Pluto 249

Friday 15 March 2013

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UCLan introduces new Vice-Chancellor: Gerry Kelleher Page 7

Issue 249

Media Officer speaks out about her year in office

Find out what happened behind closed doors Page 10

Latham becomes new SU President Ben Latham will replace Edd GrahamHyde as Students’ Union President Michael Bailey beats Ali Staffords to Media Officer by just 16 votes Adam Bland takes up the vacant Education Officer position Full coverage: Pages 4 & 5

UCLan graduate helps organise festival...

Turn to page 3 for the full story...

FRIDAY 15 MARCH 2013 | PLUTO

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News

Those who teach, earn a pittance Charlie Oldfield Reporter A professional survey of 1,500 people has revealed that one in three postgraduates that have gone into teaching earn less than the minimum wage.

The survey asked university and secondary-school teachers questions about their working conditions (e.g. hours worked per week and length of lunch breaks), pay, and motivations.

The findings of the research were then written up in a report entitled ‘Postgraduates Who Teach’, produced by the organisation NUS. They showed that, when taking into account the many unpaid out-of-

office hours teachers are required to work per week, approximately a third of postgrad teachers receive a ‘real wage’ lower than the minimum hourly pay issued by government.

Other revelations brought forward by the survey are: 31% of teachers receive no contract of employment; 1/5 have no training before starting the role; and that five percent have no desire to be teachers, but are forced into the role as a condition of their research funding, regardless of their aptitude in fulfilling the role.

An employability focused lecturer at UCLan, who has asked to remain anonymous, said: “Lecturers [appear to be] paid a substantial amount of money per hour of teaching.

“But in reality, when prep time, marking, admin, and pastoral student care are factored in, this amounts to

very little per hour. [Therefore] I’d expect this would be somewhat below the national minimum wage.”

The lecturer continued to state that the low pay levels were likely down to a lack of appreciation for the amount of work those in higher education perform out of hours, with some members of staff being made to mark 250 essays in the period of a fortnight, for no extra pay, on top of everything they need to do normally.

Although admittedly unsure as to whether the situation would improve or not over the next few years, the lecturer didn’t suggest students hoping to pursue a career in teaching should be put off, saying it isn’t too difficult to get into a better paid position provided you have experience.

Inside this issue News UCLan Animation Graduates honoured at ceremony Charlie Oldfield, page 6

Features Modern day superheroes Jasleen Kaur, page 9

Comment The ethics behind Jay-Z’s footwear Rae Kershaw, page 11

Sport A look at Ultimate Frisbee

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Editorial Editor-in-Chief Sophie Bennett sumedia@uclan.ac.uk 01772 894883 Deputy Editor Luke Beardsworth News Editors Matthew Murphy Anastasia Bates Tom Greggan Features Editors Adam Legg Michelle Hennessy Comment Editors Megan Lincoln Charlotte Alty

Sports Editors Joe Angove Ste Thomas

Address Pluto, UCLan Students’ Union, Fylde Road, Preston, PR1 2TQ

@plutonews

@pluto_sport Printed by: Iliffe Print, Cambridge. www.iliffeprint.co.uk/iliffeprint Disclaimer: The views expressed in this publication are not necessarily the views of the Students’ Union (SU) and the SU excludes responsibility for the opinions expressed in articles authored by students.

Whilst PLUTO has used reasonable endeavours to ensure that the information is accurate and up to date at the time of issue, it does not warrant that it is accurate or complete and reserves the right to make corrections in future issues. © 2012 All content is the copyright of SU UCLAN unless otherwise stated.

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PLUTO | FRIDAY 15 MARCH 2013

FIFA 13 World Champion shocked by UCLan student Luke Beardsworth Deputy Editor A student from the UCLan can now claim to be the best FIFA 13 player in the world.

Abdullah Malik defeated Adam Winster at a tournament held in Revolutions in Preston. The night was hosted by the 1-500 Club, an online community exclusively for students.

The second year biomedical science student said: “I’ve been bragging on Twitter – it has to be done.

“All my mates have been bombarding me saying ‘If I was there I would have won’ and guys from all over the country have been offering to play me.”

The night offered £100 to the winner of the tournament, which could then be increased to £250 if the winner could defeat special guest Adam Winster. Adam, from Ingol, is the UK’s no.1 Fifa 13 player and the highest earning player in the world.

Abdullah continued: “I knew I was alright at FIFA, I thought it was

pretty good, but I didn’t know if I could win a tournament.

“Winning the tournament was great, but beating the UK’s no.1 topped it off.”

The match between Abdullah and Adam was a tightly contested affair.

Abdullah controlled Manchester City whereas Adam chose Real Madrid.

Abdullah, who works in B&M, said: “I picked Manchester City because I like Tevez and Aguero up front. I actually support Manchester United!

“The atmosphere was great. As soon as it started the place was buzzing.”

Around 75 people took part in the competition. The night was sponsored by Richer Sounds and Game, who supplied the HD TV’s and Playstation 3’s.

The final of the main tournament was a contest between Abdullah and fellow student Edmond, but it was a one-sided match, with the winner prevailing 3-0.

Adam took his defeat well, offering to meet up with Abdullah to discuss entering competitions together.

Abdullah said: “I don’t know if he

was at his best but he seemed to be concentrating and he was changing all his tactics.

“It would be quite nice to play him again and I’d love to get involved in more tournaments.

“I was looking at pictures of him

in a Las Vegas Hotel at one of the tournaments and that motivates me.”

One thing is for certain, a prize like the $167,000 one that Adam collected in New York last year would help with those University fees.

Champion: Abdullah poses with his winnings

UCLan Graduate brains behind music festival Anastasia Bates Deputy News Editor

A UCLan graduate is to coorganise a brand new festival this summer.

Gareth Butterworth, who graduated with a Journalism degree, is set to organise the festival, with Mad Ferret owner, Fraser Boon and Aspull RFC committee member, Martin Jump.

Wuchiefest will make its debut this August and will feature acts from both the existing and up and coming music scenes. The festival will be held on the 10-11th August, in Woodshaw Park, with the line-up and ticket prices to be confirmed in the spring.

The park which is also home to Aspull RFC will host the three stages

throughout the festival this Summer and is alongside the silhouette of Wutchie Rook.

Gareth, who founded The Ark Preston, an online magazine featuring the city’s best up and coming music talent, has promoted and organised many events already including The Vaccines, Ed Sheeran and the monthly clubnight at the Mad Ferret, Antics.

He said: “It’s incredibly exciting.

The provisional line-up is looking ace. I can’t wait for people to see it. Hopefully all the hard work and passion will pay off in August and thousands of people will have a cracking few days.

“I also want it to be an annual event so I will be determined to make it successful.”

Fraser has also become a prominent figure in Preston, transforming the Mad Ferret into NME’s Best Small

The Mad Ferret: A roaring success thanks to Fraser Boon Venue.

The pair have said that ticket prices will be kept low to attract crowds in such a competitive market.

Elsewhere, The Ark Preston’s Antics line-up for April will include

favourites Cactus Knife and False Flag.

For more information, contact Gareth Butterworth on gbutterworth@thearkpreston.com.

News

Salvation Army Plea

The Salvation Army have put out a desperate plea for clothes donations after the recent spell of cold weather.

The Preston branch, based on Harrington Street, needs more donations than usual at this time of year because of the sub-zero temperatures and snow seen recently.

Alex Cadogan, Officer for the Harrington Street branch, said: “We are in desperate need for clothes for the charity shop as people are not donating clothes in the same amount that they are food, and in many ways, clothes donations can be just as important.”

The Salvation Army distributes food parcels to people and helps provide support to homeless people in need of emergency accommodation. As a very last resort, they have a supply of sleeping bags available for those who have to brave the outdoors at night.

Clothes can be donated to either the Harrington Street Centre or the Charity Shop found at 40 Plungington Road.

Guild Hall Fire Preston’s Guild Hall is under investigation after six bins caught fire, causing damage to some of the brickwork around the area.

Fire-fighters were called to the scene shortly before 6pm on Sunday March 3 and arrived to six industrial sized bins burning on the balcony close to Tithebarn Street. Flames and thick, black smoke was reported to have been seen rising from an outside balcony across the city.

Acting watch manager at Preston Fire Station, John Leach, confirmed the reports that the incident was being treated as “suspicious” and that police were investigating what had happened. He said: “The bins were in a lockable compound on the balcony which is outside the main Guild Hall complex.” He later added: “The only damage was to the bins which were completely destroyed and some heat scorching to the brickwork around there.”

A fire engine from Penwortham attended the incident along with a further two from Preston fire station.

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FRIDAY 15 MARCH 2013 | PLUTO

News

words: Luke Beardsworth coverage: Matthew Murphy photos: Ben Nielsen Ben Latham saw off stiff competition from controversial Edd Graham-Hyde to overthrow the current Students’ Union President on Wednesday night.

Successful candidate Ben Latham said: “I am ecstatic to have picked up this win. I just want to say a massive thank-you to everyone that voted and, even more so, those that supported me with kind words throughout this campaign.

“I’m hugely looking forward to next year but I would like to assure people that I will continue my role as APO with the same passion I have over the last year, as I’m sure Edd will as president.”

Departing President Edd GrahamHyde said: “As I move onto NUS next year, I wish Ben all the best. I hope he only improves the union.”

The 2013 SU elections saw the appointment of a new Student Affairs Committee as well as several roles for the Student Council, with Hayley White, Bronwyn Casey & Adam Legg retaining their roles.

The closest contest of the night came as Michael Bailey outfought Ali Stafford to win the role of next year’s Media Officer by just 16 votes.

Adam Bland became the new Education Officer and Sam Bloomfield won the Activities and Participation Officer. Sophie Bennett then swapped her Media Officer role for that of Campaigns Officer to complete the SAC team for the next academic year. The role of Education Officer held particular interest this year after being unfilled for much of the year due to the dismissal of Joey Guy. Sophie Bennett said of her victory: “I can’t believe I have won in consecutive years. I have a lot planned for the coming year and I am excited.

“For now though, I still have to focus on my role as media officer as well as helping with the handover to Michael Bailey, who I am sure will make a great media officer.”

Hayley White retained her role comfortably and will be the Council Chair on the Students’ Council next year. Adam Legg, Calum France, Bronwyn Casey, Nicole Shergold and Mark Lee all won open positions on the student council.

The council chair said: “I am

The Results Students’ Un

thrilled to be re-elected as council chair and I look forward to continuing the role next year.

“I want to thank everybody who has voted for me and supported me.”

Elsewhere Alex Re became LGBT Rep and Janine Conroy will follow Chloe Vinden as the Womens Rep. Lastly, the NUS Delegate was elected. The chosen candidates will go to the NUS Annual Conference and vote on national policy, as well as the leaders of the NUS. Popular student Lee Mac unsurprisingly won the majority of the votes. He will be joined by Alex Re, Sophie Bennett, Ben Latham, Hayley White, Adam Legg and Amal Idriss.

He said of the results: “Generally it was a good turnout for votes; I was surprised that some people didn’t get their positions as their voices will be missed in the union.

“It is great to represent students in our union, something I can now do at a national level. I can influence policy at students’ unions’ up and down the country.”

Gareth Pye, Membership Services Manager , said: “The whole two weeks were amazing. All the candidates and campaigns did themselves proud.

Thank you to everyone who voted and to the media candidates who did themselves proud”

Media Officer: The candidates feel the pressure

SAC Team Voting Break Down President Ben Latham 771 (893) Edd Graham-Hyde 570 (648)

Campaigns Officer Sophie Bennett Sabrina Rojas Whitney Griffiths

568 (634) 375 (428) 262

Education Officer Adam Bland Sarah MacMillan Josh Nicholetts Kayleigh Ramsden Tina Schwind Claire Wilkinson

428 (625) 322 228 141 252 322 (483)

Activities and Participation Officers Sam Bloomfield 694 Matthew Fargher 264 Vanessa Silva 242

Media Officer Michael Bailey Christopher Brett-Hall Kerry Howard Adam Howes Ali Stafford

396 (488) 146 282 123 344 (472)

Positions still available: Black, Minority & Ethnic Rep School Presidents First round votes, with final round in brackets.

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PLUTO | FRIDAY 15 MARCH 2013

are in for ion elections

News

This years winners Students Affairs Committee President Ben Latham Education Officer Adam Bland Media Officer Michael Bailey Activities and Participation Officer Sam Bloomfield Campaigns Officer Sophie Bennett

Students’ Council Council Chair Hayley White before the announcement. Michael Bailey saw out Ali Stafford by just 16 votes.

What is the single transferrable vote? (STV) The STV is used for proportional representation.

This makes sure that every demographic has equal representation. The traditional method is a “most votes wins” system but with STV candidates have to reach a quote of 50% plus one.

Voters also have the option to vote more than once, so that if their original candidate is elected, their second choice is used in the next round, and so on.

Student Councillor (Open Position) Adam Legg Calum France Bronwyn Casey Nicole Shergold Mark Lee LGBT Rep Alex Re Womens Rep Janine Conroy NUS Delegate Lee Mac Alex Re Sophie Bennett Ben Latham Hayley White Adam Legg Amal Idriss Total number of votes 2760

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FRIDAY 15 MARCH 2013 | PLUTO

News

Animation Graduates are honoured at Royal awards Charlie Oldfield Reporter Two UCLan animation graduates have won North-West RTS best animation award for their short film ‘Mime Square’.

Robert Beard and Mathew French won the 2013 Royal Television Society award after been selected from a shortlist of three teams, including Joanne Edwards, another graduate from UCLan They will now represent the NorthWest at the national RTS awards in May where they will compete against animation finalists from other regions for the national prize.

After receiving the award Mathew said: “Winning the award really gives us a sense of achievement and pride in what we have made.” Robert added that he hoped the award would help them in their future careers and to stand out from a crowd.

Mime Square is about two rival mime actions competing for the same audience and comes in at about three minutes and twenty seconds, with half of the film in black-and-white 2D and the other half in a coloured Pixar style 3D. Robert designed, modelled, and animated the characters and CGI elements, while Mathew’s focus was on producing the 2D textures and animations.

Ed Pugh, the RTS events Student Chair, said, “[The film] has beautifully observed characters and backgrounds. It’s unique, ambitious, and brilliantly executed.”

When we asked an Animation student at UCLan his opinion on the wins, he said: “It shows that the teaching that the staff [at UCLan] provide, as well as the crop of talent and student output on the course, is really of exceptional quality.

“I have no worries about finding future work.”

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Winners: Beard and French UCLan has a history of success with the RTS awards, with graduate Charlotte Becker winning the entire competition back in 2011 with her knitted

animation film Little Red Plane.

Runner-up Joanne Edwards is now developing a kids TV show for the BBC, which is intended on being pitched in a few months time.

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Second absconded prisoner caught Escaped prisoner, Brian Lynch has been found after being on the run in the Preston area. He was arrested shortly before 5am on Tuesday at an address in Gorton, Manchester.

A 40 year old woman has also been arrested for harbouring an escaped prisoner.

Brian Lynch, 44, was on a trip from Kirkham Prison to Preston city centre when he absconded at around 3pm on Thursday March 7. Lynch was sentenced to life in prison at Manchester Crown Court in 1988 for the murder of 21 year old Chi Keung Yip in Clayton Vale in March 1988.

This is not the first person to have escaped from prison recently.

Ivan Leach, 47, of Preston, went on the run from North Sea Camp open prison in Lincolnshire and was arrested after a seven month manhunt for him which ended in December 2012.

PAIN AU CHOCOLAT

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PLUTO | FRIDAY 15 MARCH 2013

News

Vice To Meet You: UCLan appoints new Vice-Chancellor Charlie Oldfield Reporter It was revealed last week that Dr Gerry Kelleher, currently working at Manchester Metropolitan University, has been appointed as UCLan’s new vice-chancellor.

The University Board and Directorate selected Kelleher after a thorough recruitment process, with Brian Harris, Chair of the Board, saying: “I know that all members of the University community will congratulate Gerry on his appointment and will look forward to welcoming him to the University.”

Dr Kelleher, graduate from The London School of Economics, is coming to UCLan from his position as Deputy Vice-Chancellor at

MMU, where his major remit was the strategic development of the university. He also held responsibility for marketing, recruitment, research, and ‘knowledge exchange’, making him very experienced for his new position.

The Professor started his career as a lecturer of Artificial Intelligence in 1993 and has since become an expert in the field, having given special guest talks at universities in the USA, Japan, and all throughout Europe.

Over the years he has worked at universities in Leeds, Warwick, Liverpool, and Manchester, along with being a senior manager in a private Maastricht based research institute responsible for the commercial applications of AI. Blackburn born Dr Kelleher is quoted on the University of Central

Dangerous Driving Awareness

Gerry Kelleher: The new UCLan Vice-Chancellor will start at UCLan in Summer 2013

Lancashire’s website as saying: “I look forward to meeting and working with students and staff at this pivotal time in UCLan’s development.

“Together there is no limit to what

we can achieve in the months and years ahead.”

Now a father of two, he’ll shortly be coming to UCLan to take over the role of Professor Malcolm McVicar, who took up the role in 1998.

UCLan are teaming up with Lancashire Police and Lancashire County Council’s Safer Travel Team to raise awareness of issues around driving under the influence.

Janet and Andrew Alston have released a statement regarding the effect that drink driving had on their 18-year-old son Matthew Altson, who was killed driving home the morning after a night out.

Janet and Andrew Alston said: “Matthew died as a result of driving the ‘Morning After’ he had been out drinking alcohol with friends. He drove without realising the amount of alcohol still in his body. Later we discovered he had twice the legal drink drive limit still in his system.

“Matt had a massive amount of friends. He was so cheeky; always laughing and joking. That’s something we’ll never have again.”

Matt’s mangled car has been on display at UCLan this week as a warning for students.

Thats what she says: NUS survey investigates lad culture Tom Greggan Deputy News Editor The National Union for Students has published new research which shows that 50% of students identified ‘prevailing sexism, ‘laddism’, and a culture of harassment’ at universities.

The research entitled ‘That’s What She Says’, was carried out at the University of Sussex and examined ‘lad culture’ on campus.

The participants in the research defined lad culture as, “a group or pack mentality residing in activities such as sport and heavy alcohol consumption, and ‘banter’ which was often sexist, misogynistic and homophobic.’

This has led to the NUS calling on Jo Swinson, the Women and Equalities Minister, to convene a summit on this lad culture.

Organisations such as the British Universities and College Sports, Equality Challenge Unit and The Everyday Sexism Project have all supported the call for a summit and

agreed to participate.

Two first year students, Ellen Bourne and Alex Hartley both interpret lad culture as the fact that men can get away with stuff that women can’t. Alex, a Photography student said: “I think lad culture is a negative thing because it is fine for a lad to act one way but if a girl did it its wrong.” Ellen who studies Asian Pacific Studies added: “It creates a double standard between the two genders.”

Janine Conroy, Chair of the Feminist Society said on the subject: “What tends to happen is that girls approach me on a personal basis and tell me about them (lad culture).

Usually because they feel like they’re at university, it wouldn’t be taken seriously.

“Lad culture for me can revolve from anything from a copy of FHM to actually being sexually harassed in a nightclub. I think it is very much seen as part of the university lifestyle, it’s just what happens, it’s what you do and it’s not seen as a big deal; like a rites of passage for men.”

Janine says the SU aren’t doing enough to combat lad culture. She

said: “We’re lacking people involved in the SU that actually see lad culture as a problem and something really needs to be done about that.

“More needs to be done to implement changes within Source and within 53 Degrees but we need to branch out more and we need to make sure the external companies that the SU work with and get money off are doing the same thing.” Lad culture for me can revolve from anything from a copy of FHM to actually being sexually harassed in a nightclub.”

She criticised Essentials for giving out free copies of FHM, saying that it doesn’t just encourage lad culture, but it is lad culture.

However, she was keen to point out the good work UCLan has done with regards to lad culture, saying: “what some people don’t know about that I brought to the attention of is that UCLan wrote a motion to be passed at NUS Women’s Conference which hopefully should be passed at the big NUS Conference and which expands the zero tolerance policy to include that SU’s have to assess every entertainment’s company they

affiliate with before they do it and make sure none of their materials are sexist, make sure there is no misogyny there, make sure there

is no devaluation of women and make sure they have a good policy at that club when it comes to sexual harassment.”

Lad Culture: The comedy behind doing horrible things

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FRIDAY 15 MARCH 2013 | PLUTO

Features

Internet killed the Newspaper Star!

Deputy Features Editor Michelle Hennessy looks at newspapers and young people.

Y

oung people are often held accountable as the generation that started the ‘beginning of the end’ for the newspaper industry. The generation brought up with the internet that evolved into something that would allow access to news stories from many different outlets all at once and, most importantly, free of charge.

Some papers have tried to get past this using a pay wall on their websites to try and make up their capital while others turn to advertising to help compensate for the dramatically declining sales in their print forms.

In a recent survey on young people’s attitudes and habits towards current affairs, Movellas.com found that news bulletins on the radio came out as the most favourable news outlet, with 61% of the teenagers asked stating that it was the best way for them to keep up with the news.

Founder of the site, Per Larsen, suggested that: “the success of radio news is down to the skill of stations in catering for their target demographic, and by combining music, entertainment news and relevant current affairs.”

Television was cited as the second

most popular choice leaving only 26% buying newspapers to stay up to date with the news. Though the printed form may not be a popular choice among young people, 70% of those polled considered themselves to be knowledgeable on current issues by instead choosing broadcast forms, showing it’s not a lack of care but merely a substitution of sources.

The somewhat recent rise in social media sites, such as Facebook and Twitter, also appear to be evolving into news resources with people able to post articles and share news stories. Experts have also said that they use Twitter to predict health patterns and provide a better understanding of the influence of lifestyles by gathering information from posts.

The ability to comment and interact with radio, TV and online forms is what many people believe makes the difference in popularity between these and newspapers. Per Larsen said: “The internet has empowered young people to be a part of the news, not simply consumers of it.”

It is this view that many believe is causing the ever declining sales in print.

Newspapers in Britain have used a National Readership Survey to estimate how many people read a paper as well as their hits on the web.

Quality broadsheet papers such as the Guardian highlight the difference in popularity between print and online as their printed form has less than 5,000 readers compared to over nine and a half thousand reads online, almost double their printed sales.

Tabloid papers such as the Daily Mail follow a similar pattern and whilst their printed forms sell more than twice as well, still have a much higher online readership.

Fire and Leadership student at UCLan, Sam Davies, says it is important to stay up to date with current affairs as it allows us to understand the rest of the world better. He said: “I use websites of newspapers and Facebook post stories occasionally. I like MSN as they have a summary of different stories.” As for printed forms, he buys a paper “once every one or two weewks, usually something catches my eye on the front page and I buy it.”

UCLan Teaching Awards 2013

The We Heart U Award is available throughout the year and allows UCLan students to reward and recognise UCLan staff for moments of excellence – Do you want to show your UCLan staff how great they really are?

The Golden Roses is the annual prestigious Student-Led Teaching Awards held at UCLan Students’ Union on 18th April, and every year it is a great night of recognition and giving something back to the wonderful staff that enhance your student experience here at UCLan.

NOMINATE ONLINE TODAY For more information, to nominate or to see the criteria for each award visit:

www.uclansu.co.uk/teachingawards

PLUTO | FRIDAY 15 MARCH 2013

9

Features

PHOTO:David Boocock

Holy Hashtags Batman!

Can Batman save the Odeon? The Bat symbol was projected onto the side of the cinema which is supposedly to be knocked down to make way for newer construction.

Jasleen Kaur Reporter

B

radford made national news recently when a man dressed as Batman handed a wanted criminal in to Trafalgar House Police Station. The images of the superhero fighting real life crime became world famous within hours of the arrest, with everyone wondering about the identity of Bradford’s Batman.

It has since been revealed that the Dark Knight is a Chinese takeaway delivery driver by day - feeding the hungry by day and fighting Bradfordian crime by night. The caped crusader unmasked himself after the man he delivered to the police station (his friend, Danny

Frayne) was sentenced in front of the Bradford magistrates. Stan Worby (Batman’s name by day) lives in Wyke and helped his friend turn himself in to the police after committing several instances of fraud crime. 39 year old Worby himself served a prison sentence for burglary, car theft and other offences when he was 24 and since shooting to fame as Batman, he’s been sought out by Bradford citizens for various favours. One group of activists projected a batsignal onto the building of the Odeon Theatre which is being torn down to make way for newer construction.

After Bradford Batman shot to fame, several people took to twitter claiming “I will sleep easy tonight, in knowledge that the #bradfordbatman will protect out streets #Kapow”. Another

tweet was “I hope that the Bradford Batman confirms for you nonBradfordians that this is a very interesting place to live. #justsaying Bradford is no stranger to real life superheroes, having been home to the Mad Monk since the 1960’s.

Geoffrey Brindley used to be a machinist in 1960 when at the age of 33; he gave up his job and moved to a cave near Settle so that he could “receive a message from God”. 12 days later, he emerged wearing a habit, sandals and dangling a satchel around his neck and he has been roaming the streets of Bradford ever since. Over the years, he has been given many names including Bradford Jesus, Jesus Man and even Holy Joe and miraculously, never seems to age. The Mad Monk has brightened many a day by stopping to help anyone who might require it or even just waving and smiling when

someone calls his name.

These two strangers are just some examples of the special members of our society who give up their time to help others, selflessly. Real life superheroes are an inspiration to everyone because they are average people who choose to fight for “the greater good”. They’re just normal people who choose to break out of the mold of the gormless commuter and stand up for the defenceless or the helpless. Whether it’s an old granny beating burglars with her handbag, a costumed man cutting clamp wheels in London free of charge or Fathers 4 Justice who dress up as superheroes and fight for children to have equal rights of access when their parents separate, it’s safe to say society would be much worse off without our real life superheroes.

Twitter Feed: #BradfordBatman @DaboAlamin: So there’s a guy in Bradford, dressed as Batman, who’s arresting criminals.

See what not winning the Capital one cup does #BradfordBatman @AdamGahlin: Think twice before wrestling a shark perhaps Paul should have called #BradfordBatman @MummyKuljit: Bloody brilliant we should have a batman in every town and city #BradfordBatman @theJeremyVine: Police: “His identity remains unknown.” So you didn’t just ask him, then? #BradfordBatman

FRIDAY 15 MARCH 2013 | PLUTO

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Comment

How I lost faith in journalists W

hen I was a young girl, I used to look up to my father as a journalist.

What I defined back then as a ‘seeker of truth’. Now, after working in the industry and growing up to know what life is really like, I wonder if I’ve been looking at journalism, and journalistic practice for that matter, with rose tinted glasses.

Growing up in a family run by journalism I saw my father and how he was looked upon by society; a well-respected man who everyone wanted to know. I have admired him throughout my life as he is a dying breed of the classic journalist.

He had no relevant experience, but knew at the age of 11 he wanted to be a journalist. He left school at the age of 15 and due to the immense passion of wanting to be in that profession he worked his way up from being a messenger boy of an evening newspaper to being what he is today. A well-recognised journalist and a pioneer in creating hyperlocal newspapers, defying the decline of newsprint in today’s society.

With the decline in newsprint trending in society it has led to the diluted version of what I believe is true journalism practice. I have always seen a journalist as an investigator, to get down to the truth and tell the audience about the truth. Instead, what I see happening in real life is the complete opposite.

Websites such as the Huffington Post are seen by the public as a true representation of a newspaper, however, this is not the case. Anyone can write for the Huffington Post, it is merely a blogging site dressed up as a newspaper. I have learned first-hand how people not knowing the difference can be dangerous.

What bewilders me is the pure lack of common sense throwing journalism practice out of the window and this seems to becoming the new normal. Taking blogging sites as gospel truth and repeating the half truths. Take for example, the events following from the disciplinary action of the Students’ Unions Education Officer, Joey Guy. Student journalists were flocking to The Huffington Post to be the first to report on the story and with this led to rushed investigating and most of the article based on perceived facts, which were completely incorrect.

Dewi Powell, who was the first student to report to the Huffington post, initiated the negative domino

effect of misinformation by reporting the officers earn £18,000 per annum and we are hired by the University, not realising the Union is a separate entity. Facts such as these could be found easily on the Student Unions Website, conveying lack of investigative integrity. This, in turn, led to the repetition of unsubstantiated facts which were printed at a national level. I was angry at the fact that journalists thought it right to attack me for not having the qualifications yet they failed to follow practice with the knowledge and qualifications they have received over the years.

But then, the Huffington Post is a blog site, so it’s technically fine.

The Deputy Editor of Pluto at the time, when the team was allegedly “gagged”, was seemingly in a good position to comment on the situation, going on to question the relevance of student media.

My current Deputy Editor, then Comment Editor, wanted his say on the matter: “I’m not sure anyone was actually gagged. We were advised quite forcefully by Edd GrahamHyde not to talk about the matter, but you don’t listen to Edd. I’ve spent the year not listening to what he has to say. Her piece surprised me because she didn’t have the strength to follow through with the story.

Everyone was slated in that period, apart from Faye who jumped ship and blamed everyone but herself.”

The apt saying of ‘the pen is mightier than the sword’ has truly come into effect. Anyone who was not involved in the situation whether you are for or against the story will not know what happened. They rely on the reporting of the ‘event’ in the paper. This in turn led to me being slated through several websites claiming to have journalistic integrity.

When I had introduced the Code of Conduct in the Students’ Union, something that had been planned to be rolled out regardless of the previous stories being run, I was attacked with once again ‘dramatised’ reports compared to what actually happened. An example of this is shown in the Hemel Hampstead stating that Sarah Gregory, a News Editor for one edition of Pluto before leaving, stated “I resigned as news editor and four other people quit, leaving the media officer doing the paper on her own and now the online version has shut down.”

This statement is completely untrue and a proper journalist would have followed the course of investigative journalism by giving the Students’ Union a right to reply. Yet I failed

to get any communication from them. As it happens, five of my editorial team were left, meaning the walkout consisted of less than half of my team. Three out of four of those who left only worked on one issue, and they were recommended and interviewed by the only long-serving member who left.

I have faith that the online news presence could potentially be a positive change to media and allow a community to build around it.

Something you can’t facilitate in newsprint, is to allow the readers to comment on the article. After all, the foundation that journalists live by is to have ‘freedom of speech’,

something of which I was accused of taking away from students. To the public eye it comes across as everyone can have their say online.

Although on many occasions when I tried to put my comments across to rectify some of the mistakes within the blogs it seemed that I had been denied my ‘freedom of speech’. I agree, comments should be policed with some discretion, but to not post my comment online when making a valid point and actually revealing how weak and one sided the article is, is quite frankly, hypocritical.

I do believe there are journalists still out there that follow correct journalism practice where in modern

society it is merely about time and getting stories out there, not about getting the truth out to the readers.

Many people perceive journalists as ‘the scum of the earth’ partially because of mal-practice. However I do believe there is hope. I look at my father and believe that there is a small chance to regain the admired perception of journalists once more. I believe this can only be achieved by having the right journalistic manor and repair the damage that many journalists chose the path to go down, by this I mean by cutting corners and being the first to report on it rather than making sure the article is trustworthy.

NHS ID Cards: How might they impact care?

Lorna Stansfield Reporter

R .

ecent plans being considered by David Cameron suggest that all British citizens may soon have to start carrying around ID cards in order to receive free healthcare on the NHS. The idea is that you will only be entitled to free NHS if you have been living in the UK for more than a year, but obviously it would only work if there was some way you can prove your entitlement; cue an ID card.

Their overall aim is to help tackle the crackdown on health tourism, preventing the NHS from becoming a ‘Global Healthcare’ system.

These plans generally seem like a good idea to me, it should be no

problem for people to carry around an ID confirming their entitlement to treatment; it’s just like carrying around a driving licence to prove that you are able to drive. So having ID to prove that you are allowed healthcare will be the same sort of thing and in turn will help the cash strapped NHS in only treating those who are fully entitled. They will then hopefully start to save money, which can be spent on more vital things throughout the NHS. The only thing that worries me with this is the possibility that you may actually forget your card when out and about and then, touch wood, something was to happen that meant you needed an ambulance and/ or treatment. Will the paramedics postpone treatment until you can prove your entitlement? When it is becoming a risk to peoples’ lives then it is a cause for concern. Sometimes

people do forget things, and if it can cost someone this dearly then I’m not sure it is a good idea at all. If they are to bring in this ID card then it would be necessary to implement a system which operates on a ‘no refusal’ basis. This would mean that a patient will never be left in need of immediate treatment and they will simply have to pay if they don’t have an entitlement card, or produce the card before being discharged.

I hope that this new system will work, and I think it has every potential to if we all concentrate on the positives that could be gained; in the long run we could all benefit greatly from the extra money that could be saved and spent in other areas. I think we would eventually learn to treat it like every other proof of identity we are requested to possess. At the end of the day it’s just another card to add to our collection.

Photo: Ben K Adams

Sophie Bennett Media Officer

The Government are thinking of new ways to cut NHS spending

11

PLUTO | FRIDAY 15 MARCH 2013

Comment

Keep Calm and Show Sense Jasleen Kaur Reporter

A

mazon caused uproar recently when one of the companies selling their products on the website started selling a new line of ‘Keep Calm’ t-shirts.

‘Keep Calm and Rape a Lot’ was just one of the t-shirts in question which took advantage of the current ‘Keep Calm’ bandwagon. According to the company selling the shirts, Solid Gold Bomb Company , the slogans are generated by a computerised randomiser which pulls the most popular terms from across the internet and because of this, the company wasn’t aware of the t-shirts.

Solid Gold Bomb (an inspired name in itself) stated that if any of the t-shirts had been sold, they would have noticed earlier and pulled the line. One has to consider, however, what kind of society we live in when even computers are exhibiting violence against women. If robots

www.facebook.com/lis

are planning on taking over the world anytime soon, they’re apparently going to be rape supporting ones.

2013 started off amidst much controversy against the ill-treatment of women, especially once the news of the rape victim in India surfaced.

However, rape and domestic violence are neither new nor secret issues, yet they are still brushed under the carpet when the initial outrage has blown over. Perhaps something as shocking as the sale of t-shirts advertising rape and knife crime are needed, to shock the public into caring about what this implies. Desensitisation to war, rape, domestic violence, knife crime – the general chaos that is humanity - has finally gone too far.

The true harm has been done, as the t-shirts were still being advertised on one of the main pages of Amazon’s website until very recently.

This is how accessible it was to a worldwide audience. Websites such as Amazon, Youtube, Ebay, and any other that spring to mind when one

@uclanLis

is procrastinating, should realise the responsibility that comes with the high viewer count. Because they are so accessible, they have the power to influence people by default.

Yet, instead of using their powers for good, they choose to condone the sale of t-shirts that shout ‘Keep Calm and Hit Her’. Society really is progressing backwards.

News websites, including the Guardian and the BBC, have published stories regarding Amazon’s mistakes, and throughout it all the common message remains that this was a computer’s fault; a clever way to duck responsibility. If The Apprentice has taught me anything (other than that they all have really small suitcases), it’s that the cardinal rule of business is ‘know what you’re selling’. Surely a company making a tidy profit from mass sales of t-shirts online would make sure they knew what they were offering before advertising it on the internet? Even if the t-shirts aren’t printed until

someone actually clicks the ‘buy’ button, you would expect there’s someone to keep stock of the different slogans that are being advertised – if only for accounting purposes!

The ‘Keep Calm’ slogan has been everywhere recently, and

commercially, businesses small and large are taking full advantage of this. However, a line must be drawn when funny or cute crosses over into a crude joke seeking to make profit from serious issues and concerns.

Controversial: These t-shirts have caused outrage

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FRIDAY 15 MARCH 2013 | PLUTO

Comment

Rae Kershaw Reporter

B

eyonce and Jay-Z were recently seen wearing haute couture animal skin kicks. The couple have been sighted throughout the week, at different events, wearing their custom made animal skin shoes.

This shameless display of wearing animal skin products comes only weeks after Beyonce was publicly slammed by animal rights group PETA for wearing a full bodysuit made from iguana and python skin during her Superbowl half time performance.

At least 5 different animal skins are used in the making of two pairs of luxury sneakers Beyonce and Jay-Z recently commissioned. JayZ’s sneaker the Brooklyn Zoo Jordan I, are made of alligator, stingray, python, ostrich, crocodile, lizard,

boa, calf and, most shockingly elephant. Beyonce’s King Bey Isabel Marant Sneaker Wedge, uses ostrich, calf, anaconda, crocodile, and stingray skins. It was reported that each pair of shoes cost as much as $7,000 – $10,000, and take an entire month to make.

PETA, as well as various other animal rights groups, have spoken out angrily against Jay-Z and Beyoncé’s shameless use of exotic animal skins in their custom-made footwear.

“These shoes seem like they were made for Hannibal Lecter. Why would someone who seems so full of life allow her name to be associated with such grisly death? Killing as many animals as possible is moronic.

It’s like they killed Noah’s Ark for them,” stated Dan Matthews, senior vice president of PETA, in a publicly released statement regarding the issue.

The elephant skin used for Jay-Z’s shoes has been said to have been

taken from animals culled in areas where they pose a hazard to locals. While elephant culling is controversial, it is legal in Africa.

As it seems to be the elephant skin used in Jay-Z’s shoes that are causing the most amount of controversy, it must be stated that although the idea of trading elephant skin seems callous and appalling to many of us, the use of sanctioned elephant skins in the manufacture of leather goods is not illegal.

Elephant skin is used in everything from boots, belts and shoes, to gun holders and pool cues, and many items can be purchased easily on sites such as eBay, as well as many other places online.

Officially, elephants fall under Appendix II of the CITES convention, which means they are considered ‘not necessarily now threatened with extinction but may become so unless trade is closely controlled’. However, despite the

Photo: skw234567

99 problems but animal welfare ain’t one: why The Carters have no sole

The pair have been spotted flaunting animal skin footwear legality of elephant trade, African elephants are being killed for their ivory and skin at such a rate that most large groups could be extinct by 2020, researcher Samuel Wasser, from the university of Washington warned.

While the power couple, who also sported his-and-hers, fur coats to President Barack Obama’s

Inauguration ceremony, have shown no remorse for their unethical fashion choices recently, hopefully the public outcry from not only animal rights groups, but also their fans, will give them a dose of reality.

Money can buy many things, but apparently empathy or compassion isn’t one of those things.

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FRIDAY 15 MARCH 2013 | PLUTO

Comment

Photo: Linda Giddens

Adieu to pint-size prices

59% of supermarket alcohol will be affected by the price increase Luke Beardsworth Deputy Editor

I

t’s a typical weekend in pretty much any pub or club in the UK and there’s someone vomiting in the toilets. A quick word with the confused bartender reveals that the person is only on their second drink and they didn’t realise how bad they were. Obviously he is worried about a scolding from his boss, who is in turn worried about a big horrible fine for serving somebody who is already intoxicated.

Flash back two or three hours and that same intoxicated person is sat watching Take Me Out and consuming alcohol bought on a deal from the local supermarket. For the purposes of this story, it was 18 cans of Strongbow for £10. The same volume of alcohol in a pub would cost approximately £57, presuming

it wasn’t bought on a loss-leading student night. In effect, the landlord has somebody vomiting in their pub, but hasn’t even had the chance to make any profit from it. Who has made the profit? Supermarkets sell the alcohol at a loss anyway, so it’s only the alcohol companies themselves benefitting directly from such a deal. Incidentally, the person could be sat watching the Discovery Channel, but that wouldn’t paint the same picture would it?

So the fact that pubs from Norwich and Wales have backed plans to have a minimum price on alcohol comes as no surprise. Such a move would have no effect on the majority of pubs, and the ones that have to raise their price would welcome the chance to do so, no longer having to compete with supermarkets to draw punters in early.

Unfortunately, the European Union have pointed to Cameron,

May et al that a minimum price on alcohol is illegal due to laws of the free movement of goods. Countries such as France, Italy and Spain are planning to take Britain to court if the pricing takes effect. In a letter to Cameron, he was advised to increase duty on alcohol if he is intent on raising the price.

Here’s where I become conflicted on a personal level though, because I am incredibly anti-Tory, almost to the point where I will disagree with them to spite myself. I can readily admit that. The plans to increase the minimum price of alcohol are being predictably met with comments that it is yet another way of squeezing the working classes - as if they are the only group of people that drink. I don’t doubt that this is the case; there is just a lot of good that can potentially come from this, irrespective of the possibly sketchy motives of our Tory overlords.

Having funded my study through working part-time in a pub for the past three/four years, I have seen the struggles that landlords face as a result of cheap alcohol in supermarkets. I have seen the empty pubs and I have seen countless customers opt for the sofa over the stool. Narrowing the gap between supermarkets and pubs should go some way to rectifying the problem and this is why pub bosses are behind the idea. We aren’t going to see breweries lower their costs anytime soon (and I could write another piece about that entirely) so bringing the supermarkets to heel a little is the only logical solution. This might not be the motive behind the move, but the fact remains.

Loss-leading in general however, needs to be taken behind the shed and put out of its misery. Supermarkets do it with alcohol, video games, music and DVDs, and it is one of the largest causes of the difficulties

that Game and HMV have faced.

It totally devalues the product, and what are HMV supposed to do? Start selling horse burgers at a loss?

The effects won’t even be as catastrophic as are being insinuated.

Research has found that 59% of all alcohol found in supermarkets will be affected by the increase. The minimum price for a bottle of wine will be £4.05 per bottle and lager will be 90p per can. A standard sized bottle of vodka will become at least £11.70. We are told in a typically hyperbolic way by the Daily Mail that the average families’ annual alcohol bill will raise by £100 per year.

Alternatively, they could drink that much less a year and spend the same amount and everyone can live for a few years longer. If anything is going to see a price increase it should be those things that absolutely decrease our life span. McDonalds, you’re next.

14

FRIDAY 15 MARCH 2013 | PLUTO

Sport

Grayson buzzing ahead of Bees trip Ste Thomas Deputy Sport Editor

Simon Grayson has stretched his unbeaten record as Preston North End manager to four games now as his side claimed a 1-0 victory away at Notts County on Tuesday night.

The visitors took a deserved first-half lead when Will Hayhurst’s curling cross was turned into the net

by County defender Haydn Hollis.

And the Lilywhites’ gaffer was pleased with what he saw: “I thought it was a good performance,” said Grayson.

“We asked the players to show the same sort of desire and attitude to what they’ve done over the last few games. We played when we could play; we put bodies on the line and scrapped when we had to do and over the course of the game we could have run out quite comfortable winners.”

The 43-year-old did admit, however ,that his side do need to improve on their decision making in the final third: “It is part of the game that when you are breaking into that final quarter of the pitch, that you

have to make the right decisions, take the right options and be a little bit calmer and sometimes tonight we didn’t always do that. Stuart Beavon had four or five chances and we also didn’t work the goalkeeper enough when we got in and around the box, and we summed that up in the last 30 seconds when we had four on one and didn’t take advantage.

“However, the players worked extremely hard again tonight and I am delighted that they did what they had to do to win the game.”

After Tuesday night’s victory, Preston sit in 15th position in the League One table on 46 points. Their next challenge will be a trip to Griffin Park where they face Brentford who are placed in third position.

And PNE full-back Chris Robertson acknowledges that it will be a tough game: “They are in the top three, so it will be a tough test for us, but one we are looking forward to.”

The trip to Brentford brings about the return of ‘Gentry Day’ for the Preston North End fans. The day is organised by the Preston Supporters’ Group and is in memory of any Preston North End follower or player who may have passed away

in the last 12 months. The ‘Gentry’ was a term first used by third division championship winning manager Alan Ball Sr. in the early 1970s stating to the press after a game that “Preston fans are the best, they’re the gentry”. This inspired a number of PNE fans to don bowler hats and

even pin stripe suits at Deepdale.

In 2005, the Supporters’ Group arranged the ‘Return of the Gentry’ in memory of John Tracey, a member of the original PNE Gentry who sadly passed away.

This was a massive success and even saw North End’s players wearing the

famed bowler hats on the pitch.

In 2008, it was decided that it would become an annual event for all North End fans and the people of Preston to remember anyone they may have lost during that season or year.

Mixed year for indoor teams

PHOTO: Charlotte Bolton

Ste Thomas Deputy Sport Editor The sporting fixtures are starting to finish for UCLan’s indoor teams, and it has been a rather successful year for teams in the BUCs Leagues.

The netball teams have had a good year, with the 1sts finishing third in the Northern 2A League only two points off second place and seven points off the clear winners Edge Hill. Their last game of the season was a one-point 37-36 victory over Lancaster 1sts. The 2nds placed second in the Northern 5A League, finishing only three points behind top-of- the-table Bolton 1sts. The 3rds had a superb season finishing champions of the Northern 8A league, topping the table by a clear five points. The men’s volleyball team had a good season finishing fourth in the Northern 2A League with 15 points. In their last game, they were awarded a walkover after University of Liverpool couldn’t

field a team, however prior to that they played University of Manchester 2nds and ran out 2-1 winners. The women’s volleyball team also had a rather successful season finishing third in the Northern 2A League on 15 points, only nine points off top spot. They also got to the quarterfinals of the Northern Conference Cup, losing 3-0 to eventual finalists University of Manchester 2nds.

It wasn’t the best of seasons for UCLan’s men’s squash 1sts as they finished 5th in the Northern 1A League and were consequently relegated. They only won three games throughout the campaign and recorded their last victory on November 14. The men’s squash 2nds did have a better season, as they finished fourth in the Northern 3A League.

It was a mixed season of emotions for the badminton teams; the men’s badminton 1sts survived the drop by just one point, placed fifth in the Northern 2A League. The last time the side registered a victory was against Lancaster University men’s 1sts on the November 21. Despite

their poor league form, they did progress to the last 16 of the BUCS Northern Conference Cup, where they lost to Manchester Met 1sts. The men’s 2nds had a reasonable season, ending up third in the Northern 4A League and finishing on a high with a victory over University of Salford Men’s 1sts on the final day of the season. Elsewhere the women’s badminton 1sts had a very good season, finishing second in their league, only two points off the top spot. They also reached the semi-finals of the BUCS Northern Conference Cup, where they lost 5-3 to Lancaster 1sts.

And it was a similar story for the basketball teams as the men’s 1sts managed to avoid relegation on the last game of their campaign beating Leeds Met University men’s 2nds 108-65. This meant they positioned 4th in the league, and along the way got to the last 16 of the BUCS Basketball Trophy. Respectively, the women’s 1sts finished 3rd in their league, just three points off the top spot.

PLUTO | FRIDAY 15 MARCH 2013

15

Sport

Rugby 2nds gain crucial win in fight for survival

PHOTO: Joe Angove

Joe Angove Sport Editor

Victorious huddle: Team celebrate after claiming crucial victory

UCLan men’s rugby union 2nds produced arguably their best performance of the season on Wednesday afternoon against Lancaster University 2nds, winning 33-24.

Coming into the game many would have predicted a convincing win for the away side, with UCLan rooted to the bottom of the table and their opponents a considerable distance ahead.

And if the home side were to have any chance of avoiding the drop, they would need to produce an inspired performance to register a victory in what was the penultimate game of the season.

Despite conceding an early try, UCLan showed determination and passion to battle back and register five tries; three in the first-half and two in the second.

Faroze Malik, one of the many

stand-out performers for the hosts, showed his strength throughout the encounter and registered the first try for his side.

His bursting run down the righthand touchline was too much for the Lancaster backline, as he muscled his way past three men to put UCLan ahead, following Jack Donnellan’s earlier penalty.

Consistent pressure from the home side finally paid off when a kick was charged down deep in the Lancaster half and forced behind the try-line.

Confidence seemed to grow throughout the team, and just before half-time the deficit was increased following some quick passing which resulted in Jack Elwood scoring UCLan’s third try leaving the scoreline at 18-7 going into half-time.

Elwood registered his second try of the encounter 10 minutes into the second-half after a driving run from Matty Dawe gave the number 13 the chance to extend UCLan’s lead.

Moments later, Lancaster scored a break-away try to mount some

pressure, but the hosts responded well and Elwood showed his composure to kick a penalty.

The remaining 15 minutes produced some nail-biting stuff, as well as a fair share of controversy.

After Lancaster had forced the ball behind the try-line, appeals mounted from the UCLan camp as many suspected a knock-on in the buildup.

The try was converted, which left the scoreline at 28-19 with 10 minutes to play.

Further controversy ensued when when Reggi Toppin was forced to leave the field due to a head injury sustained earlier in the half, which left UCLan a man down and under pressure. But Stuart Robinson forced his way over the try-line moments later to secure his side the win.

Lancaster did mount one last attack just before the final whistle to cause a slight bit of panic amongst the UCLan players, but the home side closed out the game and registered vital points in their fight for survival.

Ultimate frisbee fly high UCLan’s Ultimate Frisbee team travelled to Newcastle last weekend to enter their first ever Northern University Outdoor Regional Qualifier.

With the tournament capped at 16 teams, UCLan would be up against it as the bottom ranked side in an experienced field.

Day one proved to be very difficult with appalling weather conditions combined with a very strong group.

UCLan’s first game saw them fall to an 11-2 defeat against the number two seed Sheffield, and despite some fantastic performances go on to a further two defeats to Leeds Met and York Ultimate.

Carrying their bottom ranking through to day two, UCLan had three more matches to try and improve their ranking by the end of the weekend. A tough first game saw them drop a lot of discs in the end-zone to lose 8-3 at the hands of an impressive Lancaster side.

Still holding their 16th rank, UCLan needed strong performances in the last two games if they were to climb the rankings.

Memories of losing 6-5 to Durham 2nd’s with four seconds

PHOTO: Tom Willshire

Tom Willshire Reporter

left on the clock at indoor regionals were fresh in the mind when the two teams faced each other.

A brilliant team performance including some epic points from Reece Hacking and superb handling from Richard Adams saw UCLan claim an 8-4 victory and go through to the 13th/14th play-off against Chester.

This game proved to be the closest of the weekend, and both teams seemed to cancel each other out for large periods of the encounter.

A great defensive effort from UCLan helped to keep Chester’s tally down to two, but with no score for UCLan at the buzzer, they would need to score the next three points to steal victory from under the nose of Chester.

Fortunately, UCLan stepped up their game with great defensive marking and hard offensive running to claim two points in quick succession.

The game was delicately poised at 2-2, adopting a ‘next point wins’ scenario, but with some smooth handling, UCLan claimed the vital last point to complete an epic comeback to take the 13th spot.

All in all, UCLan Ultimate Frisbee Team had a very successful weekend, exceeding expectations and doing the university proud in their first tournament.

Ultimate frisbee team flying away: Team photo after a successful weekend

FRIDAY 15 MARCH 2013 | PLUTO

Pluto Sport

PHOTO: stevendepolo (Flickr)

Football 2nds lose out in BUCs Northern Cup final

Gavin Mawn Sport Reporter UCLan 2nds fell at the last hurdle on Wednesday afternoon as they were defeated 3-2 in the BUCS Northern Cup Final at UCLan Sports Arena.

All suited and booted before the game, the players came out to a rapturous applause from their supporters, and that seemed to inspire the hosts as they certainly had a strong hold of the game in the opening half.

The visitors were known for their height throughout the side and played to their strengths, despite

the hosts best efforts to get the ball down.

Despite this, with 12 minutes on the clock, a fantastic lofted ball from midfielder Tom Wood over the Sheffield right-back (the tallest player on the pitch) found the on-rushing Oli Williams who calmly lofted the ‘keeper to spark the crowd into frenzied applause.

The game proved to be very tight from then on up to the half-time whistle, but two quick-fire goals swung the pendulum into Sheffield’s favour as they took the lead.

The equaliser came when a swinging cross was unfortunately spilled by goalkeeper Ross Hepburn, only for the striker to simply tap in.

Despite this, matters were made worse when the Sheffield striker

received the ball from 25 yards out and unleashed an unstoppable leftfooted strike into the bottom corner.

Going into half-time, UCLan heads’ looked to have dropped but the second- half showed anything but that, and there was another spirited performance from the hosts. The defensive quartet of Sam Mckeegan, Brice Coupireau, Matty Dixon and Stuart Gillet looked very solid, not letting Sheffield really get into threatening areas.

The main problem was that the Sheffield defence looked equally as solid and opportunities were very limited. A major sucker punch came in the 74th minute, though, when another ball over the top of the UCLan defence found its way to the speedy Sheffield striker and

he rushed in on goal one-on-one with the ‘keeper, and the composed frontman seemed to have all but won his side the trophy.

But UCLan’s dogged style, determination, spirit, and passion helped them claw their way back into the game.

In the 85th minute, after a lambasting run from Stuart Gillet, he passed to Caleb Cuddihy, who struck a superb volley into the far corner of the net from 15 yards out. With five minutes to go plus stoppage time, anything could happen, and the ascendancy was with UCLan. Sheffield were getting deeper and deeper and were hemmed into their own penalty box as the clock struck 90 minutes. After the referee signalled his intent to play seven

minutes stoppage time,UCLan piled forward and sent French centre- half Brice Coupireau into the strike force to win some vital headers against the massive back four of Sheffield.

Despite pressure being imposed, there was not an awful lot of creativity to set up that decisive chance until the 96th minute. A long throw was flicked on by Coupireau and the ball fell to Cuddihy, who drilled just wide of the post from eight yards out in what turned out to be the last kick of the game.

As the final whistle blew, UCLan team members left the field looking dejected. Despite the loss, though, the squad can hold their heads high for their performance in the competition this season.