Forge Press #162 - October 2022

Forge Press

legacy: The contoversies of the

six weeks

Black History Month: Books and podcasts for self-education

University sport too

Ex-Students' Union president running for Labour candidacy

Chloe Aslett (she/her)

A former Sheffield Students’ Union president is running to be the next Labour MP for Sheffield Central.

Abdi Suleiman came to Sheffield as a refugee aged 3, grew up in the city, and studied Philosophy at the University of Sheffield.

He said: "I'm from here, I studied, worked, and grew up here - I also have that parliamentary experience of speaking to politicians about what you want, and being met with that glossy look of disinterest."

Suleiman was SU president in 2012-13 when the first generation of £9,250 tuition fee students came through.

He said: "Tens of thousands of us went on demos every weekend. We weren't going to be paying that amount, but we knew [the increase] was the wrong thing to happen. That experience got rid of this idea for me that young people are selfish."

His campaign aims mention...

(story continues on page 4)

Students hold candlelit vigil for Iran

Ayesha Parwani (she/her)

Students at The University of Sheffield gathered outside the SU for a candlelight vigil in memory of Mahsa Amini, 22, who was killed by the Islamic Republic Morality Police for violating the compulsory hijab rules in Iran.

The vigil on Monday 26 September saw students come together to share their experiences, fears, and concerns regarding the protests in Iran, and 43 years of control by their government.

An Iranian student told Forge Press about the

moments shared during the vigil.

She said: “I saw a girl who moved to the university recently to study. At the vigil, she was crying in my arms, hopelessly and saying she feels like a coward, unable to help as she watches our people fight for our freedom, our rights, and yet we can’t help but just sit and watch them die.

“In what world, do you get beaten up to death, taken to a van, and never heard of again? It’s not normal, and we have to keep spreading awareness to create a change.”

The protests in Iran have sparked a large International movement, with people from different ends of the world spreading awareness and standing in solidarity.

Organised in 150 cities, Iranian diaspora communities and human rights activists have launched unprecedented rallies throughout the world against the Islamic Republic.

Due to the rise in protests against the killing of Mahsa Amini, Iranian authorities have cut down the internet, mobile network, WhatsApp, and Instagram usage.

(story continues on page 4)

Abdi Suleiman, former SU President

Editor-in-Chief Chloe Aslett

Deputy Editor Reiss Mason

Deputy Editor Hollie Taylor

Head of Socials and Advertising Joel Hooke

Inclusions & Welfare Officer Eva Pears

Head of Photography Shruthi Selvarajan

Head of Design Thomas Cather

Secretary/Social Secretary Abi Ware

Head of News Connor Ost

News Editor Ayesha Parwani

News Editor Ciara Hay

News Editor Aarthi Nageswaran

News Reporter Daniel Hunt

News Reporter Xiaoyi Jin

News Reporter Brooke Johnson

News Reporter Chloe Scofield

News Reporter Becca Symms-Rowley

Features Editor Erin Mansell

Features Editor Josh Thory-Rao

Opinion Editor Lia Freeman

Opinion Editor Ollie Inman

Science & Tech Editor Isabel Butterworth

Science & Tech Editor Ellie Hanzi

Lifestyle Editor Emily Duff

Lifestyle Editor Jessica Fitzpatrick-Howard

Acting Break Editor Joel Hooke

Arts & Theatre Editor Lucy Riddell Arts & Theatre Editor Faith Suronku-Lindsay

Music Editor Alice Fletcher

Music Editor Charlie Sweeney

Screen Editor Connor Bragger

Screen Editor Ruby Watson Games Editor Carla Biteanu

Head of Sport Jemma Snowdon

Sport Editor Tommy Gorman

Sport Editor Sam Quine

Multimedia Editor Charlotte Beever

Multimedia Editor Ayesha Parwani

Deputy Head of Advertising Tia Xiourouppas

Social Media Assistant Hannah Jackson

Social Media Assistant Jenisha Joshi Website Manager Carla Biteanu

Break

Games

Letter from the Editor

Hello everyone, After a few too-good-tobe-true weeks of sitting through fairly relaxing intro lectures and wholeheartedly ignoring any actual work that had to be done, term is officially in full swing again.

October brings with it suspiciously short daylight hours and lecturers tentatively mentioning the assessments on the horizon.

So, as we put in the last issue, please make use of the resources available at the University to help you with everything health and wellbeing and more.

It is of course Black History Month this month, and we are putting a focus on amplifying these voices and topics, not just in this issue but all the time. Many of our contributors have echoed this sentiment throughout the various sections, from features, to arts, to science and tech.

We are well aware that journalism as a field is not the most accessible, and student media should have that at the forefront of what we’re improving on. One improvement we have made so far this term is opening

up a google form, where you can easily pitch your ideas, without fishing through websites and social media for contact details.

You can specify whether you want to write it yourself, if it’s just an issue you think we should cover, and even make anonymous pitches.

You can find this on the Forge Press Contributors group on Facebook, which is open to all students at the University.

And lastly, thank you so much for picking up a copy of our second print edition! Have a flick through for a look at our showcase of student poetry, a reminder of the ‘Match Report of the Month’, and our contributors’ take on the importance of Marvel continuing Chadwick Boseman’s legacy.

As always, find these pieces and much more online at forgepress.org.

Take care!

Chloe Aslett Editor-in-Chief

Head the

The big picture

the midst of the hustle and bustle of university students, there is a calm and serene atmosphere that sits behind the St George’s Church. The wide expanse of grass and warm orange trees behind the building stand out more than ever during fall season.

often find someone leaned against a tree trunk engrossed in a book propped up on their knees. Take this chance to sit amongst the piles of leaves and take in the view before it eventually fades out by the end of the year.

researchers receive

View from St George’s Church. Photo: Shruthi Selvarajan

SU offers support for Iranian students Ayesha Parwani (she/her)

Continues from front >>

...leaving international students with no means of communication to contact family members back home.

Human rights groups say as many as 233 protestors have been killed since the start of the protests.

In Toronto alone, 50,000 people were seen protesting, as a collective identity bringing everyone together.

‘Women, Life, Freedom’ are the slogans chanted during each protest. Promoting the notion that this uprising is not only a fight led by women, but also highlights human rights, and freedom for all.

The SU said in a statement: “We are working closely with the University to ensure the

welfare of our students with Iranian citizenship. Students who need support can access help through the University's Welfare and Wellbeing team which includes one-to-one appointments with Wellbeing Advisors."

Additionally, from Monday 5 October, Student Mental Health, Counselling and Therapies Service are offering fast-track assessment appointments to students affected by the situation in Iran, which can be accessed by emailing mentalhealthcounselling@ sheffield.ac.uk or calling on 0114 222 4134. When booking an appointment, students need to add Iranian Student Fast Track Appointment to the subject header on their email or mention this when they call.

Listening Ear, a service launched by the Persian society was created to help combat loneliness and create a safe space for Farsi-speaking individuals in Sheffield.

Their goal is to create "a one-on-one safe environment in the form of pain and heart aimed at Iranian students to share their concerns over the uncertainty present back home".

Women, life, freedom

This is not an emergency helpline and the society urges students to call emergency helplines if needed.

Ex-SU President for Sheffield MP

Chloe Aslett (she/her)

Continues from front >>

...fighting the climate crisis, promoting public healthcare and education, protecting the opportunities of young people and the dignity of the old, and making sure "the good life is something we all get to enjoy".

"I was umming and ahhing about going for it, thinking 'can I contribute something here? There is a part of you that definitely gets lost constantly working to try and make other people's lives better. If me getting into this doesn't do that, then what's the point?"

Comedian Eddie Izzard and journalist Paul Mason have also thrown their hats in the ring to be elected as

the Labour candidate for the seat, along with local councillors Jayne Dunn and Abtisam Mohamed, freelance journalist Mike Buckley, and NHS dentist and Public Health Specialist Dr Rizwana Lala.

Suleiman said: "On one hand, I would love for us to have a system where anyone can run for office, with a much lower bar and a constant switch-up of MPs. It's great that a lot of people are running.

"I hope someone really local wins - obviously I hope I win! Given the the system we currently have I think it makes sense for the MP for Sheffield Central to be someone who spends a lot of time in Sheffield Central."

Shortest-serving Prime Minister Liz Truss resigns

Connor Ost (he/him)

Prime Minister Liz Truss has resigned after receiving a poor response to her financial plans and losing support from her party.

Liz Truss made an appearance outside 10 Downing Street on Thursday 20 October to formally resign after a rebellion by Conservative MPs. Her leadership had come under question when her plans to stabilise the economy, amongst both a cost of living and an energy crisis, faced backlash.

Ex-Chancellor Kwasi

Kwarteng had been tasked with detailing a robust method to support the economy, but his ‘minibudget’ was rejected by MPs and the financial markets.

Mr Kwarteng resigned on 14 October.

In her resignation speech, Liz Truss said as a result of “great economic and international instability”, she could not deliver on her promises. She served just 45 days, the shortest term of any Prime Minister.

A leadership election is expected to occur imminently, during which time Truss will remain as PM until her successor is selected. They will be the third Prime Minister since the last General Election in 2019, a role which typically sees an MP at the head of the

government for a five-year term.

Opposition Leader Keir Starmer was critical of the situation and called for another General Election, warning “we can’t have a revolving door of chaos, we can’t have another experiment at the top of the Tory party.” The Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon likewise called for an election.

Candidates have until 2pm on Monday 24 October to gather the support of 100 MPs each in order to run. Rishi Sunak and Penny Mordaunt, who ran in the last leadership election, are expected to do so again, and the idea that Boris Johnson may run again has also been

considered.

The ballot will open to MPs and possibly some Conservative party members Monday afternoon and close at 11am on Friday October 28, with the result of the contest to be announced later that day.

"

We can't have a revolving door of chaos, we can't have another experiment at the top of the Tory party.

"

Unihomes issues update on its energy bill package

Ayesha Parwani (she/her)

UniHomes, a Sheffieldbased platform which works with partner lettings across the UK and provides utility packages, shocked thousands of students last month when it increased its signed monthly energy bills contract.

UniHomes said in an email to their customers that the rise is due to unprecedented rises in wholesale energy costs. The Ofgem price cap is predicted to significantly increase from October, affecting household energy bills right across the UK.

As a result, the UK government launched an Energy Bill Support Scheme to combat the rise of energy costs.

Households to start receiving £400 off their energy bills from October, with the discount made in 6 instalments to help families throughout the winter period

This £400 off energy bills is part of the government's £37 billion of help for households, including 8 million of the most vulnerable households receiving £1,200 of direct support to help with the cost of living.

Government confirms important details of the Energy Bills Support Scheme, which will provide energy bill discounts to 29 million households across Great Britain.

What does this mean for student tenants of Unihomes?

Households will see a discount of £66 applied to their energy bills in October and November, rising to £67 each month from December through to March 2023. The non-repayable discount will be provided on a monthly basis regardless of whether consumers pay monthly, quarterly or have an

associated payment card.

If your package with UniHomes includes energy, the £400 grant will be automatically applied via a deduction in your monthly direct debit or a refund. In line with the government guidance, the grant will be issued monthly as £66 per household in October and November, and £67 from December to March. The grant will be split equally between your group, for example, a group of 4 will see a government grant deduction in their October payment of £16.50 per person.

The £400 government grant is a measure introduced by the government that every house in the UK will benefit from. From October, all energy suppliers will get money from the government to reduce household energy bills by £400, spread over six

months.

In an email sent to all UniHomes customers, the agency said: “As a company, we always aim to ensure our customers come first. We have worked hard to shield you from the rising cost of energy by absorbing increased costs over recent months. “

Former Chancellor of the Exchequer, Nadhim Zahawi,

said: “We know that people are struggling with rising energy prices which is why we have taken action with support over the winter months to help ease the pressure on household budgets.We know there are tough times ahead and we will continue to do everything in our power to help people.”

Dates for ambulance strike vote ballot announced

Becca Symns-Rowley (she/her)

Thousands of ambulance workers are set to vote on possible strike action this winter as the GMB Union re veals the dates for the official ballot.

The proposed strike action, if voted for, could take place any time before Christmas, according to the GMB. The announcement comes as a result of anger and frustra tion following the NHS Agen da for Change pay award.

The pay rise entitles NHS workers to around a 4% increase; however, this is a “massive real terms pay cut”, according to a GMB spokes person, with the Bank of

England predicting that in flation could reach over 11% by the end of the year.

Rachel Harrison, GMB Na tional Officer, said: “Pay has been systematically slashed for more than ten years and we now face the worst cost of living crush in a genera tion.

“Cuts and shortages mean GMB members feel they are unable to deliver safe stand ards of patient care. Things can’t go on like this - some thing has to give.”

As a result, a vote will take place in a few weeks to ascertain how many ambu lance workers wish to strike.

The ballot will open to union members on 24 October and close on 29 November.

The vote will be open to over 115,000 ambulance workers across the country, working in 11 trusts: London, East of England, East and West Midlands, North East, Yorkshire, North West, South Central, South East Coast, South West and Wales.

The Yorkshire Ambulance Service employs more than 7,200 staff members who

handle an average of over 3,500 emergency and rou tine calls per day.

A spokesperson for the Yorkshire Ambulance Ser vice said: “We recognise that staff have the right to voice their emotions in this way, and we are monitoring the situation closely to ensure we continue to provide safe and responsive care for our patients.”

In a similar act, the Royal College of Nursing also an nounced its intention to take a vote on strike action over pay for its 30,000 members, marking the first ballot in its 106 year history.

Things can't go on like this - something has to give

"

Liz's Legacy: the controversies of the last six weeks in Number 10

Mason (he/him)

On Thursday October 20, Liz Truss became the UK’s shortest serving Prime Minister ever by announcing her resignation after just 45 days in office.

In that time she went through two Chancellors of the Exchequer, two Home Secretaries, and half a Chief Whip (who informally resigned but then remained in the position), amidst a party fraught with infighting, intense bullying, and incompatible hopes for the future.

She also lost a contest online to outlast a lettuce.

As the dust settles, we’re now tasked with answering the seemingly obvious question of “what went wrong?”

Before even stepping foot into Number 10, Truss was facing backlash based on her plans to cut taxes “starting from day one”, including a desire to stop corporation tax rising from 19% to 25% next year.

Truss’ reasoning for keeping corporation tax

low was because when it was lowered from 20% to 19% in 2017, she claims “we attracted more revenue into the exchequer because more companies wanted to base themselves in Britain”.

Channel 4’s FactCheck investigated this claim, however, and found that according to the Institute for Fiscal Studies, other factors were able to explain that rise more accurately.

It was this dedication and willingness to cut taxes that garnered praise, too, though; the Daily Mail, on the morning of the announcement of the mini budget, slathered their front page with: “At last! A true Tory budget”.

The Daily Mail’s Alex Brummer said: “The scale of the package is mindboggling”, though critics were quick to suggest that this could be read in the intended positive voice, or in

a negative one.

Another promise that came mired in criticism was her promise to review the ban on fracking put in place by Boris Johnson’s manifesto from 2019.

support fracking. Well, that would really be like turkeys voting for Christmas.”

According to a Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy public poll, in Autumn 2021, 45% of people opposed fracking, while only 17% supported it.

put Liz Truss in No 10, I hope it was worth it to sit round the cabinet table […] because the damage they have done to our party is extraordinary.”

Councillor Paul Hayhurst, speaking at a debate in Tory-controlled Fylde Borough Council, said: “The government is talking about giving people £1,000 to

Code Nightclub shuts down and relocates after eight years

Chloe Scofield (she/her)

Apopular nightclub in Sheffield has announced that it will soon be closing its doors due to increased electricity prices.

A first year University of Sheffield student, Imogen Eyre, said: “It's a shame that in a city like Sheffield with a rich music history and a student demographic, places are closing. If they’re unable to stay open here I don’t really know where they would be.

Code nightclub, located on Eyre Street, Sheffield,

announced on 13 October via Instagram and Facebook that they would have to close their location this year.

The final day they are open for business will be 26 November.

The announcement attributed this closure to, “fewer students in Sheffield and a recent electricity price increase of 500%”.

To avoid running the business at a ‘significant loss’, Code events will be moving all their future events to DUO, off West Street. The new venue is smaller, with lower costs to run and in a more central location in the city.

Code said in its announcement: “We think it’s the right move to keep the business alive, and hopefully you’ll join us as we move on to our next chapter."

Code is not the only nightclub in Sheffield that has been at risk of shutting down. Another popular nightlife venue, The Leadmill, Leadmill Road, will be forced to reopen under new management in April 2023 unless they can get 100,000 signatures for the government petition on their website.

The current tenants have claimed there is exploitation by landlords

It also found that “those educated to degree level were more likely to oppose fracking (56% compared with 43% of those with other qualifications and 31% of people with no qualifications)”. That Wednesday was a chaotic day and possibly one Truss will be most remembered for, if not because of something she did herself but because of what the day represents going forward for a number of Tory MPs.

Conservative backbencher Charles Walker, in an interview with the BBC the previous evening, said: “I hope all those people that

Labour MP Chris Bryant had reported that he saw “bullying like [he’d] not seen since [he] was at school”, which came as a reaction to a Labour motion that MPs should get a say on government fracking plans.

That vote was treated, by Tory whips, as a vote of confidence in Truss’ government, but after climate minister Graham Stuart said: “quite clearly this is not a confidence vote”, confusion ensued.

Ultimately the motion was rejected with 230 votes for the bill and 326 against. Only 40 Tory MPs didn’t vote, and for a number of reasons. Labour predicted that approximately 15 to 20 MPs abstained from the vote in protest, while others were distracted by the chaos (like Liz Truss, who the Guardian reports did vote but forgot to swipe her pass) or had permission to miss the vote.

under Section 25 of the Landlord and Tenant Act, and suspending Section 25 would prevent landlords from evicting tenants while the government reviews the act.

A further 54,000 votes are required by October 25 for the suspension to be discussed in Parliament.

Sheffield health-care researchers receive a £12 million funding boost

Xiaoyi Jin (she/her)

A partnership between the University of Sheffield and Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has been awarded £12m to intensify exploration of new medical treatment.

The additional funding given to The National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Sheffield Biomedical Research Centre (BRC) will allow researchers to expand their investigations into diseases such as infection, immune disorders, and cardiovascular diseases.

The next five years will see researchers working to improve early diagnosis for pulmonary vascular disease, care for patients living with HIV and cardiovascular

disease patients, and develop new vaccines for infectious diseases, as well as further advancements in neurological conditions.

Director of the NIHR Sheffield BRC, Prof. Dame Pamela Shaw, said: “The Sheffield Biomedical Research Centre has a track record of giving access to experimental medical trials for patients living with a variety of diseases. This work has improved the outlook in multiple ways for patients facing devastating neurological conditions.

“This new round of funding will allow the centre to continue this important work and develop a portfolio of promising new therapeutic approaches, as well as creating opportunities

for the next generation of clinical and scientific researchers working to improve the lives of those living in South Yorkshire, a region that still suffers from lower life expectancy and wider health inequalities.”

A 2019 report from South Yorkshire Integrated Care System stated that the difference in life expectancy between the most and least deprived areas of South Yorkshire and Bassetlaw was 9.6 years for females, and 12.4 for males.

The NIHR Sheffield BRC was launched in 2017, and is a partnership between the University of Sheffield and Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust dedicated to improving the health and care of people,

as well as ensuring patients across the country have the opportunity to take part in, and benefit from, cuttingedge research studies.

Kirsten Major, Chief Executive of Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said: “We are absolutely delighted. This means we can expand the ground-breaking research we do in partnership with the University of Sheffield which impacts on the future

care and treatment of so many patients not just locally but worldwide.”

Previous NIHR funding has been used by NIHR Sheffield BRC to conduct 304 clinical studies, through which 2,974 patients had access to innovative experimental medicine treatments and therapies, 10 of which have patents underpinning further development towards the clinic.

Would a mild winter save costs and prevent blackouts?

Ciara Hay (she/her)

The Met Office has released its predictions of a mild winter this year, though warns a cold snap is still possible, with many worrying how they will stay warm and deal with potential blackouts.

Christopher O’Reilly, from the University of Reading, expressed his concerns on the situation before the Met Office released its winter predictions, and said: “In the UK, winter temperatures have a strong impact on the demand for gas and electricity.

"For example, a winter with a 1C temperature anomaly results in roughly a daily average gas demand anomaly of 100 GWh over a winter season. In monetary terms, based on the UK October gas price cap, this equates to about £1bn for each 1C UK temperature anomaly… the numbers are pretty big, and the stakes are pretty high.”

A statement from the National Grid caused alarm earlier this month when

it warned of three-hour blackouts if the UK is unable to import energy supplies from Europe, though these blackouts are only a part of the energy provider’s emergency plan in the event they cannot secure supplies, which it described as unlikely.

Professor Paul Davies, a fellow at the Met Office, commented: “The most likely scenario as we head into 2023 is a return to more wet, windy, and mild spells possible.

“However, there is still a risk we could see a cold spell for the UK and northern Europe, although the chances of a very cold winter, comparable to 2009/10, are still low this winter.”

The Met Office has predicted the weather should remain fairly mild into the end of the year, but peaks of high pressure are to come in from the Atlantic and bouts of snow and ice are to be expected. Weather may become more

unpredictable for November and December.

Although no official warning has been issued for the effect the dropping temperatures will have on energy costs, the cost of living crisis is already affecting millions across the UK.

Current advice outlines ways to reduce the cost of energy this winter, such as ‘winter-proofing’ the home, putting on extra layers, taking showers instead of baths, and turning the thermostat down by just one degree.

The government has also announced they will be giving every UK household £400 off their energy bills, coming in 6 instalments, from October to March.

To find out more about what to do if you are struggling to pay your energy bills this winter, visit the Money Saving Expert or consult updated government advice.

The defeating reality of a Ukrainian victory

Joao Pedro Milheiro dos Santos (he/him)

The ticking of the doomsday clock has never reverberated louder across the world than it does now. Russia intensifies its missile bombardments and military round-up due to the Ukrainian counteroffensives, which fill the papers and flood millions of screens on social media.

The public, led by the newfound hope in legacy media reports, has grown more acquainted with the conviction that Ukraine could leave this conflict victorious. The Western pledges of an unbreakable alliance, the constant boasting of every inch of retrieved territory, the demonisation of Vladimir Putin, all of it playing in synchrony with the idea of a winning endgame. But will Ukraine win, or rather, is victory even possible?

Since the war erupted, military capabilities have been the main focus regarding the war's outcome.

At the onset of the war, experts speaking to the BBC, Politico, The Washington Post, and France 24 told us that it would be nearly impossible for Ukraine to defend itself. Today, the same media companies have suggested that Ukraine might be on the verge of winning it.

Understanding war in this

way, however accurate and necessary, fails to consider the intricate symbolisms and underlying realities of the conflict. These experts are equipped to consider such things, but looking at numbers, military tactics, and international politics can become blindly intoxicating.

Reports coming from major outlets such as the BBC claim a Ukrainian victory would resemble a full retreat by the Russian military, liberating not only the newly annexed oblasts but also Crimea, which has been under Russian occupation since 2014.

At face value, this can seem like the desirable outcome.

After all, this would mean a big hit to Putin’s authority on an international level and boost the credibility of Western governance.

The history books would reflect how the Western alliance united valiantly and humiliated the big bully.

Now, think back to the end of the First World War; Western allies issued a set of punishment measures meant to keep Germany at its knees. Barely 20 years later, the Nazi regime waged yet another war, this one even bloodier than the last.

If the two situations sound dissimilar, allow me to elaborate.

Something that goes unnoticed about this war, with only sporadic reports dedicated to it, is, as a Washington Post report stated as

recently as September, the overwhelming support of Russia’s invasion by its people. A recent report on Russian public opinion outlined in a CBC report has shown why this is the case. From the average Russian’s point of view, a war with Ukraine represents a much wider conflict with the West, relying on a narrative of Western aggression transmitted through the powerful propaganda machine. Similarly to Nazi Germany, it’s this support that is the bedrock of Putin’s influence, and much like Hitler did, Putin also continues to manipulate public opinion in his favour.

de-Nazification, thus morally justifying the invasion and the death associated with it.

In the meantime, it isn’t inconceivable to picture the West gloating about their victory as leaders across the world. They would start using their management of the conflict as political soundbites to stay in power within their respective countries. This can very well give Putin the means to claim that the West aims only to humiliate Russia and, by proxy, its people.

right or wrong approach. Instead, the focus is on approaching the conflict in a way that is not just militarily adjacent.

If the foundation of Putin’s influence is the support of his public then focusing on methods of accurately informing the Russian people should, in my eyes, be on the West’s priority list at a similar level to deflecting missiles.

Say, for example, that Ukraine forces Russian troops to retreat. Putin’s first step would be to turn the seemingly unequivocal defeat into a victory. He could easily do so by appealing to one of the main outlines given to justify the invasion: the overwhelming corruption of Ukraine by Nazi ideologues, a claim that could not be further from the truth. In this case, the narrative in Russia would highlight that Putin willingly left Ukraine, having achieved his main goal of

It may seem as though this is a rather pessimistic take, or rather that the comparison between Nazi Germany and the Ukraine conflict may be somewhat overstated. But this trend of simplifying ‘victory’ has been replicated many times in recent years in countries such as Iran, Afghanistan, and Ethiopia, all of which had a great deal of Western influence and were characterised by a victorious/defeated dichotomy. They are now in a similar or worse situation.

We have, then, a symbolic concern that is, at the very least, on the same level of priority as military details. The real question lies in how to reconcile both in a way that grounds geopolitical tensions on a steady footing for the future.

None of this means that Western support for the war effort in Ukraine is wrong. I do not believe that there is any such thing as a binary

If you’ve followed any coverage of the topic you will have come across reports from the Financial Times and the BBC covering Russian protests and oligarchs that have questioned Putin’s decisions. Yet, I get the impression these are yet to have any real damage to Putin’s ability to control Russia, with him having a firm grip on whoever opposes him.

Part of this result has been due to the violent retaliation by government forces, something the media have focused on, but must also be attributed to Putin’s capability of mobilising a majority of the public opinion.

Solidifying the narrative in terms of the military or a good versus evil mindset makes sense in terms of placing pressure on Putin, but it only marginally affects Russia’s political environment.

Instead, it hardens the divide between the West and the proverbial ‘Rest’ and ticks the clock closer to midnight.

Credit: Flickr

War with Ukraine represents a much wider conflict with the West

"

Opinion

The world according to TikTok: A protest against our fastest growing news source

Olivia Mustafa (she/her)

TikTok is nothing short of a powerhouse of digital culture.

Its popularity has skyrocketed since the onset of the pandemic, where the app was downloaded over 300 million times in the first financial quarter of 2020 and shows little signs of slowing. Almost three years on, the app continues to define the most relevant memes, trends, music, and slang of any given time, and you’d be hard-pressed to find anyone who hasn’t found themselves in the addictive clutches of the ‘For You Page’.

Where the readership flocks, the news will inevitably follow. News journalism has already started to carve out its space on TikTok, and with the UK alone having upwards of 17 million active users, it is hardly shocking that the app is the fastest-growing news source for UK adults. Many news channels are churning out micro-news reports on the app, adapting content to the same quick and snappy format that defines the TikTok user experience.

This seemingly inconsequential development in news production has a sinister underbelly. TikTok is warping how we engage with news and is a case for why we must remain wary of increasingly algorithmdriven social media platforms.

Like so many other twentysomethings, I would rather not admit how many hours a week I spend glued to TikTok. I barely have time to tune into TV news anymore, relying instead on the fact that stories will find me through a TikTok video or Twitter notification, keeping me informed with minimal effort.

The past few years have had their fair share of harrowing news stories, such as the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine. Like many others, I watched

my tiny screen in horror as distressing footage of international conflict exploded onto my ‘For You Page’, and with the flick of a finger, I scrolled away. But the more I scrolled, the more of it appeared - rather than me following the news, the news seemed to be following me, sandwiched between Charli D’Amelio lip-syncing and several cat videos. I cared about the war and wanted to keep up as it unfolded, but this felt wrong. My choice to engage with this content was out of my hands; it appeared with little warning, and I could get rid

comments exponentially. Vying for an audience’s attention is nothing new in journalism, but portraying news content in this way trivialises it. Stories of great significance are wedged into the noisy, saturated media environment of TikTok, and encountering news in this way desensitises us.

Anyone can go viral on TikTok, and the app is now home to thousands of news accounts. Often reporting on underrepresented and creative topics, these creators enrich and challenge our traditional media environment. Yet TikTok has deep regulation problems. With just a brief scroll, you can expect to come across barely concealed sponsored content, a wealth of fake news and live streams showing questionable and harmful footage.

media environment, being able to make an active choice on where we get our information is crucial in shaping our critical skills. On Twitter, we can still view what is trending and have our pick of a diverse range of news from a multitude of sources.

the information necessary to refine their views.

of it from my screen just as fast as it had appeared.

I am raising the question of whether TikTok can ever be an appropriate platform for news consumption. When done right, it can bring up-to-date information to anyone’s fingertips. Newsreaders such as Victoria Derbyshire and CNN’s Max Foster have routinely gone viral for their short-form reports, filmed in selfie mode, creating intimate and direct connections with audiences. Newsreaders are no longer only sitting behind desks in suits and confined to our TVs; reporting is becoming more accessible than ever.

Yet adapting news to the TikTok format has its pitfalls: squeezed into a rushed and intense video clip and dispersed in and amongst trivial and mundane content. Some accounts have managed to maintain a professional edge to their reporting but many others have tied news reading in with music and dance trends in an attempt to go viral and grow likes and

Guidelines by Ofcom already indicate that moving images are particularly potent in engaging, influencing, and even harming audiences, leading most broadcast media to be regulated by statute. As audiences move away from television and invest time into social media platforms such as TikTok, it is clear that this form of receiving information has audiences hooked. However, the impact regulations guiding broadcast production –designed to protect privacy rights, the welfare of children and the vulnerable, and halt the onslaught of fake news - is losing its grip.

Press regulation is already a sticky subject, worsened even further as media consumption shifts to environments wholly controlled by independent corporations, driven by profit and arguably insufficiently regulated.

Walk to the newsagents, switch on the TV, or open a tab on Google, and we have the freedom to navigate, engage with, or refuse to read the news we encounter. In this lively and diverse

We cannot say the same for TikTok. The algorithm is designed to feed us the news it thinks we want to read from the sources it believes resonate with us the most. Tiktok has reportedly admitted that the algorithm shields users from content which does not align with their political views. The result is often an ideological echo chamber, or “epistemic bubbles”, where individuals cannot access accurate information and consider opposing arguments. Even if encountering a particularly concerning headline may make us shudder, facing these opposing views is vital to maintaining our ability to assess and critically engage with online material.

News consumption via the algorithm-driven ‘For You Page’ of TikTok threatens to shape an ever-polarised

The case for why TikTok is harmful for news consumption speaks more widely to the issue of the negative impact of social media as a whole. Not enough is being done by app developers or lawmakers, to intercept the harms produced by such advanced algorithm technology. The influence of TikTok and other apps will continue to rise unstoppably and bring more of us under its spell.

It is impossible to have a healthy relationship with consuming news in a TikTok format.

News does not belong on TikTok and should not be at the whims of the algorithm, nor should it be in the format of something we can simply swipe away amid an entire sensory social media overload, fuelling further our dissociation and detachment. But in a way, it seems a powerless move to try and stop this onslaught. TikTok has us in its clutches, and where we go, news journalism will always follow. journalism will always follow.

readership, shielded from the process of deliberation and

It is impossible to have a healthy relationship with news consumption in a TikTok format

"

Credit: Shingi Rice via Unsplash

Is Labour now a government-in-waiting?

Jack Redfern (he/him)

The Labour Party is currently in a balancing act.

On one side, party leader Keir Starmer needs to appease those who still believe in socialist, Corbynite policy. This includes many of the party members and young people. On the other hand, he needs to re-inspire Labour’s lost voters: the northern heartlands, SNP supporters in Scotland, and swing voters who have been brushing off Labour as an option for years now. To me, Starmer will need to give the latter group far greater focus and commitment. It is in the Corbynites’ best interests to be pragmatic, move on, and get behind a centre-left, electable party.

To unify these sides, realistically have a chance of forming the next government, and to once again be an electable party of progressive liberalism, Labour will need to offer a vision of what a better Britain would look like with them in office. Therefore, the recently leaked report of a constitutional review,

commissioned by the party and led by former PM Gordon Brown, could mark the end of 12 years of Tory government.

As reported in the Guardian, the constitutional review poses plans that would oversee a restructuring of Britain.

It includes abolishing the House of Lords and replacing it with an upper house of regions and devolved nations, powers

is exactly what many Labour supporters will be looking for

The outcome of the next election comes down to a matter of choice and alternatives. With our unfortunate electoral system, it seems the only parties that will ever form a government are either Labour or Conservative. For too long, Labour has mired in the position of voters viewing them as the ‘pick us because we’re not them’ option, and as we have seen, that is clearly not going to make Labour win.

for local people to promote bills in Parliament via democratically elected bodies, and new powers for mayors. Such a radical plan would bring sweeping changes to the country and

The Tories have decidedly swung to being populist, with soundbites and easy solutions to difficult problems at their core. Although maddening to some, this does seem to lead to votes. Given the emergency our country is in, Labour’s popularity would come with offering a remedy: To the cost-of-living crisis, looming recession, industry strikes and a government split by in-fighting and perpetual leadership contests.

However, it is uncertain whether even the events of last week will result in an an early election, and risk the Conservatives losing their 80-seat majority. Labour may

have to wait until 2025. The politics of our modern world are unpredictable and two years can lead to unimaginable changes. Just look at how different Britain was in 2016 compared to now. Cameron, Brexit, May, Corbyn, Johnson, illegal proroguing of Parliament and two elections have all occurred within just over a year of the typical fiveyear term of one sitting government. If the two years until the 2025 election sees only a third of what’s happened already, then we’re headed into very rocky terrain.

According to the leaked report, Brown’s constitutional review is being widely and regularly checked by and discussed with the shadow cabinet, and it is still in its early stages. Starmer said the plans would be a ‘fresh and tangible offer’ to voters and would be ‘the boldest project Labour has embarked on for a generation’ and every bit as bold and radical as the programme of devolution that Labour delivered in the 1990s and 2000s. It is apparently set to be fully announced later this year. When it is fully announced, Labour will need two

approaches to maintain public support. Firstly, it must be announced with far-reaching PR and with the rhetoric and fully funded policy of a government-inwaiting. Secondly, between its announcement and the next election, it must be built upon and regularly updated, thereby gaining and retaining as many of the voters Labour lost in 2019. With this report seemingly being given serious attention and development, and the overall success of the recent Labour conference, Labour will see themselves as being in an ideal position. The mini-budget announcement, which happened during the party’s conference, saw Labour jump ahead in the polls further than they have in years.

I wait with bated breath to see how Labour will navigate the next two years and what position they’ll be in come polling day. In the 2017 election, people did get behind Corbyn’s manifesto. Labour gained seats under his agenda. But it was against May’s ‘Strong and Stable’ campaign, and the precursor to its worst defeat in years in 2019.

Labour has a clear strategy of proposing bold, radical change in this constitutional review, that would change Britain’s social and political landscape. One which, after years of the Left in Britain being so divided, could unify lost Labour voters, Corbynites, and Scottish voters. It’s a big ask for Labour. They’ve got a mammoth task ahead of them, at the centre of which should be Brown’s review.

For, as we have seen, the Conservatives can have an at best mediocre time in office, only to then lead dastardly savvy, populist, winning campaigns.

Are we headed to yet more of this, or a changed Britain?

With the position Labour is in, such a radical plan would bring sweeping changes to the country and is exacty what the party needs to be offering.

Credit: Marcin Nowak via Unsplash

It’s a big ask for Labour, and they have a mammoth task ahead of them.

“Everyday that I am black is a celebration”: what Black History Month means to the black community

Shakthi Thyagarajan (she/ her)

It seems that outside of the UK and US, Black History Month is negligible to the interests of the very community it is intended for. At least, that is the impression a young Nigerian woman gives me.

It seems that outside of the UK and US, Black History Month is negligible to the interests of the very community it is intended for. At least, that is the impression a young Nigerian woman gives me.

“Everyday that I am black is a celebration. I do not need a month,” the University of Sheffield student says, almost contemptuously. Growing up in Nigeria, being black was nothing to celebrate; not because there is anything wrong with being black but simply because to her, they are just a person who happens to be black. It was only when she moved to the UK when she heard about an entire month dedicated to honouring the contributions and achievements of the African diaspora throughout history.

Black History Month was first observed in the UK in 1987. In America, it is

a sense of pride, which is the case for another student at the university.

Max Jenz, a second year journalism studies student, also with Nigerian roots, is appreciative of the activism behind the month.

But Max sees it as not a month of celebration but as a month of taking action to counter racism, which coincidentally echoes this year’s theme: “Time for

around this time of year are about ensuring more diverse historical narratives are shared and personal or trauma informed experiences are engaged with,” she says.

Acknowledging Black History Month as a festival is a practice that has only developed over the years. It was initially focused as a festival of academia, valuing the work of past and present

and black-owned businesses, musicians and other artists. But the SU’s celebration of diversity isn’t confined to just this event, or even month.

Black History Month is often criticised as being performative and it’s understandable why some may feel this way. If recalling the young Nigerian woman’s words at the beginning, pledging thirty whole days to commemorate a

pressured by performative activism who simply make a quick post on their social media to feel they have done their part. All this seems superficial and defeats the purpose of the aim behind the event.

But there are those, like the SU, that genuinely commit to the cause.

“Whilst I acknowledge the idea that Black History Month can be viewed as performative, I disagree with this notion from the perspective of the Students’ Union,” Morgan says.

“If there was not continued support and engagement by and from the organisation regarding diversity, this concern would be completely valid, however this is not the case.

“We have a range of both educational and celebratory events that are and will continue to be taking place from a diversity standpoint.”

Change: Action not Words.”

Max views it as an opportunity to educate oneself on history: “A lot of the history is not taught in the curriculum and there is pride in knowing one’s history,” he says. Although he doesn’t actively participate in the various celebrations put on by the community, he does occasionally engage in the content, such as features like this one, that’s often pushed during this time to raise public awareness of the event.

black scholars who have been sidelined in favour of their white colleagues, but it has also become one that celebrates the everyday people for simply being black.

There is value in one’s culture, traditions and history. There is merit in celebrating just for the sake of being ourselves, and celebrating a complicated and tumultuous history especially can be freeing.

marginalised community pales in significance to the individual’s life experience.

“I need to be recognised every single month. A month isn’t going to wash away the sins of centuries,” she says.

It is difficult to disagree with her.

Black History Month doesn’t claim to erase the atrocities committed against the black community. But it is a step in the right direction.

It is the 35th anniversary of Black History Month being celebrated here in the UK. In those years it has meant a lot or nothing at all to those it is dedicated to.

But regardless of their stance, the young Nigerian woman’s words stay rooted in my mind: “Everyday that I am black is a celebration.”

Shirley Chrisholm: The first black woman elected to the United States Congress in 1968.

celebrated in February, but Ghanian activist Akyaaba Addai Sebo, who established the event in the UK, chose October as historically, this is the time when African community chiefs gather to settle their differences.

It is also believed that by celebrating at the beginning of the academic year it gives black children

Dhyasa Morgan, black Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) students part time officer at Sheffield Students’ Union, also recognizes the educational opportunities the month offers, but maintains that it can be about celebrations just as much as it is about education.

“Often, many conversations

“Having these very heavy and personal conversations can be emotionally taxing, so the carnival is one way of ensuring that our members feel supported in a different way, engaged and celebrated for who they are, and not what has been historically taken from them,” Morgan explains.

Sheffield Students’ Union’s carnival in honour of Black History Month invites local

Of course, there are those who exploit social activism for capital gain and this applies to all marginalised groups. And there are those

Gwendolyn Brooks: The first black author to win the Pulitzer Prize in 1950. She served as poetry consultant to the Library of Congress.

Credit: Shirley Chrisholm - Picryl; Gwendolyn BrooksWikimedia Commons

A lot of the history is not taught in the curriculum and there is pride in knowing one’s history

"

Credit: Province of British Columbia via Flickr

The theme for Black History Month 2022 is " Time for Change – Action not words"

"

Sheffield Comic-Con 2022: 'A brilliant display of devotion across all forms of fiction'

Charles Wright (he/him)

The third Sheffield Comic-con was held at the Magna Science Adventure Centre this year. The event celebrates all things fun and fictional, with kids and adults alike sporting intricate costumes and props. This year the special guests included Bernard Hill (The Lord of the Rings), Joonas Suotamo (Star Wars), and Sophie Aldred and Sylvester McCoy (Doctor Who).

Before I even entered the event, I was treated to one of the many joys that Unleashed Events’ Sheffield Comic Con offered, as I witnessed a queue full of people of all ages, in intricately crafted costumes, wrapped around the Magna Science centre. The sheer amount of love of media and fiction was immediately evident and couldn’t have been summed up better by the first person we interviewed, Chris, a man dressed as The Amazing Spiderman 2’s Rhino. He stated his love of the costume, made by a friend, but how difficult it was to wear at events, and how, in one sitting, he could only last 45 minutes at a time before overheating.

This struggle seemed to be a common occurrence among many cosplayers at this event, yet we found the best reasoning for this physical torment from a father-son duo from the cosplay company, Superheroes Cosplay Group. They were dressed as a xenomorph and a soldier, and clearly creative ingenuity was invested in the creation of these costumes as the terrifying alien was made up of a fibreglass head, painted, fake fingernails for teeth and a wetsuit paired with parts of a Henry Hoover for the body. They told us how they had been doing this for seven years, and clearly still found joy in doing these events as they loved putting smiles on faces and inspiring (and scaring)

the younger generations with their brilliantly crafted costumes. Inspiring and spreading joy was one of the shared goals of all cosplayers at the event…well maybe not the xenomorph, otherwise known as the star of Alien, who preferred freaking out unsuspecting victims by creeping up behind them then staring at them with that frightening face. It was the scariest interview I’ve done yet.

The event had lots of stalls selling a little bit of everything spanning across all genres of fiction. There were posters, fridge magnets, cuddly things, memorabilia from all across fiction, and a seemingly endless amount of cute Funko Pops. Safe to assume that we left that event with less money than we entered with! At the other side of the centre, away from the stage and the stalls, were the big tourist events. You could sit in Jabba the Hutt’s

life-size dinosaurs, replica cars from the movies, and even a recreation from the scene in Jurassic Park in which a man got eaten on a toilet! Andrew was very passionate about his display and believed that there was “no point in having a hobby like this and keeping it

who just need help while further providing memories to children and families that they could take home with them. A truly brilliant and genuinely kind cause.

Though we weren’t able to have a one-on-one interview with the celebrities at the convention, we did meet and hear them interviewed, and each one of them was a delight in their own right.

Bernard Hill (King Théoden in The Lord of the Rings) met us towards the end of the event, and though he looked tired due to a day full of signing and overexcited fans, he still talked to us and enquired into our experience at the event.

ran around the stage as he answered questions, being cheeky and sarcastic about every question asked before detailing amazing tales at supersonic speeds. No one was safe from his berating, humorous remarks, not even me!

throne, ride Back to the Future’s DeLorean or even look terrified next to an all-too-lifelike slimer from Ghostbusters

We spoke to a dinosaur fanatic, Andrew, who ran ‘Rexy’s Reviews’ a dinosaur fuelled exhibit that featured

hidden.” The other biggest event was run by the Mos Eisley Misfits, a charitybased organisation that had a variety of excellent, home-made props from Star Wars including different backgrounds, outfits, droids and actors which were accessible to everyone for free. Chris, both the organiser of this charity fundraiser and a brilliant Chewbacca cosplayer, expressed that he had been fundraising for 10 years, built most of the props himself and loved fundraising, not just for his charity, but other charities as well. This amazing organisation has raised thousands for those

Joonas Suotamo (Chewbacca in Star Wars) was similar, in that our meeting was short as he was just about to leave, but he was sympathetic and offered us a fist bump with Chewbacca noises as a condolence prize. Safe to say I’m never washing this hand.

We saw Sophie Aldred interviewed on stage and, despite playing the role of Ace on Doctor Who over 30 years ago, Aldred expressed her love and connection to the character, and the impact Ace had on British media at the time. She was clearly overjoyed to be returning to the franchise in the upcoming Doctor Who episode – ‘The Power of the Doctor.’ However, when it came to actors from Doctor Who, there is no one quite like Sylvester McCoy (the seventh Doctor). He was amazingly energetic and

The clear backbone of the event was Lindsay, an organiser and passionate professional who was clearly living her best life... Lindsay was genuinely committed to the convention as she stated with bubbly care that these events were safe spaces for people to get together and express their passions in the Comic Con universe. Her care extended to making herself available as someone people could come to if they felt overwhelmed, and creating opportunities for people to get involved by creating game shows and cosplay competitions, so people can have fun and show off their creativity to a crowd who will truly care. She made everyone happy…well except for me as following our conversation I panickily signed up to help in the game show, and ultimately ended up as a contestant. I answered questions, ran around in a scavenger hunt and threw things at plastic cup pyramids. An eventful 45 minutes, but I’m glad Lindsay put smiles on people’s faces with my humiliation!

Overall, this event was delightful. There was a brilliant display of devotion across all forms of fiction, and it was put together excellently both by Unleashed Events and Lindsay and her crew. Despite it being rather busy at certain points throughout the day, and the embarrassment I suffered from pulling people onto stage as part of a scavenger hunt, I had a brilliant time and would highly recommend it to anyone interested. Fingers crossed it returns next year.

" There is no point in having a hobby like this and keeping it hidden

George Monbiot at the Festival of Debate: Our failing food system

Joshua Thory-Rao (he/him)

e have the potential for a world where everyone can lead a prosperous life without bursting through planetary boundaries, a world where we can feed the planet without devouring it."

If any quote could sum up the Festival of Debate talk by author and environmentalist George Monbiot, it is this, with his final, closing words of the evening resembling the title of his new book, Regenesis: Feeding the World Without Devouring the Planet. This book and the ideas within it – how damaging agriculture and the current food system is to our planet, and how we can move past it – was the subject of Monbiot’s talk.

The event was held in the Octagon Centre of the University of Sheffield on the evening of the 23rd June, and chaired by codirector of the University of Sheffield’s Institute for Sustainable Food, Professor Peter Jackson. Turnout was high despite the fact many students had gone home for the summer holidays; queues for the adjacent book selling and signing tables after the talk were long.

Monbiot is an established force in environmental and left-wing politics in Britain. He has long been involved in environmental protesting and was notably arrested at an Extinction Rebellion protest in October 2019. Monbiot’s writing has been dominated by the subject of the environment, both in his regular column for the Guardian (one recent piece discussed the impact of chicken farming on the River Wye), and in some of his books, like Heat, Feral, and now Regenesis

As in this latter book, a sizable portion of Monbiot’s talk was about the damage that agriculture in its current form does to our planet. Monbiot’s views are made clear in the book; farming

is the “most destructive human industry ever to have blighted the earth,” he argues.

WAs well as the harms of pesticides and greenhouse gas emissions, Monbiot is particularly concerned with land use. He explains in the talk that a “far greater threat to life on earth” than urban sprawl, which he is no fan of, is agricultural sprawl. A shocking 28% of the earth’s surface is used to graze pasture fed livestock (compared to 1% for human habitations and 12% for crops), this figure made more significant by the fact that this pasture fed livestock account for only 1% of our protein, Monbiot tells us.

In this vein, Monbiot believes that organic, pasture fed beef is the most damaging type of farming – the greater space needed for grazing means more rainforests, wetlands and savannahs have to be cleared, radically simplifying ecosystems and shattering biodiversity, and eliminating biomes which serve to maintain the earth’s regulatory functions. Extensive farming compared to intensive, though “kinder” on the animals, is for Monbiot a catastrophe because it is using far more land for the same amount of produce. It is intuitively favoured because it fits the stereotype of a nice farm with happy animals – and there are certainly ethical arguments for this over intensive factory farms – but for Monbiot, these perceptions ignore hard environmental realities; “we’ve been trading in pictures, when we should be trading in numbers,” he emphasises.

However, like in Regenesis, Monbiot’s talk was not all doom and gloom. A good proportion was reserved for solutions – how we can change the way we feed ourselves to have less of an impact on the planet. And these solutions are more detailed and sophisticated than calls for people to

merely switch to a plantbased diet, though this would undoubtedly be something that a vegan like Monbiot would advocate for. He discussed replacing annual grains with perennial ones and harnessing soil ecology to reduce the need for fertilisers and chemicals for growing veg, but the best thing we can do for the environment is to take protein and fat production out of farming altogether, and instead rely on precision fermentation – “brewing microbes in a vat” – for getting these nutrients into our diets.

This process yields a flour, approximately 70% protein, which can be made into pancakes and all manner of other things, and Monbiot sees it as a gateway to a whole new cuisine. Just as the first people to domesticate cows weren’t thinking of camembert, he says, we have no idea the new types of food this could give us in the long run. Interestingly, Monbiot’s backing of precision fermentation is at the expense of another often touted solution, lab grown meat. In response to an audience question, he argued that this latter solution is extremely expensive due to the need to maintain clinical standards of sanitation and the large up-front cost, and seems unnecessary because of the possibilities we have with meat substitutes like precision fermentation.

The discussion of new technologies raised the essential issue, in the audience questions, of ownership, and this is not something that Monbiot ignores. Technologies are very important – just as the printing press and modern contraception enabled some of the social change that has brought us to where we are today, we are now on the cusp of another “techno-ethical shift”, a combination of increasing support for change and the technical means to change. These new technologies,

like precision fermentation, can’t be allowed to be patented, says Monbiot; we must ensure that antitrust laws are strong, and intellectual property laws are weak, to prevent these processes from being dominated and monopolised by major corporations. In this anti-corporate vein, Monbiot dreams of a future where every town has its own brewery for precision fermentation, each acting autonomously, not reliant on corporations or a global food system.

Being reliant on a global food system is currently a very precarious situation to be in for many poorer nations who rely on food imports. For Monbiot, the issue is not just that the global food system is extremely damaging to the environment, but that it is extremely damaging to many of the world's most vulnerable – near the start of the talk, he noted that, though from 2015 (until 2021) global food prices were falling, chronic global hunger, which had been consistently declining until 2014, has started instead to rise. This is because the food system has lost its resilience and adaptability due to rationalisation and profit maximisation, and

so external shocks like the invasion of one exporter by another, or environmental shocks like a heatwave and crop failure, have amplified effects on the poorer, import reliant nations.

Looking at the food system in global political and economic terms is representative of Monbiot’s concern with global capitalism, as well as his fiercely left-wing political outlook which was seen elsewhere in the talk; relating to the fact that millions are reliant on food banks in this country, Monbiot responded angrily that this “should be bringing people out on the streets in open rebellion” – perhaps a hyperbole, though we of course know how much Monbiot believes in the power of popular protest.

Reading Monbiot’s book or just listening to him on YouTube is certainly worthwhile if you’re interested in the reality of where our food comes from and how this relates to the environment at large. A round-table discussion with local activists capped off an evening of hugely important ideas from an inspiring and extremely relevant thinker.

Image shows Monbiot. Source: John Russell

Incredible Black Scientists : paving the way for future generations

Isabel Butterworth (she/her)

With Black History Month

upon us, it’s important to shine a light on the inspiring work of Black scientists of both past and present.

Let’s go back into the past to focus on a brilliant lady you may know from the catchy Horrible Histories song:

Mary Seacole (1805-1881)

Mary’s legacy has long been overshadowed by that of Florence Nightingale, having both been working at the same time and place. However, comparing Mary Seacole to someone who had more opportunity and rights than her is unfair.

Born in Jamaica, Seacole practised nursing with hygienic practices and West African medicine learned from her mother. Seacole set up the ‘British Hotel’, where wounded soldiers were

treated during the Crimean war, after being rejected from nursing with the War Office. She was even known to treat people directly on the battlefield, risking her life for the benefit of others. It has been suggested that she was the first nurse practitioner in history, trailblazing the field for so many future generations and being of endless inspiration.

Dame Elizabeth Anionwu (1947-)

Anionwu was named the UK’s first Thalassemia and Sickle-cell specialist in 1979, and helped with the start up of the Thalassaemia Counselling centre and the Brent Sickle centre. Anionwu worked with Black and Minority Ethnic groups throughout her nursing career, wanting to ensure these communities were valued.

Inspired by our previous scientist, Anionwu also set up the Mary Seacole Centre

for Nursing Practice in 1998.

Maggie Aderin-Pocock MBE (1968-)

Aderin-Pocock, a space scientist and science communicator, grew up longing to ‘visit the Clangers’, looking out from her council house in London through her subpar telescope. This goal was unfortunately impossible, but this did not deter her from wanting to see space more clearly. Maggie learned how to build and design telescopes herself to a level where, eventually, she worked on projects including the James Webb space telescope.

Aderin-Pocock also brings her love of space into classrooms around the country, endeavouring to teach children to explore and question the universe. She can also be found on the BBC’s The Sky at Night, explaining the ins and outs of the space around us.

These three Black women

have done, and continue to do, incredible things within science. However, we still see so few Black scientists today. We have 10,560 science professors in the UK and only 65 of those are Black (according to The Royal Society). These are the people who will be choosing the next generation of scientists. It is evident that something needs to be done. Change needs to be made within the university system, and the education system as a whole, to solve this clear disparity between Black academics and the population of Black people in the UK.

Click Chemistry Scientists receive Nobel Prizes

US scientist Carolyn Bertozzi

almost stopped breathing when she was informed that her discovery in cell-linking chemistry would be awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry. Being the eighth woman in human history, this is an even more breath-taking accomplishment.

Professor Barry Sharpless, winner of the 2002 Nobel Prize for chemistry, and Danish Professor Morten Meldad, were just as blown away when they were informed that they had

also won the Nobel Prize. Separately, these three scientists’ work came together in a mosaic that could have the potential to transform modern medicine, with promising aspects regarding cancer treatments.

The foundations they put in place to navigate the newfound field of “click chemistry” are what Professor Bertozzi was able to manipulate and morph to be used for living cells.

According to the BBC, click chemistry functions on the attachment of molecules due to bioconjugation which is the formation of a strong bond between two molecules. These

molecules clicked together via mechanisms that involved the use of copper ions, making this impossible as copper would kill the living cells.

Professor Bertozzi was able to contribute to Professor Sharpless and Meldal’s work through use of alternative reactive components to achieve molecular attachment. Her discoveries eliminated the need for copper ions, meaning that click chemistry could now be used in living cells, which could open up a door of revolutionary options.

The ability to bind living cells to one another via click chemistry allows for cell targeting and the development of cancer

treatments in ways that exclusively target tumor cells, sparing other healthy cells from adverse effects. This functional scientific advancement can also allow the location and identification of molecules we never knew existed.

The mechanisms that

have been discovered due to these three scientists’ profound work could have the power to transform modern medicine for those suffering, increasing gratitude for the work of researchers.

Nada Elbastawisi (they/them)

Image credits: Anusorn Nakdee on Unsplash

Maggie Adrerin-Pocock. Credit: Michael on Flickr

Dame Elizabeth Anionwu. Credit: Science and Technoligies Facilites Council on Flickr

Mary Seacole. Credit: Creative CommonsCommons

A new phase in the fight against HIV grows closer

potentially groundbreaking way of fighting HIV.

Exciting news is expected in the world of healthcare as ViiV Healthcare, in collaboration with Shionogi, prepares to showcase the preclinical studies results of a

Just over a year ago, GlaxoSmithKline’s ViiV Healthcare announced a collaboration with its long-term partner and partial owner, Shionogi, to develop a brand-new HIV treatment. The partnership between the British and Japanese pharmaceutical companies had already begun preclinical studies by the time the announcement of the partnership was made in September of 2021 and emphasised that human studies would begin in 2023. Should the results confirm what GSK and

Shionogi have promised, the fight against HIV, which claimed the lives of 650,000 people worldwide in 2021 alone, could be entering a new phase.

S-365598, the inhibitor that is being developed by the two companies, is an expansion on two drugs that are already established in the fight against HIV, cabotegravir and dolutegravir, both designed by ViiV Healthcare and taken by millions of people globally.

GSK have said the treatment prevents the HIV virus from replicating through blocking the enzyme it releases. This makes the treatments

longer-lasting than previous iterations of HIV treatments, potentially lasting up to three months.

The multinational pharmaceutical company also added the possibility of developing a twiceyearly treatment, which could massively boost the chances of developing resistance to new virus mutations.

Dr John Keller, a member of the Board of Directors at Shionogi, said: “Many people living with HIV and those vulnerable to acquiring HIV have concerns about daily oral medication, such as the daily reminder of living with HIV, HIV status

Hybrid cilia discovered in beta cells

Washington University researcher, Jing Hughes,

was imaging the cilia in mouse pancreatic beta cells with the aim of observing static cilia and motile cilia in clumps of cells called islets when she saw that the primary cilia moved, having large implications for the potential therapeutic routes for people with Type 1 diabetes.

Cilia are most known for their role in lining the lungs and helping move mucus out of the airways and into the stomach to kill pathogenic microorganisms. However, they are present on the surface of almost every cell type and take up a 9+2 microtubule formation which aids with their motility.

The cilia studied by Hughes were cilia lining the beta cells in the pancreas, with beta cells being unique in their function of storing and releasing insulin. The importance of this discovery by Hughes is that the cilia lining the

pancreatic cells are not meant to move as a result of force being generated within the structures. Therefore, this active motion could have a crucial role in regulating insulin secretion as it suggests these cilia can respond to their environment, instead of only being moved by surrounding fluids.

This has opened new doors for people with Type 1 diabetes as their autoimmune disease targets and kills beta cells, and so a therapeutic route for these potentially insulin-regulating cilia is promising.

After analysis, it was understood that they were a ‘hybrid’ between primary and motile cilia which contained structural and molecular aspects of both. To further shock the scientific community, the microtubule formation of these cilia was not 9+2 as expected but had eight microtubule doublets and a central microtubule doublet or singlet.

This deviation from the expected rotation caused pushback from the scientific community,

with doubt arising as accusations of a misunderstanding were thrown Hughes’ way.

Hughes and her team employed a range of techniques to continue investigating their discovery through the uses of immunofluorescence and genetic deletion.

They first used immunofluorescence microscopy to visualise the proteins on the live beta cells. They discovered that the hybrid cilia had motor proteins which are only present in the known motile cilia: the lungs, middle ear, and the respiratory tract.

Through targeted genetic deletion, they were able to knock out the motor proteins and the motion of the beta cells’ cilia ceased. Genetic deletion is used to detect relatively small deletions inside of a given gene, in this case the gene encoding motor proteins, and then adding a form of marker to observe the result.

From this experimental method they could conclude the cilia weren’t moving passively from

their environment and could potentially regulate the function of beta cells themselves.

Hughes and her team hope to encourage the extended scientific community to take on this project to uncover how these hybrid cilia use

disclosure and consistency of adherence.

Long-acting HIV medications have the potential to bring considerable benefit to these individuals.”

The multi-million-dollar partnership would also aim to make its mark in a healthcare market currently dominated by Gilead Sciences’ daily oral pill, Truvada, which is taken by roughly one in five people living with HIV.

motor proteins to regulate motion, and to partake in work that will further reiterate the important functionality of the cilia’s motion in a live eukaryote model.

Joao Pedro Milheiro (he/him)

Ellie Hanzi (she/her)

HIV budding. Image Credits: Wikimedia Commons.

Image credit: Charles Daghlian on Wikimedia Commons

Easy ways to turn your student house into a student home

Jack Tretheway (he/him)

So, you’ve made it past the first few weeks of the semester, you’ve settled into your course, adjusted

to the notoriously-steep Sheffield hills and weathered the jagerbomb-induced hangovers.

But something’s missing. Despite everything, Sheffield doesn’t quite feel like… home.

If this sounds like you, don’t despair.

Here are a couple of easy steps you can take to turn your accommodation into a space that’s true to you.

Make a memory wall.

When you look at your room, don’t just see walls, see potential.

Filling your wall or noticeboard with memories of great times may seem a bit of a cliché, but as the nights draw in and end-of-term stress starts to build, it’s easy to feel lonely.

Nice photos can

serve as a great pick-me-up, a much needed tribute to previous adventures and a great reminder of why you actually came to university. Yes, to get your degree, but also to create brand new memories for life with different people.

Check your housing contract before making any changes to your room. Nobody wants to be hit with a redecorating bill from the landlord!

With great houseplants, comes great responsibility. Houseplants, to put it simply, are amazing. While they add colour, and a sense of nature to any room, studies have even shown that having houseplants can reduce stress and improve overall well being. This has also been seen in those who suffer from anxiety and depression.

There is a caveat though, plants are demanding and

many can’t be left to their own devices. I have known many students who have parted with a whole array of leafy remains that used to be healthy plants, full of potential. So remember to keep them watered! Or opt for some lifelike fakes if needed!

There are hundreds of ways to personalise your space. Other ideas include posters, lighting changes, candles, personalised bedding and even a secret snack store. Take to Pinterest or Instagram to find some inspiration that suits you!

Autumn-Winter trends: how to stay cozy and stylish

Yiying Fan (she/her)

hile it’s been sunny recently, you can feel the brisk weather beginning to call for thick jumpers and layers. It’s time to get out your cosy clothes in time for the cooler temperatures. So, here’s a guide to building an AW22 wardrobe that will keep you

warm while staying stylish.

1Leather

WIn the last few weeks, designers seemed to have decided that leather jackets are going to dominate fashion weeks. With the temperature cooling down, leather jackets are finally back to the forefront.

There are many ways to use leather in your looks:

pick a leather bomber jacket with a flannel shirt to get the 90s vibe, or if minimalism is more your vibe - opting for leather blazers and mini skirts is definitely an option. You can even create a bourgeoisie chic look with leather trench coats, white shirts and pencil skirts à la Bottega Veneta.

2Low waist Low-waist midi skirts are a staple in Bella Hadid's wardrobe. Pair them with baggy jumpers or baggy jackets to create the ultimate Y2K outfit on colder days.

As part of Paris Fashion Week, Miu Miu carried out the popular low-waist skirt, adding cargo elements, along with the previous preppy style.

Don't forget to add lowwaist cargo trousers, like those from Givenchy, to your shopping cart as well. To make sure you’re kept

warm, a woollen maxi dress in darker colours and plaids would make a perfect match with any tee.

3Oversized

The oversized silhouette is one of the hottest trends in designer clothing this season. Jonathan Anderson's surreal yet practical designs are often infused with his magical creativity and love for bagginess.

Disproportioned jackets, and Minecraft inspired hoodies and T-shirts give the Loewe show an air of humour rarely seen on runways.

Stella McCarteney’s collection is far more simple: containing massive blazers with a clean cut, draped, flowy dress - all in block bold colours. The combination of masculinity and femininity enchants, not to mention the dynamic palettes adds more

vibrancy. A pink oversized blazer should be what you’re searching for.

4Fringing

Take a look at Victoria Beckham's new collection in Paris. If you're bold enough to try something with a bit of flare, you'll love fringing. Adding fringe to your skirt trim or the back of a suede jacket adds some personality to your outfit. You can also add them to your handbags, scarves, or jewellery. This small detail is easy to incorporate in a standard look, so there’s no need to over complicate your wardrobe - it’s all in the details.

While grunge, Y2K, and ‘90s looks all battle to be most on trend this winter, it is best to pick pieces that align with your taste, that are easy to wear and that never go out of style.

Image credits: Unsplash

Self-education for Black History Month

Tadhg Kwasi (he/him)

Black History

Month is an amazing but short amount of time to celebrate and highlight all great things from black culture, from the rich but hidden history to

the far-reaching influential culture. I’m here to suggest some podcasts and books to educate yourself on black history.

Because I’m writing for a largely UK audience in mind, the recommendations will largely include black British history which, unlike African-American history, remains untouched.

Books

I would recommend the historian David Olusoga's Black and British books for their comprehensive look at black history and black people in the UK; it’s an overwhelming account of our contributions to Britain dating back to even the Romans. Another book written by David Olusoga I recommend is The World’s War: Forgotten Soldiers of the Empire This brilliant book uncovers the unknown contributions of black soldiers crucial for the British empire’s war effort.

Next I’d recommend

Why you should join a society

University is truly a unique time in life which is meant to be treasured.

Suddenly, you’re holding a canvas and there is a near infinite selection of paint at the table. With so many different avenues to explore at every given step, choosing what to actively partake in (and what to avoid) at uni can appear to be a daunting task. Like many other things, joining a society has its benefits and its costs.

First and foremost, it can be an opportunity to learn something new. Let’s say you decided to join the sign language society. It’s been a whole semester and now you can successfully communicate without using your tongue. You truly deserve a pat on the back for that one.

Similarly, it's a convenient and effective method to streamline people with

similar interests and make friendships. I’m sure we can all agree that lectures are not the best place to make friends, especially on Mondays. Moreover, how can you tell for sure if the person next to you loves pets as much as you unless they’re at one of the Pet Society socials.

Finally, why not take the opportunity to just engage with something that you’re passionate about, something that boosts your dopamine levels?

On the contrary, there’s obviously an opportunity cost. Showing up to classes on time, managing deadlines, preparing for exams, building your CV, and applying for jobs is tough enough on its own. It’s valid to say you’re already six feet under; why make it seven?

So, is it a good idea, or a bad one? I’m afraid it isn’t that simple. While some societies may demand a

serious commitment, others can simply be a casual experience.

Allow me to explain through an example. Hopefully not to your surprise, members of the Tea Society don’t actually try to aggressively outdrink each other but simply drop by for a cup of tea and a chat after a stressful day of lectures. However, this doesn’t mean that you should avoid all societies that demand more. Engaging with some societies can even support some of your other goals. For example, getting elected to be on the committee of certain societies may enhance the quality of your CV.

Whether being a member of a certain society is beneficial to you ultimately boils down to what you’re looking for and how much time you can invest. If you’re still bewildered, it may be worth giving it a go, quite

Akala's Natives which is a great account of ignored contributions to Britain and how the UK still undermines our efforts. Another recommendation I have is Jeffrey Boakye's Black, Listed: Black British Culture Explored, which offers a great history and analysis of Black British culture making it a must read. The final recommendation I have is Johnny Pits’ Afropean: Notes from Black Europe, which gives an insight into the African diaspora all over Europe, from Sheffield to Lisbon.

Podcasts I’d recommend two podcasts, first the History of Africa gives a great view of the many events which shaped Africa, not just colonialism and slavery. I’d also recommend If You Don’t Know which is a BBC Podcast which explores all sorts of topics in black history and culture from a

contemporary lens.

You might ask yourself, “Why is it important to educate myself and others on black history throughout this fine October?” Well, I’d argue it’s important all year round.

That aside, we need to shift the narrative that the only history we have is of the pain and suffering of slavery and colonialism. It’s important to recognise the rich culture and achievements of black people before and after European intervention. Many anecdotes and studies show that knowing one’s roots is hugely beneficial to happiness, and self-esteem.

It’s important to recognise the ignored and buried contributions of Black people that have been undermined by stereotypes and racist myths.

Akala, author of the writer's recommendation 'Natives'. Credit: Wikimedia Commons

Hamza Aamir (he/him)

Image credit: Unsplash

Ruby Watson (she/her)

More Fiya (edited by poet Kayo Chingonyi) is a compelling collection of Black British poetry. Included in the anthology are the work of Rommi Smith, Selina Nwulu and Sheffield’s own Warda Yassin.

The event at Durham Book Festival was co-programmed by the Turn Up for the Books scheme, a partnership project between New Writing North and English PEN designed to give young people aged 16-25 an insight into careers within the world of literature.

The event unfolded with readings from each poet,

both from the anthology and brand new material. It was incredible to hear them read their work in their own voices, particularly as the anthology has a particular focus on the performance aspect of poetic verse. These readings, whilst incredibly powerful, were simultaneously incredibly vulnerable. It felt like a real privilege that these words were being shared with me.

The event then moved on to an informal Q&A session. It was effectively a conversation with the poets about their writing, their performance and their process, too. The event was chaired by two young women from the Turn Up for the Books scheme and they truly did an amazing

Showcasing student poetry

Lucy Riddell (she/her)

Sheffield has always been a big player on the national poetry stage, with recent poet laureates Otis Mensah and Warda Yassin representing the city’s diversity of thought, culture and ideas. Home to Booker Prize winning poet A. S. Byatt, our vibrant city is full of a rich literary history dating back centuries.

But here at Forge we want to highlight the abundance of talent that resides here and now amongst the student population at the University of Sheffield.

That’s why we have introduced: Showcasing Student Poetry.

This year, National Poetry Day fell on 6th October. Throughout the days following, we published online five original student poems on a range of themes.

All the poems are accessible via the Arts & Theatre section of our website.

Head over to forgepress. org to check out some amazing work!

job (especially as it was their first time doing anything like this).

The conversation with the three poets was really fascinating and centred around the significance of their work being collected in a print anthology. This led to a discussion about dispelling the misconception that Black writers are not interested in publishing their work and that they just like to perform it.

All in all, it was an incredible event and I’m really grateful that I had the chance to watch the poets read and to celebrate their poetry. I would encourage anyone who has an interest in literature and the arts to check out Durham Book Festival next year.

ReviewMore Fiya with Rommi Smith, Warda Yassin and Selina Nwulu - a Durham book festival

Feature Beatrix Potter: Queen of mushrooms?

Lucy Riddell (she/her)

e all know Beatrix Potter as the author and illustrator of the wonderfully charming Peter Rabbit children’s book series. But did you know that she was also a committed conservationist, businesswoman and, perhaps most interestingly, mycologist?!

Helen Beatrix Potter was born to parents Rupert and Helen in London in 1866, but, as an older woman, Potter claimed that this connection to the capital was purely ‘an accident of birth’. Her heart belonged to the North, and in particular, to the Lake District, a place marked in her early years as a summer holiday destination, but which later became her true home.

Potter’s father was a keen photographer; she inherited this creative passion, but instead channelled it into her artwork and, later, her masterful storytelling. Potter’s aptitude for illustration was recognised even in her youth. At the age of 12, she began to take lessons in drawing and painting, and her natural skill for these was commended only a year later by an ‘excellent’ rating in an official examination.

But, as a young woman who had been born into an upper-middle class family in the 19th century, Potter, although encouraged by her father, was nonetheless effectively trapped in the cycle of forced leisure and domesticity for women. She was itching to find a path to make use of her passion in a way that also proved

Wsufficiently intellectually stimulating for a sheltered young girl, educated at home. And so she turned to mycology, the study of fungi.

In the field of botanical illustration, flower paintings had already become a cemented practice for young girls by Potter’s time. However, fungi illustration was still a relatively new area, due mostly to the lack of understanding at the time of their anatomy. It was not until the mid-19th century that mushroom drawings began to emulate their predecessor the flower drawings’ lauded combination of artistry and scientific accuracy, with the publication of Mrs TJ Hussey’s Illustrations of British Mycology. It is likely that Potter came across this work which brought vibrancy and interest to the previously dull world of mycology, because she herself began to turn to such artwork.

Many have remarked that Potter’s illustrations brought a never-before-seen realism to the realm. Her drawings, many of which are currently on display in the Armitt Museum in Ambleside, Cumbria, evoke a rich sensory experience, as well as including informative labelling. The Armitt says of Potter’s portraits: ‘one can see them, touch them, and almost smell them’. Seeing these paintings for myself, I had no doubt that these works were created by the same hand as that which brought to life the likes of Peter Rabbit, Jemima Puddleduck et al. Potter’s intricacy is astounding, and yet there remains something playfully endearing about her works. I believe that

this effect is in part brought about by her choice of the watercolour medium, an absolute classic for early children’s book illustrations.

Potter’s career as an illustrator began in 1890 when her and her younger brother’s ambition to buy a printing machine was curtailed by a lack of sufficient funds. But, not too far set back to have given up on her dream, Potter was encouraged to pursue another route by her uncle Harry. Sir Henry ‘Harry’ Roscoe believed that any publisher would be delighted to get their hands on Potter’s illustrations for Christmas cards. He was right.

Hildesheimer & Faulkner not only took Potter’s designs at their asking price, but clamoured for more. Thus began a new era: Beatrix Potter, published illustrator. By 1894, publishers were competing for her artwork, and the records of her letters and chequebook show her budding ‘brisk eye for business’.

As well as to draft her artwork, Potter used her personal journal to practice her storytelling skills. But it was in letters to the children of friends and family that her wit and literary prowess shone the brightest. In an illustrated letter to the son of her former governess, Potter brought into the world the mischievous little creature who was to be her most lucrative brainchild: Peter Rabbit. Although unrecognised for seven years, this story - the first in Potter’s series of 23 children’s tales - eventually skyrocketed her to global fame.

Upon her death in 1943,

with a global legacy as the creator of a wonderful fantasy world where animals could speak and got into no end of trouble. Her stories - translated into no less than 36 languages - have captivated the imaginations of generations of children, past, present and future. Today, on average, she still sells one book every fifteen seconds.

But despite her successand a net worth of almost £17 million in today’s money - Potter chose to lead a peaceful life with her husband William Heelis in the South Lakes, the place that had sparked so much of her enthusiasm for the natural world on holidays as a child. Hill Top Farm and Castle Farm were two of the estates she bought, and were where she dedicated much of her time to sheep breeding and other farming activities. Potter’s ambitions as a conservationist came to the forefront when she began to realise the serious threat that industrial development posed to the beauty and biodiversity of the Lake District. She used her wealth

land by buying it, and her most notable purchase was of the 4000 acre Monk Coniston estate in 1930, which included the picturesque Tarn Hows.

Potter shared management of this land with the National Trust, the organisation to which she left this land in her will. Today, the National Trust continues its conservation in her name.

Beatrix Potter was indeed a remarkable woman. She was a person with multiple interests, and yet dedicated the utmost time and energy to each of them equally.

Despite having no children herself, Potter’s delightful tales live on within all of us, and yet, as I discovered myself, much about her life beyond her publications remains unknown to the majority of the public. I give my thanks to the Armitt Museum for the information I provide here, and I hope that with this brief biography I can do my part to tell the story of one of the nation’s best storytellers.

The Ex-Hex Erin Sterling

This enemies-to-lovers book really captures the essence of the season with a Founders’ Day festival, magic gone rogue, a ghost in a library and not one but two creepy mansions.

Babel R. F. Kuang Babel is the perfect dark academia novel - it’s got secret societies, the relentless pursuit of knowledge, a beautiful (and mysterious) school and a little bit of magic thrown in for good measure.

Megan Cooke (she/her)

The best songs about Sheffield

Lewis Railton

Sheffield is a city with an undeniably rich culture, of which flows through the passion that its local people have for the area. This is mirrored in the artistic representation of the city, particularly in music, where it has been the topic for many songs, referencing historical landmarks, the people, or even the nightlife. With (mainly) positive things being said by local artists/bands, it really demonstrates Sheffield’s position as a culturally rich city, and this is shown by these following four songs about the steel city.

1. Arctic Monkeys - Fake Tales of San Francisco

like they’re from New York City, the closest they’re getting to the Big Apple is Rotherham United’s stadium.

The bridge of the song also starts by stating: ‘He talks of San Francisco, he’s from Hunters Bar’, located to the west of Sheffield. Hunter’s Bar is an area which, it’s safe to say, has gained recognition from Turner’s lyrics, with a twitter account @Hunters_Bar paying homage to the attraction with over 4.4k people following the account.

Referencing their hometown in their lyrics was something not out of the ordinary for the Sheffield rock outfit, particularly in their first album. Hillsborough is referenced in the song Red Light Indicates Doors Are Secured, as well as a reference to High Green in All My Own Stunts, taken from Arctic Monkeys fourth album Suck It And See – a nod to his childhood and the area he grew up in.

2. Pulp - Wickerman

references to many locations in Sheffield from Crookes to Ecclesall in the intro.

However, Wickerman, released in 2001 on the album We Love Life, gets my vote for being the best Pulp song referencing Sheffield.

With reference to one Sheffield’s most notorious landmark, the Leadmill, as well as mentions of the Moor and Broomhall; this spoken word song follows Jarvis as he walks down the River Don, taking inspiration from the fact that “it was really quite a magical day, because it [River Don] was travelling through the city that I’ve lived in all my life, but seeing it from a different angle.”

18 years later to its release,

the title track from Richard Hawley’s fourth solo album. Succeeding a glittering career as guitarist for Sheffield based band Longpigs, Hawley's recognition was boosted enough for him to join Pulp for their final album We Love Life.

The eponymous Coles Corner is located opposite the Sheffield cathedral, on the corner of Fargate and Church Street. Its history dates back to the early 19th century, where it was common, and “is still remembered by many Sheffielders, of a certain age as the place to meet one’s date”, in the words of Richard Hawley, observing how the Sheffield based solo artist grasped the idea for the track.

dates to meet each other. However, the song takes a sad perspective as the lyrics state ‘with no-one there real waiting for me, no smile, no flower nowhere’ at the end of the chorus.

4. The Greasy Chip Butty Song (Sheffield United’s club anthem)

First on the list we (rather unsurprisingly) have the Arctic Monkeys, and a track off their debut album Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not. In Fake Tales of San Francisco, Arctic Monkeys frontman Alex Turner describes how other local bands portray a false image of themselves in order to become successful, perfectly summed up in the outro of the song through the repeated lyrics ‘Get off the bandwagon and put down the handbook’. With a brief mention of neighbouring town Rotherham, Sheffield-born Alex Turner, who grew up in the High Green suburbs, uses Sheffield’s SouthYorkshire neighbour as an insult, pointing out that whilst these lads may act

From Pulp’s 7th and final album, we have the 8 minute long Wickerman, written by Sheffield icon Jarvis Cocker, who rose to stardom in the mid 90s amidst the release of Pulp hits Common People and Babies. In fact there was a wide selection of Pulp songs to choose from which reference his hometown Sheffield; perhaps the reason he is adored in the South Yorkshire city.

Babies‘ B-side Sheffield: Sex City is often a contender for one of the greatest songs about Sheffield, making

it was used in an A-level geography exam paper as a result of it “fitting the purpose for this type of this question very well” according to Stacey Hill, head of curriculum for Geography at AQA, of which the question involved “how external factors such as art can influence a person’s perception of a place”.

3. Richard Hawley – Coles Corner

Fun fact: our music editor Alice’s grandparents used to meet at Coles Corner when they were dating!

Unfortunately for Sheffielders, this local landmark was demolished, and instead has been replaced with a Pret a Manger in current day; a building stands in the way of Coles Corner that seemingly lacks character, with Chris Hobbs giving the damning verdict that the new build is “an urban tragedy and a sad reflection on Sheffield City Council.”

Written in the late 1970s, this Sheffield classic (well, maybe not if you are a Wednesday fan!) is a spin off of Annie’s Song by American singer John Denver, released in 1974. The anthem, which United fans sing both home and away at kick off, as well as the start of the second half in their matches, is a tribute to life in Sheffield, with references towards nightlife, beer, tobacco, and, of course, greasy chip butties.

Perhaps a more surprising contender for one of the best songs about Sheffield:

Unlike the first two songs on this list; apart from the track title, Hawley’s lyrics have an abstract sense and don’t mention any place names or specific references towards Sheffield. However the lyrics, as well as the album cover showing Hawley holding flowers on a street corner, nod towards the well known history of Coles Corner being a place for

Used for over 40 years, the stadium announcer will make the call for the song to start prior to the match, stating “it is now time for the greatest football anthem”. Annie’s Song begins to play, and “you light up my senses” is sung throughout Bramall Lane. However, the original song cuts out, as the Blades fans finish the song with their rendition. True to its lyrics, the song represents the true love and passion Sheffielders have for their city, which is confirmed from the lyrics being created by long-time Blades fan Gavin Hancock. Resembling the simple pleasures of life for a working class person in Sheffield, it is the most quintessential representation of life for a northerner and the fondness they have towards their historic roots.

"

These lads man act like they're from New York City, the closest they're getting to the big apple is Rotherham United's stadium.

Here Is Everything The Big Moon

Fresh tracks

Album Review: Femur - People

Charlie Sweeney (he/him)

Femur are, without a shadow of the doubt, one of the most interesting and exciting bands coming out of Sheffield. A mix of postpunk, psychedelica and heavy rock, they are easily one of my favourite new bands, simply because they are just so much fun. Their long-awaited (at least by me) debut album, People Parts, has definitely lived up to this. Easily one of the best guitar-based albums to come out of Sheffield in a while, People Parts is genuinely incredible. Transatlantic kicks off the album in a typically weird & wonderful way. Energetic and hypnotic, the track is the perfect introduction for the album. Lead singer Felix’s voice echoes over the almost-menacing, seemingly everlasting

making you want to just dance away, regardless of location. The musical talent on display in the first song is astounding, and this is felt throughout the album.

musical backing, with some very Jarvis Cockeresque inflections which give an almost surreal feel to the track. It builds and builds until about the first minute, in which drummer Danny and guitarist Eddie burst onto the song bombastically, before disappearing again into the subtle, rhythmic build up. The song is almost cyclical in structure, with the cathartic crescendos

Next up is the Pt. 4 which, despite being just under 2 minutes long, is one of the highlights for me on the album, with Felix’s voice again shining through especially. We then move onto I Don’t Like, which we chose for our third Sheffield Spotlight. Next comes Overt Aggression, which begins with a rather frightening bassline courtesy of Bassist Ryan. Suddenly Felix’s haunting vocals come

in. Overt Aggression is almost ethereal in sound, a bit more slower than a typical Femur track. Eddie’s piercing guitar riffs perfectly compliment the accusatory lyrics, with the song, musically, being very reminiscent of Instrumental by Black Country, New Road. In the final minute of the song, the mood switches, with a more angry, more intense tone, where the guitar, bass and drums meet in a veritable musical mosh-pit of noise.

Pt. 3 follows, continuing with the more subtle sound, but with a far more foreboding sound. Felix angrily tells us “I’m not

ready“, as the music stabs and pierces your eardrums. Pt. 3 is an extremely guttural track, ending with Felix screaming as the instruments slowly fade away- it is another easy standout track. The next track, Harsh, brings us back to the fast-paced sound we know; a lighter, but no less menacing, song, Harsh really demonstrates Felix’s talent as a vocalist. Then we get to Habenero: another short, under-two-minute track, Habenero jumps right into it. Musically, the song feels almost like a grunge Chelsea Dagger, with a bit of Misirlou thrown in. We then get

to another of the singles, Janky, which we covered on Forgepress.org. The ninth song on the album, Comeback Kid, might be my favourite thing that Femur have ever done. Starting with an almost Country-esque guitar riff at the start, the track sounds very different to anything Femur have ever done. A lot softer, but still with their usual Femur-flair, the song really demonstrates the range the band have.

Eddie and Ryan’s talents are particularly on display here, with the guitar especially being fantastic. The riff itself feels very John Squire-esque, and the instrumental section about 3 minutes into the song is just incredible. Despite the fast-pace there is an undercurrent of melancholia, or at the very least wistfulness, in the track. A particular highlight on the track comes about 4 minutes in, when the song switches to an almost indie-folk sound, with Felix’s “never come back” chanting sounding like it should belong in a Ceilidh band performing in a cosy pub in the west of Ireland.

Inheritance comes next, with Felix sounding the best he does on the whole album here. Lyrically, the song delves into some quite deep feelings of selfdestruction. The album finishes with the masterful Greg’s Song, the perfect end to a magnificent album.

Their tender harmonies and strikingly open lyrics remain, but now there's a maturity, grounded in frontwoman Juliette Jackson’s experience of pregnancy.

Blue Rev Alvvays

Alvvays masterfully blends multiple sounds while confidently wearing its rich ‘80s and ‘90s inspirations on its sleeve.

Not Another Rockstar Maisie Peters

A song for all those who have a debatable track record with men, Maisie has created a headbanging hit.

...The cathartic crescendos making you just want to dance away, regardless of

...Musically, the song feels almost like a grunge Chelsea Dagger, with a bit of Misirlou thrown in.

"

Femur - People Parts

Review

Halloween Ends

Thomas Hopkins (he/him)

For a while after watching Halloween Ends, I wasn’t really sure how I felt.

But on reflection, I can truly say I admired what it was going for, even if the rest of the fan base is split down the middle.

David Gordon Green has written and directed a satisfying, interesting and emotional movie, one which I think is a decent ending for the current saga in this franchise.

Ends picks up four years after the events of Halloween (2018) and Halloween Kills (2021). Laurie is trying to move on with life after the death of her daughter (and half of Haddonfield) during Michael’s last rampage. Jamie Lee Curtis is absolutely phenomenal as Laurie. She portrays her as willing to move on, yet simultaneously

holding onto the past because she knows Michael is still out there. Returning cast members such as Andi Matchak (Allyson), Will Patton (Officer Hawkins) and James Jude Courtney (Michael) once again give solid performances. They give this movie the heart it needs to succeed.

However, the biggest commendation must go to newcomer Rohan Campbell who plays the mysterious and complex Corey Cunningham. Without giving away too much, he is our anchor of this story. He provides us with the insight that Michael’s evil has left the residents of Haddonfield scarred. Campbell is great in the role and I only wish he’d been introduced in Kills so that his arc didn’t feel rushed.

The plot for this movie is definitely a divisive one, with David Gordon Green

and Danny McBride writing the script they felt the story needed, not necessarily one fans were clamouring for. This movie is not a two-hour knife fight between Laurie and ‘The Shape’ . Instead it is a look into Laurie’s trauma and how she is trying to move on with her life. The forty years of preparation didn’t save her or her family from Michael. We see her attempts at trying to reconcile a life she refused to have, whilst remaining the cautious, stoic survivor we know she is.

This film is not about Laurie and is instead about the aforementioned Corey, who, after being accused of a terrible crime, must try and make sense of what is happening. I’ve purposely left this description vague, and whether you like this direction or not is completely up to you, but I do admire the writers for not opting for the easy crowd pleaser plot and instead writing the story they wanted to tell. If this is the ending of the series, I think it’s done really well. It is

definitive in a way that ends this saga yet leaves the door ajar for the potential of more films.

On the other hand, I am critical of the marketing and expectation set by the filmmakers leading up to this film. Every piece of promotional material showed a heavy showdown between Strode and Michael. Yet, watching the movie, this is relegated to a small portion of the last 25 minutes.

Although I understand the creatives trying to leave some element of surprise, it feels disingenuous and misleading. I think if they

had been more honest about the content of the film, the reaction from the public may have been more positive. Overall, I am a big fan of Halloween Ends. It is interesting, dynamic and does have a satisfying conclusion. I admire this film for doing something different and potentially unpopular. Ultimately though, I appreciated the movie more than I loved it. So when taking into consideration the misleading marketing and the relegation of Laurie and Michael’s stories, this isn’t a universal recommendation to those looking for a Laurie

Screen News

NTAs Round Up

Alex Simpson (he/him)

Serial winners Ant & Dec led a starstudded cast at the 27th National Television Awards (NTAs), held at Wembley’s OVO Arena on October 13.

The comedy duo won for the 21st time in a row, but tested positive for Coronavirus the day before and were unable to collect it in person from

Ukrainian TV presenter, Timur Miroshnychenko.

Instead, the pair took to social media, tweeting: “Thank you SO much for voting for us, it is always appreciated and never taken for granted”.

The pair also were part of the team that won The Bruce Forsyth Entertainment Award, with I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here!

Collecting this

year’s special recognition award was the comedian, campaigner, and fundraiser Sir Lenny Henry, celebrating his 50 years in British television, and his contributions to charity, particularly as the cofounder of Comic Relief.

Mr Henry used his speech to praise the industry for its openness and diversity, saying that he was ‘allowed to play in the industry’. He went on to say how his varied roles in TV have ‘helped break down barriers ’- a sentiment echoed in the messages shown before his acceptance speech, with the comedian Mo Gilligan calling him a ‘British TV icon’ and a ‘trailblazer’.

A developing story on the night centred around This Morning presenters Philip Schofield and Holly Willoughby.

The presenters had become surrounded in controversy about suggestions that they had jumped the queue to see the Queen lying-in-state, an allegation which they

strongly denied.

After winning in the Daytime category, there was a smattering of boos from the audience, however these were mostly drowned out by cheers.

Martin Lewis won the new category of TV expert, with the presenter of Money Saving Expert having taken on a greater role during the cost of living crisis.

In collecting his trophy, he said:

the Authored Documentary award for her series Caring for Derek. In an emotional speech she told the audience: “We have a care crisis in our country, but we don’t have a crisis of love”, thanking professional and everyday carers across the nation.

Other big winners from the evening included Emmerdale and Strictly Come Dancing, whose teams both picked up multiple awards each.

Peaky Blinders also picked up multiple awards, winning in the Returning Drama category, with Cillian Murphy scooping the prize for best drama performance as Tommy Shelby.

- a statement that was met with loud cheers from the arena.

A poignant moment from the evening came when Kate Garraway received

During the show there was a special message from King Charles (then Prince of Wales) about Emmerdale and its contribution to British TV and farming, as well as live performances from Sam Ryder and Lewis Capaldi, as well as a tribute message to the late Queen Elizabeth II. The next edition of the NTAs is expected to be held at London’s O2 Arena on September 5, 2023.

“ We need somebody to get a grip on the economy and put things a little bit better

The importance of Marvel treasuring the Black Panther legacy despite Chadwick Boseman’s death

Tadhg Kwasi (he/him)

The passing of Chadwick Boseman was a huge blow. Not just for fans of the Marvel Franchise Black Panther, but the acting world of Hollywood, and more importantly to Black culture and representation. For these aforementioned reasons, it’s important that Marvel continues the Black Panther legacy.

Historically, Black Panther

is one of the first Black superheroes in comic books. For many reasons, this was a milestone. Taking his name from the group of people who fought for Black liberation and equality and the titular character being a prince of a rich technologically advanced kingdom in Africa was a huge thing. Considering at the time the myths of a poor and politically unstable Africa, alongside the typecasting and sole representation of Black people being criminals

or crack addicts.

Marvel made huge strides in 2016, bringing this character to life through Chadwick Boseman. Boseman with his once-ina-generation talent made the character of T’Challa his own, inspiring many Black people to be proud of their skin and to find and embrace their roots of Africa. He became a role model to many Black people who had very few to aspire to, the typical being athletes and musicians. Boseman quickly became a living icon, deservedly so, a gracious king on and off the screen.

Sadly, his deserved success would come to an end with his unfortunate passing from cancer in 2020. This led many to speculate whether Marvel would shelve the sequel film that had been in development, for who could replace the iconic role that was eternally Boseman’s legacy?

It has been revealed that

the mantle will be passed down to Letitia Wright, aka Shuri, which is a massive relief to many including myself. As I said, the role of T’Challa (in arguably the most important Marvel film in the franchise) is his legacy and his alone, however, it’s important that Marvel treasures and continues the legacy despite this. Black Panther is more than a movie and franchise. It is much needed positive representation for Black people all over the world. Positive representation is so important especially in this context given the racism, stereotypes, and lack of role models due to colonialism and slavery, alongside the media contributing to the systemic lack of opportunities for Black people. The subsequent lack of role models in the Black community is a problem as you are shaped by your environment, and when you don’t see people who

The Lord of The Rings: The Rings of Power

Wood (she/her)

Amazon’s most recent and most expensive TV show to date, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power has been subject to much controversy since its release early this September.

Rings of Power takes place well before The Lord of the Rings (LotR) and the narrative largely follows Galadriel the elf (Morfydd Clark) and her efforts to avenge her brother’s death at the hands of Sauron while also trying to convince Middle Earth that there are dark forces rising. Other storylines include the wandering Harfoot tribe who stumble upon a wizard known as ‘The Stranger’ (Daniel Weyman), a village in the Southlands who are

threatened by orcs, and the discovery of precious mithril ore by Elrond the elf (Robert Aramayo) and Durin the dwarf (Owain Arthur).

Whilst there were some plot-holes and inconsistencies, for me, Rings of Power was thrilling, heart-warming and adventurous which is exactly what Tolkien is.

The series has also been praised for its diversity as, whilst there is a noticeable lack of central, strong female characters and almost a complete lack of characters played by people of colour in LotR, Rings of Power features multiple complex and admirable female characters.

Galadriel in particular takes centre stage in the series and became a much more fleshed-out character than she was in Jackson’s films. Other female characters of note are: Nori

(Markella Kavenagh), a naïve but strong Harfoot; Miriel (Cynthia Addai-Robinson), the flawed but admirable queen regent of Numenor; and Bronwyn (Nazanin Boniadi), a fiercely protective healer from the Southlands who does everything in her power to protect the ones she loves.

The show is not only more progressive with its female characters but it also features multiple non-white characters in high-ranking positions such as: Miriel, the queen regent of Numenor, Sadoc (Lenny Henry) the leader of the Harfoot tribe and Disa (Sophia Nomvete), future queen of Khazaddum. Arondir (Ismael Cruz Córdova), is also the first non-white elf in the Tolkien universe, something which is particularly important as elves in LotR are associated with beauty and elegance

so by presenting them all as white is pretty problematic. This diversity is so important as it opens up the magic of the Tolkien universe to even more people as there are so many more characters to identify with and connect to.

However, many people have criticised the treatment of Tolkien’s original texts throughout the series, particularly in the season finale.

Episode 8 features the creation of the titular rings of power in the forging of three rings by the elf Celebrimbor (Charles Edwards). Anyone who is familiar with Tolkien’s work knows that 20 rings were created, 16 by the elves at Sauron’s request, three by the elves in secret and ‘The One’ by Sauron. The finale, therefore, does not take into account the other 16 rings that are meant to have been

look like you represented in certain spaces it’s difficult to dream, let alone be in these spaces.

Chadwick Boseman playing T’challa showcased the rich culture and history of Africa as well as instilling pride in many Black people formerly stamped out by racism and erasure in popular culture. But he was not alone in this important duty. He was helped by an impressive cast and a dedicated team behind the scenes. This project was one of the most important things to impact Black culture and it would be a shame if it ended.

So, the best thing that Marvel can do is honour his legacy by continuing to represent Black people as they have; letting Black storytellers tell our stories, shining a light on important injustices, but also showing our rich achievements and culture.

made by Celebrimbor and Sauron and rather messily leaves this unexplained. Additionally, the creation of the rings supposedly takes place over centuries rather than in one day as is presented in the series. This is undoubtedly a bit of a blow for people who are in the know about Tolkien lore but we need to consider that, before this series, the creation of the rings had never been translated onto a screen and only existed in Tolkien’s writings. The original story may work for the written format and the era it was written in but for a 21st century television show it may not have been as effective.

So, whilst ‘The Rings of Power’ does possess some flaws and inconsistencies, it is still an action-heavy adventure that uses Tolkien’s original sources in a way that is enjoyable for today’s audiences. If you like Lord of the Rings but don’t take it too seriously, this is the perfect show.

Bone-chilling horror games to play this halloween

Megan Cooke (she/her)

ith Halloween right around the corner, there is no better time to load up a few of the scariest horror games the industry has to offer and get yourself into the spooky season spirit.

Murder House

Puppet Combo is one of my favourite indie horror publishing houses and its games never fail to strike genuine terror into me in some way.

Murder House is one of my favourite Puppet Combo titles. The horror slasher survival game follows a news crew who have broken into the abandoned home of the Easter Ripper, a giant pink rabbit with a sickle, who is hunting them down.

By running, hiding, fighting and solving puzzles, it is the player’s job to collect easter eggs from around the murder house and piece together the mystery of who is doing the

killing and why.

Outlast

WAn absolutely classic horror game, Outlast takes the standard asylum game and makes it even scarier. I have memories of playing this game in 2014 and being so frightened that I fell backwards off my chair.

In Outlast you play as Miles Upshur, a freelance journalist who was sent an anonymous email claiming patients were being experimented on at Mount Massive Asylum. It is a game of stealth and relies on the player sneaking past homicidal hospital patients and surviving the occasional chase sequence.

If you are a horror fan who hasn’t got around to playing this staple yet, or someone looking to get into scary games, Outlast is a true classic that cannot be missed. Song of Horror Song of Horror is a third person survival horror, where you play as Daniel Noyer, the assistant to a publishing company’s salesmanager. After being sent to investigate the disappearance

of an author, Daniel uncovers a presence causing people to vanish.

This is one of the best indie horror games I have played in a while, and is a lot of fun to explore and solve the puzzles scattered across the four episodes. If you are already familiar with horror titles, each episode of Song of Horror is based off of a classic horror game. Have fun trying to guess which games they are using for inspiration!

Alien: Isolation Alien: Isolation is a survival horror game in which you play as Amanda Ripley, who is investigating the disappearance of her mother ,Ellen Ripley, on board the space station Sevastopol.

The game is largely stealth based and relies on the player

avoiding the Alien lurking in the space station whilst using the tools you find around to evade capture and create distractions.

This is a longer game that you can easily sink upwards of 40 hours into and, with the game’s creepy atmosphere, references to the Alien franchise and additional gameplay modes, it is hard not to want to explore everything Alien: Isolation has to offer.

Phasmophobia

Phasmophobia was a huge game upon its release in

2020 and for good reason. This multiplayer horror game allows you and three of your friends to act as paranormal investigators hunting ghosts in twelve haunted locations.

Phasmophobia uses speech recognition which means that when you are communicating with the rest of your team over voice chat, the ghosts can hear you and react. If you’re looking for a scary game to play with your friends this Halloween, Phasmophobia is definitely worth exploring.

Hamza Aamir (he/him)

The release of FIFA 23 marks the end of an era, with this title being the last in an official sponsorship alongside FIFA. Similar to previous instalments, this one also comes with its flaws although this doesn’t take away from EA’s attempt to get some things right.

This game sets the tone for EA Sports FC’s vision going forward, with some changes to gameplay. To those who have played the previous games, the changes to movement do feel more clunky. Although the game is still skewed in favour of players with high pace stats, FIFA 23 does attempt to create balance, by making ball control and physicality more important in comparison to previous entries. This puts more

emphasis on passing and quick bursts of pace rather than pamming skill moves and providing long balls to the quickest player on the pitch.

These changes give some incentive towards a more varied approach to gameplay, but quick strikers remain undoubtedly reliable when it comes to impacting the score line. Goalkeepers now feel a bit more responsive thanks to a handful of new acrobatic animations, but the power-shot provides more than just an answer. Although difficult to execute, when performed correctly, these shots not only tear through the net like a rocket but also are joyfully immersive as the screen zooms in before these monumental shots are released.

In regard to Ultimate Team, the two biggest changes this year have been the new chemistry system and

the addition of ‘Moments’. At first glance, the new chemistry system can seem complicated and rightly so, because for years now it has been pretty much the same.

The new system does allow for a more varied approach towards building exciting new squads. Moving on, the ‘Moments’ game mode is a fresh new addition to Ultimate Team where players can now play different scenarios within games. However, the number of players that engage with ‘Moments’ will ultimately boil down to the quality of rewards that it offers throughout the year.

Kick-off now features Women’s Club Football for the first time ever and is perhaps the most exciting new addition for casual gaming with friends. As far as other game modes are concerned, the changes remain quite small but can still be appreciated by

players that do indulge in them.

Additions to career mode include, fresh new cutscenes, the ability to take control of real managers and the introduction of a much-needed tension gauge for transfer negotiation scenarios. Players can also now play with friends crossplatform across multiple game modes, such as Pro Clubs and Volta. However for some , crossplatform availability being limited to only one generation of consoles may prove to be an annoyance.

Overall, FIFA 23 offers an

exciting, memorable, and immersive experience as the series’ last game under its name. However, at its core, it is a game much like its previous entries and for that reason, it fundamentally suffers from many of the same gameplay problems years.

3/5 stars.

Fresh games

Opinion: Are remakes passion projects or just a shameless cash grab from game developers?

Aaron Byrne (he/him)

At a time where many once well-regarded game developers now continuously release half-baked, unin spired, buggy games that seem to lack any of the orig inality or passion that their predecessors had before (I’m looking at you, Saints Row). This begs the question, where do remakes of previ ous titles fit into this mould?

With the recent remake of The Last of Us Part I, and stunning-new gameplay trailer for the upcoming Dead Space remake, I won dered whether or not de velopers Naughty Dog and Frostbite really put their efforts into improving the experiences of their pastgames for players, or if they simply want to cash in on their loyal fans’ adoration for their beloved-franchises.

You could argue that most devel opers choose to remake these titles so players can experience their classic games with improved mechanics, or cutting-edge graphics that push their next-gen sys tems to the limit. Although , Dead Space (2008) is already available to play on the Series X , and free to anyone with an Xbox Game Pass.

The Last of Us Remastered (2014) was still playable on the PlayStation 5, and for a fraction of the new remake’s price.

So was there really any need for them to release these games just to make some visual improvements? After all, they aren’t bringing anything new to the table content-wise… right?

This is something that developers Activision and Capcom seem to steer away

from when it comes to remakes. With Tony Hawk’s Pro-Skater 1 + 2, and the Resident Evil 2 and 3 re makes feeling like refreshed and substantial upgrades of the previous ‘90s classics.

This allows for play ers like myself to experience these games again, but with fresh con tent and graphical upgrades that don’t sacrifice on the incredi ble feel that the older instalments initially had.

These seem like genuine attempts to create an ex citing experience for their fans, giving new players the opportunity to try their games for the first time, without having to deal with the inconvenience of outdat ed controls and visuals.

Then comes in The Last of Us Part I which, whilst a superb upgrade, still felt like Naughty Dog blatant ly trying to rip-off their fans and gather attention surrounding the franchise. Seeing as the release of the remake was only a little over three weeks apart from the

trailer for the upcoming HBO series, it left a bitter-taste in my mouth. Seeing these two things being conveniently tied together probably wasn’t pure coincidence, and more likely just cleverly-disguised marketing.

Still, Naughty Dog aren’t the only culprits of this strategy. Activision have released remastered versions of previous Call of Duty titles countless times alongside their new games, just to make money from eager fans prepared to pre-order ex pensive bundles just to get an earlier copy.

There are also companies that simply re-release games with little-to-no improve ments or changes. I tend to lose track of how many times Rockstar has re-released GTA V, and I wouldn’t be surprised if they release it again by the time I reach my twenties.

You may think that de velopers can only improve on their games when they remake them, but trust me, after spending an extensive 30 seconds contemplating why I’d spent almost double the price of the original two Life is Strange games for es sentially a worse experience than before with the Life is Strange Remastered Collec tion, it dawned on me how

developers truly have the capabilities to take a belov ed game – have all the files and code for the original, along with all the money and resources they could possi bly throw at it – and some how manage to conjure up a worse experience than they had before.

At this point though, I’d reached the point of no return (unless I wanted to talk to one of Xbox’s cus tomer service bots for hours on end), the purchase had already been made.

The argu ment that developers should focus on rebooting their titles, is one I’m more often than not, pret ty against. An example of this being the recent Saints Row, with character models and visuals that resemble the kind of fake game you’d see someone play in a sit-com.

It’s difficult to fathom how nobody at Deep Silver saw the inevitable backlash from fans coming their way. In reality, if the Saints Row title

wasn’t slapped across the main menu and cover-art I would’ve likely assumed it was just another spin-off title like Agents of Mayhem. It had barely anything in common with any of the previous entries, but Deep Silver knew better than to release a new game, when instead they could plaster the Saints Row title all over their marketing campaign in the hopes that it would sell –which it didn’t.

Rebooting games is a gamble when the chances of leaving your fans frus trated is so high. There are some games that should be left alone, not remade or re-imagined. Developers should instead focus more attention on creating brand new titles for players to experience and enjoy, before we end up stuck playing the same games endlessly. After all, originality is what keeps any form of entertainment refreshing and fun.

A Plague Tale : Requiem PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Switch, PC Follow Amica and Hugo in this much anticipated sequel, on their adventure to end Hugo’s curse and start anew.

New Tales from the Borderlands PS5, PS4, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PC

In this choice based adventure you follow three “loveable losers” trying to change the world and fight capitalism.

Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope Nintendo Switch

Join Mario, friends and The Rabbids and save the galaxy from a mysterious evil force.

Image credits: Asobo Studio, Gearbox Software, Ubisoft, EA , Capcom, Deep Silver Volition

John Amaechi: Psychologist, Consultant, and the first NBA player to come out

John Amaechi, born to an English mother and Nigerian father, first picked up a basketball in Stockport at the age of 17 with ambitions of having an illustrious career.

Amaechi then moved to Ohio in the United States to play college basketball at Vanderbilt but he soon transferred to Penn State in hopes of getting drafted to the National Basketball Association (NBA).

Despite going undrafted, he was signed by the Cleveland Cavaliers in 1995 where he played 28 games, fulfilling his dream of playing at the top level of basketball.

The six foot ten centre then spent some years playing across Europe before he found himself back in Britain, specifically South Yorkshire playing for the Sheffield Sharks

Although he only spent one season with the Sharks, Amaechi became the focal point of the team as he averaged 22 points per game

and led the organisation to the British Basketball League title.

Due to his impressive stint in Europe, John made his return to the NBA playing for two more teams in Orlando Magic and the Utah Jazz before he retired in 2003.

In February 2007, Amaechi came out about his sexuality, releasing a book called ‘Man in the Middle’ where he explained his life as a closeted professional athlete.

Amaechi is the first NBA player to speak publicly about being gay.

As well as having a successful playing career, the former basketaballer has had an equally impressive time after retirement working regularly in the media for British basketball.

Earning a PhD in psychology, Amaechi is also apart of the British Psychological Society where his impact can be seen as inspirational, game-changing and transformative.

Black History Month: Arthur Wharton –The world’s first black professional footballer

Born in Jamestown, Gold Coast (now Accra, Ghana), Arthur Wharton moved to England in 1882 and was signed by Darlington Football Club at 19 years old.

His seventeen-year-long career never settled, flitting between nine separate football clubs, including a brief spell at Sheffield United.

Primarily a goalkeeper, Wharton also occasionally played as a winger, something unheard of in today's game. His mannerisms were said to thrill crowds. Reportedly crouching in the corner of the goal and leaping out to make saves – one report describing how Wharton pulled himself up by the

crossbar, caught the ball between his knees and sent the oncoming forwards tumbling into the net.

However, while the footballer is known for his success, the fierce natural talent also hid a personal struggle. An alcohol problem led to his retirement in 1902. After his farewell to the game, Wharton spent the rest of his life finding employment in the collieries and pubs of South Yorkshire.

The speed with which football forgot Arthur Wharton is the curse of being a pioneer – a black athlete in Victorian England.

He died penniless in 1930, aged 65, where his unique life was hidden under a pauper’s grave.

92 years since Wharton's death, the sport has gone

some way to redress the anonymity.

Commissioned by the Darlington-based Arthur Wharton Foundation, a statue in his honour was unveiled at England's St George's Park in 2014 and perhaps most importantly, a headstone was placed on his grave in 1997.

His name was finally etched into the history books and onto a small rectangle of stone just south of Doncaster.

Sam Quine (He/Him)

Credit: The Arthur Wharton Foundation George Devo (He/Him)

He was described as “invincible” whilst at Darlington and credited with “one the finest exhibitions of goalkeeping” by a national sports newspaper after one performance for Preston.

"

Credit: Dave Owen Basketball

Match Report of the Month: Sheffield United earn a last-gasp point in a dramatic game with nine-man Blackpool

Black History Month: Jessica Ennis-Hill

Sheffield United and Blackpool played out an entertaining 3-3 draw at Bramall Lane, which saw a missed penalty, red cards and six goals in a dramatic afternoon in South Yorkshire.

Going into the game, both sides opted to make three changes. For Sheffield United, George Baldock, Billy Sharp and Ben Osborn all return to the starting XI in place of Kyron Gordon, Rhian Brewster and Reda Khadra, with Khadra and Brewster dropping to the bench.

For Blackpool, Kenny Dougall, Shayne Lavery and Liam Bridcutt all return to the starting lineup in place of Callum Wright, Sonny Carey and Theo Corbeanu, who all started the game on the bench.

The deadline was broken in just the ninth minute when Sheffield United’s James McAtee scored his first professional goal after he bundled home a headed pass from Billy Sharp, following a superb cross by Doyle.

United’s lead was then doubled on the 23-minute mark when Iliman Ndiaye headed home after

Norwood’s cross was spilt following a corner.

Blackpool then clawed a goal back in the 29th minute of the game when Kenny Dougall, returning to the side after a one-match suspension, crossed the ball into Jerry Yates, whose header looped into the far corner of Foderingham’s goal.

Following the Blackpool goal, United had a good spell of possession, creating a lot of chances but none can be converted into a goal.

The Tangerines then levelled the score through Yates’ second goal of the game, with a first-time finish into the bottom corner after a cross from Lavery.

Just four minutes into the second half, Blackpool took an unexpected lead in the game after Kenny Dougall made no mistake 1v1 with Foderingham in the United goal.

63 minutes in, United made a triple change, with McBurnie, Brewster and Ahmedhodzic coming on for Sharp, Osborn and McAtee in the search of an equalising goal.

The game then changed

Sheffield United: Foderingham, Baldock(Khadra 84’), Basham, Egan, Norrington-Davies, Osborn(McBurnie 64’), Doyle, Norwood, McAtee (Ahmedhodzic 64’), Ndiaye, Sharp (Brewster 64’)

Subs not used: Davies, Robinson, Arblaster

at 78 minutes as Ekpiteta brought down Rhian Brewster to receive his second yellow card resulting in Blackpool being a man down.

It went from bad to worse for the Seasiders as Thompson also received his second yellow following a clash with Egan, meaning Blackpool had nine men with ten minutes left.

Not long after, the home side was handed a golden opportunity when a penalty was given after Yates had held back Egan.

Brewster stepped up to take it yet his attempt cannoned off the inside of the post and out for a throwin.

In the eighth minute of added time, the Blades finally got their welldeserved equaliser through Oli Norwood, who struck a sweet volley in when Doyle’s corner wasn’t dealt with properly.

After full-time, both sets of players came together in a big group brawl that resulted in United’s Foderingham and Blackpool’s Lavery on the floor and both were sent off for their actions.

Blackpool: Maxwell, Connolly, Ekpiteta, Thorniley, Thompson, Dougall, Patino, Bridcutt (Wright 75’), Lavery (Williams 82’), Madine (Hamilton 85’), Yates

Subs not used: Grimshaw, Carey, Corbeanu, Poveda

Jessica Ennis-Hill is a retired track and field athlete and a former student at the University of Sheffield. She was born in Sheffield in 1986, to an English mother and Jamaican father.

Her career began with junior tournaments in Britain, but her promise really showed when she won the 2005 European Juniors tournament and put up a British record of 5,891 points. This high level of success led to her professional career beginning at the age of 18, and her first Commonwealth games in 2006 at just 20.

She also won the 2009 and 2011 World Championships in Heptathlon and the 2010 World Championship in Pentathlon at the indoor world championships.

The crowning moment of Ennis-Hill’s career came at

the London 2012 Olympic games, where she won gold in the heptathlon. However, following this triumph EnnisHill had troubles with injury and a pregnancy layoff.

Ennis-Hill’s rise to prominence continued through the late 2000s before she began winning championships through the years 20092011.

Despite this, Ennis-Hill was still able to go on to the 2015 world Championships to win gold again before achieving a silver medal at the Olympic games in Rio 2016 before her retirement. Her long and illustrious career has made her one of the most successful British track and field athletes of the 21st century.

Tom Mangan (He/him)

Credit: Sebastian Jones

Sebastian Jones (He/him)

Credit: Unsplash

Opinion: Is club sport at university too cliquey?

Ross Stephen (he/him)

Are sports clubs at amateur level too cliquey?

Inevitably yes, but forget them. There is a club out there for you.

Cliques in sport are inevitable, and actually important to highperforming teams. When performance is paramount, those with lower abilities can be forgotten.

Many will fall at the first hurdle, the dreaded trial. Some will falter even before the trial stage, simply based on first impressions.

Some will make it into teams and find themselves given minimal opportunities, with the ability to express themselves through their sport limited and their confidence shaken.

Unlike most stages of life, the choice of sports clubs at uni is astronomical. You will find your place.

The correlation between performance and social standing for many ambitious clubs is essential. The reality

is that teams adopting an elitist approach will be left with only the most talented players and will get results. But the answer for me, and I think for most people who have faced adversity when pursuing sports, is to just keep looking.

For me, sport is simply a tool for a free boost of endorphins; a necessary yang to the yin of pubs, pints, and pies; and a great way to meet people. Enjoyment, therefore, is crucial.

The holy grail of social sports is subject-based teams; I found myself playing football for English Literature and rugby for History. I encountered two brilliant team captains that created an incredibly supportive atmosphere. The teams were run with an ethos of inclusion – anyone could join. Everyone got time in the matches, and training was friendly rather than intense. As a result, teams included a wide range of people and at no point did I feel outside of the social circle, isolated or alone.

The rare occasions of any offensive speech were dealt with swiftly and fairly to ensure no one was uncomfortable. I know that these clubs were important support systems for some players going

through difficult times. I was struggling for friends before these clubs – now they include the best friends I have at university.

I know I would much rather be laughing with my mates as I concede my fifth goal of the match rather

Women’s Football: Sheffield United enjoy positive start to the new season

than furious that I hadn’t scored six. I would much rather be helping others to learn a new sport, watching them improve, and socially connecting as a result. Personally, I’d much rather meet a wide range of people from all kinds of interesting backgrounds than robotic athletes only driven by scorelines.

It is for that reason I say, let the cliques stay cliquey, because I definitely don’t mind them not being on my team. Or maybe I’m just bitter that I’m rubbish in goal.

The success of the Lionesses this summer in the Euros has generated a massive boost in the popularity of women’s football. Bramall Lane hosted some games, including the semi-final, which saw the Lionesses take on Sweden.

Head Coach of Sheffield United’s women’s team, Neil Redfearn, has expressed his delight that the women’s team will play all their home games at Bramall Lane this season.

A few new faces were added to the squad during the summer. One addition to keep an eye on is Wales international Maria FrancisJones from Manchester City on dual registration.

With the boost in the excitement surrounding the women’s game and the new recruits added to the squad, Sheffield United have had a relatively strong start to the 2022/23 season.

The squad’s first match ended in a 1-0 loss against Blackburn Rovers, who are currently second from the bottom in the league table. However, that first defeat of the season seemed to be the prod that the Blades needed, and the team went on to win 2 -0 at home to Durham in their next match, with

Courtney Sweetman-Kirk scoring twice in the second half.

An 8-0 victory against Coventry United in the Blades’ second game at home was the highlight of the season so far. Grace Riglar, who has just joined the Blades in July after one year at Coventry United, scored in the first ten minutes of the game.

After two big home wins, it was a shame to see United Women draw against Lewes. The Blades bounced back from being 2-0 down after an own goal from the opposition and a second goal from defender Charlotte Newsham. Newsham attempted to give the Blades the third goal and completely turn the match around but was denied as the offside flag was raised.

Although Redfearn was critical of the team’s performance in parts, the head coach was happy to take home a “great point”. He described the own goal as “a bit lucky” but said: “you get some luck sometimes if you get good balls in the box, and the second goal is a great goal”.

Sheffield United’s promising run was brought to an end on Sunday, losing 2-3 at Bramall Lane to current league leaders, Bristol City.

Jemma Snowdon (she/her)

Credit: Tommy Gorman (Forge Press)

Credit: Leah Hetteberg via Unsplash

Sport is simply a tool for a free boost of endorphins; a necessary yang to the yin of pubs, pints, and pies; and a great way to meet people.

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