being his friend before now though, I just wasn’t ready to deal with him in my life but time has proven itself to be a healer and now I’m enjoying his friendship again.”

Problems arise when there is a lot of hurt and anger bubbling just below the surface.

In those situations, attempts at friendship can be at best awkward and at worst disastrous.

If you can’t be around someone for more than five minutes without having to desperately fight the urge to tell them exactly what you think of them, or worse actually telling them what you think of them, then you’re

probably not ready to be friends.

If you make the agreement and the decision to be friends then you have to stick to being at the very least civil and friendly, even if you’re not being strictly genuine about it.

Another student said: “My girlfriend cheated on me which was bad enough in itself, made worse by the fact that she and I worked together.

“I had to agree to stay civil for the sake of everyone else who worked with us, because if I’d actually behaved in accordance with how I felt it would have been unbearable for everyone involved.

“It was hell, I constantly tried to avoid her but there were occasions where we were forced to work together.

“I faced a constant internal battle between the desire to keep my dignity and the desire to tell her how much I hated her.

“Luckily we don’t work together anymore and I’ve now moved on, but I don’t think I could be friends with her even now.”

So the idea of being strictly platonic with someone you’ve been strictly inappropriate with is something of a minefield.

The question of whether or not things can return to ‘normal,’ whatever that is, after a certain line has been crossed has baffled lovers since the beginning of time.

The problem is, you can’t really know until you try being friends with a person who may have hurt you, but who may also be the best things since sliced bread. In your opinion.

If Byron was a bar...

This week student favourite The Harley launched its brand new mad, bad, and dangerous to know menu - complete with a Man vs Burger competition. Lifestyle went to investigate...and compete Fay Guest To coincide with the launch of their brand new menu, The Harley held a series of heats in the Man vs Burger competition.

In the spirit of being good sports here at Forge Press we decided to enter our very own Music Editor Sam Bolton into the competition, while the rest of us watched and sampled the new burgers.

Win-win situation.

The Man vs Burger competition was not just any competition. It involved participants eating The Ring Stinger as fast as possible.

The Ring Stinger contains chillis hotter than jalapeños, amongst other ridiculously hot and not-for-wimps ingredients.

Cue lots of eye watering from Sam, who began well, but according to him, “The burger was hot, but the chips were insane.”

Chips which, by the looks of things, had been smothered in chilli powder.

Sam post Ring Stinger proudly showing off his certificate Sam said “To say my mouth was on fire would be an understatement.

Nobody told me I’d be eating the world’s hottest chilli.”

The Ghost chilli, which is in The Ring Stinger, is recognised by Guinness World Records as the the hottest chilli pepper in the world.

Cue lots of amusement from the rest of the Forge team upon watching Sam’s attempt.

Sam fnished in a sort of but not quite respectable third place, and came out rather red with eyes watering.

Luckily the kind people at The Harley supplied him with milk and

a certificate stating what a brave boy he had been.

For those who can’t quite cope with chillis of record breaking proportions, The Harley’s new menu includes a whole range of ‘Big, Bad and Dangerous’ burgers.

They range from the superb to the bizarre, including Krispy’s Dream, which incorporates breakfast, dinner and dessert - ie a pork burger with bacon and maple syrup inside a glazed doughnut.

The Once Bitten Twice Fried burger is compared to ‘good sex with someone really ugly, you know you shouldn’t but you just can’t help

Once Bitten Twice Fried

yourself.’ Enough said.

Other burgers available are the Creamy Creamy Muck Muck, a gloriously gooey concoction involving a lot of blue cheese sauce goodness and The Elvis, which has managed to sneak in peanut butter on a burger. (The jury’s still out on the last one.)

All in all, The Harley has come up trumps yet again.

These are not burgers to eat if you’re on a health kick, or if you’re looking to eat with your fingers but they are the perfect accompaniment to a lazy afternoon with friends.

FORGE PRESS Thursday March 29 2012

www.forgetoday.com // lifestyle@forgetoday.com

23

Lifestyle & Travel

Fashion

The hitchhiker’s guide to fashion The long-awaited Easter holidays are finally here, and for many students this means enjoying a bit of time off before exam season hits us once again. Others will embark on a slightly different kind of holiday and hitchhike across Europe in the name of charity. This year, Bummit, the annual charity hitchhike organised by Sheffield Raising and Giving (RAG), will send Sheffield students to Sofia, Bulgaria.

Ina Fischer While getting a lift largely depends on fortune and lucky circumstances, a hitchhiker can increase the likelihood of being picked up by dressing a bit out of the ordinary.

Think fancy dress, flashy colours and unusual accessories- especially if there are multiple groups of you trying to get a lift from the same service station, sticking out can be very helpful.

By wearing a silly or eye-catching outfit, you make yourself seem more approachable to others. People may stop and chat or comment on your costume, which you can use to your advantage.

Anyone who you’ve successfully engaged in a conversation is more likely to let you into their car once you have proven that you are neither 1) dangerous, 2) insane or 3) incredibly boring.

One-piece suits, also known as ‘onesies’, are especially convenient for hitchhiking.

They are comfortable and will keep you warm during those lonely hours spent standing at the side of the road sticking out your thumb. Conveniently, onesies also come in a variety of colours, patterns and shapes.

UK brand Kigu produces animal onesies that come fully equipped with tail, ears, and- in the case of the kangaroo suit - even a pouch.

At £39.99, they are a small investment, but

perhaps one that will prove itself worthwhile. beds.

Alternatively, you could also opt for unusual Do not forget to pack for a variety of headwear or colourful accessories such as weather scenarios. Especially when you are leggins to jazz up a more casual look. hitchhiking lengthy distances, the countries Dressing in bright colours also has you pass through may be very different in a key advantage in terms of safety. terms of temperature and humidity.

You want to be well visible at all A thin, water-repellent outdoor jacket is times, but especially at night or in indispensable for any traveler. bad weather.

It won’t take up a lot of space in your bag, Apart from standing but it will keep you warm and out from the crowd, shield you from the rain. however, its almost Also, don’t forget to invest in equally as important to sturdy footwear. dress in a way that is You may have to walk for practical. longer distances, Layering multiple items run, make your of clothing on top of each other way through will make it easy for you to mood, puddles or adjust to the warm inside of a uneven territory. car after having spent hours However, don’t waiting for a lift in the cold. forget to bring a Any layer you take off can pair of nice shoes as be scrunched up and used as a well; you will want to pillow, or spread out to use as a wear these when going blanket. out or exploring the city Shawls, scarves and sarongs are once you reach your equally multifunctional. destination.

They can be sat on, used as a Try to pack some items blanket. waved around to of clothing that are fun attract a potential lift, used as and flashy, as well as a a shelter from rain, knotted ‘Frog’ and ‘Red few practical basics... and into a makeshift carrier bag Panda’ Kigu leave a bit of room in your or used as an emergency bed suits (kigu.co.uk) bag for souvenirs. Your sheet for questionable hostel friends will thank you.

OUR TOP PICKS

Not daring enough for extraordinary fancy dress? This sock monkey hat will keep you warm and catch the attention of others.

(Snorgtees.com)

Vans sneakers are comfortable and very durable. These unisex shoes are available in a range of colours and can be machine washed if need be. Buy them online to save money.

Atzec prints are the look of the season for boys and girls alike. They come in a variety of funky colours and are ideal for hitchhikers that want to stand out of the crowd.

Student Life

The death of the date Alice Burrow “This is our first date, isn’t it?” my boyfriend asks, sat across from me in a restaurant.

Nothing unusual, if we weren’t a whole three months into our relationship.

As I think about it for a bit, I suddenly realise that even when we were still just ‘seeing’ each other, we never went on a date in the traditional sense.

It seems this is not a rare occurrence either; 21st century relationships are taking very different forms and unfortunately, the patterns emerging point towards the death of the date.

Long gone are the days of getting to know your potential other half over a meal or a drink and pondering the timing of that coveted first kiss.

The nervousness of waiting for him or her to call you back afterwards and arrange for a follow-up date, the excitement when you turn up and see your date already waiting for you with a smile on their face... Is this all history?

Instead, making out with strangers in decrepit clubs - and sometimes waking up with them the following morning - is now accepted as part of our modern day relationship culture.

The aim of a night out has become seeking out the affections of a stranger rather than dancing until the early hours with friends.

For those hoping to see a relationship at the end of it, this hardly inspires romance and passion now, does it?

While we can criticise the ways and means, we have to accept that relationship dynamics are changing with the influence of communication technology.

It is now possible for us to constantly stay in touch, which has increased the speed at which relationships develop.

How technology influences 21st century relationships

Most young adults in relationships will recall the early days spent racking up ridiculous phone bills and endless text conversations. This has long since taken over from traditional dating in terms of letting relationships flourish.

Part of the problem also stems from the rise of social media. The internet is proving to be an arena for fledgling couples to meet and flirt.

It seems we prefer staying up till the early hours on Facebook chat to the traditional drink at the pub or romantic walk in the park.

It could be argued that this is dating for the 21st century but personally, I simply don’t think virtual forms of communication can match up to face-to-face conversations.

Dating is not only for ‘new’ couples, being in a long-term relationship does not mean the dating has to stop. In fact, its one of the best ways to keep the relationship alive.

Unfortunately, money can also deter couples from dating. For students, a meal at a restaurant and night at the cinema can easily blow the weekly budget.

However, this doesn’t mean one should

forego dating altogether. All you need to do is get a bit creative.

Here in Sheffield, we have the Peak District right on our doorstep.

You can go walking, explore one of the picturesque little villages or simply sit and enjoy the stunning view along with your loved one.

No money to take your partner out for dinner? Now that it’s getting warmer outside, you could set up a picnic in the park or even your back yard and serve a variety of homemade snacks.

Just add candles and a bottle of wine and you’ve got your romantic evening sorted...

You may even get bonus points for creativity.

For those more inclined to the indoors, the Students’ Union regularly runs a variety of free and interesting events.

Cinema nights run by the Film Unit are priced at £2.50 a ticket, which is considerably cheaper than any cinema in town. You even get a voucher that can be spent on food and drinks in the Interval cafe.

As students, we are used to having a good time while spending as little money as possible. If this applies to nights out, surely it can be applied to dating as well.

It pains me to speak ill of the most treasured of Sheffield institutions, but perhaps it’s time we got out of Corp on a Wednesday evening, stopped locking faces with strangers and revived the institution of dating before it fades away completely.

This is not to say that 21st century perks to dating shouldn’t be embraced. It is a wonderful thing that the internet has brought together people that would have never previously crossed paths.

But for new and old couples alike, dating is a fantastic way to liven up your relationship.

24

FORGE PRESS Thursday March 2012 www.forgetoday.com

PUZZLES & HUMOUR

Coffee Break In Bar One: Girl: “No, no, no. Womens is plural, women is singular.”

overheard

in sheffield

In Interval: Girl: “I knew he didn’t like me, but I wanted him to and then he asked me if I would. So I did. But I knew he didn’t like me, I did.”

On Devonshire Green: Guy 1: “What do you mean ‘tory’? What does that even stand for?”

Guy 2: *sigh*

The strange news this fortnight:

omg, Have you seen...?

45-foot paper aeroplane takes to the arizona skies YouTube it: A 12-year-old in Arizona might have won the most amazing competition ever, when he won the chance to help design a 45 foot long paper aeroplane.

Arturo Valdengro won the competition, hosted by Pima Air and Space Museum in Tucson, which challenged six to 14-yearolds to design a far flying paper aeroplane.

Although based on Valdenegro’s design, the actual plane was designed by aviation engineer Art Thompson, who was part of the team that engineered and constructed the B-2 stealth bomber for the U.S Air Force.

Crossword Puzzle:

The finished model was 45 feet long, with a wing span of 24 feet and weighed an amazing 363 kilograms, and named ‘Arturo’s Deser Eagle’ after Valdenegro.

The plane was constructed of falcon board (corrugated cardboard, similar to that used for pizza boxes), which helped to keep its total mass down, whilst retaining a rigid form.

The plane was attached to a Sikorsky helicopter and lifted into the sky. The target height was between 4,000 and 5,000feet, but windy conditions meant the pilot had to take the executive decision to release the plane at only 2,703 feet.

The plane glided for about 10 seconds, before plummeting down to the ground due to excessive tail stress. A second flight couldn’t be scheduled as “It didn’t fare too well as an end game. It really is a crumbled mess,” according to Tim Vimmerstedt, a spokesperson for the Pima Air & Space Museum told The Times.

Borat steals the show from Kazakh athlete

Sacha Baron Cohen’s Kazakh parody refuses to leave the poor nation alone.

Officials accidently replaced their national anthem with Borat’s version from the movie, at a medal ceremony in Kuwait.

However it isn’t the first time a mistake has been made with Kazakhstan’s national anthem. Before this, the anthem was replaced with Ricky Martin’s Livin’ la Vida Loca at a recent skiing event.

YouTube search: Borat Song Replaces Kazakh National Anthem at Sports Event

The real news this fortnight:

porn star says ‘yes’ to prom date

Across

Down:

1. Distortion, falsification (17) 10. Extent (5) 11. Become confused, rotten (5) 12. El ___, Spanish painter (5) 13. Spirit, wish granter (5) 14. Alligator pear (fruit) (7) 17. Sourness, tartness (7) 21. Position, situation (5) 26. Eagle’s nest (5) 27. American state (5) 28. Trench (5) 29. A message transmitted over great distances in the form of electromagnetic signals (17)

1. Almond drop cookie (8) 2. Save from wreckage (7) 3. Active, strong (9) 4. Arc of prismatic colours (7) 5. Cooperative action of two or more forces (7) 6. Feeling of wistful yearning (9) 7. Forsake, desert (7) 8. Addition, small step (9) 9. Plot (a path) (8) 15. Body part that has become smaller and lost its use due to evolutionary change (9) 16. The exercise of absolute authority (9) 18. Symptom of food poisoning (9) 19. Semi-precious stone (8) 20. Defensive outpost (8) 22. Movement of vehicles, trade (7) 23. Headband (7) 24. 007’s favourite cocktail (7) 25. Vincenzo ___, cocktail (7)

Coffee Break’s Word of the Fortnight: Catechize, (v.)

1. To question closely; 2. To instruct orally by means of questions and answers, especially in Christian doctrine; 3. To question with reference to belief.

Origin: comes from the Greek roots pachý meaning “thick” and dermatos meaning “skin.” Its metaphorical meaning of a person with thick skin is attested to in the 1860s.

One young man in Minnesota is trying to live The Girl Next Door dream, by inviting a porn star to his high school prom.

Mike Stone, 18, sent over 600 tweets to various adult film stars, asking them to accompany him to his prom after growing tired of being rejected by his fellow school friends.

Stone finally received a yes in the form of Megan Piper, 19, who only asked him to pay for her airfare. However, his school stepped in and cock blocked the poor guy when they banned Miss Piper from attending the event.

According to Patty Phillips, superintendent of the North St PaulMaplewood-Oakdale School District, Miss Piper’s appearance would be ‘inconsistent’ with two district policies relating to having visitors at school buildings and sites.

Mike told the website Daily Dot of his bitter disappointment at being thwarted, “I was just thinking of doing something new. I was like, let’s try it out and see if it works,” he said. “I just think they [adult film stars] are really cute and I wish I had one for a prom date.”

So the dream of making a porn film in your school is yet to be fulfilled. However it seems Miss Piper might try to make an appearance, despite the ban, as she recently tweeted “Does anyone know of really good places to get prom dresses at?”

Lecture Puzzle Corner: The fourth child: Mary’s mum has four children.

The first child is called April.

The second May. The third June.

What is the name of the fourth child?

“

For everyone that loves

me: I’d love to go to prom with @madmike42948 and I think you all should help him raise funds to get me there. RT.

”

FORGE PRESS Thursday March 29 2012 www.forgetoday.com

25

PUZZLES & HUMOUR

With Holly Wilkinson new world record for the longest wedding dress in the world is set in bucharest

More Puzzles: Sudoku 1

Sudoku 2

The longest wedding dress in the world was unveiled in Bucharest, Romania, last week.

The train measured an astonishing 1.85 miles (3,000 metres) long and was displayed by lifting the 17-year-old model, Emily Dumitrescu, up into the sky in a hot air balloon above the Romanian capital.

The dress beat the previous record, held by a Dutch designer, by 512 metres.

Several aides had to be

drafted in to help control and display the silk gown, as Miss Dumitrescu floated up into the sky, and concentrated on not setting herself on fire.

The dress was created in Bucharest and took 10 seamstresses over 11 days to make, using lace, taffeta and silk. The materials were imported from Italy and France, and therefore caused the cost of production to rise to an estimated £4,500 (not bad when you consider the mileage you’ll get out of the

material).

The event was put on by the Andree Salon fashion house, the people behind the city’s biannual wedding fair.

Organiser Alin Caraman took delight in taking the world record of the Netherlands, after Holland recently opposed Romania’s entry into the European Union’s visa-free travel zone: “If the Netherlands does not allow us into Europe, we’ll take them out of the world records book.”

Ingredients:

Medium

• • • • • • • •

250g Penne pasta 250g Smoked Streaky British Bacon 400g Broccoli 2 tbsp olive oil ½ tsp cumin seeds, crushed A pinch of cayenne pepper 2 cloves of garlic, chopped 250g pack Mature Grated Cheddar

Method:

Hard

Random Fact of the Week: The female pigeon cannot lay eggs if she is alone. In order for her ovaries to function, she must be able to see another pigeon.

Hot

Easter holidays start tomorrow, hello sunshine and textbooks.

Beckinham Palace is up for sale.

The Hunger Games is actually quite good - be a sheep and give it a whirl.

The Royal Albert Hall was opened 141 years ago today.

Easy

Recipe: Pasta with broccoli and bacon

Sudoku 3

Trending

Cook the pasta in boiling water for the recommended time (depending whether it is fresh or dried) and then drain into a colander.

Meanwhile, cut the bacon into one centimetre pieces.Then cut the broccoli into florets and the stalks into small pieces. Add the broccoli to boiling water and cook for 4-5 minutes until tender.

Drain the broccoli and tip into a shallow ovenproof dish. Heat a frying pan and dryfry the bacon pieces for five minutes until they begin to crisp. Scatter over the broccoli.

Heat the olive oil in the frying pan with the cumin seeds, cayenne pepper and garlic.

Spoon the mixture over the bacon and tip the pasta on top.

Sprinkle with half of the cheese and

cook under a preheated grill until cheese is melting and beginning to brown.

Serve with a sprinkle of fresh cheese on the top and a parsley leaf, if you care for it.

If you have a more sensitive palette then don’t use the cumin seeds and cayenne pepper, instead just heat the olive oil with garlic and then add to the bacon and broccoli.

For those of you who are vegetarian, then try adding some Qourn chicken styled pieces, before adding the cheese and pasta.

To bulk up this meal, then try adding chopped up chicken pieces as well. These can be fried with either the bacon, or in the garlic olive oil.

James Cameron has reached the depths of the ocean, and returned to live another day (and weave another sparkling, multimillion dollar story).

The largest deckchair in the world has been unveiled on Bournemouth beach.

David Cameron’s dinner guest list is becoming the must have invitation of the Spring.

Jonathan Fellowes’ Titanic drama was slightly disappointing.

Did you know about: the origins of the easter bunny The ancient Anglo-Saxons celebrated the return of spring with a carnival commemorating their goddess of offspring and of springtime, Eostre. The word carnival possibly originated from the Latin ‘carne vale’

meaning ‘flesh, farewell’ or ‘meat, farewell.’ The offerings were rabbits and coloured eggs, bidding an end to winter.

As it happened, the pagan festival of Eostre occurred at the same time of year as the Christian observance of the Resurrection of Christ and it didn’t take the Christian missionaries long to convert the Anglo-Saxons when they

encountered them in the second century. The offering of rabbits and eggs eventually became the Easter bunny and Easter eggs.

Cold

26

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SPORT

Matchdebating

Debate: Is the quick hitting style of Twenty20 good for cricket or could it ruin the sport?

Twenty20 has opened Five day cricket is still the ultimate test the door to new fans Pete Buchanan The last decade of international cricket has seen the rise to prominence of the shortest form of the game, Twenty20.

The 50-over format has also fluctuated in its popularity. But the longest form of cricket, Test cricket, remains head and shoulders above them.

Success in the Test arena is rightly regarded as the pinnacle of a cricketer’s career, and demonstrates their mastery of technique, temperament and desire.

In the words of Kevin Pietersen, “white clothes separate the men from the boys.”

“Success in the Test arena is the pinnacle of a cricketer’s career” The main and most frequent criticism of Test cricket is that it is boring.

This is absolutely false as it ignores the great subtleties of the game.

Even when there is a lull in the excitement, something is always happening, be it a period of consolidation from either side, a steady accumulation of runs, or a battle to

wrestle the momentum back from the opposition.

Test cricket is very rarely won with a moment of genius (although Stuart Broad’s thrilling hat-trick against India last summer showed how it can happen); brilliance often needs time to flourish.

Consider Alistair Cook’s innings of 294 in the same series versus India, or Brian Lara’s famous 400 not out versus England in Antigua.

These two superhuman batting performances consumed over 1,100 deliveries between them, and a combined total of almost 26 hours. Time consuming? Yes. Boring?

Certainly not.

Furthermore, the attrition of cricket cannot be done justice in the limited overs game.

My favourite story of Sachin Tendulkar is from his days as a Mumbai school kid, when he reduced the opposition bowling attack to tears by compiling 326 runs.

Even from a bowler’s perspective, taking wickets in the longer format requires infinitely more skill than it does in a Twenty20.

In Test cricket, a wicket may be the culmination of several overs worth of probing and tactics.

When the batsman’s main objective is to occupy the crease rather than hit boundaries, the bowlers are required to out-think as well as out-skill the

BUCS Tables Badminton - Northern Conference Men’s 2B

Pts Leeds 1s..............................................................25 Sheffield 1s.........................................................21 Leeds Met 3s......................................................19 Durham 1s..........................................................14 Leeds 2s..............................................................3 Sheffield 2s........................................................ 3 Badminton - Northern Conference Men’s 2B

Pts Leeds 1s.............................................................. 25 Sheffield 1s......................................................... 21 Leeds Met 3s.......................................................19 Durham 1s...........................................................14 Leeds 2s...............................................................3 Sheffield 2s......................................................... 3

batsmen.

Finally, one of the greatest attributes of Test cricket is the finality of results it produces.

In Twenty20 cricket, and nearly every other sport, any team can triumph on their day.

But in these sports, winning seems insufficient to claim your superiority over the opposition.

For example, Ireland beat England in the last Cricket World Cup, but few seriously believe they are the better of the two teams.

If you win a Test match, or a Test match series, you undisputedly deserve it.

Five days is simply too long to be lucky.

Test captain Andrew Strauss.

Basketball - Northern Conference Men’s 3B

Pts Sheffield 1s...............................................................30 Leeds Met 3s............................................................24 Huddersfield 1s........................................................15 Sheffield Hallam 2s................................................. 9 Hull 1s...................................................................... 6 York 1s..................................................................... 0 Basketball - Northern Conference Women’s 2B

Pts Bradford 1s.............................................................. 30 York 1s...................................................................... 21 Sheffield 1s...............................................................18 Sunderland 1s......................................................... 9 Hull 1s...................................................................... 6 York St John 1s.........................................................0 Football - Northern Conference Men’s 2B

Pts Durham 1s............................................................... 30 Sheffield 1s...............................................................22 Leeds Met 2s............................................................15 Hull 1s...................................................................... 7 Leeds 2s.................................................................. 7 York 1s..................................................................... 6

Jack Burnett For something that’s revitalised a sport that was perilously close to stagnating, Twenty20 gets an awful lot of stick.

While I don’t question the virtues of Test cricket, I find it difficult to see why some fans are so determined to belittle the 20-over version of the sport.

Cricket needed a breath of fresh air back in the 1960s, and duly received one with the growth of oneday cricket, at that time the scourge of traditionalists

Photo: thesportreview/flickr

and now a much loved feature of the domestic and international calendars.

Twenty20 will only continue to grow in terms of stature and respect, just as one-day cricket did.

Twenty20 has, in its first decade, arguably already achieved more than oneday cricket in terms of broadening the sport’s appeal and providing it with a much needed injection of cash.

At what price? Purists and even casual cricket fans may justifiably cringe at the cheerleaders and Bollywood stars paraded at IPL games. But the league has a brand value of around $4 billion and stadiums are regularly sold out. The Big Bash League has also been a great commercial success in Australia, while in England, fans – the use of plural here is just about substantiated – at County Championship fixtures can only dream of regularly seeing the kind of crowds that the Twenty20 games get.

In a sport that is and always has been dominated by a select group of international sides, Twenty20 is a brilliant format for providing smaller teams with a solid foundation to build on.

Having qualified for the World Twenty20 for the second time, Afghanistan are now looking to achieve Test status. Limited overs cricket also throws up more than a few upsets,

Football - Northern Conference Women’s 2B

Pts Durham 1s.............................................................. 30 Sheffield 1s............................................................. 22 Leeds Met 2s.......................................................... 15 Hull 1s..................................................................... 7 Leeds 2s................................................................. 7 York 1s................................................................... 6

which can only be welcomed given the predictability of so many Test matches.

“Twenty20 will only continue to grow in terms of stature and respect” The World Twenty20 is itself a fantastic tournament that highlights another of Test cricket’s pitfalls. The trophy is a tangible reward for the best team in the world, and one that offers a sense of finality that international Test cricket, other than in the Ashes, severely lacks.

This may change if the ICC World Test Championship, originally scheduled for 2013 but now pushed back to 2017, ever comes to fruition.

If not for any of these reasons, can the purists not appreciate that Twenty20 provides kids – and a lot of adults for that matter – with a path to ultimately enjoying Test cricket?

For those with short attention spans who find it hard to stick with a match for five days, Twenty20 offers a chance to develop an interest in the game, if only in the snack-sized version. Ultimately, this leads to them becoming fully-fledged cricketing enthusiasts.

Who moan about Twenty20. Sigh.

Manchester 2s.......................................................... 5 Lacrosse - Men’s Premier North Conference

Pts Durham 1s............................................................... 23 Sheffield Hallam 1s................................................. 20 Manchester 1s........................................................ 18 Nottingham 1s........................................................ 18 Sheffield 1s............................................................. 7

Hockey - Northern Conference Men’s 1A

Pts Leeds 1s.................................................................. 23 Sheffield 1s............................................................. 20 Manchester 1s....................................................... 18 Newcastle 1s.......................................................... 18 Liv John Moores 1s................................................ 7 Liverpool 1s........................................................... 0

Lacrosse - Northern Conference Women’s 1A

Pts Durham 2s............................................................... 24 Newcastle 1s........................................................... 24 Leeds 1s.................................................................. 21 Sheffield 1s.............................................................. 9 Newcastle 2s........................................................... 9 York 1s..................................................................... 0

Hockey - Northern Conference Women’s 1A

Pts Manchester 1s........................................................ 30 Sheffield 1s............................................................. 16 Newcastle 1s.......................................................... 16 Northumbria 1s...................................................... 13 Liv John Moores 1s................................................ 7

Water Polo - Men’s Trophy North Semi-Finals

Pts Sheffield 1s............................................................. 6 Newcastle 1s........................................................... 3 Nottingham 1s........................................................ 2 St Andrews 1s......................................................... 1

FORGE PRESS Thursday March 29 2012

27

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SPORT

First 8 ball pool tournament a success Pool Sheffield Uni Championship Mark Devlin The first ever Sheffield University eight ball pool Championship took place last week at Rileys in Hunters Bar. The Championship was won by third year Economics student Roberto Sordillo who saw off the challenge of Paddy Brown, a first year Politics student, in a close fought final.

The standard of play was high throughout with a number of games going right down to the wire. Pre tournament favourite Ian Withers was knocked out in the last 16 by his perennial rival Joe Jackson. BUCS players Rishi Aggarwal, Damain Patel and Brett Hickey bowed out at the quarter final stage.

Third place went to Richard Davies, who notably defeated society President Mark Devlin

in the last 16 stage in a match that lasted over an hour. Richard defeated Wang Zhou in the play off. Roberto, who played some fantastic pool on his way to the final, collected prize money of £50 and a trophy for his efforts in what was a memorable night.

Half of all the proceeds of the night were donated to “The Stephen Harrison Academy”, a local Sheffield charity which helps underprivileged and disabled children learn and develop themselves through snooker.

Stephen Harrison, an ex snooker professional, came to the event and offered coaching on the night. He was delighted to receive the donation. Society members have volunteered to help out at the Academy, in what is hoped will be a long and successful partnership with the charity.

This follows up recent success for the pool team at the national BUCS competition.

Action from the inaugural 8 ball pool championships

Matt Jones in action during the tournament.

Photo: Jake Hanson Photography

Photos: Jake Hanson Photography

Tenpin bowling challenge local clubs Tenpin Bowling Challenge Match UoS Tenpin Sheffield YBC

31 29

Carl Whitfield The University of Sheffield Tenpin Bowling Club challenged the Sheffield Youth Bowling Club (YBC) to a head to head match.

The match ended 31-29 to the University of Sheffield following an exciting battle.

Each team fielded 5 doubles teams, playing 3 games each, in a scratch match-play format.

Each game was out of 20 points, a maximum of 4 points per game for each team.

The YBC started very well, and despite the Student A Team winning their first game 4-0 the YBC still took the first game 13-7 overall.

The Student D Team were particularly unlucky, with Simon Parker losing by 2 pins and Abdullah Al-Tamimi winning by 1, meaning that they lost the

game 3-1 due to a single pin.

This lead was short lived though, and the students hit back with gusto, taking the second game 16-4. Yet again the A team won 4-0, and were well into their stride, while the B and E teams followed suit.

The Cs took theirs 3-1 and the only loss was the D team, narrowly missing out again 3-1. This improvement could be seen in the scores, with 4 of the student bowlers scoring over 200, which none of them managed to do in the first game. This left the score at 23-17 in favour of the students with one game to go.

With the first two games being so different, the final result was by no means a foregone conclusion. The Student A team won 4-0 yet again whilst the Bs, Cs, Ds and E’s all missed out 3-1 in tightly fought games.

However, even with this win, the YBC didn’t quite gather enough points to catch up and they lost overall.

The University of Sheffield tenpin bowling club now plans to make local competitions a regular part of their calendar.

The University of Sheffield tenpin bowling team with their trophy following the charity match.

28

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SPORT

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Hallam keep calm and carry on winning Varsity

Hallam Sports Officer Colan Leung is awarded the Varsity trophy by Howard Webb.

Jack Burnett The University of Sheffield lost Varsity to city rivals Sheffield Hallam by a single point for the second year running after a dramatic final day.

The men’s football firsts took to the Hillsborough pitch in the final fixture of the tournament knowing their match would determine the overall result of Varsity.

A 1-0 victory in that game handed Hallam a 32-31 victory in the annual competition, meaning they lifted the trophy for the ninth year in succession.

After good results in the day’s other football games and a strong showing in cycling and climbing, Uni pulled the score back to 31-31 on Wednesday. As Hallam would have retained the trophy in the event of a tie, a win was needed

in the final game at Hillsborough if Uni were to triumph for the first time since 2003.

However, Hallam controlled the game and scored within 20 minutes. With Uni needing to score twice, a comeback became all the more unlikely when they were denied a penalty and then saw Jack Cripps sent off by referee Howard Webb, and Hallam held onto their lead to take the crucial point.

Uni Sports Officer Ben Baldwin couldn’t hide his disappointment with the end result, but took pride in the performances of Uni’s teams over the course of the week.

He said: “I thought we had it after the results came in from the football seconds match, after doing so well in the cycling and climbing. We always thought the first team to score in the final game would go on to win, so we

Photos: Nurul Liyana Yeo weren’t surprised by the final result. I saw the penalty incident, and thought it was a 50-50 decision - I’ve seen them given.

“Overall, each person gave it their best right from the word go.

It’s been the greatest pleasure to be a part of it all, and you can tell how much it meant to everyone involved - for a lot of them, it’s the pinnacle of their careers.”

As was the case last year, Uni headed into Varsity proper with a 4-1 lead, having taken maximum points from snowboarding and skiing in February but lost in the ice hockey.

The lead was extended to 10-6 after the first day of Varsity proper on Wednesday, and by Saturday Uni were 17-10 ahead.

However, Hallam reduced the deficit to a point on Monday, and took a three point lead on Tuesday to set up a nail-biting final day of competition.