INSIDE: comic book films/Bastille/Faith Schools/Jeremy Hunt/KEN DOHERTY/witcher 2
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The independent student newspaper of the University of Sheffield. Est. 1946.
Issue 47
Friday May 4 2012 @ForgePress /ForgePress
Sheffield Against Sexism:
Why we won’t calm down, dear, p.10
Lifestyle find: the cheapest dates in Sheffield, p.20
Avengers Assemble: Screen checks out Joss Whedon’s new hit, in Fuse, p.12
Students to raise ski club from the ashes Rachel Dixon and Jonathan Robinson
Members of the Sheffield ski club have vowed to help in the cleanup of the city’s Ski Village, after it was reduced to ashes in two seperate blazes this week. Student skiers and snowboarders have spoken of their shock just days after the village was engulfed in flames in the early hours of Sunday and Tuesday morning. South Yorkshire police said the second fire is currently under investigation as a suspected arson attack. The ski club told Forge Press that members would be willing to spend days of their summer volunteering to clear up the wreckage. A Facebook page named ‘Reopen Sheffield Ski Village (Project Ashes)’ received over a 1,000 members in just six hours. Photo: Jonathan Robinson
Sheffield UKIP candidate suspended over controversial Breivik comments on blog Lauren Clarke A UKIP candidate was removed from the ballot in Sheffield’s local election, after writing a blog post in which he sympathised with the campaign of Norweigian mass murderer Anders Breivik. Steve Moxon, a former Home Office employee who was sacked in 2004 for blowing the whistle on fast-tracked immigration applications in Sheffield, was running to represent Dore and
Totley in the elections which were held yesterday. Moxon wrote a blog post in August 2011, which said that a lot of “nonsense” had been written about Breivik, and although Moxon “recoiled at his actions” that this “does not belie the accuracy of Breivik’s research and analysis in his ‘manifesto’.” The blog debates ‘political correctness fascism’ and concluded in the article written by Moxon that “though
his actions may be counterproductive, at least for now, he’s succeeded more than anyone else in promoting a very widespread focus on the major problem that is PC. That can hardly be denied.” Sheffield city council said Moxon had to remain on the ballot paper as there was no time to remove his name. A spokesperson for the UK Independence Party said: “We are grateful to the Sheffield press
for highlighting the problem of which we were unaware. “It was an article written before Mr Moxon was a member of the party and we have suspended him as a candidate for the current elections. “We would stress that the article in no way reflects the views and policies of UKIP.” UKIP had been campaigning to have a candidate in each of Sheffield’s 28 wards.
Continued on page 4
Alex Horner & Becks Povall of Sheffield snowboarding & ski club
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FORGE PRESS Friday May 4 2012
NEWS UNIVERSITY
University tweets its way to the top
Student prepares for marathon charity trek across the Alps
Hannah Frost
Nicholas Carding
High website traffic, Twitter followers, Facebook fans, views and user engagement has helped the University of Sheffield to rank highly in terms of social interactivity. The University was named as having the most receptive and responsive social media out of top American and UK universities, according to a new report. The University was one of just two UK universities to win a place in the top 10, which was dominated by US institutions Overall they came eighth on the list of the best users of Facebook, Twitter and Youtube. Sheffield’s highest score was for “receptiveness”, which measures how well each institution appears to be listening to comments by users, and linking, following and referencing. Dr Chris Sexton, Director of Corporate Information and Computing Services, said: “The University prides itself on really embracing social media as a way of communication with staff, students, prospective students and members of the public. “Engaging with people by responding to enquiries, starting debates and posting interesting content is the crux of what social media, such as Twitter and Facebook, should be about.” The Transatlantic University Divide, a pioneering UK study of universities’ use of social media by Socioagility, compared 50 top US and UK institutions. They were measured on popularity, receptiveness, interaction, network reach and trust, to identify what, if any, lessons could be learned.
A University of Sheffield student will run through the Alps, crossing six countries on his own for charity. Stuart Walker, a PHD student studying tidal energy, is aiming to run 1,000 miles with nothing but a tent and basic equipment with him, as he tries to raise money for a charity which provides clean water for children in Africa. Walker, 26, will run 30 miles each day for over a month, which works out to roughly 38 consecutive marathons. His route starts on May 12 in Vienna, before going through Germany, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, and Italy, before finishing by the Mediterranean in Nice, France. Walker said: “I’ve done some ultra marathons and other extreme endurance races before, but this will be my hardest challenge yet. “I’m at that stage now where I just want to start the race, I’ve been preparing for ages now, I’ve packed and re-packed a few times so I really just want to start. “My main worry is getting injured and therefore letting the people who have donated to me down, that would be hard to take. “I also worry about being alone, the isolation could be tough to deal with in parts I think. “I haven’t really checked many health and safety tips either, and I’ve heard there are bears in Austria, but I’ve got one or two contacts en route who I can call upon if needed.” Walker will carry equipment weighing eight to nine kilos and will stop at local villages and towns to buy bread and other basic food. “I’m really looking forward to the run, but I am expecting it to hurt a lot. The purpose is to raise money for charity though, and I have found in the past that this helps me keep going when things get really tough,” he said. He will be running at high altitudes, often around 6,500 feet which will make the challenge all the more hard. He intends to do 10 hours of running each day, and has sent packs of food ahead which will be waiting for him at numerous stations along the way. The PHD student at the University of Sheffield runs five to six hours most days, and has previously completed a run between the Isles of Scilly and the Shetland Islands.
The University scored high on its social receptiveness
Walker will run almost 1000 miles to raise funds for Water for Kids. Although it is for a charitable cause, Walker said his friends and family had mixed emotions about his trip. “My parents think I’m really silly and they can’t see the point of it,” Walker said. “But my fiancé is okay with it as long as I’m back for our wedding in mid-July.” Walker has set a target of raising £10,000 for Water for Kids, set up by environmental health officers in 1996. The charity works on the
provision of clean water and sanitation to communities in developing countries such as Zambia and Sierra Leone, and has secured wells in many areas where only dangerously dirty water was previously available. This valuable work helps dramatically reduce incidence of water-borne diseases like dysentery, cholera and typhoid. The UK Government says there are 884 million people who do not have access to clean water every day, and the charity aims
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Alisha Rouse
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to provide clean water and basic sanitation to as many people as possible. To donate to Stuart Walker and Water for Kids, visit www. justgiving.com/bigalpsrun.
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Editor
Photo: Stuart Hale. Inset: The Alps
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FORGE PRESS Friday May 4 2012
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Fury after rapist is included in Football Association honours list Rachel Dixon More than 16,000 people have signed an online petition, to remove Sheffield United footballer, Ched Evans, from an end-of-season honours list. The 23-year-old striker was included in the Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA) League One team of the year, despite the fact he is now serving a five-year jail sentence, following his conviction for raping a 19-year-old woman. The petition can be found on the campaign website, change. org, where Leo Hardt a secondary school teacher, outlines his reasons for starting the petition: “I feel that the PFA are sending out a very troubling message. As a professional body, they have a responsibility to ensure that the public see them upholding certain values about sports professionals.” He continues to call for signatures to, “convince them [the PFA] that honouring Ched Evans is tacitly condoning his behaviour.” The petition has received huge support. However, the decision to include the Sheffield United striker in the list was last week defended by Chief Executive of the PFA, Gordon Taylor. He explained that Evans was included as members had already cast their votes. Taylor told Press Association Sport: “That was a football judgment by his fellow professionals, it was not a moral
judgement and in no way does the PFA condone the offence for which he was convicted.” He continued: “If he had been removed from the team it would have created more of a storm and would have been manipulating the vote.” It was recently announced by Evans’s lawyers that he will be appealing against his conviction. A statement posted on the Sheffield United website reads, “Mr Evans firmly maintains his innocence in this matter”. The case of Ched Evans has received global media attention and Hardt’s petition hasn’t been the only one. Mumsnet, a leading parenting website recently began another campaign in support of the woman who was raped by Evans. In showing their support, BasilFoulEgg, a member of the site who started the thread entitled, ‘We believe her’, spoke of the ‘ugly spectacle’ of ‘a bunch of men asserting their right to rape women’ and called on the other members to take action. Amy Masson, councillor for women students, told Forge Press that she believed the PFA had acted “appallingly”. Masson said: “In any profession, one would hope that being convicted for rape would ruin a person’s reputation. Sadly this seems not to have been the case.” Masson has posted a petition on the women’s councillor Facebook page and is encouraging other Union councillors to sign it.
Comments from the online petition Mark Langford: I am also a secondary school teacher, and many of my students openly idolise and mimic their professional football heroes. The PFA are dangerously misguided in their inclusion of Ched Evans in the honours list. Jean Molly: I’m signing because one in four women are raped or sexually assaulted, only 10 per cent of rape victims bother to report it and of that 10 percent, only six percent get justice.
Student volunteers celebrated their achievements this week at the Union’s first ever Volunteering Awards. Hosted by Activities Officer, Nabil Alizai, the event presented some of Sheffield’s best student volunteers with awards for their activities. Last year, volunteering saw 1,504 students taking part, working with 123 local charities. The awards included ‘Team Volunteer of the Year’ which went to Calum McGuicken for his work with children suffering from family bereavement, and ‘Most Innovative Volunteering Activity’ to SingSoc for their monthly singing club at Sheffield’s Childrens Hospital. Volunteering Committee chairelect Millie Chapman said: “Volunteers have done a fantastic job, keep up the good work! We
First ever conference
Dutch
student
Students from the University’s Germanic department are hosting Sheffield’s first ever Dutch conference for students and locals. The conference, named ‘Windows on Dutch Culture’, and organised by final year students, includes six lectures and workshops on Dutch culture. It will take place on May 8 in Jessop West. Nicholas Carding
Katy Main: Rape is not OK. Victim blaming is not OK - hero worship of a convicted rapist sends out the wrong message.
Catalytic Clothing, a science and fashion project involving the University of Sheffield and London College of Fashion, is one step nearer to making its campaign for clean air a reality. ECover, the world’s best known ecological cleaning brand, are currently carrying out tests in collaboration with the University of Sheffield and Cristal Global. Ultrafine titanium dioxide CristalACTIVTM will enable the
hope this awards night will be the first of many, and it will get as big as Activities Awards in 10 years!” The ‘Widest Impact Award’ went to Jennifer Todd, who has helped with a wide range of volunteering activities, ranging from GCSE revision days to a computer club helping children suffering with autism and the ‘Inspire and be Inspired’ award went to Kiran Malhi for his work with ‘Two Troughs Allotment’. Activities Officer, Nabil Alizai said: “It’s brilliant to have an event celebrating the fantastic achievements of all our volunteers, when the committee came to me saying they wanted to do this event, I was so pleased.” The award for ‘Volunteering Photo of the Year’ was the most voted on in a Union poll ever, receiving 1,337 votes.
University rated number three for student satisfaction
Katie Laurence Photo: Blades Sports Photography
Harriet Collier
Alisha Rouse
Forge in Brief The University of Sheffield has placed third in The Times Higher Education Student Experience Survey. The survey scored 21 areas of student life on a seven point scale with factors ranging from the quality of teaching and university facilities, to the cheapness of club nights. The University of Sheffield scored high for its students’ union and library facilities as well as for having a “good community atmosphere”. However, the University dropped one place from last year.
Celebrations at first Clothing line to purify air Volunteering Awards
Photo: Kieran Bhakta KB Photography
UNIVERSITY NEWS
production of a laundry product that, with the help of sunlight, will transform clothes into air purifying catalysts. Professor Helen Storey MBE said: “Catalytic Clothing is the most challenging, globally relevant project I have ever attempted. Behind almost all human advancement lies a science.” The product could be appearing on supermarket shelves as early as 2013.
Creation of new access officer debated Jonathan Robinson
A motion calling for the creation of an access officer to better represent part-time, mature and disabled students has been debated in the Union Council. Former union presidential candidate and T.I.L.L. student Michael Lee started the petition, which has received over 50 signatures, and handed it to union councillors at last Thursday’s meeting. Mr Lee said: “There are groups that have specified that they feel isolated from the University. “It just seems to me if you don’t know what to do with something then it is just past onto one officer who has a lot on their plate at the moment. Maybe it is time to recruit somebody else to help with the work load. “We have a voice but who do we
talk to, where is the ear?” Mr Lee said an access officer would be able to deal with the unique problems faced by parttime, mature and disabled students and help overcome their barriers to integration with the University. However, speaking at the meeting Education Officer Jon Narcross said: “You can’t just throw an officer at the problem. If you add 20 officers, it will always still be busy all the time. “The better solution would be to look at projects and do things with the structures that we have already got.” Representatives for T.I.L.L and mature students already exist on the Union Council. Councillors voted on an amendment to discuss the issue further next year.
Forge TV wins national award Forge TV are celebrating after winning two awards at the National Student Television Association Awards. The station recieved the awards ‘Highly Commended’ in the Best Broadcaster category and ‘Highly Commended’ in the Best Ident category. There were over 300 entries from student television stations across the county. Lauren Clarke
Left to Right: Rosie Dean, Katie Whittaker and Cat Dye from Forge TV with their award
Language event to highlight Old English influence A group of English students are to hold an Old English project called the Knowledge Fair. Members of the public are encouraged to go along to Jessop West Exhibition Space on Upper Hanover Street on Tuesday May 15 from 10am to learn about Old English language and make valuable contributions to the project themselves. Monal Pancholi, one of the students organising the event said: “We’re really excited to share with the public everything we have learned, from elves, to magic, to place names to food.” The event will give the public the chance to discover the value of an Arts degree. Fay Guest
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FORGE PRESS Thursday May 4 2012
NEWS LOCAL
Local elections 2012
Student hope for ski village Continued from page 1 Alex Horner, a snowboard instructor who has worked at the ski village for the last two years, said how they now need to look to the future. He said: “It is a devastating blow from a staff point of view; it is such a weird circumstance. “It has been so important to so many people for so many years.” Around 50 people are employed at the village and it is now unclear what will happen to their jobs. Horner, a second-year Accounting, Financial Management and Economics student, said: “I haven’t had anyone speak to us from management. They haven’t said anything official. “It could take anything from three days to three months to work out what will happen.” Povall spoke of her distress when the group learnt their training facility had been burnt down while at a competition in London. She said: “We heard rumours and saw the images on the internet and we were just shocked. “For Sheffield Ski we have really pushed the club forward this year – it’s just like having the carpet pulled from underneath our feet. It is such a huge blow to us.” As Povall explained, the club may face logistical and financial difficulties as the next nearest place to train is the Snow Dome in Castleford – a 38-mile car journey. The first fire at the village on Sunday destroyed the main building, which included a bar, bowling alley and boot store. Incident Commander Stuart Nicholson said: “We were pumping around 3,000 litres of water per minute onto the fire from the River Don. “There is very little remaining of the building.” A second inferno on Tuesday damaged the ski lift control room. The large number of fire crews involved in the incident were called from the Central, Rivelin, Darnall, Elm Lane, Tankersley and Lowedges.
Exclusive video See footage of the damage at
www.forgetoday.com
Ballots being counted in Referendum on mayor Sheffield local elections expected later today
Rachel Dixon
Local election votes are being counted at the English Institute of Sport today, with the first results expected at around 11.30am. In Sheffield there are 84 councillors with three members representing one of 28 wards in the city. Last May, the Labour party gained overall control of the council. The total number of seats available in this year’s local elections is 28. The Liberal Democrats are aiming to defend their 15 seats, however many commentators suspect this may be difficult due
to local budgets imposed by the coalition government. Labour have 12 seats to uphold, while the Green party have one seat to defend. There are a number of key areas labelled as “wards to watch”. Arbourthorne, Birley, Burngreave and Darnall all have Labour cabinet members standing for re-election. The Green party hope to defend a majority of 48 in the central ward, while Liberal Democrats hope to defend majorities of 375 in Dore and Totley and 496 in Nether Edge. A number of wards also have councillors retiring, including the popular student areas of, Crookes, Fulwood and Ecclesall.
Rachel Dixon
Sheffield today awaits the results from yesterday’s referendum on whether or not the city council should have an elected mayor. At the moment, the council is run by a leader who is an elected councillor chosen by a vote of the other members. However, a change could see a complete shake-up of how the local council is run, with the addition of a mayor elected by voters. Sheffield is one of ten cities to be taking part in the mayoral referendums with Manchester, Birmingham and Coventry also taking part. Prime Minister David Cameron
said a yes vote “would provide powerful champions to represent people’s interests.” He denied that it was a trivial restructure. Those sceptical of the proposed change believe it would be costly, make politicians less accountable and put too much power into the hands of one individual. Communities.gov.uk estimates that each local authority mayoral election will cost on average £641,344. The referendum count will begin once the local election count is completed. The result is due to be announced at the English Institute of Sport this afternoon at around 4pm.
Factfile Labour The Labour party currently hold a strong majority in Sheffield, with a total of 50 councillors. The only party which can topple this majority is the Liberal Democrats, which has 18 fewer members. This means out of the 28 seats available, the Lib Dems must pull off a spectacular comeback to reclaim control of the council. Nationally, the main policies the Labour party campaigned on were to stop train operators raising fairs by more than one per cent above inflation and to keep council tax low.
UKIP UKIP is another party which does not currently have any councillors in Sheffield. They originally planned to contest all 28 seats in the city for the first time, however following Steve Moxon’s exit that figure has been reduced.
Liberal Democrats The Liberal Democrats currently have 32 councillors on Sheffield city council. At last year’s election, the Lib Dems lost ten seats which meant they also lost control of the council to Labour. Nationally, the Lib Dems campaigned on finding a sustainable solution to social care funding and setting aside money to fund pay rises for the lowest paid council workers.
Nationally, UKIP have campaigned to cutting council tax and business rates and ending “the politically correct brigade” for creating non-jobs.
Greens
Conservatives
The Green party is the third largest political force in Sheffield; they currently have two councillors: Jillian Creasy and Robert Murphy, who is defending his central ward seat. Nationally, the Green party campaigned on finding ways to fund free off-peak bus travel for under 18s in full-time education and saving local libraries.
Despite having the most seats in Westminster, the Conservatives do not have any councillors in Sheffield. They are contesting all 28 seats. Nationally, the Conservatives had campaigned on creating a bigger budget for the network rail to extend to the Northern Hub and continuing the progress made in academies which are free of local education authority control.
Other parties and candidates
David Wildgoose will stand for English Democrats. University of Sheffield students Sam Morecroft, Wyllie Hume and Chaz Lockett are running for the Trade Unionist and Socialist party. John Hesketh, Mohammed Miah both stand as independents. Factfile: Jonathan Robinson
There are two other parties standing for election and two further independent candidates.
Students speak out: Is it still important to vote in local elections?
Emma Obank, Second-year French and Hispanic Studies
Jake Warner, Second-year History
Liana Lonsdale, Second-year Journalism
Tom Fletcher, Third-year English and Literature
Language
Morwenna Francis, Second-year French and Hispanic Studies
“A Labour councillor came to my door and asked which way I was voting. I said Conservative and she said it was wasted, so I decided not to vote in the end.”
“I think it’s important for people to vote in local elections; people have died during the world wars and are dying for the right to vote.”
“It gives the community a voice, people are too quick to accuse those in power. Now is the opportunity to speak up and make a change.”
“It is next to pointless for students to vote in local elections as 90 per cent of us will be moving after graduation. We will never see the benefits anyway.”
“I don’t know if I’m going to vote, I don’t know who there is to vote for. There hasn’t been much done to encourage us to vote.”
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City marches against sexism Lauren Clarke More than 100 people took to the streets of Sheffield on Saturday to highlight how women are to be affected by the recent government budget cuts. The march, which began at Weston Park and ended at City Hall, included groups from Sheffield Against Sexism, the Sheffield Socialist Party, Socialist Workers Party and the Socialist Student Party, as well as other groups. Sheffield Against Sexism is a group aiming to tackle sexism in the city and beyond. Their goals include campaigning against more strip clubs opening in Sheffield and saving women’s services from cuts. Roisin Burns, 24, one of the march organisers and a student at the University of Sheffield said: “Women are being disproportionately affected by the cuts. They are being pulled back into the dark ages.” Chants of “This is what a feminist looks like” and antiConservative slogans could be heard as the march progressed across the city. James Williams, a member of the Sheffield Socialist Party, said: “We are standing in solidarity with Sheffield Against Sexism because 60 per cent of public sector workers are female, and the slashes to funding to rape crisis centres and Sure Start centres (government support centres for parents and carers) means that there will be more of a tax on women.” Amy Garrod, 24, an English Language student from the University of Sheffield who took part in the march said: “It’s important to raise awareness about sexism. “What people don’t realise or don’t acknowledge is that it’s still
A row has erupted over funding for a Broomhill pedestrian crossing, after a senior Lib Dem called on Labour to restore its financing. The Labour-ran authority claims it has already done so and had in fact reversed actions by the previous Liberal Democrat council. Former council leader Paul Scriven argued for Labour to commit to funding a new crossing between Witham Road and Crookes Road. Sheffield’s transport budget, agreed this month, contains £285,000 for pedestrian crossings but Liberal Democrats claim there has been no commitment to the one at Broomhill. Cllr Scriven, Lib Dem councillor for Broomhill, has demanded that the Council bow to local pressure. He said: “This crossing is of real importance and it’s vital that the Council stump up the cash they cancelled last year. “After Labour’s decision to cut the project last year, it’s only fair
Forge In Brief Vehicle crime on the rise in Sheffield Car owners in student areas are being warned to keep a closer eye on their vehicles, after a string of car crimes. South Yorkshire Police has warned residents in the city centre, Highfields, Broomhill and Crookesmoor not to leave their cars running, to use a garage where possible and to hide all valuable possessions. Hannah Frost
Graduate publishes book on life of kung fu grandmaster
Photos: Lauren Clarke
everywhere. “When I go out to a club, a man will slap my bum and then be confused as to why I’m angry, I wouldn’t do it to anyone else, so why do men do it to me?” She added: “And they don’t understand that wolf whistles aren’t actually ok.”
Row over funding for new Crookesmoor crossing Daniel Harris
LOCAL NEWS
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that Broomhill are first in the queue. “At a time when Labour councillors are wasting £2,200,000 redecorating the Town Hall, they cannot argue that the money is not available.” In response, Labour councillor Leigh Bramall has stated that the Broomhill crossing is in the Local Transport Plan’s budget, with the scheme being allocated £250,000. Cllr Bramall, Cabinet Member for Environment and Transport said: “If Cllr Scriven had a clue what was going on in his ward, he would know that Labour are going ahead with this scheme. “If the Lib Dems were still running the council this scheme would not be going ahead, however, Labour have recognised that this crossing is important for road safety in the local area and we have reinstated it.”
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Campaign for living wage gets Union support Jonathan Robinson Student councillors showed their support for the campaign to give university workers a fair living wage, after they convincingly passed the motion through the Union Council. Workers at the University of Sheffield have joined the national campaign for a fair living wage, after demanding pay rises and better pensions from their employers at a demonstration outside Firth Court before the start of a Student Union’s Council meeting. Campaigners have urged the University to increase the wages of its lowest paid workers and distribute pay, pensions and bonuses more equally. Elva Lynch-Bathgate, one of the students involved in the Living Wage campaign in Sheffield, said the decision by the Union Council was “amazing” news. She said: “We’ve had such a good response from them since November when I proposed our policy and we’ve been working with Harry Horton since then to develop a Union policy that was achievable for the Union but fitted in with our aims. “Getting the policy passed through council was an amazing step and means we’re one step closer to achieving a living wage. “We’ve got a massive range of support across campus and within the trade unions as well, and I think most importantly we’ve brought the question of a living wage to people’s attention.” Speaking at the Union Council, finance officer Harry Horton said: “I think this is a good policy; there is a mandate from students
as it came from their petition.” Unlike the current minimum wage, the Living Wage Campaign endorses an hourly rate of £7.20 which activists have calculated is the income people need to sustain a decent lifestyle from. Studies by various groups have revealed how the current minimum wage (currently £6.08 for over 21s) does not sufficiently cover family expenses and bills, or sustain a decent lifestyle. A Freedom of Information request found that there are currently 348 members of staff at the University who are paid below the £7.20 amount – 227 of which are employed within the Estates and Facilities Management Department. Trade unionists are angered by the University’s recent decision to increase Vice Chancellor Professor Keith Burnett’s pay by 5.8 per cent. The increase takes his total salary up to £331,000 and comes after changes were made to the University’s pension scheme, which union members said would cost workers upon retirement. Stuart Anderson, branch secretary of Unison, said: “Staff put a lot of themselves into their work contributing to the high standard of the university – the least the executive can do is pay them a living wage and decent pensions when they retire.” However, a statement from the University said the change to Prof Burnett’s salary reflected his huge responsibility at the institution and that it was due to the award of a non-consolidated performance bonus payment in 2010/11.
A History graduate from the University of Sheffield has written an account of the life of the respected kung fu grandmaster, Sugong. Nick Hurst, 36, has been practising martial arts for the past 15 years and spent three years in Singapore working under Sugong’s tutelage. Sugong’s remarkable life began with him being kidnapped after a family feud and ending up in Singapore’s criminal underworld before he was rescued and trained by a Shaolin warrior monk. Hurst said: “The more I learnt about Sugong’s incredible life, I thought someone should write this down and I decided to take the plunge.” He said Sugong’s work ethic put other pensioners to shame and that even in his 80s the grandmaster could still smash concrete blocks and hammer nails into wood with his forehead. Max Goldbart
Sheffield on alert after recent flood warnings Rivers in Sheffield have recently been on flood alert after a period of heavy rainfall. The Environment Agency has placed flood alerts on the River Don and its tributaries from Penistone to Kelham Island, the River Sheaf and Porter Brook. Although flood warnings have recently been removed, the warning statuses are continually changing. Downpours are expected to continue into the middle of May Jodie Gadd
Corrections and clarifications In the last issue of Forge Press, we incorrectly identified Martin Cambray-Deakin as the module leader of Anatomy of the Human Head on the Biomedical Science undergraduate course. He is in fact director of undergraduate studies. We apologise for our error.
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FORGE PRESS Friday May 4 2012
NEWS NUS CONFERENCE 2012
National news Hackers target MoD computers Computer hackers managed to breach top secret systems at the Ministry of Defence. This comes after the website of the UK’s Serious Organised Crime Agency (Soca) was taken down after an attack. The site was taken down and a spokesperson said there was no security risk to the organisation. Major General Jonathan Shaw, the military’s head of security said about the breach at the Ministry of Defence: “The number of serious incidents is quite small, but it is there,” he said. “And those are the ones we know about. The likelihood is there are problems in there we don’t know about.” Lauren Clarke
Brooks and Coulson to face Leveson Inquiry next week The former News International chief executive and ex-News of the World editor are to give evidence to the Leveson inquiry next week. Ex-editor Rebecca Brooks was arrested for the second time in March on suspicion of perverting the course of justice. She was released on bail. Former chief executive Andy Coulson was arrested in July 2011 in relation to phone hacking. Both deny any knowledge of or involvement in phone hacking or other illegal activity. Lauren Clarke
Cameras in court to get royal seal of approval The Queen is to announce that cameras are to be permitted access into courtrooms to film cases. The BBC, Sky and ITV have written to Prime Minister David Cameron, calling for the legislation banning the use of cameras in court to be thrown out. In their letter, the broadcasters call the change “long overdue.” Last year, the Ministry of Justice announced that it would end the ban on filming, but did not specify when. Fay Guest
Burns is back as NUS Jonathan Robinson
Student delegates have given a thumbs-up to Liam Burns after he was re-elected NUS president at the union’s national conference in Sheffield. The Physics graduate beat three other opponents to become the 37th president to serve concessive terms in the union’s 90-year history. Burns’ campaign for re-election centred on ending student poverty, pressuring universities to disclose hidden course costs and fighting youth unemployment. The Scot also spoke of the need for the NUS to adopt a longterm strategy in its support of universal education and wider access at a packed City Hall conference. However the election, conducted under the alternative vote system, required four rounds before Burns polled more than half of the vote.
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In the final round, Burns gained 387 votes from a possible 720 to beat his closest rival and outgoing NUS union development vice president Ed Marsh by 92 votes. Marsh had campaigned to unite the movement and had earned praise for strong performances in the conference’s various debates. Speaking shortly after the results were announced, Burns said he was “over-the-moon” to be re-elected. The 27-year-old said: “The candidates in the election were incredibly talented. In fact, it was a very close presidential election which is to my shame, but it is a testament to the other candidates. “Next year we have to start looking towards 2015 - the next General Election. During lots of debates I was quite clear that I think that is the next moment where we will have huge amounts of power.” Earlier in the vote, Usman Ali, the NUS’ Higher Education
vice president, and Kanja Sesay, the NUS’ black students’ officer, had both been eliminated in the third and second rounds of voting respectively. After opening up a considerable lead in the first round, Burns was pegged back when next preference votes largely favoured Marsh. At points in the campaign, the pressure of one of the closest NUS presidential votes in years seemed to show. Harsh words were exchanged between Burns, a Labour party member, and Marsh, an independent candidate at presidential hustings. Burns accused Marsh of changing his policies at the last minute. The final ballot did not feature original candidate Claire Locke, president of London Metropolitan Students’ Union, who dropped out due to a clash with a job interview which she said was more important as a single mother. The re-election can be seen as an endorsement for the policies put forward during 2011/12 such as introducing tenancy deposit schemes and securing a legal entitlement to offer financial support to single parents. Burns said his priorities for 2012/13 were to increase financial support for the poorest students and to create a Minister for Youth Employment. He will officially begin his second term on July 1.
Photo: NUS
Complete Presidential Results Burns Marsh Ali Sesay RON
Round One Burns – 302 Ali – 149 Marsh – 143 Sesay – 120 RON – 6 RON eliminated.
Round Two Burns – 303 Ali – 149 Marsh – 146 Sesay – 121 Sesay eliminated.
Round Three Burns – 335 Marsh – 185 Ali – 183 Ali eliminated.
Round Four Burns – 387 Marsh – 295 Burns is elected.
Meet your newly elected NUS president and vice presidents
Broadcasters will be given permission to film certain verdicts
Walkers set to enjoy new coastal Welsh footpath Wales is to become the only country with a footpath stretching along the whole of it’s coastline. The path, which is 870 miles long, is due to open tomorrow. It joins exisiting paths together so that walkers can now completely circumnavigate Wales. Stephanie Mullins
Liam Burns, National President
Vicki Baars, Union Development
Pete Mercer, Welfare
Rachel Wenstone, Higher Education
“Students need more cash in their pockets and we shouldn’t be subjected to the current confused and misdirected system of financial support. It’s time we win a system where students can be academically successful regardless of their background.”
“Education is a right not a privilege, and the reason students’ unions exist is to defend and extend that right. It’s vital that our members have access to training courses that are suitable for a variety of learning styles.”
“I want to forge a credible and arresting vision for the future of education - one that doesn’t revolve just around funding; but one that runs much deeper, one that taps into the needs and dreams of a failed generation.”
“Students’ unions need to work in partnership alongside their institutions to ensure the best university experience. We should be at the heart of setting the priorities, not as consumers, but as equals in knowledge creation.”
FORGE PRESS Friday May 4 2012
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NUS CONFERENCE 2012 NEWS
President Jonathan Robinson Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg was a notable absentee from the NUS Conference, after he declined an invitation to attend the annual student convention. National President Liam Burns wrote to Mr Clegg in March, offering him the opportunity to speak to delegates on post-16 education. However in a letter dated April 18 to Liam Burns, Mr Clegg said: “Unfortunately I will not be able to attend the conference due to prior commitments. “I look forward to working with the NUS over the coming years as the government works to widen participation, drive up quality and constantly improve the student experience.” Members of the NUS had wanted to discuss and scrutinize the government’s policy surrounding the introduction of £9,000 tuition fees. Mr Burns said the decision was “disappointing”.
Best Tweets of NUS Conference 2012 @AaronPorter Great @PaulBlomfieldMP is opening #nusnc12 in Sheffield. Shame Clegg wouldn’t reply to invite to speak! Was happy to canvass student vote.
Seventy per cent of delegates missing from final morning Alisha Rouse The NUS conference at Sheffield City Hall was suspended on its final day, after not enough delegates turned up. A vote which was due to begin at 9.30am was halted as the conference was not quorate. A spokesmen from NUS told Forge Press: “The conference needs 200 delegates to begin votes on the conference floor. “There were not this number, so the conference was postponed for 30 minutes.” Approximately 700 delegates attended the conference in Sheffield, meaning over 500 people did not make the start of
@LiamDavisDMU Arrived at the opening of the #NUSNC12 and the agenda is daunting to say the least. Got my little voting keypad. Yey. Democracy. @renireni I wonder if I’ll ever attend an @nusuk Conference that has a woman standing for President. #nusnc12 @SarahCharlesworth Very humbled by @ NUS_Liam #nusnc12 speech. Particularly calling liberation a gem! #respect
The Netherlands bans foreign nationals in cannabis cafes A Dutch judge has upheld a new law to ban foreign tourists from entering cannabis cafes. From the 1 May, coffee shops in the southern provinces of the Netherlands will become members-only clubs. They will be allowed to issue up to 2,000 memberships cards, also known as “weed passes” to residents over the age of 18 and the changes will go nationwide by January 2013. Coffee shops owners said the new rules could cost up to 90 per cent of their business. Harriet Collier
@MatthewDenton1 I’m predicting even less people than the last demo, that had even less people than the original #annualdemo #nusnc12 @francescarust Getting goosebumps.. Is it the aircon or these AWESOME speeches! #nusnc12
the morning session. This means that up to 70 per cent of delegates did not arrive at the conference floor to start proceedings. This followed an after-party held at University of Sheffield Students’ Union the previous night. When asked why many delegates did not arrive, the University of Sheffield Students’ Union Activities’ Officer, Nabil Alizai said: “Because Sheffield Students’ Union hosted a fantastic last night of conference party. And everyone is knackered. “They should have all been here though.”
World NEWS
Photo: NUS
Demo to be held next year Rachel Dixon As the £9,000 fees come into force, the new academic year will see another national demonstration from the NUS. The conference has voted in favour of holding another demonstration this year, despite the outcome of the last. An overwhelming majority supported the motion despite vocal opposition. Kanja Sesay opened the case, reiterating his words from last year’s hustings in that it is “better to fight and lose than not fight at all”. Almost 18 months ago, 52,000 students marched through London in protest against the rise in tuition fees - a controversial event accumulating in a 200 strong occupation of Millbank, resulting in a stand-off with police, 35 arrests and 14 people injured.
With negative results from the first demo, some members were sceptical. First to oppose the motion was a member from Loughborough Students’ Union, who was heckled for his dislike of the motion. He argued that the conference was “deluded” if it thought education was at risk of being privatised. The conference was more supportive of Michael Chessum, who argued, ‘‘if the NUS is to be a movement, it should be capable of taking our city centres and campuses, and yes, marching.” NUS Women’s Officer Estelle Hart told the conference that she was “sick of being told not to disturb a cabinet made of scumbag millionaires”. A final plea to stop another demo asked the conference to consider a “year of education not protest” but it was not enough to sway the majority.
@forgepress
Photo: Nicole Hernandez Froio & Jo Wendel
Russia warns on American missile deal in Europe Russia has warned that it will use “destructive force pre-emptively” if the USA goes ahead with plans to build a missile defence system in Central Europe. Russia’s defence minister Anatoly Serdyukov said talks over American plans to set up a missile base in Poland threatened their national security. But the US and Nato say the missiles are only intended to protect the country against attacks from Iran or North Korea. Jonathan Robinson
State of emergency declared in Sudan after border clashes A state of emergency has been declared in Sudan after violent clashes on the border with South Sudan. South Sudan, which gained independence in 2011 after a long and bloody civil war, has reportedly agreed to remove forces from the disputed Abyei region, which contains the Heglig oilfield - the reported focus of the violence. The state of emergency gives the President of Sudan, Omar Al -Bashir, the right to establish emergency justice courts, which have so far ordered 12,000 South Sudanese nationals to leave Sudan within one week. Matthew Smith
Calls for NUS female quota Dannie Grufferty, Society and Citizenship
Toni Pearce, Further Education
“I will work to get every MP to declare if they pay their interns, push for a 10 minute rule bill to get MPs to outlaw the term ‘internship’ and be at your union if your careers’ service is advertising unpaid interns.”
“The government wants to introduce fees and loans into adult further education. NUS must be on the front line to defend the proper funding of education and student support. We know that education is an investment.”
Lauren Clarke
The University of Sheffield’s Students’ Union has been discussing bringing in a gender quota for the next NUS delegate elections. The Union is concerned that the “under representation of women is a serious issue” and “the number of women we send to the National Conference each
year is not representative of the number of women students at the University”, according to proposals for a new policy. The Union has suggested that a quota is introduced to reserve 50 per cent of elected delegate spaces for women and the remainder as open spaces for any gender. Talks will continue to take place before a final decision is made.
South Sudan nationals have been displaced following the conflicts
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FORGE PRESS Friday May 4 2012
LETTERS
Have your say
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.
We won’t forget the Lib Engineering jobs have become virtually Dems betrayal synonymous with with an arms trade job Dear Forge Press,
annoy me a bit.
Dear Forge Press,
Paul Scriven’s letter in the last issue may well have been completely accurate - I’m not familiar with the debate over whether or not students should pay council tax and I’m certainly no great fan of Clive Betts.
Let’s be clear, the Lib Dems stabbed students in the back at the last election - I hope they get punished by students in the upcoming local elections as a reminder that we won’t forget their betrayal.
The cheek of a Lib Dem sending a badly written, angry letter to a student newspaper, however, did
Yours, Jack Windle 3rd Year Eng Literature, PhD
In a ‘Comment’ piece in the last edition of Forge Press (“Up in arms: weapons are inevitable”), Alisha Rouse argued that, in effect, protests against arms companies at a university level were pointless because “weapons are inevitable” and so are graduates working for such companies.
Your comments on www.forgetoday.com to:
Sheffield United tweeter suspended after rape remarks
The response on twitter to this case was disgusting. Despite being proven guilty, Ched was seen as a victim while this poor girl has been subject to abuse and must be very distressed. To all those that blame her – how would you feel if it was your sister? Chloe
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However, the piece made a number of claims which I would strongly counter. Firstly, her argument that all awarenessraising campaigns outside jobs fairs are worthless since most of those seeking employment are already aware of the dubious ethical practices of companies such as Thales and BAE. From my experience, students are not aware of what these companies do and often neither are those who work at the stalls. Clearly, such companies are not going to hand out leaflets detailing all the authoritarian regimes which they support. They are more likely to focus on their engineering work and the salary and possibly the ‘Audis’ that were mentioned as incentives in Alisha’s piece. Indeed,
many
company
representatives are unaware of their arms trade policy, especially in companies such as Rolls Royce which may at face value seem to be an innocent car company. Rolls Royce has been estimated to provide around a quarter of the world’s military aircraft.
only university where arms trade protests go on and we would not be the first to carry out an ‘ethical investment’ policy.
Secondly, the criticism that by demanding that the university reconsider its links with weapon manufacturers denies student choice in a competitive jobs market.
It is also interesting to note that UCL were only one place behind Sheffield in the Guardian’s electrical engineering league table for 2012 despite having this policy for over four years.
I would respond that current university policy does not offer students a true choice; that the engineering department is virtually sponsored by BAE systems and Boeing means that an engineering job becomes virtually synonymous with an arms trade job.
The main point however, which the piece failed to properly acknowledge, is the real-life implications for people thousands of miles from Britain of what these companies actually do. Every individual human death by arms throughout the world is a tragedy and to support these companies for the sake of monetary investment is to negate every responsibility our university’s conscience should have towards the wider world.
Why are ethical companies not being equally put forward as genuine job prospects? Thirdly, there was an over-riding pessimism to the piece which suggested that such a protest was futile, perhaps understandable given the failure of recent student activism with regards to tuition fees. It is important to remember, however, that we are not the
Many universities have pledged not to work with arms companies., including UCL.
Yours sincerely, Phil Armitage Sheffield University Amnesty International Group
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COMMENT
As it overtakes Britain’s Got Talent in the ratings, Forge Press asks: Is The Voice really better than other talent shows?
Unlike other At least BGT has shows, it’s about puppies doing genuine talent amusing tricks Fay Guest After much hype and publicity, The Voice hit our screens and was declared a triumph, beating Britain’s Got Talent in viewer ratings and causing Simon Cowell to change the time slot for his show on ITV. It’s not hard to see why. Instead of being based on appearance, like much of Britain’s Got Talent and The X Factor, it is purely based on the talent of the contestants, who have already been spotted by talent scouts for the show. As a result of this, even those who do not make it through to the next round have some sort of talent, which removes the show from the humiliation rituals of Simon Cowell’s talent shows. There’s not much more uncomfortable viewing than watching a clearly vulnerable person give a terrible performance in front of a jeering audience and four smirking, self satisfied ‘talented celebrities’ (the words ‘talented’ and ‘celebrity’ are used very loosely here given that Cheryl Cole was on The X Factor panel). Even if the contestants on The Voice don’t quite manage to impress, the judges are always pleasant and very constructive in their criticism. There is no cruelty, no laughing at anyone else’s expense.
Simon Cowell tends to behave if the poor vulnerable people, who should have been advised better by those around them, have been sent specifically to annoy him. Worse still, he makes a judgement on contestants purely based on their looks before they have even performed. Take Jonathan Antoine, who has been dubbed ‘the next Susan Boyle’ and was previously too shy to come forward with his talent due to the bullying he’d faced about his weight. When he walked on stage, Cowell muttered “just when you thought it couldn’t get any worse” and was just as prepared to ridicule Antoine as the audience behind him. This is not the kind of thing anyone has to put up with on The Voice. It is not an exercise in humiliation but one in entertainment and a search for genuine talent.
Hannah Frost Here’s an unsurprising revelation for you: I don’t like TV talent shows. With the exception of dogs doing tricks on Britain’s Got Talent, and despite various gimmicks that supposedly make them different, they’re pretty much all the same. In the name of research, I have subjected myself to the horror that is The Voice more than once. I made it 19 minutes through before wanting to put my fist through my laptop to punch Will.I.Am in the face. The week I lost my Voice virginity, along with any hope for the human race, it seemed to be little more than a parade of the worst people in the world, and left me and my housemates shouting at the TV. It was the battle rounds, the singoffs, more appropriately named the “screech-offs”. For a singing contest, an alarming amount of people who, it appeared, couldn’t sing, had been able to get this far. There was a lot of screaming down
a microphone, and a lot of tuneless warbling. But lack of singing aside, so few of the contestants were likeable. There was Indie and Pixie, who were so far up their own arses I’m surprised they could get a note out. Other contestants – so forgettable that I don’t even know their names – had an air of superiority that simply didn’t match up to their skills. As far as I’m aware, this was a show that was meant to be meritocratic, with judges focusing on voices, not on looks – which makes you wonder why so many denim-shirted hipsters are gracing the screens of the 10 million people who watch The Voice. So if it’s not really based on that, do we really need another singing contest, based more on sob stories and looks than ability? What does that say about us as a nation? One day, TV talent shows might be about true talent, of a wider range. It might not be about who looks best in a peter pan collar, wears trendier glasses or makes headlines. In the event of this ever happening, I ask that only one thing stays: Tom Jones.
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Let Breivik preach away, Norway has sent a message to the global community Alex Kohnert On July 22 2011, Anders Behring Breivik carried out the most deadly terrorist attack ever committed by an individual working alone. On April 16 of this year, he was put on trial in Oslo, Norway. But of course, you knew that, as for the last few weeks it’s been practically impossible to escape the barrage of media coverage surrounding the case. In an unprecedented step, the court allowed cameras in to broadcast live the majority of the proceedings. The courtroom itself was specially constructed to allow for the huge number of journalists and members of the public who came to see in the flesh the terrorist who shocked Europe when his white, middle-class upbringing was first discovered. In some quarters, the airtime given to the trial has come under
criticism as giving a platform for a racist murderer to preach his views to the wider world. Some aspects, quite rightly, should not have been allowed to be broadcast live. Breivik’s harrowing testimony about the shootings on Utøya for example, contained no real public interest, but his anti-Muslim agenda is an issue that is rearing its head all over Europe, and needs to be addressed. Far-right Marine Le Pen’s 17.9 per cent vote share in France’s presidential election is indicative of that. Confronting extreme ideas head-on is how we bring about change for the better, not by burying our collective heads in the sand. Unless the media allow the Breiviks of this world to put their views into the public sphere, they will never be met with rational counter-arguments
and resolved. It is unquestionably difficult for those who survived, and the relatives of those who didn’t, to read about and watch the man who has caused them so much pain. But by confronting him and his views head-on and in print, Norway has begun to come to terms with the xenophobic beliefs that led to his actions. The object of terrorist acts like Utøya is to create fear, and to that end Breivik has failed. With their quiet courage in the face of the unimaginable, the Norwegians have sent a strong message to the rest of the world – fear will not win here. And if the world’s media has to give Breivik a pulpit for a few weeks to achieve that, then let him preach away.
Breivik’s ideology is more than distasteful, to say the least. Image: efferlecebe/Flickr
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COMMENT
Sheffield Against Sexism protest
In the face of David Cameron’s policies, we won’t calm down Emily Fearnley I’m not sure if ‘armchair feminism’ is a phrase I have just coined myself, but that is how I would have explained my attitude to feminism. As a politics student, more radical ideas are nominally adopted around exam period, when fiery rhetoric is employed in order to escape the bog-standard answer that I have spent my whole education being told to avoid.
‘It’s comforting to hear taboo subjects being discussed’ Admittedly, I do sometimes feel my lack of activity may be letting the sisterhood down, so the Sheffield Against Sexism campaign’s protest march ‘We Won’t Calm Down Dear’ was of particular intrigue to me. On Saturday April 28, a large group of campaigners assembled in Weston Park and then marched to Barker’s Pool.
The posters dotted around the city promised a ‘familyfriendly event’ and although the majority of protestors were of student age, there was a wide variety of people, which is indicative of how widely the campaign aims must reach. It quickly became clear that the main issue was the recent government cuts. My fresh protesting blood must have been obvious, as it wasn’t long before I was hounded by the Socialist Workers I rush to avoid outside the Students’ Union. Although I grudgingly submitted and bought the magazine they were selling, I did learn some interesting facts that made me realise just why people were braving the ‘drought’ for this. Female unemployment is currently at the highest it has been for 23 years, with 1.10 million women unemployed. This is set to get even grimmer with further public sector cuts; of the 710,000 recent public employee jobs cut, 65per cent were female employees. Further still, proposed cuts to care services will mean that many women are expected to ‘step up’ and adopt the gender conditioned ‘duty’ as carer. Everybody is aware of the cuts and after all, aren’t we ‘all in
this together’? Yet, stacked on top of this are cuts to housing benefits, Sure Start Centres and other child benefits. Taken as a whole, it really does seem the women are getting the raw deal.
‘Female unemployment is currently at the highest in 23 years’ The other protesting theme to become apparent was sexual violence. Although hearing two male protestors behind me making up the chants together (shocker, there were men protesting too!) slightly took away from the rather genius rhyming, there is something comforting as a woman to hear taboo subjects such as sexual violence being openly discussed, or shouted about in the high street as the case may be. Perhaps this is due to the fact that despite David Cameron’s promise on International Women’s Day to protect funding for rape crisis centres and similar projects, women’s’
charities are facing a bleak future. With these services being taken away, yet Sheffield Council approving the license reapplication by the Spearmint Rhino strip club, whose owner infamously suggested students could turn to stripping to fund university life, there was legitimate outrage circulating through this protest. Although I returned to my armchair with my bra firmly on and voice barely raised above a whisper all day, I was genuinely inspired by the solidarity I witnessed at the march. It was later, when I saw a Facebook photo of a girl cradling a cupcake adorned with a sugar-frosted vagina, that I wish I had stayed for the afterparty. Student life can sometimes seem like a bubble from the real world, but it is one that is sometimes sharply burst. In the wider scope, it is a privilege to be able to protest and further still, write an article lending support to the cause. Mr Cameron, be warned- these women are not for keeping calm and carrying on.
Photo: Lauren Clarke
Ched Evans reactions are despicable Martin Bottomley
It’s a sordid state of affairs when a rape victim can no longer assume that people would have the decency to keep their identity a secret. Yet this is still exactly what happened to the 19-year-old victim of Sheffield United player Ched Evans, who broke down in tears in court when the was sentenced to five years in jail. Promptly, his supporters took to Twitter to unveil the victim’s name and made it a trending topic, while fellow Sheffield United player Connor Brown delivered the damning verdict that the law was “fucking shit”, bombarding the victim with a torrent of deeply abusive insults, and voicing his support for Evans: “I’m with you geez.” Too bad the “geez” has to abide by the “fucking shit” law, which exists for the precise reason of the existence of attitudes such as those voiced by Brown: rape isn’t just physical violence, it’s a violation of a human being’s sexual capacity. Without a far-reaching law, victims, whether female or male, would have no protection from the disgusting disregard for the well-being of fellow humans dressed up in the guise of misogyny and ‘banter’ that seems so prevalent in society. Ched Evans has, as the judge said, thrown away a promising career. While it’s promising that a professional footballer has been shown to be not above the law, the aftermath is enough reason to despair at humanity. As long as there are people publicly and utterly insensitively calling rape victims derogatory names, we, as a society, have a depressingly long road ahead of us.
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COMMENT
Stiff new opt-in porn proposals are a bit too hard to swallow Nicholas Carding
I’m a massive fan of the Daily Mail. It stands up for British values, for family values, moral values, and provides journalistic consistency compared to some of the other rags littering the newsstands. However their latest campaign about porn, of which I’m more of an armchair fan, which seeks to add an ‘opt in’ button for accessing adult sites is misguided and ignores the real issue. The ‘opt-in’ idea means there will be an automatic block on porn sites and adults will have to specifically say they want to watch sexual content. Internet f r e e d o m campaigners argue that this is an intrusion of civil liberties and that the proposal wouldn’t work in practice. A group of MPs led by Conservative Claire Perry want to introduce an
opportunity for web-users to block access to porn sites, but this means the user has to contact their internet service provider (ISP). Both these ideas are controversial and difficult to implement, and they seem to avoid the real issue. It’s all very well to blame the ISPs for having lenient rules, but it is actually the parents’ responsibility to educate their children properly in these matters. Too few parents take the time to sit down and talk to their kids and explain that porn is not like real life, and therein lies the problem. If children are taught that porn, whilst being an occasional pleasurable past-time for most of us, is unrealistic, often sexually degrading, and exploitative, they
will not take it so seriously. And if they’re told of the laws they could be breaking by watching explicit porn with children, animals, trees, or whatever, I don’t think many would dare to cross those lines. Parents can’t afford to be embarrassed or reluctant about this, and it shouldn’t be any different a discussion to have than when lecturing children on alcohol or smoking. The Mail should be putting the responsibility on the parents, and a campaign towards them would be much more productive. You can’t blame the children for wanting to explore and experiment, but you can blame the parents for not properly informing their kids of the consequences. The ISPs could install an ‘opt in’ button, but frankly it seems like a waste of time and money. If each parent takes just 10 minutes to explain about the nature of porn, then we would have a lot less worried, confused, and desperate teenagers roaming the internet. Got an opinion on the topics discussed this fortnight? Contact letters@ forgetoday.com
New College of Humanities: what’s the value of education? Johanna Hemingway It has been announced that of those who received offers of admission to the UK’s newest higher education institution, the New College of Humanities (NCH), just one in five were state school pupils. While the majority of future freshers will be accumulating £9,000 a year of debt for their tuition fees alone, NCH, which awards University of London degrees, will charge an eye-watering £18,000 a year for tuition. In return, the institution claims students will receive Oxbridge-style oneto-one tutorials, 12 contact hours a week and modules enhancing intellectual and professional skills. Despite the astonishingly steep price tag, the College does make some attempt to brand itself as non-elitist. It boasts that some students will pay no tuition fees if their household income is under £25,000 and they are predicted at least one A* at A-level. It also offers a number of merit-based scholarships which reduces the tuition fee to £7,200 a year, which is lower than the majority of UK universities. Their model is similar to what is found on the other side of the Atlantic. Harvard University, often cited as the best university in the world, is charging
next year’s cohort of undergraduates the equivalent of £25,000 a year for tuition. However, its students can qualify for up to £33,500 a year of financial aid, which covers its fees and includes a sizeable contribution to living expenses. Yet NCH does not offer financial support for living costs to any of its students, despite being based in central London and its own calculations that living costs would be up to £330 a week. As much as moaning about tuition fees has practically become an extracurricular activity for most undergraduates, as the majority will qualify for a tuition fee loan, it does not realistically function as a barrier from attending university. A more immediate concern is how to finance living costs, which for most, is through a maintenance loan from the Student Loan Company. Currently, students attending NCH do not qualify for any government-backed loan, either for maintenance costs or tuition fees. I would not be surprised if the only applicants who could realistically attend are those who live within commuting distance from central London, which even then may require a part-time job to finance, or of course, those from unspeakably wealthy families. As such, this makes NCH an extraordinarily elitist institution, which essentially offers its students an incredibly overpriced degree from the University of London.
The UK’s culture secretary? What a complete Hunt Andrew Tromans Should Jeremy Hunt resign? The short answer to this question is ‘no’, but there is an asterisk next to that no. To elaborate: Any verdict on Jeremy Hunt should be withheld until he gives evidence at the Leveson Inquiry. Ideally, there would be a further public inquiry into the activities of Jeremy Hunt’s assistant Adam Smith. But for the time being, it is not clear whether Hunt has violated the ministerial code of conduct, though Smith seemed to be in almost non-stop contact with a Murdoch employee around the time of the BSkyB Bid. This is not the first instance of special political advisors overstepping the mark in this government. The autumn of 2011 saw former secretary of state for defence Liam Fox depart the cabinet due to the extra-judicial business activities of his advisor Adam Werritty. Cameron’s handling of the BSkyB controversy is comparable to the Werritty case, as Cameron seems to be defending his ministers to the last. It would appear that Cameron has
D.A.R.T.S. Quote of the fortnight:
“Liam Burns ..... RT if you thought this trend is about Liam Payne ! :’) #DirectionersThing” - Tweeted by a One Direction fan. Probably the only reason why Liam Burns was trending on Twitter.
great difficultly sacking members of his cabinet, unless they happen to be Lib Dems. However, whether Cameron’s perceived clemency is a weakness in his leadership is open for debate. Perhaps Labour looked equally foolish in their tumultuous relationship with Peter Mandelson, with his two departures and three entries into the cabinet. To be seen as close to the Murdochs or News Corporation is politically toxic these days. Once upon a time, both Labour and Conservative politicians were tripping up over themselves to court Rupert Murdoch and his sprogs. This courtship of the Murdoch media empire continued until just months before the phone hacking scandal broke. For instance, James Murdoch recalled a dinner party he was at, at the PM’s country retreat in November 2010. But being pally with the Murdochs is nothing new. In the Thatcher years, Rupert Murdoch was often received at the back entrance of No. 10, and during the Blair years he practically had a front door key. This has now changed irrevocably, and to survive with credibility intact, Jeremy Hunt, and by extension the government, must be as good as their word.
Forge Press takes its satirical aim
Website of the week:
Bon Iver Erotic Strories http://boniverotica.tumblr.com Know Bon Iver? Of course you do, he won a Grammy after all. Even if you don’t indulge in his sweet, sweet songs to soften your seasonal affective disorder, you’re sure to love this blog, where an anonymous fan posts rustical, yet sultry snippets of fantasies about makin’ Skinny Love. The writing carries a faint whiff of a lover forever ago, the smell of a dusty guitar, and the gentle musk of your lover’s scent left on your old lumberjack shirt. In these dreary, overcast days, it’s the perfect escape.
The smart way to cross the road:
“You don’t know you’re beautiful.”
You may have wondered what your local lollipop men and women do for the rest of their days when they’re not on patrol. Well one Dr. Bruce Berry is out there getting more degrees than you can shake a stick at. This highly educated man holds three BAs, seven MAs and a PhD, and is naturally a member of Mensa. Having studied in his free time, Bruce worked as a translator, speaking Russian, Italian, Spanish, French and German fluently. This comment editor commends Dr. Bruce, who is now 70, for his continued contribution to road safety.
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COMMENT
Editorial Welcome to the new Forge Press team’s first issue
Students, do you know about the NUS? Accessible, it is not
Welcome to the latest issue of Forge Press, put together by a new, but equally dedicated, team of student journalists. We are unpaid volunteers, as ever, and on behalf of the whole team I thoroughly hope you enjoy this edition. We’ve got some great features this fortnight, from tackling student depression (p.14), to the lives of the homeless on the streets of Sheffield (p.16). Fuse remains at its usual level of brilliance, with exclusive interviews with Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly (p.6), as well as BASTILLE (p.7) and an appraisal of the excellent talent shown this year by the all-female Ivor Novello award nominations.
2011/12: We will miss you
It’s been an excellent year for Forge Press, with stories from fake vodka being sold in university areas, to students be getting ripped off by the S10 gym and arguments over certain sporting events. The vodka got confiscated, the money got refunded - and the whole team got roughly 10 hours of sleep per week. Every section improved wildly throughout the year, and on behalf of the new editorial team, I wish them well and thank you for an excellent year of hard-hitting, funny and thought-provoking student journalism. I can also safely say, we’re all hugely intimidated by the shoes we have to fill. Maybe that’s just me, but I’m shaking in these boots.
Student volunteers are a shining example to the wider community
On Wednesday night, myself and Forge Press’ deputy editor, Rowan, were kindly invited to the first ever Volunteering Awards. The volunteers do work above and beyond what anyone would expect of students, and they are a true credit to the University. We left a little bit in awe of the truly great work so many volunteers do.
Local politics and the NUS
There’s frightening times abound in national and international politics. Not only are rape crisis centres being threatened, but nationalist parties are on the rise and two states in the US now dictate a woman must tell her workplace why she is having an abortion. For these reasons and for so much more, it is more important than ever that students and young people engage with local politics. I doubt the Council’s discussion of pelican crossings is as interesting to your average student than abortion law and military spending, but it’s all part of the same path. Students across Sheffield went to the polls yesterday, and you can find reactions and results on forgetoday.com The recent NUS conference in particular, threw up the problem of student interest in the politics which governs them. The conference was little known to anyone out of the direct union ‘loop’, however it wasn’t necessarily the lack of transparency that caused problems. Some delegates, paid individuals representing students across the country, giggled during the description of the NUS’ anti-sexual harassment policy, defaced the Union of Jewish Students stand and last of all, rocked up late one day as presumably hangovers and Travelodge buffets took precedence over professionalism. The officers at the University of Sheffield Students’ Union are clearly some of the most professional and dedicated in the country. Election promises are generally kept (free cloakroom aside), voting levels are the highest nationally and a professional and approachable demeanour is upheld. I feel the student body can safely assume none of our elected officers took part in the above actions. However, for other universities and for the presentation of students as a whole, elected, paid officers who take part in such behaviour embarrass and infantilize the entire student movement. The defacing of the Union of Jewish Students’ stand, in particular, was a shocking and upsetting action; one that could easily make Jewish students across the country uncomfortable in a student environment. The whole incident presumably occurred due to the NUS’ ‘solidarity with Palestine’ rhetoric, but the horrendous action taken was merely a racist response to an assumed political position of a diverse group of people. The hung-over delegates? A grand display of the trials and tribulations of students’ lives. And as for the sporadic giggling at the mention of ‘groping’ during the announcement of the anti-sexual harassment policy? I can only weep.
Alisha Rouse - Forge Press Editor alisha.rouse@forgetoday.com
Come Clean campaign
Katie Davies The National Union of Students (NUS), the organisation that represents each and every one of us in that terrifying non-university world, rolled into town on April 24 for their 2012 national conference. The three day conference is a big deal for the NUS – not only did it bring in a tidy one million for the Sheffield economy, but great student minds from all over the country debated important issues and elected a new leader to fight for the cause. This, obviously, all sounds lovely. Our only problem is that most students – or, at least those who aren’t Union officers, committee reps, or nerdy Forge Press editors – have no idea that this conference even took place. Cynicism in student politics has reached a new high on the back of failed campaigns, protests hijacked by political groups and the ever crushing, £9,000 reminder that access to higher education is set to shrink. You might think that in these circumstances, the NUS would be
desperate to reach out to the masses – but those few brave enough to link into to the conference livestream were only treated to a mind boggling string of jargon. The most interesting part of the conference, the presidential candidate hustings, was not even streamed.
‘Given the mandate to represent millions with a few hundred votes.’ Instead, viewers were treated to scenes of delegates voting on passing a motion on whether to vote on a motion – with each motion given its own cryptic code name that can only be deciphered with the relevant paperwork. This paperwork, of course, is cunningly hidden in the depths of the NUS website – and can only be understood by those with a degree in Bureaucrat. Accessible, it is not. If students cannot engage with politics at this grass roots level, where lays the hope that they will grow to become interested in national politics-
Care-less homes Giulia Smith The Care Quality Commission are once again in the media after an old lady with alzheimer’s was secretly filmed being abused by staff in her care home. This isn’t the first, and probably not the last time, that a case like this will arise. They carry out yearly checks in care homes, turning up unannounced and still are unable to catch staff breaking codes of conduct. Some of the carers’ behaviours are quite frankly shocking and raise the question of why they even work in these institutes if they are so willing to treat people with so little respect. Had Maria’s Worroll’s curious daughter not been suspicious, she would most probably never had discovered the sadistic behaviour of the carers on her mother. Which begs the question, how many other cases like this are out there? The Care Quality Commission
interview the patients in homes, but many are most probably too frightened to confess to how they have been treated, or threatened into silence by the staff. The CQC brushed over the fact that members of staff were charged or sacked due to their behaviour over Ms Worrall in a report published about the care home after the case was brought to light.
‘How many other cases like this are out there?’ It feels as though they are trying their best to brush the whole ordeal under the carpet and forget. Instead, they should be doing their best to make an example of these people and finding ways to make sure this never ever happens again, so that relatives can rest assured when they have no choice but to place their parents into care.
Photo: NUS Connect having already become disenchanted by the betrayal of the Lib Dems? Of course, the NUS do need a certain amount of rules and protocols – but behind the masses of paperwork, just how vital is this conference? Nobody is complaining about the work of delegates in battling discrimination or improving access to higher education – but how many of these hundreds of motions are truly needed? One hot topic of debate at NUS conference, for example, was whether Union Officers should all have Second Life profiles. Social media might be a wonderful thing – but do we really need orders from on high decreeing officers to spend more time on their computers instead of prioritise what work they think important – for the union they know, love and are paid to represent? Well, you cry, if nothing else, at least the NUS is a cornerstone of student democracy! Unfortunately not. Your new and returning president, Liam Burns, was voted in by delegates on April 25 – given the mandate to represent a few million students with a few hundred votes. We hope you enjoyed Sheffield, NUS – but to be honest, we’re not quite sure what you’re doing.
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Depression: students’ silent suffering The pressures of university life are causing students more than just stress, as depression and anxiety are now common problems. Words: Sophie Allen Photo: Sophie Carefull
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magine that you’ve had a bad day. You’ve been caught in a torrential downpour on your way into university, just missed out on a 2:1 on an assignment that you thought you’d done really well on, and then after waiting 20 minutes for a bus home you realised at the last second that you didn’t have any change to buy a ticket. Understandably, you’re feeling pretty bad, and when your housemate asks what’s wrong as you finally stagger dejectedly through the front door, you answer, ‘Everything. I’m depressed.’ From everyday conversations such as this, it is evident that the term ‘depression’ is often used to describe general low spirits, and is often used interchangeably with ‘sad’, ‘upset’, or even ‘stressed’. This can make it easy to forget that depression itself is not just an emotion but a medical condition that can severely affect peoples’ lives. Studies by the Mental Health Foundation have shown that one in four people will experience some kind of mental health problem – from stress and anxiety, to depression – with mixed anxiety and depression being the most commonly diagnosed psychological condition in Britain. When it comes to university students, another recent survey by the foundation has demonstrated that 50 per cent exhibited signs of clinical anxiety, with over one in 10 suffering from clinical depression. The fact that university students can be so vulnerable to the development of such symptoms might, at first glance, seem surprising; university is supposed to be the ‘time of your life’, the period between school and adulthood where people study something that they are passionate about, develop
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One in 10 university students suffer from clinical depression. Mental Health Foundation
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their interests, and really come to know themselves. However, this is a somewhat idealistic image, and in reality, there are a huge amount of struggles faced each day by students that some find harder to manage than others. These issues can range between the initial transitions; from life at home with friends and family into the fast moving independence of university; to financial, social, and occupational pressures. Although moving to university is exciting, the anxieties that accompany such a huge change can lead to emotional difficulties. It can be an extremely daunting experience, and requires students to cope with serious adjustments, be they social, cultural, or even related to location. Often, the move is accompanied by big lifestyle changes, which can lead to feelings of isolation and alienation should a student prove less able to adjust to their new surroundings than others. These changes can prove particularly troublesome without the friends and family that would usually provide encouragement and security, as problems must suddenly be confronted without the usual support base close at hand. Financial pressures are also a particularly prevalent concern. Many students have difficulty managing loans, overdrafts, credit cards, and the payments of rent and bills as well as funding food, nights out, and other recreational expenditue. Time management can also cause difficulties, with the juggling of lectures, reading, and assignment deadlines alongside a job and social lives being for some just too much to manage. When these symptoms are combined with other social pressures faced by the majority of students, university can be a
Symptoms to look out for: These are not all of the symptoms of depression, but a general list. Symptoms will vary from person to person. Remember: • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
Persistent low mood Sadness Tearfulness or raised emotions Uncharacteristic anger or extreme stress Feelings of worthlessness Withdrawn and preoccupied Avoiding or lessening social contact Sense of failure Less self-esteem Low energy levels Difficulty remembering things Disrupted sleeping patterns, Changes in appetite or weight General apathy (causes people to view life as pointless) Low self-worth Hopelessness Preoccupation with negative thoughts and despair Blaming themselves when things go wrong Cease to look after themselves properly
These are the more serious symptoms. • Losing interest in hobbies, work, or even relationships • Preoccupation with death • Self-harm • Alcohol or substance abuse • Contemplation of suicide If you or someone you know is experiencing any of these symptoms and you are concerned, here are some useful contact details. •
University of Sheffield counselling service:
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Skills for Life Building, 317 Glossop Road,
Tel: 0114 222 4134 Email: UCS@sheffield.ac.uk Tel: 0114 222 4131 Email: skillsforlife@sheffield. ac.uk
• Nightline A free, confidential telephone service operating 8pm-8am every night during term time. Tel: 0114 222 87897 Email: nightline@sheffield. ac.uk
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FEATURES hotbed for emotional difficulty. Being surrounded by so many other students the same age can make individuals feel insignificant, feeling they have to compete with others not only in the academic stakes but also in terms of social standing, general success, and even appearance. This tendency to compare yourself with others can be exacerbated by social networks such as Facebook and Twitter, where the appearances and personalities of people are put on full display, making it easy to draw comparison between yourself and others. For those already experiencing low self-esteem or the feelings of worthlessness often associated with depression, this can have an extremely negative effect, causing them to feel persistently bettered by these online portraits of their peers every time they log on. However, with the rise of social media and the internet, people suffering from depression are increasingly able to take more independent tactics in order to deal with their symptoms. The tendency of those experiencing depression to withdraw, shun social situations and become highly introverted leads to their problems and emotional struggles being directed inwardly, which prevents them from being talked through with others and gaining the relief of sharing and receiving advice. Additionally, the stigma attached to depression as a medical condition can cause those experiencing symptoms to be reluctant to discuss their problems, for fear of being labelled ‘ill’. Thus, with the sufferer unable to discuss their emotions and consider how to deal with their depression, the feelings of helplessness and low self-
worth become compounded, and symptoms exacerbated. The popularity of the internet as a medium of communication could therefore be extremely beneficial to sufferers. There are many websites that can be easily accessed by sufferers reluctant to take their problems to a doctor or other professional, which offer advice, encouragement, and ideas to help to deal with the symptoms. Additionally, there are many web forums where those struggling alone with their depression can discuss their problems, allowing them to find others experiencing the same emotions which can prevent them from feeling so isolated. Facebook has also shown signs of potential in being used to diagnose depression, with a recent study at the University of Washington showing that 30 per cent of 200 students surveyed demonstrated signs of depression in their Facebook status updates, as defined by the American Psychiatric Association. However, this idea is controversial; it can be difficult to distinguish between those that are exaggerating their symptoms – for example, using the word ‘depression’ to cover a range of bad moods it does not technically describe – and those that genuinely need help. Often, the tendency of depression sufferers to withdraw and remain private about their problems prevents them from being diagnosed through a public forum. Although self-help methods like these are available, they are no replacement for medical consultation. The University offers a huge level of support for those suffering from, or who are concerned that they may be suffering from,
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One in four people will experience some kind of mental health problems. Mental Health Foundation
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depression, or who just need to talk through problems that are causing them to struggle with everyday life. The University Health Service can help students suffering from anxiety or depression to experiment with a few different treatments, including group and one-to-one counselling sessions and cognitive behavioural therapy. The counselling service offers 20 minute drop-in one-toone sessions for students that aren’t sure if counselling can help them, and allow them to experience the atmosphere and decide if further appointments will be beneficial. Additionally, the University runs the ‘Skills for Life’ programme, composed of a series of workshops and group sessions designed to help students to cope more efficiently with the demands of university life. Sessions cover topics such as how to deal with stress and improve selfconfidence and assertiveness, the development of time management skills, how to speak in public (‘for the terrified’) and also how to cope with bereavement. Stress and relaxation sessions are also held each Tuesday lunchtime, and aim to teach students how to cope with stress levels and relax when they feel overwhelmed. Each of these options could be supremely effective in learning to manage everyday pressures, preventing them from accumulating and potentially leading to depression. Ultimately, if they feel this is the only treatment that will benefit them, anti-depressants can be prescribed to tackle the persistent low moods and other symptoms associated with the condition. While practitioners may offer such medication to help deal with the symptoms of depression,
pharmaceutical treatments such as these cannot deal with the causes, and the Health Service usually recommends that students first attempt some of the therapies or alternative treatments. There are also various practical ways to help alleviate some of the low moods and symptoms that accompany depression. Often, sufferers can gain feelings of extremely low self-worth which, combined with general apathy cause them to stop looking after themselves, creating a spiral in which their self-esteem causes them to make less effort and so lower their self-esteem even further. Thus, it can be helpful to work on self-esteem, which can be done through the help of a counsellor or researching self-help methods on improving confidence. To overcome the lethargy and fatigue that can sometimes occur as symptoms of depression, exercise is highly recommended; it is proven to release endorphins that encourage a positive overall mood as well as boosting energy levels. Ultimately, the statistics show that university is perhaps not quite the life of carefree partying, barely kept deadlines, and indifferent relaxation – at least, not all of the time. The pressures that are an inherent part of university life can be difficult to deal with, yet as with any illness awareness is the key to control and to treatment. Just by being aware of possible symptoms in friends, family, or even ourselves, there is no need for any one of the 50 per cent of our students to suffer alone.
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Stigmatised on the streets Prejudice is one of the biggest problems faced daily by the homeless, and the Sheffield Cathedral Archer Project is working to fight these misconceptions Words: Andrew Smith Photo: Ed Yourdan/ Flickr
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imon is up with the sun. He awakens with the sunlight glaring in his face and lays still, taking in its momentary warmth. It’s a pleasant change from yesterday, when the cold temperatures of the night before forced him awake even before the sun had risen. He begins his morning routine. It is roughly 6:00 am, although Simon is not aware of this; he has not had a regular understanding of time for years. Rummaging through his grubby sleeping bag he searches for the single pound coin and an assortment of other pennies that he either found or had been gifted the day before. As he searches, he shifts the contents of the bag, his only possessions in the world. These are few but indescribably precious. There is an old newspaper, at least two years out of date, which Simon has decided to hang on to. Later, he tells me that he still reads it regularly and when I ask why he does not read a more up to date publication, after a pause he replies, “Because I don’t think I could”. Also among the folds of the bag is an old Nokia mobile phone, the battery of which has long since been lost. Simon slips it into his pocket. Later he will pretend to text someone believing that such a charade will allow him to blend more easily into the crowd at the bus station, perhaps giving him
more time before he is asked to move on by security. Finally, there are the tattered remains of a stuffed animal. Simon tells me he found it, though he can’t remember where. He smiles and stresses to me that he does not actually cuddle it to sleep and that it never leaves his bag. I return his grin. Next, Simon begins the process of concealing his sleeping bag for the following day, taking care to pick a spot which is both out of sight and easy to recover his possessions from later. He explains, in a more serious tone of voice, that this is a necessary precaution. That within the homeless community, there is no honour system. Simon must hide his possessions, partly because he cannot carry them with him during the day, but mainly because of the fear of making himself a target. Prey to those even more desperate then himself. It is a Wednesday, which means that Simon has a place to be. He makes his way into the city centre towards the Spire of Sheffield Cathedral, ultimately to the Sheffield Cathedral Archer Project located at its rear. It is here that Simon comes every week day for a helping of free breakfast and above all else, some self-validating conversation. It is also where I have come to talk to Simon. For just a moment, let us drop all pretences and own up to the fact that we, as individuals and a collective society, already have our own predetermined schema of what your typical homeless person represents.
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Coming here and being treated like a normal person is the help they need above anything else. Rebuilding their self worth. With that, everything else will follow. Tracy Viner, Sheffield Cathedral Archers Project
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When asked to consider what it means to be homeless, many of us will envisage the stereotypical, almost clichéd, shabby character complete with extensive facial hair coverage, tattered clothes and impoverished demeanor. You may also consider their personality and perhaps dismiss it as antisocial, even aggressive, and no doubt fuelled by mental illness or excessive drug use. Think about how you act when you encounter such a person on the street. It may be that you quicken your pace, making a conscious effort to avoid eye contact. It may also be that you do not afford them even so much as this. You may simply walk by, continuing as though there had been no one there at all. What exactly are your attitudes towards the homeless? Should they be met with caution? Fear? Hostility? Or just totally ignored? We must concede that, as a society, this is how the homeless community is portrayed and that our own attitudes are heavily influenced by this portrayal. It is the mission of Tracy Viner and the other workers at The Sheffield Cathedral Archer Project to challenge this perception of the homeless community, believing that the existence of a “homeless stereotype” is perhaps one of the greatest threats faced by their community. Tracy elaborates, telling me, “They already have so little that this perception, and the prejudice it brings, takes from them what they need most: their own self esteem”. The Sheffield Cathedral Archer Project is a charitable venture, providing a centre from which members of the homeless community can be treated medically by a nurse and dentist, receive a free breakfast on week days, and take part in organised activities to improve social and interaction skills. “At least, that’s what we put on the website”, Tracy tells me, “It’s difficult to explain, but what we give them is a sense of belonging. Coming here and being treated like a normal person is the help they need above anything else. Rebuilding their self worth. With that, everything else will follow” Tracy has been working at the project for five years now, and in that time has gained insight into what she feels is the one common trait among all homeless persons; namely, a lack of self worth. Tracy tells me that the vast majority of the homeless community come from a broken home or
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FEATURES have suffered some other form of emotional trauma during childhood. These kinds of troubled backgrounds beget poorly developed social skills and a mistrust of others, culminating in a self-perpetuating spiral of selfloathing. This, combined with a lack of ambition, falling in with the wrong crowd, and sometimes just bad luck, can lead what was just a troubled child into a life of neglect on the streets. This becomes evident after spending time with some of the regulars at the Cathedral Archer Project. They communicate abruptly and loudly and often use harsh language when trying to exacerbate a point. This understandably can be mistaken for rudeness or aggression, but is actually just how they have learned to interact. When engaged in conversation, it helps to interpret the harshness and abrupt nature of their words in the same vain as you would a youngster. Not malicious or dangerous, just ignorance; in its most innocent manifestation. Tracy explains further, “Sometimes, you do have to treat them like children.” She continues, “In fact, that’s what a lot of them are. Big kids, who never learned any better.” It is this philosophy that keeps Tracy motivated, although she admits that some days are easier then others. I remark that working at a charity that caters specifically to the homeless must be different to working for other causes. Tracy smiles, answering “Well it’s certainly not one of the sexy charities. We are constantly challenged by the perception that the homeless offer nothing to society. It’s difficult.” I ask Tracy about what rewards she and her co-workers gain from working at the project. She laughs, “You mean besides the wage?”. She goes on to describe the sense of genuine accomplishment that is the main attraction of working for the project. It is not glamorous and it does not receive half of the attention as more “sexy” charities might, but the work she is doing is productive and makes a difference to the people that need it. To my admitted surprise, Tracy points out two of the workers serving up breakfast during the course of our conversation, explaining to me that they themselves had once been homeless and had managed to completely put their lives back on track. This was accomplished solely through the support of the project. Tracy makes the point of telling me that the project can always use more resources to do more for the homeless community and that donations, no matter how small, will help more then what you might think. She says, “Two pounds, that’s it. From enough people, that will keep us comfortable for a long time”. The project is also currently spending money gained from an appearance on the television show The Secret Millionaire to train new workers, much like two of the formerly homeless individuals I had been shown earlier by Tracy. Of course, there are always ways in which the homeless may be helped without donations. Tracy expressed to me, again and again, that the single greatest threat to the homeless is the prejudice with which they are constantly met. If more people recognised the circumstances which have led these people to adopt a life on the streets, they might understand that behind what is perceived as an aggressive or dangerous figure is in fact a victim of circumstance, incapable of leading a ‘normal’ life because they feel they have nothing to offer the society that rejects them.
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A test of faith With creationism in vehement debate and schools becoming ever more politicised, what is the role of the modern Christian School?
Words: Martin Bottomley Photo: Powellizer/ Flickr
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he colourful, spacious room seems more like an adventure playground than a classroom. Two five-year-old boys are noisily playing cops and robbers, while a little blond girl, oblivious to the fact she is making her teacher trip on her awkwardly-placed chair, is noisily bossing a friend about. It is a far cry from the quiet GCSE class next door, where the maths teacher teaches enthusiastically to a smattering of pupils you could barely call a class. But both places share colourfully decorated walls, with artworks produced by pupils and class-projects adorning the space in between the windows from which sunlight pours in. This is what the Bethany School in Sheffield looks like, a Christian independent school whose administration intend to establish a free school with branches across Sheffield. The most striking feature in the primary school classroom is a large mural that depicts the biblical creation story. This isn’t just a leftover from RE lessons: quite proudly, the teachers are “committed to developing our own distinctively Christian curriculum,
based upon biblical principles”. Controversially, the Bethany School is quite unashamedly, a school that prides itself on teaching creationism, and intends to do so in the proposed Christian free school. In their FAQs on the proposal website, the question “Will the SCFS curriculum include creationism?” is answered straightforwardly: “Yes. Christianity has a clear and distinctive creation story which is relevant to all areas of the curriculum. We know that ‘some people think differently’ so we will be sure to give full weight to other views of the origins and purposes of life.” Considering Michael Gove’s public statement that he would not allow schools that teach creationism instead of scientific consensus to receive state funding, it’s a bold statement. Their commitment to teaching biblical creation does not, however, necessarily mean that science teaching is lacking. The important distinction, the Sheffield Christian Free School initiative insists, lies with the qualifier “instead”: they intend to teach both. As for the actual teaching, all recent school inspections of the Bethany School have declared the teaching to be “good” (the highest mark), and, according to their website,
their children continue do well after leaving. In fact, the school is extraordinarily successful: while the head teacher Ken Walze readily admits that while “some [former students] went to Oxbridge, some went to prison”, their GCSE results have almost consistently been above the national average. Walze calls the school a “progressive educational establishment.” And in many ways, the school is indeed excellent. Tucked away 10 minutes from the University of Sheffield, the small, cosy stone building on the hillside looks warmly inviting, as though transported from another era. Its charm is only furthered on the inside, with the teachers often eschewing the traditional, frontal approach to teaching for a more engaged and hands-on approach. This is made possible by the tiny size of the school. With an overall student population of 96, it’s comparatively minuscule, and makes it as personal and family-engaged as possible. “Family-scale education” Walze calls the approach that included installing a lift for a single disabled pupil, personally picking up one pupil who broke a leg for a few months, encouraging parents to actively participate in their child’s education, and ultimately - perhaps most
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remarkably of all - accommodating for varying financial means by charging no fees. Despite being an independent school and receiving no state funding, the Bethany School has managed to survive since its founding in 1987 by setting a budget and asking the families of pupils for donations. These donations have yet to fail at keeping the school afloat. The model has proved popular with parents, and the demand for places far outstripped the available space. To accommodate the demand, the Bethany School staff helped set up Emmaus School, also based in Sheffield. “We’re passionate about this city, about serving this city”, Ken Walze emphasises, “and the only way to do this is through the independent sector.” While the Emmaus School proved successful, the demand still proved too much for the two small schools to handle. Thus, when Michael Gove first unveiled his free schools proposal, Walze jumped at the opportunity. The plan is to set up a statefunded, 1,000-pupil Christian free school, spread over 10 sites across Sheffield, of which Bethany School would become one, and thus accommodate the rising demand while still keeping ties with the local community. Despite all this, it’s no fairytale place: All the familiar school archetypes are easily visible, from the playful, boisterous younger pupils to the surly group of teenagers hunched over their GCSE coursework, sporting the occasional token punk or hipster. The school day follows the normal pattern that any school’s would. It’s a school like any other, yet it’s hard to shake a feeling of distinctness about the place. Speaking to the head teacher, it becomes evident what sets this school from the state school horror stories of unruly students and disaffected teachers. In every decoration, every piece of equipment provided for pupils, the passion for teaching that motivated a group of parents to form the school in 1986 is evident. This passion for education could well be the school’s greatest strength, but
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It is bizarre, given Britain’s history as a Christian country, that the former religious majority would see itself as a persecuted minority.
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also its greatest vulnerability. It is this passion and investment that seems to drive the defiance voiced in the Free School Proposal’s Twitter account, challenging Michael Gove to stick to his guns on faith schools. The defiant tone is continued elsewhere: In person, Ken Walze, while assuring that all pupils are taught the value of “some people think differently”, patiently stresses the importance of the Christian worldview quoting a hymn: “Something lives in every hue / Christ-less eyes have never seen!” However, in a recent newsletter of Bethany School, a far more aggressive tone was struck: “We have discovered that secular indoctrination in society is virtually complete”, it alleges on the subject of the professionalism of keeping personal beliefs out of the classroom, “there is an implicit assumption that secularism is a default position that requires no justification”. Lamenting that Christian parents and teachers fell for it “hook, line and sinker”, it dramatically warns that “a militant secular curriculum is pounding at the very foundation of our faith, namely: Our world belongs to God!” The root of this confrontational defiance doesn’t necessarily lie in fanatical faith. There’s a sense that Ken Walze feels that, as a devout Christian, he is vilified in the eye of secularist intent on keeping religion out of the public sphere. It seems as though the fundamental problem is one of understanding: Avowed atheists shudder at the thought of the American brand of unscientific creationism being taught in British schools, yet Ken Walze has no problem reconciling a literal biblical truth with scientific theory as being two separate truths: A “faith truth” and a “scientific truth”. He never denies the value of Darwinist theory in the progression of science. However, a recent the Guardian column about the Sheffield Christian Free School proposal exemplifies the vilification Walze talks about: In the column, the author Phil Beadle quotes liberally from the school’s website, and presents many of the
more religious passages as antiintellectual and, effectively, bad education. Walze wrote to the Guardian, and challenged them to view the school and the value of its education for themselves. Neither the author nor the Guardian responded. It’s easy to see why, given this reaction, Christians setting up faith schools would feel vilified and excluded. It is bizarre, given Britain’s history as a Christian country, that the former religious majority would see itself as a persecuted minority. It seems as though the civil society, tolerant of all faiths, has not just failed to properly empathise and build bridges with new faiths such as Islam, it has also lost touch with the originally dominant religion. If multiculturalism, particularly in terms of religion, has failed, does this count for Christianity too? But all debates about the role of religion in education aside, the public debate about education has become extremely politicised in recent years, with educational reform being the pet project of seemingly every recent election campaign. In this climate of politicisation across party lines complicated further by the debate about faith schools, the measure of education is in dire need of refocusing on the effectiveness of educational models, and the needs of the pupils. To dismiss Bethany School and its sister projects on grounds of their faith would drastically overlook the remarkable accomplishments they can and have achieved. Certainly, their model is not universally applicable: It is specifically Christian, and is designed by and for a holistically Christian worldview. Nevertheless, any school could learn from their successes. As of April 28, the Sheffield Christian Free School proposal has been turned down. The rejection letter, published on the proposal’s website makes no mention of the issue of creationism. Optimistically, the proposal website states that this means “not yet”.
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Lifestyle & Travel
Fashion Food & Drink Health & Fitness Travel Giving Back Sex & Relationships Technology
FORGE PRESS Friday May 4 2012
The Lifestyle editors:
It’s handover issue, and that means a whole new bunch of editors. Meet the new Lifestyle team...
FOUR OF THE BEST
Natural energy boosts Asian ginseng
Astragalus
...And the
Ginkgo Biloba
Asian Ginseng, or Panax Ginseng, is a tried and tested herbal energy booster. While it is often used to aid physical endurance, particularly in athletics, it also helps to keep your mind alert. Definitely a healthier way to get your energy fix than downing cans of Red Bull and cups of coffee.
Echinacea
Whether you’re looking for a long-term energy plan or a morning pick-me-up, Astragalus can provide both. This supplement gives an immediate natural energy high, as well as having a positive effect on your wellbeing when used over time. It’s also perfect for maintaining a strong immune system and increasing both physical and mental stamina.
Relationships
This supplement is great for enhancing memory and concentration – something we all need a little help with when revision rears its dreary head. Several studies have also shown that it works well in conjunction with Asian Ginseng to improve overall energy, brainpower and focus. With exams just around the corner, it’s inevitable that there will be more students with colds than there are people in the IC. But if you want to boost your immune system then Echinacea is the way forward. Studies have found that it decreases the chance of developing a cold by 58 per cent. If you’re already infected, it can reduce the length of your illness. Victoria Beardwood
Budget dating in Sheffield Holly Wilkinson So here you are, left to organise a wonderfully romantic day with your better half. Under strict instructions, you've been told that another “romantic, sex-athon Saturday isn't my idea of romance” so this day needs to be wonderful. Fantastic. So with very little of your student budget left (due to an unfortunate incident involving The Harley and after-IC drinks), you set off with the task of creating a super-date. Where to start?
Option One:
One option is to treat your date to a wonderful day in the Peak District – it really is rather inspiring – and there are various little villages within half an hour of Sheffield that you could visit. The small village of Edale marks the official start of the Pennine Way, is only 30 minutes on the train and most importantly will only set you back £5 each, with a railcard.
derbyshire-peakdistrict-co-uk.leia
Once there, show off your powers of navigation by subtly trailing other people (i.e. turn left out of the train station) and follow the road up to a pub called The Old Nag's Head. There is another pub, but the Nag's Head serves fantastic food,
great beers and ciders, as well as having a cosy, less commercial feel. As soon as you're sufficiently strengthened by a swift drink, continue along the same road past the Nag's Head until you see a small path leading off downhill to the right. Don't continue straight on, you end up in someone's front garden and the situation can get a bit awkward. Once you have crossed the bridge and clambered up the steps you have two choices. Either take the leisurely left-hand route and prevent your date from seeing the red, sweaty mess you become when faced with exercise; or follow the right-hand path up the hill and try to top Running Roger, which is fantastic if you feel super fit and want to show that fact off (or fancy the challenge, for some crazy reason). The whole date shouldn't cost your more than £30, and it will certainly be memorable. However, if you feel that rambling around the Peak District isn't really your thing then there are still plenty of options within the city boundaries.
Option Two:
The Winter Gardens always have an exhibition on and it's generally free to go in and have a wander round. So why not take a leisurely walk through before treating your date to a Patisserie Valerie's delicacy and settling down in the Town Hall gardens to munch on your cake and enjoy the sunshine. The whole date should only cost you about £15, and the transport costs a mere £2 – deal. Finally, if museums are not thrilling enough and the thought of exertion make your knees tremble, then why not exploit the fact that summer is soon to be upon us.
panoramio.com
Wesley Young After Theresa May’s approval for Richard O’Dwyer’s extradition to the US on the grounds of alleged copyright infringement, the ever-increasing dangers of the online world are becoming all the more real. As a Sheffield Hallam University student, Richard O’Dwyer set up a website – TVShack.net – which offered links to external sites hosting pirated TV shows and movies. O’Dwyer, 23, set up the website in 2009 whilst studying Computer Science. The site made him $230,000 (£147,000) in advertising revenue. How is it possible to make that much money online without selling a single product? I’ll tell you how. TVShack.net essentially worked as a movie links index – like Google is an Internet index. It hosted a list of links to TV shows and films across the web. Due to the nature of the site’s content, it received huge traffic. Upon registering with an advertiser such as Google AdSense, it is possible to place adverts on a website. An advert may be worth anything from 50 cents to a couple of dollars per click for the website owner – depending on advert size and type. Since web users tend to pull their blinkers up to adverts online, the clickthrough rate is typically one to two per cent, as you might expect. So for every 100 unique page views,
Travel
you may only get one or two clicks. To put this in to perspective: a typical blog site might receive up to 50 views a day. So, it may receive one click on an advert per day – if lucky. In the case of TVShack.net, the website enjoyed traffic in excess of 100,000 unique visitors per day, at its peak. Prior to the site’s closure, the monthly average was a huge 1.8 million unique visitors. So you can see: the more unique visitors to your site, the greater likelihood of ad clicks. The more unique clicks, the greater the income. With a colossal number of unique visitors driven to sought-after content, it wasn’t hard for TVShack.net and therefore O’Dwyer to rack up a healthy income. The site stored links to other sites, which hosted the pirate content, in effect working in a similar way to a search engine or online database. TVShack.net did not store or copy the pirate material itself, merely linking externally to it. But, is this infringement of copyright? Under UK law it is unclear. However, it would be argued that he knowingly exploited an ethical loophole, detaching responsibility from the content at the other end of the links from his site. Despite his website being hosted on a server in Sweden and with debatable breach of copyright as far as UK law is concerned, it is difficult to understand
Option Three: Make up a lovely picnic of strawberries and cocktail weenies, with maybe a couple of bottles of Rekorderlig, and skip down to Western Park for a romantic day in the sun. Take a blanket and some speakers, and lay out your feast. Maybe even bring a book of poetry to complete the sweeping romantic gesture, and settle down for a lovely afternoon of coupley goodness. You could even take a frisbee or rugby ball for light afternoon activities, and show off your athletic prowess. The saving grace with this option is that if, for some unforeseen, completely unplanned reason it rains on your chosen day then you have two emergency exits. One, take a stroll around the wonderful Western Bank Museum, which is free of charge; or two, take the feast back home and lay it out on your bed for a faux-picnic. Maybe that sex-athon is back on the cards – after all, it's the thought that counts.
romantictopten.com
Laura Davies & Koren Sawtell It’s the dreaded student dilemma. Do you spend an entire summer elbow-deep in a sink of grimy water scrubbing dishes in order to save some beer money, or do you use your student overdraft to have the summer of a lifetime travelling? Well fear not. There are ways to get away from our disappointing English summer without getting in serious trouble with your bank. Here are Lifestyle’s top ways to make your summer pay…
TEFL course
Though pricey at first glance, once you’ve got yourself a TEFL qualification (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) you will be able to get a teaching job in Southeast Asia for the rest of your life. So think of this one as a long term investment. Courses range from online to training packages abroadwith a job guaranteed at the end. It’s a great qualification to have under your belt and could be the perfect escape route from a jobless England once you graduate. www.southeastasiabackpacker.com/tefl
thaifoodandtravel.com
FORGE PRESS Friday May 4 2012
www.forgetoday.com // lifestyle@forgetoday.com
Laura Davies
Olivia Adams
2nd year Journalism student Age: 19 From: Stamford Random Fact: I used to be a good figure skater.
case of Sheffield Hallam student Richard O’Dwyer
It would be considered safe to publish any content that you created yourself from scratch. Text, images or video that were created by someone else or edited from their work requires permission from them prior to publication, regardless of attribution. Although, any such copyright infringement may be overlooked dependent on the number of visitors to
your site and its purposes. A site that receives under 100 views a day and is used for educational or non-financial purposes is likely to be safe. It would be illegal to publish any text, image or video that you did not create yourself or receive permission from the author to publish. However, a hyperlink is merely highlighted text, which upon a mouse click links to another webpage. In O’Dwyer’s case, the text itself was not copyrighted and neither was the link.
The video at the other end of the link – on a page of a completely different website – may be protected by copyright, if it was a TV show, football highlights or film. As far as UK law is concerned, it is not exactly copyright infringement to post textual links to copyrighted material, although it could be argued highly unethical to knowingly link to such content.
Accountability for external links on the BBC News website goes as far as saying they are “not responsible” for the content of external links. Richard O’Dwyer posted a similar disclaimer in TVShack.net’s terms, distancing responsibility for the content on the external sites - though acknowledging the material may be copyrighted. It read that the site “acts merely as an index (or catalogue) of media posted by others” and the content linked to may be “subject to restrictions such as copyright” but it is the responsibility of those having access to such material. In a recent interview with BBC Radio 4, Richard’s mother, Julia O’Dwyer, said: “[Extradition] is a disproportionate way of dealing with such an offence – if it is an offence. “Extradition should be the last resort, not the first.” A Sheffield Hallam University spokesperson said: “It is not appropriate for the University to comment on allegations made against Richard O’Dwyer outside of his University activities, or whether the US authorities are justified in seeking his extradition to pursue a prosecution under US law.” An appeal against the extradition was lodged on March 21, and will be heard on July 30-31. In the mean time, remember: although the money may seem tempting to us penny pinching students, consider the potential consequences of challenging the law first.
Ways to make your summer pay Get a bar job
If you’re looking for something a little easier, or have no interest in teaching, then head to a party island like Magaluf. There are plenty of jobs for foreigners, especially if you’re happy to work the night shift promoting clubs or selling shots. Every summer many students flock to the sunny island of Magaluf, and a lot end up ‘accidentally’ missing their flight home. There’s a lot of money to be made, and who wouldn’t want to live the party lifestyle every day of summer. Take a minute to think about your liver though...
Camp America
role, you get from $600 - $1200 of ‘pocket money’ per month. So not only will you reclaim your initial payment, but you may also be left with a few quid to fund some travelling afterwards. www.campamerica.co.uk
InterRailing If kids are your thing and getting paid to spend your summer in America appeals, then what are you waiting for! Sign up for Camp America. Each year more than 7,500 applicants take part, which has got to say something. You pay just over £600, which includes your flight, and then get bed and board for nine weeks. On top of this, depending on your
cost and flexible option for students wanting to explore Europe.
Au pair
Not just for girl’s, au pairing can be a lucrative way to spend your summer. So long as you can deal with tantrums, the pay usually includes bed and board and two days off a week, which gives you a good chance to explore your new neighbourhood. The best thing about au-pairing is that you could literally do it any where in the world. Just sign up with a reputable agency and they’ll do all the hard work for you. If you’re looking for a budget-friendly way to travel round Europe, then investing in an InterRail pass provides an affordable solution. Prices start at a mere £154 for a Global Pass, which allows unlimited train travel between 30 European countries (for a certain number of days within a month). If you’re on an even tighter budget, a One Country pass is also available. For certain countries, including the Czech Republic and Greece, prices are as low as £44 for 3 days travel. InterRail passes provide a low-
@ForgeLifestyle
2nd year Geography student Age: 21 From: Bristol Random Fact: I once competed in Robot Wars.
The dangers of the internet why O’Dwyer is being extradited to the US. After the US authorities obtained TVShack.net in June 2010 and with O’Dwyer now facing extradition, many might ask what is actually safe and unsafe to publish online? This largely depends on content, purpose and visitor size. In the UK, the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 protects the whole or parts of literary, musical and artistic works – whether printed, online or broadcast – from being copied without consent.
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www.interrailnet.com
Paid Work abroad
Working holidays can provide a costeffective way, for those on a student budget, to see the world. Gap year company Gap 360 currently offers opportunities for paid work in Australia, New Zealand and the USA from as little as £299 (flights not included). Their job services provide support for finding work in a number of sectors, from theme parks to restaurants, for the duration that suits you. Whilst the travel may be pricey, chances are you’ll be able to earn back the money invested in flights whilst working. Paid work abroad provides an incredible opportunity to see parts of the world you may have only dreamed of, whilst gaining friends and invaluable experience at the same time. www.gap360.com
@ lifestyle@forgetoday.com facebook.com/ForgeLifestyle
Word on Campus
What will the University of Sheffield be like in 2100? “We’ll be watching holographic projections of lecturers from our bedrooms.” Stephanie Mullins “Like Tupac, we’ll all have hologram alter egos that we send to uni, controlled by our minds.” Alisha Rouse “Broke.” Hamilton Jones
“Lecturers will no longer have a role, as they will have been replaced by androids. Students will attend ‘lectures’ and plug their brains into the android in order to download information of the topic and deadlines. They will then complete tasks within their brains. Oh and if the rate of tuition fees increases as they have done in the last 14 years, it will cost £567,000 per year.” Holly Wilkinson “Everything will hover, because it can. And Laura will still be editor of Lifestyle at Forge Press.” Sam Bolton “Pop tarts will still be every Saturday and the cricket club will still take their shirts off every time Journey comes on in ROAR.” Will Aitkenhead “University of the year, worldwide.” Rebecca Wright
“There will be hover boards straight out of Back to the Future and it will still be impossible to get a computer in the IC after 10 o’clock.” Lianne Williams “A weather machine will have been invented to keep Sheffield sunny and warm all year round.” Emma Wray
“Sheffield will have been bulldozed completely flat. No more hiking home from Uni!” Rachel Stott “We will all eat pills, not food. One for humour, one for intelligence, one for...” Arnold Bennett
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Friday May 4 2012
FORGE PRESS
Lifestyle & Travel
UMN L O C X SE
Giving Back
Live Below the Line As students we are used to living on a tight budget, but could you survive off £1 per day for food? Lifestyle learns more about the campaign aiming to raise awareness for poverty. Alice Burrow
desertpeace.wordpress.com
Is Bigger Better? Every now and again us girls love to have a cheeky gossip about our latest sexual encounter. However, lads there is no need to worry, the first thing we reveal is not how big or small they were but instead it is how good it was. Phrases such as ‘bigger is better’ are not always true, trust us, ‘big’ is sometimes painful and not pleasurable. There are other aspects to sex that are far more important than size. Good technique or at least the willingness to learn, is a sure way of making any girl happy in the bedroom. Mix things up and try new positions; this will project confidence and prove you have a mischievous side. Don’t be afraid to get it wrong. If a girl isn’t feeling your moves, trust us, they’ll let you know. Regardless of size, trying new things will show her you are paying attention and most of all that you’re enjoying it. Plus, it is bound to shake things up and liven up your bedtime routine. Another way to overcome any size anxiety is to do your homework. There are numerous positions out there and some even claim to make you seem bigger. If you give these a go, your lover will not realise you have hidden motives. Make yourself feel more confident about your package and I doubt she will complain. At the end of the day she is having sex with you for a reason. It’s highly unlikely that she finds you unattractive... Another way to beat the issue, is by spending quality time giving and receiving foreplay. There’s no better way to get a girl off, than by showing her you are attentive and that you want her to enjoy herself. Spend plenty of time down there and get foreplay mastered. Most importantly, don’t be afraid to talk about it. Finally guys, if your size really does bother you and you worry you just aren’t going to be good enough then…stop worrying. When a girl agrees to have sex with you, they are probably more worried about how they look or whether their makeup will smudge overnight. Your girl will not just be thinking about the size of your package, so relax and enjoy yourself. Putting her at ease and paying her compliments will not only put a smile on her face but it will just make her want to have sex with you more. Sex is meant to be fun, so quit worrying and enjoy the moment. Just remember you are good enough and no matter what size you are... ...that’s not all that counts. Lois Helan
For most students that would certainly mean kissing goodbye to John’s Van and the trusty postnight out greasy takeaway. This tiny amount of money is sadly the reality for 1.4billion people across the world who are trapped in the poverty cycle. Most people are also forced to stretch this amount beyond food and support their families. Live Below the Line is a campaign aiming to raise the awareness of poverty across the world. Those taking up the challenge have a £5 budget to extend over a period of five days, which includes all food, drinks and tipples such as cigarettes and booze. £1 per day is the amount calculated by the World Bank as ‘extreme poverty,’ and all the proceeds will go to charities such as Christian Aid, the Salvation Army and UNICEF, to help those who face this daily challenge . Hamza Jahanzeb, a student from Lancashire, is taking part in this year’s campaign. “I was inspired to take part after having seen extreme poverty in
blog.results.org.uk
African countries, shown on the BBC’s ‘Children in Need’. “I was also inspired as UNICEF is a charity which has always amazed me with its efforts helping to end global poverty.” UNICEF is just one of the many charities involved in this campaign. The aim of all the charities involved is to reach people in some of the toughest parts of the world
Health & Fitness
Outside the gym
Sarah Plumb You have probably returned to Sheffield after Easter with a few more pounds than you left with. This could be due to mamma’s delicious homemade cooking, or a few too many Easter eggs over the holiday. So what better excuse to avoid revision than to excerise and get your beach body back. However, many people’s gym memberships have now run out. Rest assured, there are plenty of other ways to keep fit in Sheffield without digging into your beloved student loan. A great free way to keep fit is running. Endcliffe Park is a much more pleasant setting than staring at the same white wall whilst on a treadmill in the gym. If you feel you need that extra motivation to go for a run, then why not sign up for a marathon? The challenge will keep you determined to cross the finish line, especially if you receive sponsors and donate the proceeds to charity. Besides, if James Argent from TOWIE can do it, so can us students.
But if you’re not much of a fitness fan and running doesn’t appeal, walking is a gentler form of exercise . Making simple changes such as walking instead of taking the bus can make a huge difference to your waistline. Plus it saves on the pennies. If you have a day off, why not head to the Peak District for a stroll and reward your hard work with a pub lunch. If you’d rather stay in the comfort of your own home, try an exercise DVD with your flatmates. It can result in plenty of laughs. Why not join a society team or, if you’re ready for some strong competitiveness and plenty of drinking initiations at ROAR, join one of the University sports teams? If you’re an adventurer and looking for some more unusual sports, then try some of the programmes Give it aGo has to offer. For just a few pounds from your pocket, you can try heaps of exciting sports including Thai boxing and Capoeira, and maybe lose some pounds from your waistline too. So what are you waiting for?
heatworld.com
to live and help to improve their standards of living. But this change can only be done with people’s support. ‘Live Below the Line’ goes further than just raising money for charity, as it allows the participants to empathise with those who have to live with this amount of money every day, and gain an insight into their lives. Student purses are already limited to a shoestring, so the Live Below the Line campaign is an ideal challenge. This campaign has forced me to rethink my own expenditure on food; takeaway pizzas and Interval lunches are definitely my Achilles’ heel. A considerable amount of food in Britain also goes to waste, which is shocking when taking into account those across the world who barely have enough to survive on. Each year the UK generates approximately 290 million tonnes of waste. While £1 is very extreme, it may inspire you to eat more creatively, cheaply and waste less food. When considering the method to this challenge, cheap foods like instant noodles instantly pop into
mind - but you couldn’t live off foods like this every day without feeling rather ill - although I’m sure some students would stridently disagree. A quick wander around Tesco and you’ll discover the various delights and horrors of value foods. The idea of a concoction of 11p instant noodles, 6p custard power, 8p mushy peas and 13p creamed rice pudding has culinary disaster written all over it. Realistically though, this task is achievable by keeping a close eye on supermarket deals and getting creative with the very basics such as rice and vegetables. On such a tight budget, booze falls out of the equation unless you somehow budget for it. This would be mildly impressive on a £5 budget, but very ill advised. Students are in the prime position to give ‘Live Below the Line’ a go, and the savviest of students may even discover new ways of slashing their existing food budget. Join celebrities such as Bonnie Wright (Harry Potter’s Ginny Weasley) in taking up the challenge between May 7-11 and help do your part in relieving extreme poverty.
Student Life
Stalking safety
Eliza Punshi The second National Stalking Awareness Day was marked on April 18 this year by charities and campaigners to raise more awareness about the increasingly common crime. One in five women and one in 10 men are a victim of stalking at some point in their lives, the Ministry of Justice reported. Stalking is not only dangerous, but it can cause extreme emotional distress to the victim for years after. Seeking help should be the first priority for any one being repeatedly followed, because it is possible that the situation can get more dangerous.
“One in five women and one in 10 men are a victim of stalking at some point in their lives.”
In England, stalking behaviour is dealt with under the Protection from Harassment Act, 1997. More recently, the government is planning to introduce two specific criminal offences to tackle the crime under the Protection of Freedom Bill. People found guilty of stalking someone could go to prison for as long as five years. Stalking is not always stereotypically following someone in darknesss. It can be letters, emails or calls. A further rumour is that stalking is only by strangers. Often victim’s stalkers are exes or acquiantances. This means that victims could
have dated, married or been friends with their stalkers in the past. However, knowing the stalker at one point does not give them an excuse to stalk you. More importantly, victims should in no way feel responsible for their situation in cases where they have known their stalkers in the past.
“Stalking is not always stereotypically following someone in darknesss.”
In cases where a person is being followed on the street, the South Yorkshire Police website said: “If you think you are being followed, cross the road and keep walking. If it continues, head for a busy area or lighted house to ask for help.” Other safety tips on the website include carrying a personal safety alarm, getting a taxi home after a night out and avoiding walking alone at night. Female students at the University of Sheffield can take advantage of the Women’s Minibus that runs from outside the Students’ Union building every night. If you live within a two mile radius of the SU it will drop you at your door, and if there is space on the bus you can pay the driver the £1.50 fare when it is about to leave. There is still a long way to go in raising full awareness about stalking and its damaging consequences for the victims. However, with the government passing the Protection of Freedom bill this year, it won’t be long before the law comes down hard upon stalkers.
FORGE PRESS Friday May 4 2012 www.forgetoday.com
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PUZZLES & HUMOUR
Coffee Break overheard
In West Street Live in sheffield Women’s Bathroom: Girl: “I’m sorry I have a boyfriend.” Girl 2: “So what?” Girl 1: “I have a boyfriend, it’s fine.” Girl 2: “Whatever you want to dream up.” In Leadmill: Girl 1: “Oi, bitch, he’s mine.” Girl 2: “That’s great.” Girl 1: “Bitch, he is MINE. He told me his name.” Girl 2: “I’m gonna leave.”
Crossword Puzzle:
“You shall not pass”, Gandalf omg, Have you kindly informs motorists seen...?
He is the only being permitted to ride Shadowfax, the Lord of the Mearas and the swiftest horse in Middle Earth. However, Gandalf the Grey has chosen the lowly longboard as his mechanism of retribution against the polluting cars that plague Earth. The, as yet, unknown man can be seen slowing skating along a road in the full Gandalf the Grey garb, beard, hat and all. The long queue of vehicles behind him repeatedly honk their horns and shout at the powerful wizard to move, but Gandalf has an answer for everything. No, unfortunately it wasn’t the famous “a wizard is never late, Master Baggins, nor is he early. He arrives precisely when he means to”, but the other most
memorable Gandalf quote from the 2001 blockbuster movie, The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring. Our bearded friend calmly turns to them, as if they were merely Durin’s Bane the Balrog, and firmly informs them: “You shall not pass!” Classic. After which he continues on his leisurely journey, and proceeds to thoroughly irritate the nonmagical beings stuck behind him. The video was uploaded on to YouTube where it has been viewed over 600,000 times. One person commented: “Easily the best 10 seconds I’ve spent on YouTube.” Whilst another added: “This new leaked Hobbit scene looks great!”
YouTube it:
End bullying by advancing empathy
Ashoka and the Youth Project have come together with the the Bully Project in a bid to rid our schools of bullying. Their aim is to introduce empathy, where “all across the country, students are taking a stand against bullying by putting empathy into practice. What does that mean exactly? Empathy starts with putting yourself into another’s shoes, and working to understand a situation from someone else’s perspective.” This sweet little video is just one of many videos contributors have created. YouTube empathy
search:
start
The real news this fortnight:
The drunk serenade to the canadian police
Across: 1. Revere (8) 5. Cleanse without wetting (6) 7. King of England 1016-1035 (4) 8. Major product of protein metabolism (4) 9. Pure (6) 10. Capable of being cut smoothly (8)
Down: 2. Amiss, incorrect (9) 3. Unpredictable, abnormal (7) 4. Simple, straightforward (9) 6. German style of architecture (7)
A Canadian man, one inebriated Mr Robert Wilkinson, serenaded police with Queen’s ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ in a desperate display of despair. Arrested last November (although the video wasn’t uploaded until this March), Wilkinson began by pleading his innocence. He told the officers: “I have done nothing wrong and even the situation where you grabbed me has nothing to do with having been sort of intoxicated as you proclaim. “What it has to do with is the brotherhood of mankind on the planet Earth”, he finishes. However, the poor man is left in silence, as the officers don’t even deign to reply and so begins his surprisingly tuneful rendition.
Sudoku Coffee Break’s Word of the Fortnight: Solecism, (noun): 1. A breach of good manners or etiquette. 2. A nonstandard or ungrammatical usage, as inflammable and they was. 3. Any error, impropriety, or inconsistency. Origin: Originally a toponym for people from the Greek city of Cilicia where a corrupt form of Greek was spoken. It came to mean “a mistake in speaking or writing” in Middle French in the 1500s. The sense of “a breach in manners” was recorded in the early 1600s.
The perfect song for his situation, he opens with the infamous words “Is this the real life? Or is this just fantasy?” and continues, wordperfect, all the way to the end. In fact, he even manages to complete the song in slightly less time than the original - which is impressive for someone who is very obviously trolleyed. However, the police officers seem to have finally seen the
E A
Random Fact of the Week: Clarence Birdseye founded his frozen food empire with $7. It bought him an electric fan, cakes of ice and buckets of brine.
Lecture Puzzle Corner: The Three Rectangles:
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On this day: On May 4 1979, Margeret Thatcher became the first British female prime minister. Mrs Thatcher then continued to make history by becoming the longest-serving prime minister of the 20th century, and was nicknamed ‘The Iron Lady due to her uncomprimising policies.
funny side of the situation and kindly allow the tortured artist to finish before taking him into the station. Nevertheless, their final question to our curly-haired neanderthal, and his response, almost take the biscuit. He is asked if he is “going to get physical?” To which, he merely replies: “Physical violence is the least of my priorities.”
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Ed Barbeau, a retired math professor at the University of Toronto, made this object from a single rectangular piece of paper. Can you figure out how he did it?
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Matchdebating
Debate: Was Chelsea’s Champions League win good or bad for the future of the game?
RDM’s style should Football isn’t all about passing game not be promoted Michael Friis When Barcelona lost to Internazionale in the 2010 Champions League SemiFinal, the Catalan press declared that a “tear had rolled down the face of the game”. Last Tuesday, Chelsea replicated Inter’s success. Once again, a limited, conservative approach had triumphed over attacking flair and imagination, allegedly to the detriment of the “Beautiful Game”.
“Chelsea’s progression has not damaged the game” Like in 2010, the Spanish press were aggrieved. Sport labelled Barca’s demise as “Unjust, cruel, unmerited.” Cruel, perhaps. But to call Chelsea’s victory “unjust” or “unmerited” is, firstly, naive. That Barca are a superior football team to Chelsea is hard to deny. The technical skill and attacking fluidity which the likes of Xavi, Iniesta and Messi exhibit on a weekly basis is unrivalled. The understanding that exists between them borders on telepathy, and it can be truly wonderful to watch, which only makes
could claim that their side Chelsea’s victory more Europa League. is one of the top two teams impressive. On the flip side, few in Europe. The Spanish media teams who adopt Chelsea’s Matthew For a long time, it was and fans must follow the tactics will succeed Smith looking extremely unlikely example of Barca manager against Barcelona. In that they would emerge as Josep Guardiola, who fact, had it not been one graciously accepted that of Lionel Messi’s rare off- Last time I checked, a one of the top two teams in Barca cannot expect to win nights, Chelsea might final was supposed to London. Whilst the victory every match in which they well not have succeeded differentiate between the over Barcelona has been have more possession than themselves. Their victory two best competitors in a celebrated by many, it has been taken by many their opponents. If the best was a surprise; the kind given tournament. In the ultimate decider of more with a pinch of salt, team always won, football of which we should be superiority, two deserved because it is clear that would not be the spectacle grateful to see. it is. Football fans should warriors, having shown the Barcelona are the superior In the meantime, Barca savour Barcelona while skill to rise above the rest, team. To break it down to must take pride in the they can. They are no duel in a spectacle that extent to which the best doubt a fantastic team. cannot be missed by any individual players, the results are stark. In teams in Europe must But we should enjoy that living being. But apparently not. defence, you have the adapt to compete at Camp rare occasion when a team Nou, and find a new way gets the better of them, Because I’m afraid that not choice of whinging, ageing of attacking defences as as we don’t want the even the most staunch, John Terry, or the cultured resolute as Chelsea’s. beautiful game to become passionate, or deluded fan talents of Gerard Pique. Any midfield containing of Chelsea Football Club Perhaps, even more predictable. Xavi, Iniesta importantly, the and Fabregas reaction of Sport instantly is unfair. Through cannot be defiance and beaten in discipline, and the quality two excellently stakes. They taken goals, the will all star in Blues earned their the Spanish result. national side Chelsea reaching this summer, the final at Barca’s w h i l s t expense has not Chelsea’s damaged the game. talisman, During Guardiola’s F r a n k time in charge, the Lampard, Catalans have isn’t even won La Liga three guaranteed a times and the starting berth Champions League for England. twice. Then up front, Their formula, we have Messi when perfected, vs. Torres. remains the Enough said. winning one, as Of course, proven by Athletic the claim Bilbao’s wins that many over Manchester will make is United in the Barcelona didn’t have it their own way against Chelsea. Photo: globalite/flickr
that the art of defending is arguably more difficult and in some ways more beautiful than the skill of attacking.
“Then up front, we have Messi vs Torres. Enough said” Sorry, but the sight of 11 men standing in an 18 yard space deliberately refusing to show an ounce of creativity is not my idea of art – although it does sound like Tracy Emin’s next idea for the Tate Modern. But I wouldn’t go see it. There’s also the highly disappointing fact that this defeat signalled the end of Pep Guardiola’s time at Barcelona. The single most impressive manager, or even simply man, in football for the past three years, he has nurtured an underachieving, fractured side into the world’s most attractive footballing side, and brought out the quite breathtaking best in Lionel Messi. Barcelona aren’t perfect, but their problems – namely their attitude and arrogance – are mirrored, even worse with Chelsea. Also, if Jose Bosingwa deserves to play in the final, then I might pack my boots and head along for a game too.
Jackson startin’ somethin’ with maiden win
Snooker UoS Snooker Championships Mark Devlin
The first ever University of Sheffield Snooker Championships took place at Rileys, Hunters Bar last Sunday. In the last 16 Matt Simmons took on Wang Zhou in a tense match that went down to the black ball. Wang eventually prevailed by potting a very risky double, much to Matt’s disappointment. Other notable first round matches included the clash between Richard Davies and BUCS pool player Ian Withers, who had also met in the University pool championships a few weeks previously. The result was the same though with the experienced Davies winning 2-1, notably compiling a break of 25 on his way. BUCS snooker players Simon Smith, Rishi Aggarwal and Mark Devlin all made it safely through, however, Nasulnaem
Nasir notably missed out, losing 2-0 to Joe Jackson. The last eight line up was completed by Pool Championship runner up Paddy Brown and Zheng Fei. The quarter finals were not short on drama with two games going down to the very last ball. Zheng Fei cleared the last three colours to steal a semi-final slot from Paddy Brown who had been 17 points ahead on the blue. The clash between Mark Devlin and Richard Davies also went down to the wire in what was a very nervy encounter. In the final frame decider Richard battled back from behind to take the game to the black ball. Richard potted the black with a very difficult shot with the rest but his joy soon turned to disappointment as the cue ball somehow worked its way around the table to find the top pocket and go in-off. Rishi Aggarwal and Joe Jackson clashed in a high quality game, with Joe eventually completing a 2-0 win with both frames running very close. In the last quarter final Simon Smith
played some great stuff on his way to a 2-0 nervy fourth frame, Jackson managed to win over pool championship semi-finalist establish an early advantage which he Wang Zhou. sustained throughout. With Smith tiring, The semi-finals began with Joe Jackson Jackson clinched the title on the pink. getting the better of Zheng Fei with a 3-0 victory that was nowhere near as comprehensive as it sounds. Zheng playing great snooker until the colours where he could not seem to handle the pressure exerted by the tactical Joe Jackson. In the other match, Simon Smith progressed to the final with a 3-1 win over society President Mark Devlin. In the final Jackson prevailed 3-1 over Smith in a very closely fought encounter. Smith found it hard to replicate his semifinal form in the first frame as Jackson comprehensively established a 1-0 lead. He fought back in the second frame however, the result going down to the last black. It was Jackson, however, who managed to pocket the decisive ball to establish a 2-0 advantage. Staring defeat in the face, Smith rediscovered his earlier form to claw Action from the day. Photo: Mark Devlin back the deficit to one frame. In a very
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United surrender lead in battle for promotion Football Npower League 1 Sheffield United Stevenage
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Stuart HIll Sheffield United surrendered the advantage in the race for the second automatic promotion spot after being held at home by Stevenage on Saturday. Despite a late fight back from two goals down, the Blades were unable to find a winner in front of a sell-out crowd at Bramall Lane. Rivals Sheffield Wednesday now have a point advantage going into the final weekend of the season. Wednesday’s win at Brentford earlier in the afternoon ensured it was going to be a tense evening. The first half was littered with nervy, misplaced passes from the home side to the displeasure of the supporters. Despite this, it was the Blades who started the better. Stephen Quinn’s first minute cross should have been turned in by Chris Porter, but the New Zealander didn’t connect properly and failed to trouble goalkeeper Chris Day. United’s forwards failed to capitalise on two inviting crosses by Quinn in the opening quarter of an hour, posing the obvious question of whether it would have been a different story had
jailed top-scorer Ched Evans been available. The nerves had started to get to United and on 31 minutes, they went behind. Lee Williamson lost possession high up the pitch; Stevenage broke forward and Patrick Agyemang’s cross was turned into the corner by Joel Byrom. Booed off at half time, the home side will have wanted to make a strong start to the second period. Just over a minute after the restart, however, Scott Laird’s shot from 18 yards was deflected in by Matthew Lowton and United’s task was made doubly difficult. Danny Wilson responded by sending on Richard Cresswell and Ryan Flynn; within minutes, the two had combined to give the Blades a lifeline. Flynn’s inswinging cross from the left was headed in by Cresswell. James Beattie was then introduced for the Blades and immediately made an impression. First, he headed on for O’Halloran who didn’t get hold of his shot. Then, with five minutes remaining, he headed across the face of goal for Lowton to crash into the roof of the net for 2-2. With two minutes to go, Beattie almost won it, but Day produced a brilliant save with his feet. It wasn’t United’s day and a playoff campaign now looks a near certainty. United’s final game is away to already relegated Exeter City.
Sheffield United slip up in the battle for automatic promotion.
Owls second after away win Sheffield Wednesday moved into the League One promotion driving seat with a 2-1 win at Brentford on Saturday afternoon. Keith Treacy gave the Owls the lead seven minutes before half time, when his free kick from wide right swung in and beat goalkeeper Simon Moore at the near post. Clayton Donaldson almost equalised for Brentford after the break but his shot was tipped wide by Stephen Bywater, and in the 62nd minute Brentford got their goal. Donaldson scored from the penalty spot as Brentford
were looking to keep their playoff hopes alive. Four minutes later Wednesday scored what proved to be the winner, when Treacy’s corner was bundled in by Miguel Angel Llera. “We needed the win and I wasn’t coming here to just pick up a point. My objective was to try and get three,” Wednesday manager Dave Jones told the BBC. “The game was going to be a little bit more open than we would have liked, but that’s because we were chasing the game to win it.“ Despite defeat, Brentford manager Uwe Rosler was pleased with the performance, praising his side for their recent progress. “It shows how far we have come to be outplaying Sheffield Wednesday in all areas. “We are still missing that little bit of quality to get it over the line to win against one of the big
teams. “We have come a long way and I am very proud of my players. “We need a little bit more belief and a little bit more consistency and maybe a little bit of experience and then we will be very, very close.” The Owls host Wycombe tomorrow, knowing a win will see them return to the Championship at their neighbours’ expense, following a two year absence from England’s second division. The game at Hillsborough is totally sold out with 37,000 home fans expected to attend. Defender Danny Batth has been looking forward to the game, telling the Sheffield Star: “We have had to take three points in every match and Saturday will be no different. We have quite a level-headed dressing room so we have to focus on the job in hand and not worry about everything else.”
around and it’s really nice. They have spent an awful lot of money on Sheffield. “I’ve seen a lot of changes for Sheffield, changes for the good. I mean the Winter Garden wasn’t here when I first came, all the walkways and the beautiful water fountains and the square. It’s a magnificent place.” The first week of this year’s Championships was one of the most dramatic in recent memory, with drama on and off the table. Several seeds fell in the early rounds with Mark Selby, John Higgins and Ding Junhui amongst those who were knocked out. These early shocks have surprised Doherty who predicts a fascinating end to the tournament: “It’s very tough to call, I think it is very open this year., it’s going to be a great Championship. “I think it is as open as I have ever seen it (Shaun) Murphy’s gone out, Mark Allen has gone
out.” Such high profile losses has enhanced the chances of a lesser ranked player winning the tournament, with Doherty unable to pick a winner. “It’s gonna be fascinating. If I don’t know , who knows. All of us pundits don’t know who is going to win, you know it’s very very open.” This year’s tournament has attracted attention due to problems off the table. Following his defeat to Cao Yupeng in the first round, Mark Allen made an accusation of dishonesty against his opponent However, these comments were later retracted. Ding Junhui also criticised the venue following his shock defeat to Welshman Ryan Day. Ding believed that the crowd were unfair to him during the match and criticised conditions inside the arena. On the baize, Stephen Hendry hit a maximum 147 break in
his opening match against Stuart Bingham. However, after a crushing 13-2 defeat at the hands of Stephen Maguire in the quater-finals, he announced his instant retirement. Hendry, 43, has won seven world titles since making his Crucible debut as a 17-year-old in 1986.
Football Npower League 1 Brentford Sheffield Wednesday
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Anthony Hart
Goalscorer Cresswell in action.
Photo: Blades Sports Photography
Photo: Blades Sports Photography
Doherty defends criticised Crucible Theatre Snooker World Championships Adam Hancock Former World Snooker champion Ken Doherty has defended the Crucible Theatre following criticism from Mark Williams. Williams sparked controversy when he called the Crucible an “overhyped shithole” on Twitter, but Doherty has fought back, saying: “I don’t know what Mark Williams was talking about to be honest, I think he is one of the only players who thinks like that. “I’ve played all over the world in all the venues Mark Williams has played in and there is no venue like the Crucible. “It’s unique, it has history, it has nostalgia and it has the history of the World Championships.” Speculation is mounting that the Championships will
be moving to China once the Crucible’s current contract runs out in 2015, but Doherty feels that the tournament should remain in Sheffield. “I think we have enough tournaments in China, I wouldn’t like to see the World Championship moved and want to see it stay here in Sheffield,” said Doherty. “When you pick up a cue, you dream about playing in the Crucible. “When you kick a football you dream about playing at Wembley, if you pick up a tennis racket you dream about playing at Wimbledon. It’s up there with all the great sporting arenas around the world. “When you walk out those curtains, there is just no feeling like the atmosphere in the Crucible.” The 1997 World Champion also heaped praise on the city, saying: “It’s a beautiful city, you walk
FORGE PRESS Friday May 4 2012
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Sabres sting Killer Bees in cup final
The Sabres celebrate after winning the trophy (left) after touching down for another six points (right.) Sabres in the lead. The initial joy possession once more, a 25American Football of the touchdown was dampened yard reception from Sharrock somewhat by the departure of positioning the offence on the BUAFL Challenge Trophy Maguire and White, both injured. goaline. Despite Saei returning to The Sabres defence intensified, execute the last remaining yards, Sheffield Sabres 25 Bath Killer Bees 8 forcing the Bees to punt after two Bath resisted, until eventually incomplete passes and a personal the field goal was opted. However, Munya Chawawa foul. However the Sabres were Sharrock missed the kick. weakened significantly, and runs In yet another instance of The Sabres won the toss and from Nima Saei and Craig moved fourth-down phenomenon, the began on offence. Landon White the ball only from the 22 to the 25 Sabres landed a killer blow with plunged into Bath territory with yard line. To add to this progress, Jones hitting rookie receiver the return, only to fumble the Saei was removed from the field Matt Walne perfectly in stride for ball; allowing the Bees to gain with a broken nose. his third touchdown of the half as possession. After three consecutive the Sabres marched off the field The Sabres offense were quick incomplete passes, quarter-back 19-0 ahead at half time. to redeem their shaky start, Dan Jones connected with Craig Upon the commencement of putting together a 10 play, 85- for a 25- yard touchdown. James the second half, the Bees received yard opening drive; with big Sharrock then added the point, to the kickoff, and returned the running gains for Mark Maguire give the Sabres a 13 point lead. ball 25-yards. To the surprise and Landon White. Wise to the wounded Sabres’ of both sidelines, Landon White The offensive efforts came to offense, Bath soon forced the re-emerged massaging his a head as a fourth-down pass by Sabres to punt. Once again dislocated knee cap. However, quarterback Dan Jones reached however, Hope rushed to the despite some sturdy gains from the hands of receiver Milo Craig Sabres offence as they received White and Saei, Nick Andrew in the scoring zone; placing the
had to punt the ball away. This initial disappointment soon faded as the punt expertly located itself deep in the Bees’ territory. Unprepared to coolly submit to a crushing Sabres defence, the Bees unleashed an 11-yard play for the first time in the game. Quick to reassert their grip, the defence soon saw the Bees punt the ball once more. Eager to increase the Jones sent the ball spiralling into receiver Sharrock’s hand for 12-yards, only to suffer a holding foul; which subsequently prevented first down. Aware of the scurrying clock and the approach of defeat, the Bees began to sting hard on offence, driving 49 yards in six plays. A successful two-point conversion left the Bees humming within a mere two scores of the Sabres – 19-8. The Sabres immediately
Photos: Donna Whittaker replied. The special teams synchronised proficiently, resulting in the recovery of Bees’ onside kick on the Bath 44-yard line. Jones once again provided perfect tension, waiting until third down before hitting receiver Sharrock deep down the right sideline for a 41-yard touchdown. With Sharrock missing the kick, Sabres had still restored their three score lead – 25-8. With seconds left, Bath gained a first-down on Sheffield’s 30yard line. However, a merciless sack on the Bees quarter-back by linebacker Ollie Meikle forced the Bees back; eventually squandering their attempts to make fourth-down. The Sabres ran the clock down, concluding the game with defensive endNico Bianco’s final tackle, before the sideline and stands erupted with the Sheffield Sabres’ victory.
defence and technique, including some fighting, breathing and patterns. After the seminar was a Dan grading, where club member Henning Pieper successfully graded to a 1st Dan black belt. An elated Pieper said “I am very happy, incredibly chuffed.” In other recent black belt gradings, members Kah Wee Teo graded to 2nd Dan, and Daniel North to 1st Dan. On April 21, Rachel Bell, Carlo Corey, Benedict Hazel, Thomas Hughes, Daniel North, Saeed Neshat, Eleonore Rayner, Lindsey Shaw, and Kah Wee Teo took part in another competition in Sheffield hosted by Kyo Hoon Taekwondo. The day was very successful with all competitors winning medals or trophies: 15 in total. Hughes came first in flying sidekick as did Bell in patterns. Hazel and Shaw also took silver and bronze for patterns. Hughes and Corey won silver for one-step sparring, and
Hughes took bronze for a creative pattern to music. All competitors who fought won medals, with Bell, Neshat, and Teo winning gold, Corey, North, and Rayner winning silver, and Hazel and Hughes winning bronze. The event proved highly exciting and enjoyable for all. “It was great seeing people I’d met at previous Taekwondo seminars again and watching them compete in various disciplines,” said Rayner. “The event was a lot of fun, and we were able to show off our skills both as individuals and as a club.” These views were echoed by Corey. “It was great fun and a valuable learning experience for new competitors and veterans alike.” For Hazel, it was his first competition fight. “I was rather nervous beforehand, but I really enjoyed it,” he said. “The team spirit of the club was alive and supporting, and I now feel more confident to fight again.”
Mixed fortunes for Taekwondo team Taekwondo Benedict Hazel
Medallists celebrate on the day.
Kyle Walker: Sheffield-born Walker picked up the PFA Young Player of the Year award this week after establishing himself in the Spurs first team this year.
Photo: Master Darren Thorp
Club captain Daniel North, along with Thomas Hughes attended the English nationals competition in Guildford, Surrey. In a strong competition, Sheffield battled hard but were ultimately unsuccessful. “With it being a national competition not exclusive to students, the standard was very high,” said North. “Tom and I fought valiantly but to no avail, although many awesome techniques were executed and much was learned for next time.” Competition fights involve two competitors, where points are scored for kicks to the head and chest, and punches to the chest. Recently, members of the club attended a seminar in Sheffield, similar to the one hosted by the club in February in the Octagon. Attendees learnt about self-
Forge Sport’s heroes and villains of the fortnight Heroes Villains Stephen Hendry: The seven time World Champion scored a 147 in his opening match at the Crucible Theatre, before gracefully retiring on Wednesday.
Mark Williams: The Welshman tweeted: “World Championships just around the corner, shame it’s played in the Crucible, shithole.”
Ched Evans: The Sheffield United striker was jailed for rape two weeks ago, and United have since slipped out of the top two.
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Barman’s batting calls last orders on Sheffield
David Gibson in action for Sheffield, with (below right) Ali Haynes playing a defensive shot as he top scored for Sheffield.
Cricket BUCS Northern League 1A Uni of Sheffield 1sts 166-9 Uni of Manchester 2nds 167-6 Will Aitkenhead Sheffield opened their season with a narrow defeat. With 10 BUCS games cancelled across all three teams so far, the first XI finally got a game in on Wednesday. Ali Haynes scored an excellent 70 as Sheffield posted 166 but it was not enough, as Sandeep Barman scored 92 not out to win the game for Manchester. Sheffield captain Chris Murrall lost the toss and was put into bat on a wet track. Will Aitkenhead went early but Haynes and Murrall rebuilt to take the score past 50 before Murrall skied one to depart for 23. Wickets fell at regular intervals as Sheffield tried to base their innings around Haynes who was beginning to find some form on a
difficult pitch. When Haynes finally fell for 70 it was into the final 10 overs and Sheffield were able to up the run rate. Some lusty blows from Oli Perry and Jordan Calcutt helped boost the score and Sheffield were happy to head into the break with 166 on the board. They were even happier when Manchester were quickly reduced to 22/3 thanks to early wickets from Mark Williams (2/32) and Chris Charles (1/19). Barman came to the crease and played some exquisite shots in his innings, and well supported by captain Bertie Graham. Calcutt bowled an excellent spell from the Thatched Cottage End and only went for 23 from his seven overs. In the end though, Sheffield were unable to keep the boundary count down and even though Perry took two late wickets it was not enough. Sheffield did pick up a win in the only game of their preseason tour to Somerset against Bromsgrove, edging home with a one wicket win.
Perry (2/27) and Phil Singleton (2/24) were the pick of the bowlers as Bromsgrove were kept to 205. Haynes and Aitkenhead then set about the chase in an aggressive manner and raced to 60/0 inside 10 overs. When Aitkenhead was caught behind for 45, captain Murrall came to the crease with Carl Baker. Both added quick-fire 30s before giving their wickets away and a mid-order collapse ensued. Sheffield found themselves 151/7 as the middle order offered nothing, losing four wickets without adding a run. Perry combined with wicketkeeper Peter Mounstephen to steady the ship and they appeared to be guiding Sheffield home until both fell in quick succession and the last pair of Gibson and Charl Jones were left to add the final five runs. Jones inside edged the ball inches from his stumps for the winning run to give the University of Sheffield a victorious start to their season.
Photos: Will Aitkenhead