INSIDE: S.L.U.G.S/CONNECT THE DOTS/FAME/AMIR KHAN/NOAH & THE WHALE/PROCRASTINATION The independent student newspaper of the University of Sheffield. Est. 1946.
FREE Issue 59 Friday May 3 2013 @ForgePress /ForgePress
Screen review: The next best superhero film? Fuse p.15
Features find:
The problem with periods in Africa, p.16-17
Comment ask: Students, do you trust this man yet? p.8
Foundry and Fusion or Soundroom and Den? You decide
Story on p.4
They don’t know their own constitution 4Almost two-thirds of councillors voted for a referendum to create a black and ethnic minorities students’ officer, despite it being constitutionally impossible to pass it Lauren Archer and Aidan Phillips “Historic” plans for students to vote on the matter of creating a black and minority ethnic (BME) officer role have fallen apart. Councillors campaigned, debated and voted on a motion that they are now unable to pass because it doesn’t meet criteria required under the Union constitution. A legal advisor told officers that a BME officer position will not be able to go to referendum without a full review of all officer roles. At a meeting on Thursday April 24, Union council voted in principle to holding a referendum next semester asking students whether or not they wanted to introduce a BME officer role. Almost two-thirds of councillors voted for the motion, despite it being constitutionally impossible to pass it. The proposal was brought to council following a monthlong consultation process into the possibility of having new liberation officers. Disabled students’ councillor Aleks Loesch described the process as “really in-depth.” Following the vote at the Union council meeting, the proposal was set to be reviewed by the constitutional committee. There it was found to be against
Union constitution, directly contravening bye-law 4 section 1.9 which requires a roles review to consider changes to officer roles. A review is likely to take place in October. There will be a full examination and analysis of Union officer roles, including public forums and meetings with all of the Union’s committees. There is no time limit on the review, meaning it could go on for as long as is deemed necessary by the supervising committee. Union officers will use the opportunity to ‘’strongly recommend’’ that the BME officer role goes to referendum, and this issue will be a ‘’key feature’’ of the review. If the BME officer role successfully reaches the referendum stage, it may take place alongside the NUS delegate vote in December or the Union officer elections in March. If the Union waits until March to hold the referendum, a separate Union officer election for any updated roles, including the position of a BME officer, will likely be held in April or May. Complicating the issue further, charity law means that no more than half the Union’s trustee board can be paid employees of the Students’ Union. Continued on p.5 Photo: Alisha Rouse
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Selfless students shine at volunteering award ceremony Lauren Archer Volunteers from across the city came together on Monday for an awards ceremony to celebrate the difference made by the Sheffield Volunteering society. The Volunteering Awards, a summer fete-themed event complete with champagne, cupcakes and brass band, looked back over a hugely successful year of engagement and involvement with local volunteering. The evening’s highlight was the presentation of the Inspire and Be Inspired awards, which take into consideration all volunteering done by a student in their time at the University, and are awarded to people with a story that will inspire other people to volunteer. The prestigious bronze, silver and gold awards were given to Josh Jones, Steph Perry and William Matthews respectively. William Matthews, who won the gold award through his work with All Inclusive Trampolining, said: “The All Inclusive Trampoling, which helps children with difficulties to learn how to trampoline, really seemed like something I wanted to help out with. “I believe that sports are a great way to help children to develop and learn skills and All Inclusive Trampoling offers a friendly atmosphere for the kids to hang out with others in similar situations. “I am very grateful to get this award, I didn’t expect to get it considering the number of other volunteers at this university who take part in other very meaningful projects.
The Broomhall Homework Club team
Editor
nicola.moors@forgetoday.com
Nicola Moors
DEPUTY EDITOR Jessica Pitocchi Managing Editor Mikey Smith fuse editors fuse@forgetoday.com Amelia Heathman Karen Scattergood
And the winners are: 4Make An Impression Award Alex De Salis
Head of Visuals Adam Harley
4School Volunteer of the Year Jamileh Hafezian
HEAD OF ONLINE matthew.smith@forgetoday.com matthew Smith
4Sheffield Volunteering & Sports Collaboration Women’s Rugby
The winning photograph “The awards are a brilliant way of acknowledging the efforts of volunteers and hopefully will encourage other people to start volunteering themselves!” A number of individual and team awards were given out throughout the evening to volunteers who had demonstrated a passion and commitment to giving up their time to help those in need. Speakers also commended the volunteering ambassadors who have collectively dedicated over 600 hours to projects in Sheffield and beyond. Students spoke about why they became volunteers and how the experience has changed their time at university. Dottie Greenwood and Rachael Hart were awarded Project Leaders of the Year for their hard work and dedication for ANTS (A Nice Time on Saturdays), which organises fun days out for children ages eight to 11 who
Photo: Eve Betts
Photo: Ella Cowperthwaite have recently experienced a close family bereavement. Student-led project of the year was awarded to Flourish, a group that organises weekly events and activities for adults with serious brain injuries. Stella McHugh, community engagement manager at Sheffield Volunteering, presented the award for Best Volunteering Photograph to Ella Cowperthwaite. She said: “Students were asked to vote online and choose a photo that they believe embodies the spirit of everything that Sheffield Volunteering is as a program, capturing the spirit and passion of our volunteers.” The Sheffield Volunteering committee were pleased with the event. Noni Bryson, committee chair, said: “This was the biggest chance we have had to show just how much the volunteers do around the city, they are our quiet heroes. “We are hoping to repeat this event again next year and increase the number of nominations we receive now that people have a better understanding of the event, and the range of volunteering opportunities on offer. The new committee, recently elected, is keen to take on this challenge.” The University of Sheffield is home to one of the most active and inclusive volunteering societies in the country. In 2011/12, 1,659 students and staff from 57 departments got involved in 63 different areas of Sheffield and beyond, benefiting 143 local charities and voluntary groups. In all, volunteering hours totalled 26,269, a figure which looks set to rise in 2012/13.
4Sheffield Volunteering & Societies Collaboration Chess Society
News news@forgetoday.com Lauren Archer Chloe Lee Aidan Phillips
Comment comment@forgetoday.com Tom Schneider Ben Scull
4Fresh Impact Ambassadors ‘Great Sheffield Bake Off’ 4Above and Beyond Elliot Chambers-Ostler (Flourish) & Madeleine Cullum (Lego Club) 4Ambassador of the Year Laura Soleilhac
As part of this year’s RAG week, a range of events were held last week. Tuesday night saw a lighthearted event Take Me Out which was inspired by a popular ITV show. Presented by sports officer Luke MacWilliam and activities officer Tom Dixon in Bar One’s Raynor Lounge, the show involved 15 girls on stage and five men including the Students’ Union president Abdi Suleiman. Contestants were asked to state their name, hometown and course before a friend revealed
a good quality of theirs, a bad quality and an embarrassing story. Chair of RAG and next year’s development officer Sam Neagus stepped forward as the second male contestant on the night, saying he “got involved because its great to do something funny for charity, and as I’m involved in RAG I felt that I wanted to be part of something exciting.” Cards with yellow and red sides were substituted for the show’s iconic buzzers, with contestants flipping them over if unimpressed by what they saw and heard. With more than 50 people watching and participating, the
brought lots of laughter from the audience. Friday witnessed Ragathon an endurance competition between two sports teams - the Cycling Club and American Football. Athletes from both clubs took part in rowing, cycling, running and press-ups and sit-ups. Despite the chilly weather, athletes enthusiastically took the challenges to show off their power and endurance. The event’s organiser Kwami Odoom said that RAG decided to work with sports teams this year because they thought it was a unique fundraising idea. He said: “I’m glad that we
Features features@forgetoday.com Eve Betts Ina Fischer Elsa Vulliamy Lifestyle & travel lifestyle@forgetoday.com Ellie McCaldin Hannah McCulloch
4Project Leader(s) of the Year Dottie Greenwood & Rachael Hart (ANTS - A Nice Time on Saturdays)
Sport sport@forgetoday.com Peter Grieve Philip Hammond Jack Taylor
4 Student-led Project of the Year Flourish 4Student Friendly Organisation of the Year Broomhall Homework Club
Music music@forgetoday.com Nicky Crane Rachel Smith
4Photo of the Year Tea Dance by Ella Cowperthwaite
Games games@forgetoday.com Joanne Butcher Reece Nunn
4Inspire & Be Inspired Bronze Josh Jones (Sustrans)
Screen screen@forgetoday.com Kate Lovatt Will Ross
4Inspire & Be Inspired Silver Steph Perry (ANTS & Cruse) 4Inspire & Be Inspired Gold William Matthews (All Inclusive Trampolining)
Buckets full of cash raised at RAG week events Aidan Phillips and Chloe Lee
LETTERS & COFFEE BREAK letters@forgetoday.com Lucy Copson
found something that works for both RAG and the sport teams because we get the opportunity to try different fundraising ideas and they get to engage in a charity event that could well represent the nature and spirit of sport.” The race that lasted until 5pm was very tight, but with a small advantage in the number of participants, American Football managed to win by one point. The funds raised at both events will be donated to 50 different charities within Sheffield and the South Yorkshire region.
Arts arts@forgetoday.com Lizzie Hyland Rhiannon Pickin SUB EDITORS Phil Bayles Lauren Clarke Jonathan Robinson Alisha Rouse Media Hub, Union of Students, Wes t ern Bank , Shef f ield, S10 2TG 0114 22286 46 // f or gepress@f or ge t oday.com
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Noisy student party slip ‘n’ slides into trouble with police at Endcliffe Village Lauren Archer Security called police to a house party at Crewe Flats, Endcliffe Village, to help them control a large crowd. Security arrived at the premises and much of the party disbanded. But police were then called to the flat to help control the remaining guests. Around 400 people attended the flat party, which reportedly included a slip ‘n’ slide - a plastic tarpaulin with water on that party guests were sliding down on a nearby hill and a DJ playing loud music. A first-year Crewe Flats resident, who wished to remain anonymous, said: “We were in the kitchen when the first security guard came, and we saw him immediately call on his walkie talkie, I’m assuming for backup, as more security guards came. They began to merge into the extremely dense crowd outside flat B (who were hosting the party) and then everyone started to boo them. “Shortly after they began chanting ‘fuck you security’ and ‘security’s a wanker’. Not many people left at first. Security then got in the flat and began to get people outside. About half an hour after security arrived, the police came. When the police
showed up the majority of people had left, and some ran away when they saw them. “The police then shooed everyone away without much resistance, and security helped.” A spokesperson for South Yorkshire police said: “South Yorkshire police can confirm that at around 11.40pm on Friday April 26 officers were called by university security to reports of a large group of students outside Crewe Flats, Clarkehouse Road, Sheffield. “It is believed that the students were reportedly having a party. By the time officers arrived at the scene, it is reported that university security had successfully managed to move on the majority of the group. “No offences were committed, and there was no threat of violence.” A spokesperson from the University said: “At the University of Sheffield, we’re committed to making sure our student accommodation offers a safe and friendly environment for our students and we really value our good relations with the local community. “As part of this duty of care, the University’s security service responded to complaints about a large party taking place at Crewe Flats on Friday night following
Hallam in partnership with Union-boycotted company Huang Yanlin Sheffield Hallam University has launched a work and study programme with Nestlé, a company the University of Sheffield Students’ Union refuses to co-operate with. Hundreds applied for the programme which offers 12 Sheffield Hallam students the opportunity to work across sales, marketing and HR during the three-year programme, earning a salary of £16,000 whilst studying for their degree. The students will also spend five weeks a year studying for a BA Hons degree in Professional B u s i n e s s Practice, with their tuition fees paid for and Nestlé guaranteeing t h a t successful participants will be offered a job within the company. In contrast, the University of Sheffield’s Students’ Union referendum in March 2012 voted overwhelmingly in favour of the Union not co-operating with Nestlé, with 4,621 votes in favour, 965 against and 755 abstentions. The current policy states that a report by EIRIS claims the company exploits third world workers, finding it “in substantial violation of the International Code of Marketing of Breast Milk Substitutes.” Sheffield Hallam University said the programme would give students the opportunity to apply
theories they learn at university to the workplace. Pro vice-chancellor at Sheffield Hallam’s business school Professor Adrian Hopgood said: “These students will graduate alongside their peers but with a host of relevant work experience to add to their CV, and a guaranteed job with a major company.” University of Sheffield student Noah Kazenas said: “It’s up to Hallam to decide their internal policies. It should be up to the person in question, the same way it’s up to people if they want to take up work placements with arms companies.”
Sheffield H a l l a m History student Ollie Miller disagrees with the University’s new collaboration. He said: “I am not pleased that the university are dealing with Nestle in such a manner, I’ve tried to avoid the company personally ever since I heard about their horrible conduct with regards to baby formula in African countries.” As well as their programme with Nestlé, Sheffield Hallam University will also partner with the Food and Drink Federation and the National Skills Academy for Food and Drink to launch a food and drink engineering degree next year.
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Forge in brief Professor comes top of class Professor Tim Birkhead of the University’s Department of Animal and Plant Sciences has been named UK Bioscience Teacher of the Year. The lecturer has used unconventional teaching methods for over 30 years, including using podcasts in modules and getting students to watch videos before lectures. He said: “I had several boring modules when I was an undergraduate and when I became an academic I decided not to make one of those boring lectures.” Chloe Lee
Dean asked to work with Luis Suarez
Police break up party at Crewe Flats concerns from our neighbours that a considerable number of non-residents were attending. “Due to the number of people
at the party the security service requested the help of police to disperse the crowd in a safe and orderly manner.”
Uni replaces Veolia Aidan Phillips The University of Sheffield has employed HW Martin Ltd to collect its bins, ending its relationship with Veolia. Veolia have been boycotted by the Students’ Union ever since 2004, with a new version of the policy being approved by referendum in 2012. HW Martin Ltd was awarded the contract following submissions from six companies after Veolia’s contract expired in March 2013. There is no indication that the Union’s boycott of Veolia impacted the University’s decision. A spokesperson for the University of Sheffield said: “Following no legal challenges, we are now working towards formally awarding the contract to HW Martin Ltd. “Under EU law the tender has been an open process with no restriction of access to potential suppliers. Its evaluation was based on the requirements and specification laid out in the tender documentation.” Students’ Union president Abdi Suleiman said: “The decision of the University to award the waste management contract to a company other than Veolia was preceded by a principled campaign against companies that support and profit from the relentless occupation of the Palestinian territories. “Campaigns like this one remind us that Sheffield Students’ Union is part of undermining the idea that those who profit from injustice will get away with it, without attention being drawn to the injustices they contribute to.” Last October the Union became
the first Russell Group university to endorse the global Boycotts, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) campaign. Abdi said: “In the context of the Students’ Union, the BDS policy is primarily about boycotts of products from the occupied territories and it means targeting companies like Veolia who appear respectable but are involved in breaches of international law.” A new version of the policy was passed in a referendum in October 2012 with 2,194 votes for, 420 against and 689 abstentions. It has developed ever since it was first passed in a March 2004 referendum, having been amended after referendum approval in 2007 and renewed without an amendment in 2009. It is due for renewal in October 2015. Veolia is one of the prime targets for BDS advocates because of their involvement in the construction and maintenance of the Jerusalem Light Rail (JLR.) According to the Palestine Society, 44 governments have condemned the JLR, including the UK. It was declared illegal by the UN in 2010. A statement by the society said: “We are delighted that ACS have decided not to renew their waste management contract with Veolia Environmental Services. “The waste contract held by Veolia was one of our main motivations for proposing the BDS policy last year.”
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Senior clinical lecturer and undergraduate dean Dr Steve Peters has been asked by Liverpool FC to work with Luis Suarez after the footballer’s recent on-pitch issues. Suarez bit Chelsea defender Branislav Ivanovic, resulting in a 10-game ban for the Uruguayan. Dr Peters has been working one day a week with the Merseyside club as a psychiatrist. Speaking to the Independent about his work in football, Peters said; “We’re taking it step by step and we can see it as a long-term process.” Matthew Smith
University moving on up The University of Sheffield has risen two places in the 2014 Complete University Guide, jumping to 26th place. It remains the second highest university in Yorkshire, with the University of York coming 12th. Sheffield received an overall score of 762 out of 1,000, with a student satisfaction score of 4.2 out of five. Aidan Phillips
Union still at the top The University of Sheffield Students’ has been ranked the best in the UK for the fifth time in a row. The University of Sheffield is joint third, alongside Cambridge, for the best university. More than 14,000 students took part in the survey. Nicola Moors
Absenteeism to be taken more seriously at Union council Rules regarding Union council absenteeism will go to referendum at the beginning of the next academic year. The report, submitted by Aaron Kulakiewicz, called for the Union council committee to be able to determine what constitutes an unavoidable circumstance and acceptable apology for not attending the fortnightly meetings. Jessica Pitocchi
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Interesting stories from other universities around the country
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friend re o m e n o e v a h ts n e Hallam stud ays s h rc a e s re , u o y n a th Post
Fresher opens concert for Beyonce A first-year English Literature and Philosophy student from the University of Birmingham was given the chance to open for Beyonce at her Birmingham LG Arena concert on Saturday. 18-year-old Gabriella Jones, discovered by LG Arena manager Ben Drummond while walking her dog, has already played at the Wireless and Hard Rock Calling festivals and has recently released her second EP. She said she was “reading some victorian poetry” when she received the call telling her she would be opening for Beyonce.
dents t Sheffield Hallam stu .com has found tha University of Sheffield. ns ea ntb de stu ite the webs nd than students at Research by student e more Facebook frie with 468, have on average on ty of Sheffield 50th le placed the Universi tab e gu lea ir the s, tie Covering 89 universid in 49th with an average of 469. ce ahea pla e on t jus m , with the University lla Ha with an equally close run friend ahead of its s wa e hir rks Yo in s friend ly one st amount of online average of 512, on The contest for the moof the universities surveyed with an top of Leeds coming rsity of Hull. iversity of Central closest rival the Unive ge of 653, with the Un era av an h wit t lis ll overa er on 313. University topped the Leeds Metropolitan 89th place with less than half that numb in g Lancashire sittin
Aidan Phillips
Elsa Vulliamy
No shark allowed at summer ball Plans to have a live shark in a tank display at an upcoming Somerville-Jesus College ball have had to be abandoned, after intervention from Somerville’s Principal Dr Prochaska. One of the organisers, Sam Levin, said that the ball committee had been inspired to have the shark tank by the 1996 film Romeo + Juliet, where the two lovers first set eyes on one another through an aquarium. But, after word spread about the shark, some students threatened to boycott the £110-a-head event. Most cited animal welfare issues, as well some complaining about the waste of funds, leading to Dr Prochaska banning the live animal. Christopher Noble
are Like Comment Sh
Referendum for ethical and environmental councillor Jonathan Robinson Students will vote whether to create an ethical and environmental councillor, after Union council sent plans for the new position to referendum. The E&E councillor
would be responsible for campaigning and promoting departmental sustainability as well as monitoring various environmental policies in the Students’ Union. Students will decide whether they need the new role at a
Man dies at S10 gym Chloe Lee
Freshers ‘black up’ for night out
iversity likes this.
Sheffield Hallam Un
A man died after collapsing at the Goodwin Centre gym. The announcement was made two days after the man “suffered a serious and sudden illness”, according to head of sport at the University of Sheffield, Tracey Baker. She said: “Sadly, despite the rapid response and determined efforts of trained staff on site, followed by the emergency
services, the person passed away. “Sport Sheffield and the University Health and Safety Department would like to thank our staff for acting professionally in dealing with the incident. We have also spoken to the family of the member and intend to stay in contact with them during this difficult time.” The man has not been indentified but it is thought that he was not a student.
Two students at Oxford University have caused controversy by deciding to ‘black up’ on a night out. The two students, members of St Hugh’s college, went to a club night which had the theme ‘Song Titles’ as the song ‘Ni**as in Paris’ by music stars Kanye West and Jay-Z. Despite being told by another student that these costumes would cause offence, one of the two freshers still attended the event with the costume on. The costume consisted of ‘blacked up faces’ and a sign around their neck saying ‘In Paris.’ An inquiry is being held by St Hugh’s college. Sam Pierce
Photo: Jessica Pitocchi
referendum, which will coincide with other councillor elections in October. If passed, an election for a student E&E representative for 2013/14 could take place in November. A report to Union council said:
“The councillor would be held to account by the E&E committee in much the same way as representative councillors are currently accountable to their representative committee.”
Students to decide the future of Foundry Chloe Lee Following the decision made at Union council, an online poll is now open to decide the name of new venue spaces in the Students’ Union. All University of Sheffield students can vote in the online poll, which can be found on the front page of the Students’ Union website. Students will be given two options: the proposed name ‘Soundroom, Studio and Den’ or the original name of the venue ‘Foundry and Fusion’ with the addition of ‘Studio’. Speaking for the proposal, Alex Kohnert, international officer-elect, said, “Some of the reactions online have been very distasteful. “We rarely get this sort of student engagement with anything that council does and it’s not right that councillors should be trying to put down people voicing their opinions.’’ Activities officer Tom Dixon said: “The officer team believe that the new names are exciting, refreshing and represent the diverse range of activities that will be taking place in these rooms. “However we are run by students for students, and if the students aren’t happy with the change then we appreciate that
we should respond to this.” The upset began when David Hodgson created a petition on Saturday April 19, just hours after the Union announced that the Fusion and Foundry venues would be renamed in the refurbishment. David said he felt the new names were “unimaginative to say the least” and were “working against the hard work of The Tuesday Club, Roar and many other Uni nights that have built its popularity and success.” The poll soon reached over 1,000 signatures, the amount needed to take the issue to Union referendum. It was decided to take the issue to an online poll instead. The poll will remain open till Friday May 10 and the proposal which receives a greater number of votes will be announced as the final venue names on Monday May 13.
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Bureacracy ruins plans for BME officer referendum Continued from p.1 The creation of a new officer would mean there were nine paid officers and eight external and student trustees on the board, causing an imbalance in breach of charity law. Officers have suggested that they will elect another student trustee to redress the balance. If all stages are passed, the position will be in place for the academic year 2014/15. Students’ Union president Abdi Suleiman said: “The enthusiasm to carry out council’s desire to have the question of a BME officer put to referendum is still there, it’s just that our constitution says this is how it has to happen.” Emma Galley, LGBT councillor, said: “I’m really glad that the correct procedures are finally being taken. This is an absolutely huge change to the constitution and if it’s going to work it needs to be a thorough consultation rather than being rushed through last minute.”
At the April 24 meeting, 30 councillors voted for the BME officer role to go to referendum. 15 councillors voted against and two abstained. Speaking at the start of the meeting, Abdi said the decision would be “historic”. If a BME officer is elected, the University of Sheffield Students’ Union will have the the second largest team of officers in the Russell Group. The University College London (UCL) Students’ Union currently has six officers, but are electing a further four, meaning they will be the largest Students’ Union in the Russell Group with 10 officers. Some councillors raised concerns about there not being enough money to fund a BME officer’s salary and provide extra funding for other liberation campaigns. Disabled students’ councillor Aleks Loesch said it would be “a huge disparity if we fund this position yet keep funding for the other liberation campaigns at their current level.”
University of Glasgow
Image: no. of fulltime officers in students’ unions 2013/14
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6
Newcastle University
9? 8
Cardiff University
University of Sheffield
10
UCL
Do we need a black minority ethnic officer?
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Women’s Institute dress as pirates for talk by former hostage Members of a Women’s Institute in North Devon decided to have fun by dressing up as pirates for a talk on piracy. However, they were slightly embarrassed when they found that the talk was being given by a former captain who was held hostage by Somalian pirates. 75-year-old Captain Colin Darch arrived to give a talk at the Parkham WI group and was greeted by a sea of women dressed up as pirates: complete with eye patches, hook hands and skulls and crossbones. A report on the meeting reads: ‘‘Embarrassingly the WI all dressed as pirates for the evening not realising that Captain Darch was going to be talking about his experience of being held hostage by Somalia pirates rather than piracy in general. “However once this had been gotten over everyone sat down to listen to Captain Darch’s story and what a story it was.” Lauren Archer
UKIP candidate suspended over Nazi salute
Michael BarringtonEvans, third-year Business Management student “I think having a BME officer will help an under-represented group to feel more of a part of the student community and create a more friendly environment where they could raise their voice better.”
Nadzirah Ahmad, second-year Chemistry student
Anita Chatum, Law student
second-year
Mohamed Al Alawi, first-year Law and Criminology student
“My personal experience with the University has been very positive so far and I’ve never experienced racism or any other problems related to my skin colour or culture. I don’t think it’s necessary to have a BME officer.”
“BME students are clearly under-represented at the University and I think we need somebody, such as the suggested BME officer, to work for them and tackle the issues they’re facing.”
“I’m afraid that having a BME officer would only draw unnecessary attention. I think it will only create tension among students.” Vox-pop: Chloe Lee
£200,000 handed out in Uni alumni scholarships Aidan Phillips More than £200,000 was officially awarded to 72 students last Wednesday as part of a series of scholarships funded from alumni. Scholarships worth £3,000 were handed out to 64 undergraduates. An additional £2,000 was given to six postgraduates, with £5,000 in study abroad scholarships also awarded. The majority of scholarships were from the University’s alumni fund, with another 18 named after their donors also handed out. Director of alumni and donor relations Miles Stevenson said: “The basic premise is that everyone finds it hard to fund going to university nowadays, and we want people to make the best out of their time here. “All these students got here on talent and ability, but sometimes there’s an economic necessity
that says we have to raise the rent. We take that away.” “It’s not just the monetary value, it’s the moral backing that people want to help you to succeed. “When we started 10 years ago we had six donors. We’ve just had our 13,000th gift.” Donor Sir Hugh Sykes, who received a scholarship himself in the 1950s, said: “I hope these students use this money to take steps towards fulfilling their potential. “The one thing I would say to them is you can achieve a lot more than you believe you can.” The ceremony involved performances from the singers society and dance society, who have both received funding from the alumni fund which grants £500-£2,000 to student clubs and societies. It has granted £300,000 over the last ten years. Speeches were also given by
UKIP Somerset candidate Alex Wood has been suspended over an alleged Nazi salute. Party leader Nigel Farage defended Wood using the excuse that he was “imitating a pot plant.” The picture showed Wood holding his arm out with a knife clenched between his teeth. Mr Farage said he “nearly had kittens” when he first saw the Daily Mail photos of Wood. He said: “While it is true that a handful of UKIP candidates have caused us embarrassment, others have been quite unfairly traduced.” Mr Wood has since been suspended from the party. Will Ross
Conservative campaigner chased by pensioner
Successful students with their scholarships in Firth Court donors High Sheriff of South Yorkshire Lady Ruby Sykes and ex-student Jeff Wadsworth. Jeff Wadsworth said: “Somebody helped us so we feel it’s appropriate to give something back.” Set up in June 2002, the University’s development, alumni relations and events office organises fundraising campaigns to encourage people to make donations to help current students.
Over the last decade it has raised over £2 million for scholarships. First-year applicant Jonathan Simpson was awarded a Dr Rachel Brooks Scholarship. Jonathan said: “It is a great privilege to be awarded this scholarship, I’m very pleased to be receiving financial support.
The vice-chair of Cambridge Conservatives was met with a surprising welcome when canvassing in a Trumpington, a leafy village in the suburbs. Timothy Haire, vice-chair and head of campaigning for the Cambridge Conservatives, said: “I was canvassing in Trumpington when this pensioner got very irate and chased me up the road brandishing his walking stick at me and singing Ding Dong! The Witch Is Dead. “He followed me for about half an hour singing and waving his stick at me.” Lauren Archer
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Record high for EU unemployment
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Hundreds join Star Walk for Women of Steel statue appeal Eliza Punshi
With inflation dropping to a three-year low, boosting the expectations that the European central bank (ECB) will cut interest rates. Despite this, unemployment in the eurozone has shot up to a record high. Amongst the 17 countries currently using the euro, unemployment has increased from 12 per cent to 12.1 per cent over February and March, resulting in around 19.2 million people in these areas without a job. Greece and Spain have the highest rates, of 27.2 per cent and 26.7 per cent respectively. These countries alone suffer from 50 per cent youth unemployment rates (under 25), with Greece at 59.1 per cent and Spain at 55.9 per cent. With such high youth unemployment, these countries will encounter a ‘brain drain’, leading to individuals going abroad in search of employment where they can utilise their skills and degrees.
Photo: Eliza Punshi
Hundreds of people participated in the Star Walk 2013, a fundraising event to support the Women of Steel statue appeal. The one-mile walk started at 11am at the Hillsborough Sports Arena in Hillsborough Park, with more than 360 citizens present including some of the Women of Steel themselves. During WWII, the Women of Steel worked in the Sheffield steel factories and made a large contribution to the war effort despite the challenging and often dangerous work environment. The campaign was launched three years ago by four Women of Steel - Kathleen Roberts, Ruby Gascoigne, Kit Solitt, and Dorothy Slingsby. Many participants claimed that they were inspired by the memory of their relatives and family friends that had worked in the steel industry during World War II. Participant Neil Robinson said: “The Women of Steel gave up a lot for us in the war, and the world wouldn’t be the same without these people.” Sheffield Star reporter Nancy Fielder said: “It is sad that the Women of Steel have been completely forgotten. “They worked for half the
wage, worked really long hours, and they were just sacked when the men came home. “There are not many of them left today, most of them died long ago, but for them now it’s really important for the city to show their appreciation.” However, their sacrifice has gone largely unrecognised over the last seventy years. Kathleen Roberts said: “I had hoped that I would be here to see this day and I hope you’re here not just to represent me but all the women who were girls in their late teens, and early 20s back then. “We must not forget all the ones who have gone before us.” The Star Walk was once a popular annual event that aimed to raise money for various charities. Launched in 1922, it only continued until 2000. However it came back after many years to raise funds for the Women of Steel statue appeal. Currently £150,000 is needed to build a bronze statue designed by Martin Jennings. The human-sized statue will be built in the Barker’s Pool area to commemorate the women that worked in steel factories during the second world war.
Hillsborough inquest set for early next year This will not only cause problems in the short run but will affect the long term growth of these economies, possibly leading to an ageing population who will rely more and more on the welfare state. With inflation dropping to 1.2 per cent, the lowest level since February 2010 (according to Eurostat data), it now seems inevitable that the ECB will cut interest rates (currently 0.75 per cent) to stimulate these economies. Market analyst at Alpari Craig Erlam said: “If an ECB rate cut on Thursday didn’t look nailed-on before, it certainly does now.” The mixed news from the eurozone and its members sparks further concerns over its future. The eurozone was primarily set up to be an ‘optimal currency area’ in which convergence amongst countries and an increasingly easy flow of capital were key. An increased flow of capital can help countries absorb shocks more easily and ensure that there is an efficient allocation of resource. However, comparing Greece and Spain to countries such as Austria and Germany, boasting unemployed rates of 4.7 per cent and 5.4 per cent, maybe it is time for more, possibly stricter regulation to ensure those failing economies get the injection they need. Connor Barnes
The inquest over the years
Aidan Phillips A new inquest into the deaths of the 96 Hillsborough victims is set to be held in early 2014. The High Court quashed the original verdict of accidental death in December. Coroner Lord Justice Goldring said he would go ahead with the inquest regardless of whether
the ongoing criminal and Independent Police Complaints Commission investigations are completed by then. The inquest’s location will be confirmed next week. The disaster saw the death of 96 Liverpool fans following a crush at the 1989 FA Cup semifinal at Sheffield Wednesday’s Hillsborough Stadium.
Peace festival postponed Lauren Archer Peace in the Park 2013 has been postponed due to a fundraising shortfall. The festival, which started as an anti-war protest in 2003, is now Sheffield’s largest free, volunteer run community and arts festival. The estimated cost of the 2013 festival was £20,000, with half of that needing to be raised beforehand. The organisers have postponed the event due to an anticipated fundraising shortfall of up to £8,000. The 2013 festival will now be postponed until June 14 2014 and a new range of year-round fundraising events and activities will be taking place.
The festival raises money for local and international charities. A spokesperson for the festival said: “We’ve seen a huge drop in donations. Peace in the Park is a free festival and has always been possible because of the generosity of Sheffield folk. “But this year we believe the impact of ongoing central government cuts, the increased costs of living and declining incomes has caught up with the festival. “We have made a tough decision. It’s a huge disappointment for everybody involved. We feel it’s our responsibility on behalf of Sheffield to ensure Peace in the Park is a safe, free and enjoyable festival. To do this we’ve got to take this year off.”
The disaster saw 96 Liverpool fans crushed to death and hundreds injured at the 1989 FA Cup semifinal at Sheffield Wednesday FC’s Hillsborough Stadium after police allowed an estimated 3,000 people into the central pens, nearly double the 1,600 “safe” capacity. The 1991 inquiry established the main cause of death as a failure of police crowd control, with a majority verdict of accidental death. Many families disputed the findings and began to campaign for a fresh inquiry. A 1996 review concluded that no fresh evidence added to any significant understanding of the
disaster, whereas charges of manslaughter brought against two police officers in 1998 by the Hillsborough Family Support Group didn’t result in any guilty verdicts. In 2009 home secretary Jacqui Smith requested South Yorkshire Police release secret files and a Hillsborough Independent Panel was set up later in the year. Its September 2012 report found that police had deliberately altered more than 160 witness statements, that crowd safety was “compromised at every level” and that 41 of the 96 could have survived. In December 2012 the High Court quashed the original inquest verdicts, and home secretary Teresa May ordered a fresh police inquiry.
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NEWS
Rapist footballer’s family offers cash SCIENCE & Technology to help clear name Lauren Archer The family of convicted rapist and former Sheffield United footballer Ched Evans is offering a cash reward in a bid to clear his name. They have hired a legal team and private investigator to help protest his innocence. Evans was convicted last Spring for raping a 19-year-old girl. The former footballer was on a night out in Rhyl, North Wales, when he and a friend went back with a 19-year-old girl who was later deemed too intoxicated to consent to sex. 23-year-old Evans, who
lived in Penistone, Sheffield, is currently serving a five year sentence and dedicating his time to fighting his conviction. His family, friends and supporters have launched chedevans.com, a website that offers up previously unseen material that the family believe will help clear Evans’ name. The website is now offering a cash reward to anyone who can provide information that might help his case. The website describes Evans’ conviction as “a gross miscarriage of justice”.
Print your own body parts
For comment, see p.10
Museum donations triple after council funding cuts Leo Croalla There has been a huge increase in public donations to local museums in the last year. Museums Sheffield, the organisation in charge of maintaining and overseeing museums around the city including Weston Park Museum and Millennium Galleries, has revealed that donations have nearly tripled since 2009. The independent charity has been faced with a budget shortfall of over £1.3m over the last two years through a combination of a withdrawal of funds from Arts Council England’s Renaissance programme and local cuts.
Sheffield Museums has been hit by a 10 per cent cut this year from Sheffield council on top of similar cuts in previous years. Despite this and the tough economic climate, donation boxes located in the foyers of the museums have seen their takings nearly triple since 2009, with museum goers giving £57,583 in 2012/2013 - up by £42,000 from the £15,462 given in 2009/10. Fundraising and partnerships manager at Museums Sheffield Ceris Morris said: “As a charity, donations are vital in supporting Museums Sheffield’s work across the city’s museums and galleries. “Over the past 12 months the response from the public has
Alys Rudling been fantastic and we’re hugely grateful to our visitors for their incredible generosity.”
Museums in the city attract over a million visitors every year, including 22,000 schoolchildren.
Arrests after fourth Ski Village fire in a year
Photo: Emma Bayley Lauren Archer Three teenage boys have been arrested and released on bail regarding the latest fire at Sheffield Ski Village. The boys, two 15 year olds and one 17-year-old, were arrested in relation to the alleged arson attack at the ski centre on Vale
Road. The fire was the fourth to hit the centre in a year following the initial blaze that destroyed the site’s main building. All three suspects have now been released on bail and South Yorkshire Police are appealing for any information. South Yorkshire Fire and
The concept of printing anything you so desire like chocolate, clothes and even body parts is not as far-fetched as you may think. Engineers have used 3D printers to create all of these by layering a suitable ‘ink’ from which a solid object emerges. Medical research company Organovo in California announced the production of 0.5 × 4mm mini-livers at the Experimental Biology Conference in Boston last week. Using a 3D printer, they built up around 20 layers of the two major types of liver cell, hepatoctes and stellates, along with cells from blood vessels for supply of nutrients. Although minute and lasting just two days, these mini-livers have nearly all the functions of a human liver, thus they can be used to predict the response of the liver to particular substances, making them extremely useful in research. Engineering the production of large branched networks of blood vessels to ensure correct nourishment is Organovo’s next hurdle, and they aim to use the technology to create life-sized organs for transplant.
Rescue said that they had received over 100 calls about the fire, which could be seen across the city. The team tweeted on the morning after the incident, saying: “We finally left the Ski Village fire at around 1.40am. 2 wooden outbuildings and a shed involved in the fire. It was started
deliberately.” The owner of the Ski Village has said it is unlikely to ever reopen because of problems getting insurance. This follows a year of alleged arson, theft and vandalism at the site.
Revision, as easy as clenching your fists? Clenching your fists could improve your memory, say US scientists. The study, led by Ruth Propper of Montclair State University, New Jersey, found that clenching your right fist improves your ability to form memories, whilst clenching your left fist helps you recall memories. Students instructed to clench their right hand for 90 seconds, look at a list and then clench their left hand for 90 seconds, were able to recall more items on the list than students who didn’t clench their fists. The researchers believe clenching your fist temporarily changes the way the brain functions, activating the regions of your brain that control your ability to remember things. Both sides of your brain are believed to be involved in processing memories, the left for making them and the right for remembering them. Your right hand activities the left side of your brain, whilst clenching your left hand stimulates the right side. Further research is required but Dr Propper believes clenching your right hand before learning information and your left before trying to recall it could improve your memory. Exams are close, so get clenching those fists. Emily Berry
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COMMENT
Friday May 3 2013 FORGE PRESS
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TRUST
ISSUES After the betrayal on tuition fees, could students vote for the Lib Dems again?
Blame gatecrasher Clegg but He’s an unapologetic cheat don’t let him ruin the party and we can do so much better Sam Pierce Back in early 2010, I was one of many teenagers who were swayed by the preelection promise, made by the Liberal Democrats and their charismatic leader Nick Clegg, to abolish tuition fees and to vote against any rise. The Lib Dems have been part of the coalition government for nearly three years now, but many students are still enraged by the way that the Liberal Democrats broke their crucial manifesto promise during their first few months in government. In September last year, this anger erupted again at the hypocrisy shown by the party’s leader, Nick Clegg, in his apology video. This was followed by a feeling of bemusement as a spoof song went up on YouTube days later. All these negative feelings highlight the fact that many students still directly blame Clegg and his party for the raising of tuition fees.
‘I would still consider voting Liberal Democrat in the future’ But, despite the feeling of betrayal, I would still consider voting Liberal Democrat in the future. Now, before you begin sharpening the pitchforks, lighting the torches and forming a Simpsons-style angry mob, it is important to remember that whilst the Lib Dems promised a lot in their manifesto, they did not win the election and thus did not have the democratic mandate to implement it all. The Conservative party won the most seats, and were not far away from forming a majority government – it is natural that their policies would be taken into account in any coalition they formed. Furthermore, the new system is, in the minds of many people I speak to, an improvement upon the old. Think of it not as a loan, but a graduate
tax which is paid once you begin to reap the benefits of the degree you pay for. Even if one is to accept a feeling of betrayal attached to the broken tuition fees promise, to focus on one issue is unfair to the party and their other policies. Whether or not you agree with their desire to reform our broken electoral system, bin the money-hungry Trident or allow low-income workers to earn more tax free; these are other policies made clear in their manifesto. Indeed, on some of these issues, they gained concessions, notably for low-income workers, and this shows the good the Lib Dems have done, and can do in government.
‘Nick Clegg’s legacy may be the part of the pantomime villain’ Whether I would vote for the Lib Dems with Nick Clegg or other senior leaders still in their respective positions is another matter entirely, as they must be held accountable for their political naivety. But I believe, in time, people will come to forgive the party and remember that half the party did not vote for the rise. People still grudgingly agree with some of their policies and, whisper it quietly, some students find that the tuition fees changes are in many ways fairer and have positive, long term implications. Unfortunately for Clegg, his lasting legacy may be to play the part of the pantomime villain, forever haunted by the sound of the autotuned ‘you learn from your mistakes.’ But if I ignore individuals and focus instead on how the Lib Dems have grown up to become a credible party of government then I realise that they have a real chance of securing my vote at the next election. Join the conversation: @ForgeComment on Twitter facebook.com/ForgeComment
Max Bell William Gladstone and David Lloyd-George must be spinning in their graves. For all too often of late, and with much verve and gusto, the Liberal Democrats have been revelling in politics’ dark arts and mudwrestling in an attempt to avoid electoral Armageddon come 2015. Contrast this with decades of admirable positioning as an outsider in a cut-throat world claiming to offer a different kind of politics, and it looks positively sanctimonious. We all know what happened during a mad few days in 2010: after a wave of Cleggmania that frankly now looks absurd, the Liberal Democrats entered a coalition with the Conservative party. Entire books will be written about the government’s savage attacks on our most vulnerable, but with a Sheffield Fulwood by-election on Thursday this week, Clegg’s shamelessness hit home in his own seat.
‘The Lib Dems have apologised for the affair, not the marriage’ His party tried to draw a line under student fees with a half-hearted, limp-wristed, lilylivered apology a few months back. But rather than apologising for breaking the electorate’s trust, he simply apologised for ever having made reasonable policy promises in the first place. Adulterers everywhere - apologise for the marriage instead of the affair. By throwing students to the wind in such a carefree manner, even Liberalism’s most hardened supporter would’ve choked on their guacamole as the establishment’s naked priorities were laid bare. Guess what? We weren’t them. So why on earth should trusting them be one of ours? So now with Endcliffe and Ranmoor
students thrown right into the middle of this tribal warfare, you can’t help but laugh at the desperate methods that Sheffield Lib Dems have plumped for while trying to avoid getting annihilated at a county council byelection. The barrel has been well and truly scrape.
‘When you think of trusting them again, think twice’ Firstly, the Labour party standing a university student has seriously rattled them: they have since falsely claimed she isn’t on the electoral roll (and misspelt roll as “role” on hundreds of their leaflets) and made Crookesmoor sound as if it’s in Narnia. All this is before we address their self-proclaimed ‘fair’ tripling of student fees while simultaneously lambasting their introduction in their leaflets! You do wonder if they really are stupid enough to ignore those red squiggly lines under their words or worse, think students are idiots. So let’s not pretend fees of £9,000 per year encourage students to go to university, because I’ve seen the opposite with my own eyes. Smart, not over-privileged kids are the first to baulk when they see such vast sums. Those who haven’t, and are used to £30,000 private school fees a year, (looking at you Clegg) it might mean nothing to you but out in the real world we feel it every day. Even the Conservative party candidate has called them out on some shocking misinformation. Besides, a government that lectures on an unsustainable borrowing culture on the one hand while imagining that people won’t worry about £27,000 worth of debt before they have even started earning, stinks of hypocrisy. So when you think of trusting them again, or even voting for them again, think twice. Would you even let them in your house? I’m sorry, I’m sorry but I’ve learnt from my mistakes.
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COMMENT
Do we need a BME officer?
Minesh Parekh Unfortunately, it looks like plans to hold a Union-wide referendum on the creation of a black and minority ethnic (BME) officer have temporarily been delayed by legislative issues. But we should still view even the possibility of a referendum as a sign of better things to come for both Sheffield’s BME community and liberation campaigns as a whole. Finally it looks as though the University and the Union are willing to end years of neglect and ignorance (real and feigned) regarding BME issues and feelings that range from isolation to
outright racially-aggravated abuse should decline in the long term for BME students. Abdi Suleiman, current president of the Students’ Union, had this to say: “After decades of being extraordinarily de-prioritised, I’m extremely proud of the Students’ Union for owning up to its failings and deciding to end the neglect of BME students and BME issues”.
‘This is a stand against racism and ignorance’ As both a BME student and a member of the BME committee, I also believe action makes a clear stand against racism and ignorance, which is especially important in light of increasing
levels of Islamophobia. If the referendum is held and the motion passes, and we become only the second university in the country to employ a full-time BME officer, I truly believe this could provoke a nationwide trend of better things to come. Chair of the BME student’s committee, Abdullah Geelah has issued this statement regarding the victory in council: “I believe wholeheartedly that the motion that passed on Thursday has set a benchmark from which we, as students of BME descent and also students of non-BME heritage, can be really proud of. I think this is a massive promotion for BME students’ rights and views and I hope we can create a culture of respect between peoples in our university. I now believe it is
Soundry and confusion? Leo Crolla After a year-long facelift, the fancy new and refurbished University House will soon be flinging open its doors just in time for freshers - but who would’ve thought the words ‘Foundry and Fusion’ could cause such a fuss? Yes, come September we’ll have a proper nightclub again, and despite the clear alliterative appeal of the old names, they were all set to be abandoned in favour of the trendier-sounding ‘Soundroom, Studio and Den’.
‘But despite the strong feelings, it’s not that important’
That is until one student set up a petition calling for their return, which quickly
dwarfed support for minor issues like postgraduate funding and the living wage and rocketed to 1,000 signatures. The debate will be now be settled by students in an online poll, which is currently up on the Union website. But is this a waste of time, or does the name of a club actually make a big difference?
‘Foundry is famous across Sheffield and beyond for hosting great bands’
Would there still be straggles of students queuing outside the Leadmill every Monday night if had called itself Flourmill, which is what it actually used to be? Would Corp by any other name still smell as sweet (or rather, still smell like blue pints and bad choices)? ‘Yes, it makes a huge difference’, comes the answer from both sides. The argument for the new names is made by the union officers; Tom Dixon, full of trademark ‘happy chappy’
imperative upon us to make the motion that has passed a reality”
‘Now we must convince the entire student population’ Despite the legislative stumble, the first hurdle in this quest for equality has, in a way, been cleared; the Union has been convinced, the issue now is convincing the entire student population. Arguments have been raised against the decision, but to me what it comes down to is a question of whether we as a student body believe the issues of representation and racial discrimination are important enough to create an officer to deal with them. When the University was deciding whether
enthusiasm, describes them as “exciting and refreshing”. The events management also wants the change, arguing the new names reveal a “diverse and relevant” identity and represent “the future”, presumably referring to those mysterious LED-decorated benches we’ve been promised. Those arguing in favour of Foundry and Fusion are appealing to the names’ historical legacy; not only its link to Sheffield’s glory days of steelmaking, but also the history of the venue itself. Foundry is famous across Sheffield and beyond for hosting great bands and great nights, and the name also has quite the tradition: it goes way back to when university was free, and instead of Roar and Space, people went to Juicy and Frouk - no, I’m not sure about those either. But despite the surprisingly strong feelings in both directions, it’s really not that important. There are some good points each way and regardless of the outcome of the poll the Union’s solid reputation will live on. This will all be forgotten in 10 years time,
to create a women’s officer, the same questions were raised, and due to the great work of women’s officers, it is obvious to anyone that a women’s officer is vital for the Union. In a few years I believe the same will be said about a BME officer. I would urge everyone to vote in favour of the creation of a BME officer in October because it has the chance to end years of neglect of BME issues but also as it makes sense and is well overdue. The reaction on Facebook to the news demonstrates this most poignantly: “That’d be like having an officer just for women. Madness.” This, written simply enough, is a gloriously short and telling comment, and perhaps the most revealing sign of all; this referendum has to pass because it is outrageously overdue.
when people will be dancing away to today’s chart music in Pop Tarts without caring what name is on the building.
‘Would Corp by any other name still smell as sweet?’ We should just be happy that everyone’s favourite club nights will soon be housed in a shiny new venue, in what is officially the best students’ union in the country. And, let’s face it: we could call them ‘Nightclub Room A’ and ‘Nightclub Room B’ and they’d still be better than the Octagon. Fact.
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COMMENT
Friday 3 May 2013 FORGE PRESS
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Ched Evans is a rapist, and feeding the birds doesn’t change that Alisha Rouse Last year, Ched Evans, rapist and occasional lover of kicking a football around, was convicted of raping a 19-year-old woman. His friends and family set up a website, the imagintively named chedevans. com, to plead his innocence, and have recently started asking for donations towards freeing the rapist.
‘The people who excuse the rapist excuse a culture of misogyny and dehumanisation’ Part of the evidence presented on the website shows a video of the rapist at 3am that morning, throwing chips at a seagull. From the footage, we can apparently deduce he is “hardly a predator on the prowl”, according to his adoring friends and family. In Amnesty Internationalstyle, the site proudly brandishes that ‘Ched Evans was wrongly convicted of rape on 20th April 2012’ across its masthead, and I reckon we can all openly admit he’s no human rights victim. The
website is upsetting, offensive, and rather than visiting it, I strongly recommend you gauge your own eyes out or pluck hairs, one by one, off your eyelashes. The other week in a pretty little cocktail bar on West Street, I was repeatedly groped by a couple of middle-aged pricks. They laughed; I had the audacity to stand at the bar in a short dress, after all, as I prodded them in the chest and politely told them to “fucking never touch me again or see my heels spike you in the retina.” The people who excuse the rapist, excuse a culture of harassment, misogyny and dehumanisation, one which encourages grown men to approach women after a few G&Ts and expect their lewd advances to be accepted. Not just accepted, but appreciated. I’m sure people will donate to the rapist’s cause, as the website proudly brandishes the victim ‘consumed two large glasses (250ml) of wine before even going to the club’, then begins to relay every single unit she consumed through the rest of the night, as they genuinely believe this excuses a grown man filming and raping a 19-year-old. Which is mental. I really bloody love wine, but this certainly does not mean you can bring your penis anywhere near me without my full consent. Seriously, I’ll bite it off.
Being a feminist is a right ballache, and sometimes you feel like a right bore; “making jokes about me belonging in the kitchen is the same as making jokes to a black man about slavery” is one that gets me the most yawns. But incidents like this show exactly how rape culture can permeate through all layers of social life. In fact, ask around your flatmates, and I’d bet you’d be hard pressed to find 50 per cent of them who deem this case rape. But it is.
‘I reckon we can openly admit he’s no human rights victim’ The fact that the rapist’s family, friends, girlfriend and supporters are willing to go so far to plead his innocence on the simple ground that the victim had some vodka shows how medieval we are about our definition and perception of rape, and how all of it can be excused if the rapist can kick a football really hard. Got an opinion on the topics discussed this fortnight? Contact letters@forgetoday.com
Editorial
The rapist in his spare time Photo: joncandy/Flickr
D.A.R.T.S.
Forge Press takes its satirical aim
of the fortnight Thank-you, terrible tunes and a turtle: Website http://www.buzzfeed.com/ lukelewis/middle-classNic’s very first, delirious editorial problems
First of all, I’d like to give a massive thank you and a sad goodbye to the old editorial team - your work over the last year (and during this issue) has been amazing. Seriously, you have saved my ass over the past fortnight - Jonathan, Lauren, Phil, Matt, Adam and, of course, Alisha; cheers for not leaving me in the shit. I massively appreciate it. On that note please say hello to your new team of editors - this lovely bunch have worked their tits off for the past fortnight and although, I’m probably slightly biased, it has definitely paid off. They have even put up with me endlessly repeating ‘‘use Google docs’’ and playing my soundtrack of 5ive, Bewitched, Bryan Adams and Mel C during print day. C’mon, tell me you don’t love a bit of ‘everybody get up singing, 5ive will make you get down’, no?
I sit writing this hideously hungover in the Media Hub, the day that my first edition of the newspaper goes to print - this may be a new tradition. Despite going to Interval for just one glass of wine last night, I managed to be persuaded to stay for several more, ending up in a kebab shop at midnight. It was like being a fresher again but with a stricter curfew. However luckily for you, Adam, Alisha and I managed to stumble to Starbucks for copious amounts of caffeine at 9am after just four hours of sleep - at the time, I was definitely not sure if I’d applied deodorant - just to finish Forge Press. If I can achieve anything during my time as editor, I’d like to fix the bloody printer. Just to clarify: we are still dealing with a lot of printer-related problems
Nicola Moors - Forge Press editor
- it prints when it wants and just generally hates us. Aside from that I genuinely love this paper and hope that I make my mummy and daddy proud by being its editor. Being a good editor would be nice too but I guess time will tell. As I couldn’t think of enough words, I’ve included a picture of a baby turtle, purely for your viewing pleasure.
nicola.moors@forgetoday.com
A little something for all you Waitrose-shopping, Earl Greyswilling, Starbucks-dwelling, Mandy-discovering middle class chaps and chapesses. Facebook page of the fortnight:
Stuff On My Rabbit
The page is pretty self explanatory, and yes, it is as hare-raising as it sounds. What more do you want than pictures of a rabbit balancing inanimate objects on its head? It’s a perfect pick-me-up and stress reliever especially if you enjoy hopping through endless pictures of animals online. After extensive googling of rabbits, it seems that this page is not the first of its kind. Oolong, a Japanese rabbit, found fame in the early 2000s when his owner decided to balance objects on his head and post them online. Sadly Oolong passed away in 2003 (according to Wikipedia), but luckily his great legacy lives on through the hard work of his rabbit descendants. Sorry, going to stop rabbiting on now.
Hello of the fortnight So, this is the first issue under the helm of your new Comment editors, Tom and Ben. Sadly, Ben is too busy downing ‘litres’ of beer and being likened to Prince William (totes like twins) while ‘studying’ abroad to really help edit this issue. In his absence, Tom has been breaking his not insubstantial balls to put this issue together, so all credit to him. All of it.
Bush of the fortnight
George Bush cried at the opening ceremony of the George W Bush Library in Dallas on Thursday. It’s funny to think that a man who admitted to having a time in his life where he would not be found at a library, and has regularly uttered phrases such as ‘‘I know how hard it is for you to put food on your family” now has a multi million dollar library erected in his honour. But hey, maybe we’re just misunderestimating him.
Quote of the fortnight “Is this Def Leppard?” ‘‘No Phil, it’s 5ive.’’ - Phil Bayles, ex-screen editor of Forge Press
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LETTERS
Students’ Union president: reports are ‘tardy’, not missing
Referendum to be held on BME officer “Even if people here have valid reasons against it, the debate is only legitimate if opened up to students as a whole. A vote against or to abstain is a vote to deny students their chance to decide.” – Lucy Pedrick, women’s councillor.
Dear Forge Press,
Given Ms Pedrick’s involvement in the banning of the sale of the Sun in the SU just a few months ago – without a referendum – I wonder if a lot of people who opposed that move will be shocked and angry to see what she has to say in the quote above? “The debate is only legitimate if we open it up to students as a whole” is pretty much exactly what many opponents of the Sun newspaper ban said back in February, aimed towards councillors such as Lucy Pedrick. This might be seen as ‘picking and choosing’ or just plain old hypocrisy on her part. JP JP, it is worth pointing out in the interests of full disclosure that Lucy later abstained when the matter of whether to hold a referendum on the Sun ban went before council a second time, in contrast to her original position. People have the right to change their views over time, and I’d like to think that’s what she has done here. Sam Waters The whole logic behind having different officers to represent specific groups doesn’t really stack up unless you are going to have a BME officer, a women’s officer, an LGBT officer and a disabled student’s officer. Of course, doing that costs about £55-60k extra in salaries on top of what we have now, so why can’t we just do the sensible thing and reform the women’s officer position into an equalities officer? As far as the veritable Ms Pedrick is concerned, while I do take your point about her being able to change her mind, Sam, the whole thing does smell a little of her wanting to have it both ways – getting the things she wants whilst paying lip service to the idea of having referenda on things she supports in principle but isn’t too bothered about possibly being defeated. Alex Smithson Completely agree with you Alex. I always thought a dedicated women’s officer was a bit redundant these days, especially when you have a women’s councillor, women’s committee etc. An equalities officer would be much better but then I guess it’s going to cause trouble when you have a man representing women or a white, straight, nondisabled person representing BME, LGBT and disabilities. It’s difficult. Charlotte Unless I’m missing something, Lucy Pedrick now appears to be the official press secretary for the Students’ Union. There doesn’t seem to be a Forge Press article go by where we don’t get to hear what Lucy has to say on a particular matter, and more often than not how she’s going to achieve it, whether the rest of the Union like it or not. As for the BME idea, when your own welfare officer thinks the idea is a load of nonsense - ‘Welfare officer Jon Gleek said: “We don’t have a spare £20,000 lying around to fund this, it would mean taking money away from other facilities.’ - then you really aren’t on to a winner. Matt
Your comments on www.forgetoday.com to:
NUS spend too much time bickering over government Indeed, the NUS is in no way our representative organisation – it’s merely a glorified discount club that provides left wing careerists with a route into a Labour safe seat. If it were truly our organisation, they’d let us choose who runs it, but instead the supposed representative of 9 million students is chosen by about 750 delegates. The sooner we organise ourselves to ditch the NUS, the better. Alex Smithson The UK’s national debt (as a percentage of GDP) is not massive – Japan’s is more than double ours, for example. Furthermore, the government’s policies by reducing demand are making it worse not better. This constant suggestion that one of the richest countries in the world can’t afford a decent social wage is just plain dishonest. It’s a question of what we choose to do as a nation. The NUS should represent the interests of students, and campaigning for the return of education free at the point of use is pretty clearly in the interest of students. If there’s a problem it’s that it’s too right-wing (see comment about careerists above). Ted
Your comments on www.forgetoday.com to: Review: 20 Tiny Plays About Sheffield
That review seems a bit gushing. I saw the show and although the performers were great, the writing was pretty bland and repetitive. It was very clichéd and didn’t seem like most of the writers really knew Sheffield. I respect your opinions and everyone has a different view on art, but I suspect your brother, sister, aunt or best friend were in the cast somewhere. Tom Ellis
I am writing in simply to offer a clarification. Supposedly I have only written one report to council in nine months. Actually I’ve written all four of my expected update reports; though I concede,
out of being busy, with campaigns, committees and gathering content, some were tardy. It is also claimed I have only offered two pages of reports; the figure is actually 18 pages. My last report expressed that the NUS had given up on fighting tuition fees
and had given up on EMA, both massive bits of news, both ignored. If anything I say is incomprehensible, my e-mail is su-president@ sheffield.ac.uk and you can ask me.
Abdi Suleiman Students’ Union president
Your comments on www.forgetoday.com to:
EXCLUSIVE: Your new SU venues I think the venue looks really good and it will be interesting to get back in there next year. However, the names are awful. They seem to be the most unimaginative names possible for these new spaces. Granted a refurbishment requires a new name in some cases but how could it have been changed to the Soundroom and the Den from what was a unique and free flowing title – ‘Fusion and Foundry’? I hope enough people make a fuss and they get rethought before its too late. David Hodgson Don’t we already have a Studio building? It’s down next to the IC. What a stupid decision to replicate the name, and also what a stupid decision to change the names of Foundry and Fusion when they were so popular with students and better reflect the Sheffield identity and heritage. Dale G When is Bar One getting renamed ‘The Pre-Drinks Room’? Ryan
Your comments on www.forgetoday.com to:
Student starts petition to bring back the Foundry How do I start a petition to get the new names changed to the JPS Cabaret Suite, the Rothmans Lounge and the Peter Stuyvesant Revue Bar? It’ll be brilliant, we can even get Bobby George to come and do the grand re-opening, with those names. Rory
Your comments on www.forgetoday.com to:
Renaming of Fusion and Foundry to go to referendum I hated Fusion and Foundry as names. There was no fusion in Fusion (horrible pub grub) and Foundry wasn’t the basis of anything. I thought the new names were quite good. Emma
Your comments on www.forgetoday.com to:
Online poll opens for venue name change
Unsure how fair it is to have a statement by Tom Dixon preceding it saying how great the names are. Plus a huge advert for it on their side of the poll. Against a copy and paste job from the petition. Wasn’t even given a chance to submit anything else. Also surely shouldn’t we be able to see how the voting is going! So easy for the Union to lie, desperate to validate their terrible name choices. Jen I felt the long argument for Soundroom/Studio/Den made the names sound more pretentious than I originally thought. If Foundry and Fusion keep their names, there’s a small compromise in “Studio” remaining as the third name, despite the resounding support on Facebook for it being called Furnace. Ellie Dougherty
Got an opinion? 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.
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Friday May 3 2013 FORGE PRESS
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Friday May 3 2013 FORGE PRESS
Mental health and society: it’s time to change @forgefeatures /forgepress features@forgetoday.com
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FORGE PRESS Friday May 3 2 0 1 3
Words: Elsa Vulliamy Picture: Alaina Abplanalp
P
eople are whispering behind your back. Your best friends, once relaxed and chatty around you, have suddenly become awkward and avoid you. Your studies are suffering, and some mornings you are unable to get out of bed. You have a mental illness, but you are forced to suffer in silence, no matter how hard it gets. If you speak, you’ll be told to ‘get over it’, and ‘stop complaining’. People will view you as weak or lazy, and you may lose out on jobs. Your friends and family may even become afraid of you. One in six adults is thought to suffer from a mental illness at any given time; that’s more than seven million people across England and Wales.
Despite being more common than eczema, diabetes and all forms of cancer combined, mental health problems continue to be stigmatised throughout society - in education, social networks and the workplace.
Technically, people with health problems are protected by the law from serious discrimination, but the enforcement of this often does not extend to mental health.
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Despite being more common than eczema, diabetes and all the cancers combined mental health problems continue to be stigmatised
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This is either because people are less likely to admit that they have been diagnosed or because people simply don’t accept mental illness to be as severe as physical illness, despite the fact that mental health problems are almost always due to detectable chemical imbalances in the brain - they aren’t just feelings. People are still pushed out of their
jobs, bullied and even abused because they suffer from a mental illness. A recent survey conducted by the Shaw Trust suggested that more than half of employers would not consider hiring someone with a known mental disorder. It is no wonder why so many people choose to hide it. Although they can have life-altering consequences and very real causes, the problems are rarely taken seriously.
One student, interviewed by Forge Press, told the story of what happened when she contacted her head of department asking for special consideration after her eating disorder forced her to miss days from university. “He told me that some special circumstance forms were handed in for trivial reasons, whereas others were relating to serious illnesses. Then he told me that mine was clearly a case of the former. I decided not to hand it in.” The idea that mental illnesses are trivial matters is particularly common when it comes to young people suffering. Their problems are often not recognised because they are attributed to hormones or mood swings. Teenagers and young people are often considered to be looking for excuses for being lazy or sloppy if they say they have mental health problems.
Another student named Sarah, 24, describes the problems with her first landlord, who refused to accept the fact that she had depression and bipolar disorder: “She called all of my relatives without my permission or knowledge to talk about me and what they were going to do to get me to clean up. She told me that there’s no way a person can really be diagnosed with bipolar. “She consistently threatened to kick me out even though I had not done any damage to her apartment whatsoever.”
It seems that much of the stigma against mental illness seems to be the result of ignorance. Mental illness is surrounded by such a taboo that is difficult to educate people. Sarah’s problem seemed to spring from the fact that her landlord had the entirely wrong idea about depression. “She assumed it was the same thing as being profoundly sad; she insisted that I should stop thinking of myself in terms of depression and just think about positive things.”
Perhaps worse than not being taken seriously, there are many sufferers of mental illness who are actively stigmatised due to fear – particularly those suffering
from psychotic disorders such as schizophrenia. A survey from the National Institute of Mental Health revealed that only 43 per cent of people with schizophrenia would tell their friends about it.
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She told me that there’s no way a person can really be diagnosed with bipolar Sarah, 24
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Many people think of mental illness as something which couldn’t possibly happen to someone they know. It seems that they view mental illness as something that should be immediately visible, when in fact what is most problematic about it is how easy it is to hide. As one girl interviewed put it: “No one wants to hear it. Some think that a depressed person must appear totally depressed all the time, or that a person with an eating disorder must be dangerously underweight to be sick.”
Since the majority of sufferers you will meet are the ones who have their illness under control, it is likely that you will not find yourself confronted by the clinically insane, but rather your friend may turn out to have depression even if they appear happy, a family member who appears normal to you may have an eating disorder; even your lecturer could be on medication for paranoid schizophrenia. Society seems to view mental illness either as too visible (they don’t want to hear about it) or not visible enough, (they refuse to take it seriously because they can’t see it), and this leads to a vicious cycle which makes it very difficult for sufferers to speak out. The media is also not entirely blameless for attitudes in society. Mental illness is rarely dealt with on television, and when it is often portrayed without much accuracy.
Time to Change, an awareness campaign funded by the department of health, reported that, over a three
month period, 74 programmes contained storylines dealing with mental health problems and 33 of these contained an incident of violence. Almost never do you see someone suffering from a mental illness and continuing to live a normal life, as they may do if they were suffering from diabetes or a broken bone. Fortunately, all is not lost. The Time to Change campaign was set up in 2009 in an attempt to challenge the stigma against mental illness through working with the community and the media in a campaign aimed at 29 million people to try and change public attitude as well as setting up a support network for sufferers themselves.
According to evaluation of Time to Change by the Institute of Psychiatry at King’s College London, there is a clear and consistent link between awareness of the Time to Change campaign and improved knowledge, attitudes and behaviour around mental health, including a 11.5 per cent reduction in the average reports of discrimination and a three per cent increase in those reporting no discrimination at all. If you know someone who is suffering from a mental illness, the first thing to do would be to educate yourself. You cannot hope to understand what they are going through unless you have suffered yourself, but you can be a source of support if you prevent yourself from judging them and clue yourself up on the facts. Don’t be judgemental – your friend is not crazy or lazy and if they seem angry or distant, they most likely have a reason to be. Most of all though, remember that your friend is not their illness. Even if someone is suffering from depression (or another mental health problem) it doesn’t mean that they are unable to have fun or that they have to be different from how they always were.
Always be available to listen if they want to talk, but make sure that you still talk about things other than their illness. One of the worst parts of suffering from a mental health problem is the isolation. If people treat you differently you are likely to withdraw from society, and this can make your problem a lot worse. As a friend or relative, the best thing you can do is stick around.
As depression sufferer Christina wrote for the Time to Change blog: “So, if you know someone who’s having mental health problems, don’t ignore them completely. Make eye contact, bring them crisps, give them a quick ring, listen to them. And tell them this: it’s going to be okay.”
For advice about mental health issues visit: www.sheffieldmentalhealth.org.uk
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Friday FORGE May 3PRESS 2013
Words: Chloe E Lee Images: Irise
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Friday May 3 2013 FORGE PRESS
I
Menstruation for the nation
f you are a woman, you will probably remember the day you got your first period. For every woman, her first period can produce unforgettable feelings. These can be surprise, confusion, annoyance or in, some cases, delight. Personally, it was not the most positive experience. It was rather uncomfortable and the horrible pain confined me to my bed for hours. However, I did get better with the enormous support from others. I remember I was congratulated with flowers and cake by my family (which was a bit awkward at that time) and taught to consider the change as normal and natural. In short, I learnt how to take care of myself as a woman. The way menstruation is perceived and dealt with does differ across the culture and the background of each individual, but if you live in the UK, I expect your experience is something similar to my own.
But would the women living in other parts of the world experience menstruation in the same way? This is probably something that has never crossed your mind. Staggeringly, women in certain parts of the world have no menstrual supplies at all. This leaves them exposed to diseases and creates huge social inequalities because of their menstrual experience.
According to research conducted by MIT, currently 47.5 per cent in sub-saharan Africa live on less than US $1 per day. For a population that already finds it hard to pay for more pressing necessities like food and medicines, a pack of sanitary pads is a luxury. Young girls and women have no choice but to use alternatives such as toilet tissue, cloths, cotton wool, rags and mattress material. As well as the increased risk of disease, the impracticality of such substitutes mean some girls have difficulty even walking to school. Issues surrounding menstruation in communities are rooted in the lack of education and the particular cultural, religious and traditional beliefs on menstruation. In some cultures, menstruation is evidence of witchcraft, and is generally perceived as dirty and shameful.
@forgefeatures
According to Water Aid, these cultural, religious and traditional beliefs also lead to a range of restrictions being placed on girls during their period. They include not being able to eat certain foods or attend religious functions, or having to sleep separately from other members of their family.
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In some cultures, menstruation is evidence of witchcraft and is perceived as dirty and shameful
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This lack of education and the restrictions imposed by cultural beliefs not only prevent girls from learning how to cope with their bodily changes but also make them lose self-confidence and dignity. There are many serious implications surrounding the poor education of menstrual hygiene.
Firstly, the lack of supplies and unhygienic environment leads to serious health risks. Inappropriate sanitary substitutes are often used such as sand, damp leaves and, in Zimbabwe, cow dung. This dangerously increases the risk of the most common infections among girls such as bacterial vaginosis which increases the likelihood of premature labour and increases susceptibility of STIs and HIV infection. Secondly, it badly affects girls’ school performance and attendance at school. According to the Girl Effect 2013, 70 per cent of out-ofschool children around the world are female.
Suppose a girl is absent from school for between four to seven days a month. Four days absence equates to a minimum of two weeks of
/forgepress features@forgetoday.com
school being missed every term. This adds up to a quarter of the whole school term being missed.
The Forum of African Women Education (FAWE) also revealed that girls aged 11 to 13 in Africa drop out of school due to lack of sanitary menstrual products, water and separate bathroom facilities in schools. School environments rarely provide female students with sanitary facilities. Syda, 22, who emigrated from Uganda in 2009 said: “When I was in Uganda, I just gave up and missed school while I had my periods because there was no space where I could wash and dispose the pads.”
A campaign group in Sheffield named Pants Protest is working alongside research group Irise to spread awareness of the inequalities some women face concerning menstruation.
As part of their campaign, participants make pants to wear over their clothes using instructions and kits provided by Irise. Caroline Plenty, a member of Pants Protest, said: “It’s actually not hard at all. I’d never made one myself before but I found it quite easy. You just need some unwanted clothes, cut it out of the shape and decorate it however you like.” The campaign was featured at the Red Tent at the Students’ Union during International Women’s Week, and is continuing to encourage societies at the University of Sheffield to get involved.
Ryad Chebbout, the design and creativity manager of Irise, said: “I hope more people will participate because it’s for such a great cause and a fun way to get involved. I saw how things were over in Africa while I was volunteering, so it would be great to let as many people as know how serious the issue is and get them to help the communities fight for gender equality.” Along with Pants Protest, Irise delivers workshops or lectures to wide ranging audiences at university events, local schools, conferences and community groups to raise awareness and deliver training for other NGOs on managing the issues abroad.
Their research projects conducted in different locations in Africa are also contributing to the enhancement of the welfare of the women.
Since their first study in Kenya in 2011, the research group has grown in strength and now they are working in affiliation with the School of Health Related Research (ScHARR) based at the University of Sheffield. Another research based in east Africa currently focuses on the impact of menstrual hygiene management on school attendance and women’s self-esteem. They are also conducting exploratory research into women’s health issues in Madagascar.
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It would be great to let as many people know how serious the issue is and get them to help the communities fight for gender equality Ryad Chebbout
as women.
“Irise, please keep on supporting them. They are the people who are restoring sustainability in Africa.”
Sue Mundicha-Katerere, a member of African Mothers’ Foundation, also said: “It is true that it has been always taboo to talk about menstruation in Africa because it’s related to sex.
“However, due to the pandemic of HIV/AIDS, people are now opening up to such discourses and relevant information. “Though the current education tends to focus on HIV/AIDS, I think it’d be great if we could add general sex education to teach them more about our bodily functions and changes such as menstruation.”
To build equality and justice in society, it is crucial we discuss menstrual hygiene and wider gender issues. With campaigners such as the Pants Protest having sparked such positive change in some women’s lives, it is important we don’t stop working until nothing gets in the way of female education.
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The success of the Pants Protest and other Irise projects mean they are now supported by many organisations both in the UK and east Africa, including Luyodefo, Community Action for Rural Women’s Empowerment, Revelation Children’s Ministry International, Access Madagascar Initiative, African Mothers’ Foundation, ScHARR, and Kisiizi Hospital. Bekezela Nsingo, founder and CEO of the African Mothers’ Foundation, praised the work of Irise and said: “We need to teach our girls to be safe and live the life that their mothers couldn’t experience. “We should teach them how to live
For more information on Irise’s work visit www.irise.org.uk
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Friday May 3 2013 FORGE PRESS
Fashion Food & Drink Health & Fitness Travel Giving Back Sex & Relationships Technology
Lifestyle & Travel WHAT NOT TO MISS THIS FORTNIGHT
Lifestyle’s pick of what’s on in Sheffield
By Alice Burrow
BEER & CIDER FESTIVAL
LYRIC FESTIVAL
Real ale, beer and cider lovers will be pleased to hear that the popular Beer & Cider Festival is due to return to the Students’ Union over the bank holiday weekend. The event will be hosted across the Raynor Lounge, Interval, Bar One and the Beer Garden. Entry is free and there will be over 80 varieties of beers, lagers and ciders on offer to festival-goers. There will also be a hog roast on Sunday May 5 to accompany Cider Day. Tokens can be bought in advance from the SU box office and in the meantime we’ll keep our fingers crossed for great weather.
The annual University of Sheffield’s Lyric Festival aims to celebrate the written and spoken word. There will be a series of events for poetry-lovers taking place over the four-day event, including a showcase of work from the University’s MA Creative Writing students. Spoken word artist Kate Tempest is billed as one of the highlights of the events. She will be gracing the stage of St. George’s lecture theatre on Friday May 3. Tickets for all Lyric Festival events can be purchased online and at the SU box office.
Survival Night
Burly Q
On Thursday May 9, Survival Night will put 20 teams of students to the ultimate test. Brave participants will be transported to a mystery location and forced to undergo a series of challenges all in the name of charity. Gather together your housemates and most trusted course mates as teams must be eight to 12 people. The winning team will be crowned the ‘Ultimate Survivors’. Tickets are £15 per person from the SU box office and all proceeds are going to RAG. Pick up will be from outside Bar One.
Join the Burly Q on Saturday May 11 as the ‘Queens of Burlesque’ come to town. Hosted at Sheffield’s legendary Queen’s Social Club, the night is the perfect opportunity for those that have never experienced the fun and glamour of burlesque. With acrobats and fire performers gracing a fantastic line-up, this is an event not to be missed. As well as a selection of the best burlesque performers on the scene, there will be vinyl DJ sets from Cherryred and Den Iniquity. Tickets are £15, purchasable from the Burly Q website.
Thursday May 9 at a mystery location
Saturday May 11, at Queen’s Social Club
Fitzwilliam & West
Olivia Adams & Laura Davies Set in the excellent location of West One Plaza, Fitzwilliam & West is the newly refurbished restaurant previously known as 23 Bar and Restaurant. Upon arrival we were greeted by polite staff and seated at a comfortably sized table. There were a couple of tables tucked into dark corners which did not look so appealing. Despite being 6pm and light outside, the dim lighting made it seem much later. We also felt that the interior was slightly confused. The decoration of retro flowered wallpaper and modern stainless steel accessories didn’t seem to work together. After browsing the drinks menu, we went for the cheapest large glass of wine; a Sauvignon Blanc costing a hefty £5.40. Chilled and dry, it was worth the price tag but maybe a cheaper option would be good. The cocktail menu was appealing and not too expensive but we stuck to wine to accompany our dinner. The food menu was certainly appealing with an appetiZing selection of pre-starter snacks, including baked camembert, olives and homemade pork pies. Fitzwilliam & West also offer a
Home brew
Thursday May 2 - Sunday May 5 across the University
Friday May 3 - Sunday May 5, at the Students’ Union
Review
Food & Drink
tempting brunch menu, from eggs benedict (£6.25) to a full English (£6.95) or a vegetarian breakfast (£6.45). When our attention turned to the mains, there was an impressive meat selection of steak and sausages. There’s pick your own bangers and mash, with a selection of award winning sausages and creamy mashes to choose from. All are served with onion gravy for £9.95. Nonetheless, we decided to go straight for the starters. I chose the Thai fish cake in a sweet chilli cream sauce (£4.95) and Laura chose the goat’s cheese tart with sweet onion marmalade and a balsamic glaze (£4.75). I have to say the Thai fishcake was the nicest I have ever eaten. The presentation was lovely and it was so tasty and flavoursome the sauce hit the spot but the chilli was not overpowering; an absolute 10 out of 10. Laura’s tart was also well presented, with a very generous slice of goat’s cheese was offered on top of a crispy filo pastry case with plenty of sweet onion marmalade and a balsamic glaze. Simply delicious.
Despite our wonderful starters, we were soon ready to eat our main courses. We has waited quite a long time for the food, considering the restaurant, despite being busy, was not full. Laura ordered a roast salmon fillet with spiced tomato sauce and crushed potatoes (£9.95) and I chose the F&W vegetable kebabs (£9.95). Our faces lit up when my plate came with two large skewers filled with halloumi, roasted pepper and courgette kebabs, as well as spiced cous cous and minted yoghurt. It was tasty, but unfortuantly there was no wow-factor. The salmon, served on a flavoursome tomato sauce, was bursting with flavour - perhaps even a little too much. Having polished off our mains, we decided to go all out and sample the pudding menu. I chose the white chocolate and marshmallow cheesecake and Laura went for the trio of lemon puddings. Both arrived on slate mats which I loved. The cheesecake was presented in a square instead of the usual slice, which I also liked. I could really taste the white chocolate and marshmallow and the fresh strawberries on the side were an added bonus. Laura commented that the lemon posset was the nicest part of the lemon trio dessert with a lovely consistency and tangy lemon flavour. The evening overall was pleasant but slightly underwhelming. The Thai fishcake was the highlight of the evening. However, the dining experience was slightly lacking, especially considering the high prices.
David Ewing Making alcohol; how hard can it be? According to several different internet forums, not very. Being the cosmopolitan, 21st century man that I am, the tipple of choice my brewing associate Sam and I decided to make was wine and after doing some lengthy research (BBC Good Food, you never let me down) the chosen flavours were apple and pink grapefruit. The wizened wine-makers of the web tell you that you need wine-yeast, fruit juices, sugar and water as ingredients and a brewing device such as a demi-john as well as a fermentation lock. But who in their right mind has any of those? For some reason my accomplice did indeed have a fermentation lock, but the only yeast he had was eight months out of date. To get the yeast going you have to pour it into warm water until it activates (usually around 15 - 20 minutes if I remember correctly) however after half an hour of poking our yeast-water mix with a spoon very little seemed to be happening. Back to the shops we went. Obviously nowhere had wineyeast but Hovis bread yeast is probably the same thing, right? After eagerly scouring the Oxfam in Broomhill and realising no
demi-john’s were to be found, we went for the next logical brewing implement: a plastic bin. Sporting a translucent finish and a dashing green lid, this was to be our holy water container. We were finally ready to get brewing. At this point most instructions we read told us to gently mix our carefully measured wine-yeast, fruit juice, sugar and water into a sterilised demi-john and leave for three days until fermentation begins, but we obviously decided to do things a little differently. We heated the fruit juice up to a ridiculous temperature in a pan (to increase the yeast activation you see) and poured everything into the bin before slamming the lid on
and hoping for the best. The next stage of fermentation is, apparently, very rapid; a foamy head appearing within an hour or so. Four hours later, however, it appeared that our attempt to increase yeast activation with heat had had the opposite effect . Any life in our big green bin had been well and truly killed. So more yeast had to be added, culminating in a rather funky, bread-like odour emanating across the kitchen. The whole process slows down and you have to wait three days for the foam to settle back down before sealing your brewing vessel and plugging the top with your fermentation lock. Again, we felt like doing things a little differently. Thanks mainly to lots of impatience, and so the lid was stuck on; a hole was punctured through with a ball-point pen and the delicate sealing process was completed with the help of a ten meter roll of cling-film - a wrapping that Tutankhamun would have been proud of. We’ve got to wait a month for the initial fermentation to finish now and then our potent cocktail will be transferred to empty wine bottles and left to ferment until early July. The total cost of this ridiculous endeavour was £17 but we are going to get around 12 bottles out of it so that’s alright, right? I am confident that this home
brewing experiment is going to result in alcohol poisoning and blindness on a scale not seen since desperate Americans drank antifreeze during the prohibition, but it’s all in the name of saving money and it’s a story to tell.
Follow the wine bin’s progress on Twitter: @BinWine
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FORGE PRESS Friday May 3 2 0 1 3
@forgelifestyle /forgelifestyle lifestyle@forgetoday.com
Drink
Avoiding Starbucks
How to not spend your entire student loan on a coffee David Ewing Fed up of spending an absolute fortune on pitifully average coffee in big chains? Still need something to abate that horrible caffeine addiction you gave yourself in exam season? Student loan already been spent on taxis and take-out pizzas? Look no further: here are a few places in Steel City that won’t rob you blind and will stop the coffee shakes for at least an hour or so. First stop on the ‘let’s save as much money as we can and feel good about ourselves in the process’ coffee train is the Weston Park café. S i t u a t e d just before the University, their café is open from 8:30am and a cup of tea, latte, cappuccino or americano is only £1 before 11am and after 2:30pm. As well as being brilliantly cheap, you also get to know
Student Life
your money is going some way to helping keep a brilliant building and park going. Take that, corporations. Next up we’ve got our very own Coffee Revolution to pay a visit to. If you head in on a Saturday, Sunday or Monday you can get a large drink for the price of a regular one as part of their ‘long weekend’ offer. If you’ve got a bit of a sweet tooth and fancy some cake with your coffee then look no further than Interval for their afternoon tea offer. From 2pm6pm every day you can get yourself a regular hot drink and a slice of loaf cake or tray bake for only £2.10. The perfect way to recover from a hard day falling asleep in lectures and seminars. If you have decided to
venture further than the Students’ Union for a change and actually managed to get onto West Street before your caffeine craving kicks in make sure you pop into Coffee Moco for your next hit. There’s a 20 per cent student discount on take-out orders available and this is on top of their already very reasonable prices where most drinks are around the £2 mark. If you’re looking for something a bit more international, then Tamper Coffee which lies just off West Street could be the one for you. New Zealand-born owner Jonathan Perry serving up both delicious coffee and a ‘slice of contemporary New Zealand Cafe culture’ into Sheffield. So there you have it: five reasonably priced places that will get your heart rate back up to the medically concerning level you are used to without breaking the bank. It might be worth going to the doctors about that twitch you get when you’ve not had a cup in a while though. That’s not normal.
Food
Lifestyle’s cheap eat
Chorizo, chilli & chickpea casserole by David Ewing
Ingredients: 2tbsp vegetable oil 1 onion, sliced 1 large yellow pepper, sliced and deseeded 1 garlic clove, crushed 225g chorizo sausage 1 tsp chilli flakes 1 400g can of chopped tomatoes 1 400g can of chickpeas, drained Handful of rocket leaves Salt and pepper to taste
1. Heat the oil in a large pan or flameproof casserole dish and fry the onion over a medium heat, stirring occasionally, for five minutes. 2. Add the yellow pepper, garlic and chilli flakes and cook for two minutes, stirring. 3. Chop the chorizo into bite-sized chunks and stir into casserole.
4. Add the tomatoes and chickpeas with salt and pepper to taste. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer for 10 minutes. 5. Stir the rocket into the casserole and serve with rice or couscous.
Legitimate procrastination Guilt-free ways of avoiding work
Katherine Hockley The exam period is perhaps the most stressful time in a student’s life, so naturally we will do anything to get out of actually knuckling down and doing some work. I am ashamed to admit that I think I took procrastination to its ultimate level when I re-joined Neopets. I am 20 years old. I’m not saying procrastination is always a bad thing, we all need breaks, but perhaps there is a way of doing it that is a bit more legitimate than staring at Facebook. There is a non-profit organisation called TED who allow some of the most brilliant minded people to
speak to an audience and then post the talks online for free. They stand to “spread ideas” and their website is basically the best way to learn and discover new, amazing things. Check out www.ted.com - here are some videos I recommend:
nothing on” while flicking through our hundred-channel TV, so this is relevant to all of us and will at least make you think more than watching Jeremy Kyle ever will.
1. Barry Schwartz: The paradox of choice
This is a talk that will make you rethink your beliefs on the positivity of freedom. We live in a world where we have so much choice and Schwartz suggests this only makes us unhappier. We are all guilty of saying “there’s
“Everything was better when it was worse”
2. Susan Cain: The power of introverts If you are like me and shudder at the thought of group work and giving presentations, this video will make you feel slightly better about yourself. Susan Cain talks about how being an extrovert shouldn’t be the most important thing we strive towards. So if you’re feeling nervous about a presentation you’ve got to give soon, watching this will probably
“Solitude matters. For some people it is the air they breathe”
3. Matthew Winkler: Who invented writing? Ted-ed is a relatively new aspect to the site and is a collection of videos that act as a teacher for some incredibly interesting subjects. ‘Who invented writing’ is the perfect example to demonstrate, and answers a question I can’t believe I never asked. This is definitely much more productive and interesting than Google-mapping your house, so I’d definitely suggest giving some of the lessons a look, even if it’s just so you can have some interesting party facts for when you’re too
few Harry Potter references as she goes. “It is impossible to live without failing at something, unless you live so cautiously that you might as well not have lived at all- in which case you fail by default”
5. www.freerice.com
sober to launch effortlessly into conversation with strangers. “Ultimately all the writing systems in the world still in use today can be traced back to China or Sumeria”
4. J. K. Rowling: The Benefits of Failure
help you with and give you a break from work.
audience of Harvard graduates, eloquently puts failure into perspective and talks about the power of imagination, slipping in a
If everything has become too much for you and you think there isn’t a hope in hell of passing the year, then we recommend watching this video. J.K. Rowling, speaking to an
This is a website that donates 10 grains of rice to feed the hungry every time you answer a question correctly. For example, it will ask you ‘10 x 4’ and give you multiple choice answers. The more you answer the harder the questions become, and there is a broad variety of subjects. Not only does the wesbite help others, it also helps you train your mind. It’s definitely a lot more rewarding than an afternoon spent on Candy Crush. This is the best and most worthy form of procrastination available to everyone, so next time you get that revision block, so get answering. Check out www.ForgeToday.com for all the links.
Friday May 3 2013 FORGE PRESS
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Lifestyle & Travel
Fashion Food & Drink Health & Fitness Travel Giving Back Sex & Relationships Technology
Travel
On a shoestring Split, Croatia
Isabel Dobinson Introducing Lifestyle’s new ‘On A Shoestring’ section: each issue, a student writer will inform us of the best way to get round a location of their choice, the student way. Kicking off the first instalment is Lifestyle’s Isabel Dobinson taking us through her summer in Split, Croatia. Croatia has emerged as an up and coming holiday destination and there is no doubt that the country of 4.41 million people has plenty to offer with its diverse landscape, cuisine, nightlife and low prices. Often referred to as the pearl of the Adriatic, this forgotten country has regenerated through its historical struggles into a tourist
Health
hotspot, while maintaining its motto as the ‘Mediterranean as it once was’. Although often overlooked, Split has everything a perfect city break should offer. After finishing our A-Levels and getting into uni, all my friend and I wanted to do was to fly to a hot country which was relatively cheap, pretty and had an amazing nightlife. Split’s distinct landscapes ranging from the few of Croatia’s sandy beaches (the majority are made up of pebbles) to the Krka National Park with its famous waterfalls are Split’s main tourist attractions. Our favourite beach was Bačvice and I’m not embarrassed to say that we spent well over 60 per cent of our time there, soaking up the sun and sleeping off our hangovers. Croatia is renowned for its clear waters and Split is no exception.
Along the promenade, past the cafes and the Tropic Club, which is where we had one of our most memorable nights, is a diving board straight into the sea. In terms of where to stay, I would recommend Beach Hostel, which is a five minute walk from Bačvice beach. It has free internet, lockers and reasonable prices, ranging from £17 to £23 per night. As well as achieving 92 per cent for security on Hostel World, it is top for atmosphere, with 100 per cent, and 96 per cent for character. There’s certainly a bohemian ambiance with patterns across the walls hand painted by Ladybird, the rather eccentric woman who runs the hostel. There’s no curfew and Ladybird has no problem with you coming back hammered in the early morning; in fact she is the one who told us about the legendary Split bar crawls.
Admittedly, when people ask me about our time in Split, the first thing that comes to mind was the ridiculously cheap bar crawls. Costing just over £12, you’re greeted with a free shot and driven in a bizarre fairground train to an hour of unlimited drinks, which are surely not legal in the UK , and given free entry to three clubs. There are three bar crawls in Split which run every night so if you’re not quite able to remember the night before, there’s always an opportunity to relive it less than 24 hours later. However, Split is certainly a lot more than just drunken nights out. The city is littered with hippy style markets selling turquoise jewellery (which I spent a fortune on) paintings, bags and homegrown Croatian lavender. Restaurants and cafes run along the side of the main street where
you can eat the renowned Croatian seafood for a reasonable price. It is also a transport hub providing regular ferries to Brac Island, buses to other cities and trains across eastern Europe. I’m making sure not to give Split a miss while interrailing this summer, and I would recommend it to anyone looking for a city with a balance of fun, beaches and culture.
Putting your brain over your waistline Why Samantha Brick won’t be getting you through your exams
Ellie McCaldin In a recent article by the now infamous Samantha Brick, the Daily Mail writer voices her opinion on how “there is nothing in life that signifies failure better than fat.” Brick also includes her view that, “any selfrespecting woman wants to be thin, and to be thin you need to spend your life on a diet.” Although the benefits of sticking to a healthy diet are fairly obvious, this is not exactly what Mrs Brick has in mind. The examples of previous dieting experiences that Brick includes in the article are nothing if not alarming. One segment details how she managed to lose her “puppy fat” by following a strict diet of Marmite on toast for a whole year (no butter of course). A similar quick fix tip from Samantha comes from her polo-diet invention, a regime in which she would eat a pack of Polo mints for breakfast and another for lunch. Samantha claims that “in the workplace, male bosses will always give the top job to a woman who looks fit and in control, rather than one who looks like a bulging
sack in danger of imminent cardiac arrest”. If however, you feel that perhaps doing well in your degree will be the best way to get into the top jobs, then Brick is not the one to listen to. Exam period is looming, along with a host of society events such as balls and dinners. In this stressful time period students can be driven to the allure of crash dieting, in the hopes of looking that bit skinnier for social events or maybe just because life has got so hectic that you feel you don’t have time to cook a proper meal. With summertime coming up many tabloids will be starting to publish quick- fix diets catered to those hoping to get bikini-ready as quickly as they can. However, the cons of crash dieting, especially during exam period, seriously outway the benefits of fitting into a slightly smaller ball gown/tux/bikini. Dietitian Lyndel Costain has written that these extreme diets can
lead to “lethargy, poor concentration and irritability”. These are obviously the last things you need when about to face the daunting end of year period and this is without even considering the long term issues associated with crash dieting such as developing osteoporosis, having a heart attack, stroke or suffering from liver or kidney failure So, in true Lifestyle fashion, we’ve decided to focus on some of the things you can and should eat during exams with a focus on our brains rather than our waistlines. Forget about cutting foods out and get shopping for some of these. 1) Eggs- eggs contain a nutrient called choline. This nutrient is essential in maintaining a high standard of cognitive functioning and also aids memory.
2) Whole grains- brown pasta, whole
grain cereals, or granary bread. The benefits of whole grain foods are that they are very low GI- meaning that the glucose we obtain from these foods is released slowly into the bloodstream. This ensures a steady release of glucose to the brain and longer periods of efficient mental activity as a result. 3) Oily fish- the best source of Omega-3, a fatty acid which cannot be made by your own body. Omega-3 is shown to boost brain activity and also improves mood. Salmon and mussels are cited as some of the best sources but if those are a bit out of your price range canned tuna does the same job. 4) Chocolate- cocoa is packed full of flavanols which have been proved to stimulate the production of endorphins which aid both with concentration and focus. Professor Ian Macdonald of the University of Nottingham has carried out studies which also show that milk chocolate can be useful for improving verbal and visual memory and also helps to speed up reaction times. Perfect excuse to go out and stock up on the Dairy Milk. Take that Samantha Brick.
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Technology
Is this the end for independent booksellers? New website Hive is taking book selling businesses online
Alice Burrow There are few greater pleasures in life than stumbling upon amazing independent bookshops and spending hours browsing the shelves for literary treasures, new and old alike. However, it can be an expensive habit and sadly these independent retailers are unable to compete with online giants who can offer books for a fraction of the price and often with no delivery charges. Walking around these lovely little bookshops I’m as guilty as the next person for uttering the immortal words: “Oh I’ll just get it on Amazon, it’ll be cheaper.” The lure of low prices and minimal effort is too tempting for students like myself. The soaring popularity of e-readers, such as Amazon’s Kindle has also inflicted damage on bookshops as the twenty-first century addiction to speed and convenience turned on paper books.
Giving Back
Sadly, it is simply not viable for independent bookshops to offer their wares at Amazon’s prices and as a result, they have been gradually disappearing from the high street. Often, the perception that i n d e p e n d e n t bookshops are always the more expensive is often incorrect. Second hand books that can be found in these smaller shops can be purchased at a small fraction of the price of new copies available online and if classic fiction is your cup of tea, you’ll find a wealth of books for less then a couple of pounds. As students, we all know too well that textbooks can be extremely expensive and very niche. However before you log onto Amazon, it is worth checking second hand bookshops and charity
shops first as former students often donate textbooks. Lovers of independent shops can be comforted by the fact that all may not be lost. The initiative new website Hive may be just what smaller book sellers need to survive the market of the modern world. Hive is a new website that combines the world of independent bookshops and 24 hour internet shopping in an attempt to protect the plight of independent retailers across the UK. E a c h independent shop gets their own page on the Hive website and through these web pages the benefits of local bookshops can be promoted to internet shoppers.
Through the website, in-store bookshop events can be advertised in the hopes that greater crowds will be attracted, promoting smaller businesses to wider audiences and helping them to fight back against a market of impersonal retail giants. Orders are placed online through the website and purchases can be collected from any retailer that operates within the Hive network free of charge. Shops that are part of the Hive’s network get a cut of the profit when a book or DVD is sold, helping to maintain this vibrant independent community. Prices on Hive are similar to sites like Amazon, if not cheaper in many cases. Delivery is cheap and free for purchases above £15. Although browsing through lists of books online may not live up to the enjoyment of physically browsing through these shops, it is still an admirable and practical way of reviving the suffering independent community on our own doorstep. If Hive isn’t enough for you and you really want to get into the independent experience then a good place to start in Sheffield is Rare&Racy, which can be found on Devonshire Street and is a treasure trove of books, CDs and vinyl. Whether we like it or not, it has to be accepted that we live in an age where nearly everything is accessible by the click of a button. If independent bookshops are to stay afloat in these changed times, Hive is a fantastic way for them to buy into the online market.
Inventive ways to raise money for charity We’ve thought of the best ways to empty pockets for a good cause
Laura Heffernan On Sunday May 12 up to 10,000 runners will hit the streets of Sheffield to take part in the Sheffield Half Marathon and Fun Run – an event that raised a whopping £175,000 for charities last year. People also swam between 1.5 and 5k for charity in the 2013 swimathon, which Sheffield recently hosted in aid of Marie Curie cancer care. Getting sporty for spring in aid of a good cause sounds great in practice, however these kind of events pose some problems for people (like me) who don’t exactly have the degree of physical fitness that would be required to take part in events like these. I mean, I don’t think I’ve entered a swimming pool since 2009, and even then I was more concerned with keeping my hair as dry as possible so I didn’t really move beyond a slow, sloppy, doggy paddle style.
As for the half marathon, that’s 20k. As it stands, I don’t know if I could do 20 minutes. Even 10 minutes is a bit of a struggle. However, an event like a half marathon is something I’d definitely be interested in taking part in because it really does sound like it would be the most rewarding thing ever, but obviously it would require a lot of preparation. Unfortunately April and May at university just means lots of deadlines and lots of exams therefore training for charity events will probably not be a priority during this period. I feel guilty doing anything that doesn’t involve a book – even if it is for a good cause – and running round the park for an hour every day means an hour every day when I’m not brushing up on restoration literature. However, we all know that there isn’t really an excuse good enough to stop you getting stuck in for chairty. We’re hoping we can make the process a little easier by providing some ideas for less strenuous fundraising events or atleast enjoyable ways to make money if you’re one of the brave souls about to take on one of the more seriously physical events.
1) If you’re a bit of an adrenaline junkie and need to inject a dash of excitement into the mundane revision period, maybe consider taking part in a skydive for the Weston Park Hospital Cancer Charity. It takes place on Friday May 17 at Langar Airfield, Nottinghamshire. No need for any prior preparation, just turn up and jump. For more information go to: www.wphcancercharity.org.uk/event_ skydive.html 2) The Beehive recently held the ‘Uni vs Hallam 50 Chicken Wing Challenge.’ Create
your own man v food style events and get sponsored to eat and eat until your heart’s content. I could definitely eat a sink full of ice cream, and if it’s for charity surely the 10,000 guilt-free calories are acceptable.
3) Why not host an event? Everyone loves a pub quiz and making it charity-focused turns it into a legitimate way to spend an evening, even if it is coming up to exams. There’s also nothing to stop you pestering local businesses for raffle prizes that you could flog alongside the main event. Nag flatmates, family or just random people that you find roaming the streets of Sheffield and you’re sure to bring in a good haul.
4) Don’t be afraid to embarrass yourself. University of Sheffield History and Politics student, Adam Hawksbee, recently raised £2,260 for the Bobby Moore Fund for Cancer Research by promising that he would don a bottom-exposing cowboy outfit throughout the entirety of his recent marathon run. He later reneged on this promise and decided to run in this dashing red number. Very sneaky fund raising tactics but it did the trick. 5) Get naked. Perhaps one of the more elaborate money making ideas and definitely recommended to use this idea as a society or group effort. Whether you’re part of a sports team or Knitting Soc getting everyone involved in a naked calendar is a sure fire way to make big money.
6) Use your musical talents. If you can play anything from the trombone to the ukelele take your talent to the streets and see how much money you could raise.
Admittedly quite a bit of effort involved in this one but at least you’ll be standing in one place. You don’t even need to purchase a permit in Sheffield, as long as you comply with the code of conduct, which is available to read online at www.sheffield.gov.uk.
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COFFEE BREAK Optical illusion of the fortnight
Stare at the centre of the image for one minute. Close your eyes. Hallelujah!
Friday May 3 2013 FORGE PRESS
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Photograph of the fortnight: Extreme lava kayaking
Although Brazilian TV show Kaiak seems to value getting good footage over the safety of its participants, with one kayaker’s oar catching fire as he explored the coastline of a Hawaiian volcano, it certainly paid off. Extreme sports photographer Alexandre Socci documented professional kayakers’ attempts to paddle through some of the most extreme and beautiful locations on the planet, from Kilauea Volcano in Hawaii to the tabletop mountains and enormous waterfalls of the Highlands of Guiana. Check out the full gallery at: http://bit.ly/11KQaCB
Photo: Alexandre Socci/Barcroft
calling all cryptozoologists! fresh out of the shower, there are strict conditions to the offer. Bigfoot must be captured alive and unharmed. If hunters cannot produce the creature himself, the only evidence accepted must be DNA-based; tissue, blood, saliva, hair - anything that proves the existence of a primate creature that “does not have the same genetic markers and DNA sequence as any known species ever discovered”. Which arguably might still apply to your housemate. If you’ve considered all of these conditions and decided that ultimately it may not be worth the time, then you have more sense than the thousands of hopefuls who have signed up so far.
Do you fancy yourself as a bit of an animal lover? Are you good at tracking and hunting? Do you have the strength and the cunning to take down a large hairy creature that, if it even exists, has evaded searchers for decades? Perfect, because the hunt for Bigfoot is officially on. Brothers Evan and Daren Metropoulos, the American owners of Pabst Brewing Company and Olympia Beer, are offering a $1 million reward for the safe capture, or at least ‘irrefutable evidence’, of the elusive Sasquatch. Before you go dressing up in a gorilla suit or taking a blurry photo of your hairy rugbyplaying housemate when he’s
Coffee Break’s word of the fortnight: Floccinaucinihilipilification, noun: 1.The act or habit of describing or regarding something as unimportant, of having no value or being worthless. Apparently coined jokily by pupils at Eton. Pronounced ‘flok-sih-nohsee-nee-hee-lee-pee-lih-fih-kay-shun’.
Random Facts of the Week: Marlboro was the first cigarette company to market a cigarette that had a red filter called ‘beauty tip.’ This was done to hide the lipstick marks left on the filter from women smokers. Photo: Fried Dough/Flickr
The term ‘the Big Apple’ was coined by touring jazz musicians of the 1930s who used the slang expression ‘apple’ for any town or city. Therefore, to play New York City is to play the big time the Big Apple.
Photo: Rakkhi Samarasekera/Flickr
You just missed out on the most amazing summer job ever For those of us unblessed with fortune, the most we might hope for in a summer job is a few days off and some interesting co-workers. Seb Smith, a student from the University of Leeds who has just fought off 2,000 other applicants to become the new official international water slide tester for holiday company First Choice, is a lucky, lucky man. Candidates were told they must be ‘willing to travel’, ‘comfortable in swimwear’ and ‘happy to get wet at work’ – and most obviously, ‘mad about waterparks’. The thousands of applicants were narrowed down to just five, who then spent a
week at a luxury hotel in Egypt competing for the position. Seb’s summer will now be spent travelling the world to locations such as Majorca, Turkey and Egypt, staying at 20 different First Choice resorts to rate their water slides on qualities such as splash and adrenaline factor. In return for all of this taxing physical labour, he will have all his expenses paid and be given an all-inclusive week’s holiday for two at the end of the contract – on top of a £20,000 salary. Hm? What’s that, you say? No, we’re not jealous. Not jealous at all.
Saudi Arabia ban yet another thing: Hands up who didn’t see that coming Saudi Arabia is well-known for its restrictive laws on everything from women to, well, women. However in a surprising plot twist last week, the men were the ones to take the fall in the latest gender-related scandal to come out of the country. Three men from the United Arab Emirates were attending Jenadrivah Heritage and Culture Festival in the capital city, Riyadh. They had been there just a few minutes when they were unexpectedly and forcefully evicted from the festival and later sent back to their own country. It goes without saying that they’d done something fairly serious to warrant this action from the country’s commission for the promotion of virtue and prevention of vice. Yes - they were arrested and deported for the unspeakable evil of being too goddamn good-looking. Officials were afraid that female visitors would simply lose their poor little minds at the sight of such masculine gorgeousness, and be tempted into sin and debauchery. The nation’s women had to be protected at all costs from the monsters who had dared to be
born too easy on the eyes. It is important to note that only one woman was in attendance at the festival, a female singer from the UAE. Apparently this woman posed such a risk of being overcome by uncontrollable lust and stripping naked in the street to throw herself at the men that the only option was to send the hunks home immediately protecting modest Saudi women from any temptation that might
befall them. Pictured is Omar Borkan Al Gala, one of the fiendish criminals. To be fair to Saudi officials, how could any woman resist those dreamy eyes? Watch yourself, well-groomed gents of Sheffield. If you don’t dress down you run the risk of being beset by frenzied female students throwing themselves at you left, right and centre. The horror.
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Puzzle Page: sudokus
COFFEE BREAK
with Lucy Copson
M
M
E
E
D
D
I
I
U
U
M
M
H A R D
Across: 1. Participants in a conversation (13) 6. Interfere with deliberately (8) 8. A universal taboo (6) 9. Abrahamic term for God (8) 10. Beautiful female nature deities of Greek mythology (6) 12. A royal penguin (7) 15. A shade of deep purple-red (11) 18. Said repeatedly in order to create background conversation (7) 21. Mars Exploration Rover, last heard from in 2010 (6) 22. Tiered tower built in traditional East Asian style (6) 23. One campaigning for change in legislation (8) 24. Written defamation (5) 25. I’m ______ to go! (6) 26. Scene of Napoleon’s defeat (8) 27. Grouping of stars (13)
Quote of the fortnight
“
DINGBATS
Dingbats are word puzzles from which you must identify a well-known phrase or saying.
Be yourself; everyone else is already taken.
”
Oscar Wilde
An example is given below: the answer is Blue Peter.
Down: 1. Unknown (7) 2. Dashing, perhaps slightly disreputable (6) 3. 28.35 grams (5) 4. The Old and the New (9) 5. Apple, steak and kidney, American (3) 7. Bless you! (5) 11. Narrative of heroic events (4) 13. Mysterious symbol (4) 14. Burn (4) 16. Victim of the Mariner (9) 17. Long-legged wading bird (4) 19. Typically worn by monks (5) 20. Monster of Lovecraftian origin (7) 26. Pale, dejected (3)
THIS WEEK’S PUZZLES: 1.
2.
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Friday May 3 2013 FORGE PRESS
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Matchdebating
SPORT
Debate: Has the success of T20 and the Indian Premier League undermined the importance of Test cricket?
Test cricket is still the T20 and the IPL have greatest stage of all had a positive impact Kristian Johnson
For any fan of English cricket, the image of Michael Vaughan holding aloft the Ashes urn in 2005 was the abiding memory of the greatest summer of British sport in the 2000s. And who can forget Swann’s sprinkler celebration down under in 2011 following yet another Ashes success? Test cricket remains the pinnacle for anybody playing the game, from Delhi to Durham. Battling it out against the modern greats of the game across five days is the true test of a cricketer. This is not to dampen the achievement of Chris Gayle’s mind-boggling innings against a hapless Pune Warriors attack in the Indian Premier League (IPL). The way Gayle smashed an incredible 175 runs off just 66 balls was a jaw-dropping experience. But it pales into insignificance compared to the feats of Brian Lara and Alistair Cook. Lara’s 400 not out against England in 2004 is something that is unlikely to be ever surpassed by any cricketer, while each of Cook’s 294 runs against India in the first 2011 Test were made with the utmost concentration and resilience. The same is true of bowlers. The greatest stories told aren’t of getting seven wicket hauls in a T20 match. All bowlers dream of having their name inscribed on the infamous Lord’s honours board. Twenty20 cricket has no doubt allowed a new breed of fan to enjoy the game.
Youngsters are enthralled by the big hits and the cheesy music accompanying every wicket, while the more casual cricket fan appreciates the fact that they can watch a match in less time than it takes to pronounce Muttiah Muralitharan.
“The greatest
stories told aren’t of getting seven wicket hauls in a T20 match” But in an already congested playing schedule, the IPL offers yet another unwanted distraction. England cricketers playing in all forms of the game face a whirlwind year ahead. A two match Test series and one day matches against New Zealand precede the ICC Champions Trophy, before Australia return to these shores in an attempt to wrestle back the Ashes. After such a draining test, the teams then have to contend with a flurry of meaningless T20 and one day matches, whose only beneficiaries are the sponsors. Who can honestly say that they will watch the twenty20 and one day matches with as much interest as the Test series? The players will then have less than two months of rest before jetting off to the other side of the
world the battle it out once again for one of the world’s smallest trophies. This, it must not be forgotten, is in addition to the twenty20 and Test series in New Zealand and the multitude of county cricket sandwiched in between. Cricket must be applauded for embracing ways to advance the game. The decision review system allows umpires to ensure they have made the right decision, often at crucial stages of a match. Indeed, twenty20 cricket itself is a unique adaptation of a traditional sport which has raised the profile of the game. Yet Test cricket is the finest example of the sport. In an increasingly overcrowded schedule, the IPL is fighting a losing battle, no matter how much money is thrown at the garish kits and razzmatazz. Nothing can compete with the tiny, wooden trophy that is the Ashes.
Will Aitkenhead Change is a necessity in the world of sport and it must be embraced in order to advance the game and continue progress. The advent of T20 cricket and the Indian Premier League has caused positive change in the
game in all formats. T20 involves different skills to Test cricket but this does not mean that it damages the longer format of the game. Since the introduction of twenty20 cricket in 2003, there has been a dramatic improvement in the standard of fielding as well as innovations that have advanced the game. The number of new supporters that the format has brought to the game means that it cannot be regarded as an undermining influence to the Test game. Prior to introduction of T20, cricket attendances were dwindling to their lowest levels of all time. The shortest format of the game has bought a new brand of supporter to the game and with the IPL being broadcast on freeto-air television it allows everybody to watch the best players in the world, something that cannot be done with Test cricket owing to Sky monopolising the broadcast rights. T20 cricket has without a doubt created more exciting Test cricket with batsman looking to be more attacking and teams being more willing to push for victory rather than accept a draw. In the period between 2000-2009 the average runs per over in Test cricket was 3.2, compared with 2.86 in the decade before. This in turn has led to the number of drawn Test matches dropping dramatically in the same period, with just 24 per
cent of matches ending in a stalemate between 2000-2009 and over 35 per cent in the 1990s and a remarkable 45 per cent in the 1980s.
“Prior to the introduction of T20, cricket attendances were dwindling to their lowest levels of all time.” More recently, with the IPL starting in 2008, the number of drawn Test’s in 2011 was just 10 per cent, and a lot of this can be put down to poor weather. Of course there are issues that need to be resolved, mostly resolving around contract issues. Nobody wants to see a situation where the best players don’t play Test cricket because of disputes over pay such as we have seen with the West Indies recently. The level of fielding has dramatically increased owing to the importance of the discipline in the shortened format of the game. This has been transferred into Test cricket and we are seeing the standard raised hugely across the board. There will never be a scenario where twenty20 cricket is the dominant format in the world and this should not be promoted. But since it’s introduction, twenty20 cricket has aided and developed Test cricket, helping it reach new levels and bring in new fans of the game.
Forge Sport’s Heroes and Villains of the fortnight Gareth Bale
Chris Froome
Amir Khan
Marcello Trotta
Bale scooped the PFA Player and Young Player of the Year awards at the awards ceremony in London, beating van Persie and Suarez to the prize.
He followed in the footsteps of Bradley Wiggins by winning the Tour De Romandie as he prepares to lead Team Sky at the Tour De France.
The Bolton born boxer as fought his last bout in Britain following a very unconvincing win on Saturday where he was knocked down.
The 19-year-old Brentford striker missed a 95th minute penalty which would have taken the Bees to the Championship.
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SPORT
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Pain and pleasure: on the road with the Owls Adam Hancock Several thousand Sheffield Wednesday fans made the long journey down south to Peterborough for the Owls’ crucial match at London Road. Amongst the army of Wednesday fans was one man who certainly stands out from the crowd. His name is Paul Gregory and he is a 50-year-old transport manager from Wolverhampton. There may be nothing out the ordinary about that, but it soon becomes clear why Paul is a little bit different to your average football fan. Affectionately known as ‘Tango’, Paul attends every Sheffield Wednesday match travelling the length of the country to support his beloved Owls. Once inside the ground Paul comes in to his element. He strips off his shirt to reveal his round belly and remains topless for the entirety of the match. No matter
how bad the weather is. “Carlisle away was a bad one,” explains Paul. “It was -15C with a wind chill, it wasn’t great.” Paul remained defiant though and stuck true to his tradition. He is one of the most recognisable fans in the country and attracts a lot of attention from other supporters, including numerous chants about his weight. “You fat bastard is the most common one”, he explains with a wry smile. Today I am on the road with Paul to Peterborough. Living in Wolverhampton, he sets off from the midlands just after 10.30am. He drives to the match with his friend Mike and one of his work colleagues, Jim. Paul is a transport manager and supports the Owls after he randomly picked them while attending a game at Hillsborough as a child. His love for the club has grew from that point and now he spends thousands of pounds on attendance to Wednesday
matches. Once in Peterborough, Paul is in his element. Heading from pub to pub and drinking numerous pints, Paul is surrounded by his “extended family” of Wednesday fans. We meet an American man and a former Coronation Street actor and they all have good words to say about Paul. He’s a champion amongst Wednesday fans and it’s clear that Paul thrives on this reputation. On the walk to London Road Paul is at the heart of the chanting, crowded by Wednesday fans in high spirits on the last away day of a long season. The match is disappointing from a Wednesday perspective. Peterborough perform well and grind out a hard fought 1-0 victory. As Paul trudges away from a chilly London Road he knows Wednesday still face the drop. He also knows that whatever happens, he will still have his Wednesday family.
Final day surge needed for Wednesday safety Football nPower Championship Peterborough United Sheffield Wednesday
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Ben Weir A stunning Grant McCann freekick gave Peterborough a 1-0 win over Sheffield Wednesday last Saturday, ensuring that the relegation battle will go down to the final game of the season. The result leaves Dave Jones’ men one point above the drop zone with the visit of Middlesborough to Hillsborough this Saturday. Survival is still in Wednesday’s own hands but many will see Saturday as a must win game. There were surprise inclusions in the starting XI for Wednesday against Peterborough, with youngster Rhys McCabe and striker Chris Maguire beginning the match. On the hour, the Owls gave a free kick away 25 yards out. McCann was to make them pay
and struck a powerful shot in off the post to give Peterborough the only goal of the game. Manager Dave Jones remains positive: “It’s in our hands and that’s all we can ask. If you’d have given me that at the start of the season, I’d have taken it. “I can’t say it enough times, we are one point better off than three teams down there and it stays in our hands.” For Saturday’s game, Wednesday may be without the injured Jermaine Johnson
Hillsborough
(hamstring) and Reda Johnson (foot) whilst Giles Coke is 50/50. Coke has been playing with an injection to the foot before every game for over ten matches now and may miss out because of it. The Owls have lost their past four games against Boro and haven’t beaten the Teesside club since 1999 in their last Premier League season to date. A bumper crowd of over 30,000 is expected at Hillsborough on Saturday.
Photo: Deejayone/Wikimedia Commons
Photo: Blades Sport Photography
Chris Morgan and his assistant
Play-offs beckon for Morgan’s Blades Football nPower League One Sheffield United Preston North End
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Ben Topliss Sheffield United’s poor run of form continued as they played out a dull goalless draw. The Blades will go into their play-off semi-final with Yeovil having only won once in the last eight games. With United safely in the playoffs and Preston settling for midtable, a lack of urgency was an overwhelming factor. United battled hard in a half devoid of any real quality, with Joe Ironside in particular applying himself well up top. The striker, making his full league debut, was brought down in the area in the tenth minute but was denied a penalty by referee Steve Rushton. The ball immediately rebounded to Kevin McDonald on the edge of the 18 yard box, but his tame effort went straight into the arms of Declan Rudd. Harry Maguire was the next to come close as he put a freekick just over the bar. Preston, content to play on the counter, offered little in the way of reply. But the break in play resulted in a notable increase in tempo. United’s George Long saved
well from a close range Jack King header 10 minutes after the restart, and substitute Chris Porter had the ball in the net soon after only for it to be disallowed for handball. Preston manager Simon Grayson obviously wanted to send the team’s fans home happy after a desperately disappointing league campaign this year, and Lee Holmes almost obliged when he hit the crossbar with a clever free-kick from the edge of the area. Jeffrey Monakana then went on a clever run past several Blades defenders, resulting in a tame effort that went high over the bar. Ironside again came close 10 minutes from time after bringing the ball down inside the six yard box, but his shot was well blocked by a stubborn Preston defence. This was the catalyst for an energetic last period of play. Goalkeeper Rudd combined with John Welsh to push a Jamie Murphy header off the line, and in the last minute Elliott Whitehouse was played in eight yards from goal but took one touch too many and his shot was cleared. United will face Yeovil as slight underdogs, after defeat to the Somerset side 0-2 at Bramall Lane last January. The winners will face either Brentford or Swindon Town at Wembley on May 25.
The future looks bleak for snooker as Rocket Ronnie retires World Snooker Championships
Jack Taylor Four-time world champion Ronnie O’Sullivan has announced that he will be retiring following this year’s World Championships He made the decision following his 13-4 victory over Stuart Bingham in the World Championship quarter-finals. O’Sullivan took an 11-month sabbatical prior to the World Championships for personal reasons, but returned last week and has been in sparkling form.
The Rocket, who will take on hot prospect Judd Trump in the semis, said that he only came back because of money troubles and that he no longer had the hunger for the game. Trump will now be the man to take up the mantle of being the games entertainer. Trump scraped through his quarterfinal tie against Shaun Murphy in a final frame decider and will now be looking to make his second world final. The Bristolian is becoming renowned for his ‘naughty’ snooker with exquisite long potting and will be hoping to build on his reputation as the
biggest talent in snooker by defeating O’Sullivan. The other semi-final has come as a big shock to the snooker world as Ricky Walden will take on Barry Hawkins and the two journeymen will both be looking to make their first appearance in a Crucible final. The future of the game now looks to be in disarray with the retirements of O’Sullivan and Stephen Hendry in successive years. It is now up to a new generation to take over the mantle. Whether O’Sullivan wins the title his reputation as the greatest player ever to pick up a cue will not be forgotten.
Ronnie O’Sullivan
Photo: DerHexer/Wikimedia Commons
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Table tennis through to play-off final Kimber surprises on first outing despite loss Men’s Cricket University of Hull 1s 231-8 University of Sheffield 3s 204 Chris Jarvis
Photo: Josh Rock
Table Tennis club captain Matt Goold
Men’s Table Tennis University of Sheffield 1s St Andrews 1s (Sheffield win 20-14 on aggregate)
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Matt Goold The University of Sheffield men’s table tennis first team picked up an aggregate win over St Andrews in the tier one playoffs to carry on their already impressive season. Sheffield now go through to their final Premier League playoff game against Leeds on May 22 knowing a win would see them creep into the top eight teams in Britain, and add to their league, cup and Varsity titles already won in what has been one of the most successful seasons for the men’s team in many years. After winning the first leg at home 13-4, the men’s first team travelled away to St Andrews,
Scotland, on May 1 to try to extend their perfect play-off form this season. Having already claimed the first leg, and beaten the St Andrews team in the cup earlier in the season, Sheffield were clear favourites. Dissertation deadlines meant that only three of the four team members could make the trip, meaning an instant forfeit in four games out of the 17 available in the match. Although the comprehensive first-leg victory meant Sheffield only needed to win five out of the 17 games to win on aggregate overall, the forfeits made it an uphill task. The start of the match was extremely tough for Sheffield. St Andrews newest recruit was extremely able, and instantly got the home team off the mark by beating James Atkins in a tough five-set thriller. Club captain Matt Goold then lost to St Andrews’ ex-Thailand international in three sets. It was Mike Fraser who got Sheffield off the mark by coming
from 2-1 down to beat the new opponent in the fifth set with incredible nerve when it was required. The next few games saw Sheffield trailing 7-2 in the match overall which put them into a very tight situation. But battling in tough playing conditions, Fraser overcame Michael Hahn of St Andrews in another close five-set match. Three points were now on the board for Sheffield, and they required only two more games to reach the play-off final. Goold stepped up to the mark and eventually beat his opponent in five sets yet again, having to overcome some extremely dubious calls favouring the St Andrews player. James Atkins then sealed the spot in the final by beating Hahn, winning 11-9 in the fifth set. Having already won overall, Sheffield relaxed and took the last singles matches and the doubles to make the overall second-leg score 10-7 to St Andrews.
Michael Goodfellow joined Haynes at the crease, and the pair began to rebuild. Goodfellow struck some lusty blows as the two batsmen added 56 for the fifth wicket, walloping three maximums that included a shot that struck the window of the pavilion balcony. However, disaster struck when two wickets fell in quick succession, both bowled by the medium pace of Goudie; Goodfellow for 33, Haynes for 41. From a position where a score of 200 looked possible, the momentum fizzled out. Tight bowling by Goudie (3-21) and Cosford (2-23) proved difficult to score against. Contributions from Charles Jones (14) and Matt Tiller (11) managed to push Sheffield up to a score of 150, but the team knew that they were 20 runs shy of a par score. Early wickets were required for Sheffield to have any chance of defending their total, and Jamie Smithson (2-32) provided just that. Gibson first took a difficult catch at cover to remove Goudie before Smithson clean
bowled Jarvis third ball, leaving Sunderland on 6-2. Further wickets proved hard to come by, however, as the Sunderland batsmen dug in to resist the efforts of the Sheffield bowlers. Chris Hooper and Matt Tiller in particular toiled away for no reward. When Gibson picked up the wicket of Cosford (29) to leave them at 80-4, Sheffield once again felt they had a sniff. But a controlled 29 not out by Sunderland skipper Craig Stephenson extinguished any hopes of creating a turnaround. The day was perhaps best surmised when Perry had Symington bowled out, only for the umpire to signal a no-ball. If any incentive was required to bounce back, the 2nd XI next week play host to Sheffield Hallam 1s in what is now a mustwin game.
All Haynes and no gains for Uni Men’s Cricket University of Sheffield 2s 150 Sunderland 1s 151-5 Alexander Griffiths The University of Sheffield’s cricket 2nd XI could not overcome a strong Sunderland 1st XI in a low scoring affair at Norton, losing by five wickets. Batting first, Sheffield struggled to 150 all out, before Sunderland chased down their target with nine overs remaining. On a bright and clear day, captain Alex Griffiths won the toss and elected to bat first on a worn Norton wicket. After a watchful start by openers David Gibson and Ali Haynes, Sheffield soon found themselves in trouble at 30-3. After Gibson was caught for 17, the in-form Griffiths and Jack Mousley soon followed. When Oliver Perry chipped to cover six overs later, the innings was in danger of falling apart at 50-4.
The University of Sheffield’s 3rd XI took a long trip to play at Hull University’s Scarborough campus. They were fortunate enough to be playing at Scarborough cricket ground where Yorkshire County Cricket Club regularly play. It definitely wasn’t a ground and pitch that the 3rd XI were accustomed to, but the spectator seating around the good flat pitch was very welcome. Having won the toss the Sheffield side chose to bowl first as they felt more comfortable chasing on a quick outfield and short boundary. After the first 10 overs, Sheffield managed to keep it extremely tight and picked up one wicket. However, a dropped catch was to prove crucial. An opening spell from left-armer Jack Kimber produced figures of 1/18 in eight overs on his BUCS debut. Following another wicket from Rob Oliver, two of Hull’s batsmen struck a 100-run partnership which was eventually stopped when Sam Tye began his four wicket haul, removing a batsman for 51 with a stunning ball. Tye continued to get three more wickets to finish with 4/41, however, during his stint the
batsman who had been dropped twice went on to score 101 not out. Throughout the middle overs, Phil Owen bowled all of his 10 overs in a single spell 10-1-430. This built crucial pressure that allowed wickets to fall at the other end. Oliver’s bowling proved impressive, finishing up with 9-1-45-2, but the opposition ended on 231 for eight. Sheffield’s batting got off to a solid but slow start, without losing a wicket until the 17th over due to some very accurate deliveries from Hull’s opening bowlers. Hull’s centurion with the bat showed his all round skills with decent leg spin which restricted Sheffield further. In the 31st over Sheffield were 90 for 5 with a required run rate required of seven per over which caused a reaction from captain Chris Jarvis and Andy Robinson who scored 54 and 35 respectively. After the partnership was broken, the chances of a win diminished despite brave batting from tailenders Owen and Kimber. Sheffield ended up on 204 all out in 46.1 overs. Captain Jarvis said afterwards, “The entire team are disappointed with the result as we felt we could have done better throughout the three disciplines to restrict their score and to bat better. “We enjoyed playing on a ground of this stature and are unlikely to be playing anywhere comparable soon.”
Men’s cricket 3s at Scarborough Cricket Club
Photo: Chris Jarvis
Debut despair for women cricketers Women’s Cricket University of Sheffield 1s 57-7 Sheffield Hallam 1s 58-3 Emily Dibble Sheffield Hallam won the toss and elected to field first. After some top quality bowling by Hallam’s Walsh, several early Uni wickets were lost. Much of the Hallam bowling was mixed, with a lot of wides making it hard for the Uni batters to get settled. Strong performances with the bat by Hannah Fairbairn and Charlie Parker steadied the game and with the support of the
lower order, including some great batting by Sophie Burton, Uni saw out the 30 overs with a total of 57-7. When Hallam set about the chase, tight fielding allowed Dibble and Buttery to take a few early wickets which threatened Hallam’s response. Jess Allen took two wickets on her debut outdoor match, reducing Hallam to 15-3. Despite some clever bowling, it took Hallam 12 overs to knock off the required 58 runs to win. With over a third of University’s team playing their first outdoor game, it provided a useful opportunity for the Women’s cricket team to get some much needed match experience.
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Indoor champions face outdoor relegation battle
Sheffield need two victories in their remaining three fixtures to ensure league safety
Men’s Cricket Durham University 1s 165 University of Sheffield 1s 90 Will Aitkenhead The men’s cricket first team now sit in the relegation zone of Northern 1A and will need to pick up two wins from their last three games to ensure they beat the drop. Defeat to a strong Durham side by 75 runs condemned Sheffield to back to back defeats, this was despite five wickets from debutant Richard Cantwell. Having won the toss and opted to bowl first, Sheffield began well with Steve Wellman picking up a wicket in the second over as Will
Aitkenhead took a diving catch at second slip. Cantwell soon had his first wicket as well, clean bowling the other opener. Hickinbottom soon got in on the act as well to reduce Durham to 40/3. A solid fourth wicket partnership took the score beyond 100 before Cantwell returned for a second spell and from then on it was all Sheffield in the field. First Cantwell managed to run out the non-striker with a fortunate flick onto the stumps to break the partnership and with his very next ball he rearranged Richer’s stumps to make it 142/5. With Chris Murrall keeping it tight at the other end, Cantwell picked up wickets regularly and finished his spell of 10 overs with 5/39. Hickinbottom mopped up the
tail to finish with 3/33 as Durham were dismissed for a below par score of 165. With the bat Aitkenhead started positively, registering two boundaries in the second over but the score was soon 15/2 as he was caught behind and Ross Barrett followed in similar fashion. When Edward Pearce was lured into pulling the ball straight to fine leg it was 26/3. For a period Murrall and Orban Holdgate, two heroes of the National Indoor Final, combined well and looked steady in taking the score past 50. The introduction of spin changed the game; however, as Durham’s two spinners went through the Sheffield middle order to leave the chase in tatters at 62/8. Murrall was left with the tail
Photo: Will Aitkenhead and was finally tempted into giving his wicket away when he holed out for 16. A late flurry from Steve Wellman offered faint hope, but when he was last man out for 17, Sheffield were all out for 90. Pick of the bowlers, Cantwell, said after the game: “I’m obviously really pleased with the way I bowled and was glad to get five wickets on my debut. It was a wicket that really suited my style of bowling. “But at the end of the day it’s a team game and we lost unfortunately. I’m looking forward to next week and planning on doing the same hopefully.” They will look to do that when they take on Manchester 3rd XI next Wednesday May 8.
Sheffield set for BUCS record Matthew Smith The University of Sheffield are set for their best ever season after surpassing their previous overall high score in the BUCS tables. With summer sports such as cricket and athletics still to be counted, Sheffield have 731 points, which surpasses their previous record. They currently sit 17th in the table, which is comprised of every university that competes in sport at a competitive national level. Sheffield’s previous best finish was 21st in 2006. This is another boost to Sheffield, who have had a superb sporting year, including winning the annual Varsity competition against Sheffield Hallam for the first time in 10 years. Individual sports that have particularly contributed to Sheffield’s successes include cricket, who became national indoor champions, and table tennis, where the men’s 1s won their league. Sports officer Luke MacWilliam spoke of Sheffield’s achievement to Forge Sport. “For a university that has a keen sporting history without being a traditional powerhouse in university sport, this is a significant achievement. “To break into the top 20 institutions in the country with what is a very tight-knit and ambitious club sport community is a true testament to the work put in by staff and students over the last 10 years. “There is little expectation on us to win national titles and regional leagues, it is the desire of our students, inspired by each others success, that is the driving force behind this incredible achievement. “Sheffield has a strong reputation of having an inclusive club sport set up and increasing participation has been a significant ambition of club sport over a number of years.” Head of club sport Andy Cox was equally happy. “I am delighted about our performance in BUCS this year and from the commitment and effort from all our teams and individuals.” “We had set a pre-season target of 1,200pts overall and it’s very pleasing to have reached this and still have the cricket season, outdoor athletics and other events to finalise with the potential to collect more wins. We have collected 1,323pts so far and this is the best ever points haul at the University of Sheffield.” “To compete with some of the big sport universities is a big achievement but we are well capable of doing so and have much more potential to grow and develop in the future.” Table tennis captain Matt Goold said: “It’s a massive achievement. The club has been near the top of the BUCS points for the past few years, but this really shows how well the club has developed over the last couple of years.”