World maps redesigned by professors

There are few things as universally accepted and trusted as the map of the world, but researchers from the University of Sheffield would have us believe otherwise.

Professor of Human Geography at Sheffield, Daniel Dorling, and research associate Anne Barford have published a book which suggests that physical geography is not the only, nor the most relevant, data to take into account.

The Atlas of the Real World, written with Mark Newman, a physics professor at the University of Michigan, is made up of 366 cartograms (statistical maps). These present the world map according to a wide range of geographical factors ranging from population density and education levels to disease and greenhouse gas emissions.

Work on the project commenced in 2006 when Dorling and Newman teamed up to use newly created software allowing equal area cartograms to be drawn up.

The cartograms twist and distort the continental layout as we know it to reflect social and geographical inequalities, causing many small developing countries to balloon in appearance.

For example, the graph reflects a risk of extinction to endangered animal species, where the islands of Mauritius and Madagascar are swollen to more than twice their normal size.

In order to allow easier visual recognition, the cartograms are split into geographical regions and colour coded - such as green for South America, brown for Northern Africa and specific countries marked by shading.

John Pritchard is a researcher at the University, and one of the cartographers working on the project.

He said: "I think the maps of disease are particularly shocking and bring home the scale of the problem in Africa better than a table of statistics does."

It is true that while the maps may look puzzling at first glance, the project sheds light on some thought-provoking issues of social inequality.

The cartogram showing the number of girls not in primary education reduced the majority of the developed world to thin streaks and left countries such as India, where about 8million fewer girls than boys receive a basic education, enormously inflated. Large discrepancies also occurred in Western Africa.

Now this project is completed, researchers are continuing similar tasks, including maps charting languages and the dispersion of their speakers. They also hope to be producing animated maps in the near future.

Pritchard added: "We have a series of maps that show deaths at several stages, which would be particularly suited to an animation, and we now have a PhD student looking at extending the website, including ways of mapping the flow."

Amy Taylor

Students hit by tax

Students from the University of Sheffield could be forced to pay taxes on their household waste under new government proposals.

Millions of students and student nurses across the country could be affected by the scheme, which is due to be piloted in April next year.

Students in shared houses and halls of residence are currently exempt from paying council tax.

But draft Whitehall guidance on the new scheme reveals that they will not be automatically exempt from the new local bin taxes.

The proposals have been the subject of heavy criticism from the Conservative party and student groups.

Both say the decision to charge students for the waste they throw away is unfair.

Ama Uzowuru, NUS Welfare President, said: "This is a ridiculous idea.

"Student houses are bound to produce more rubbish than other households because they have more people living in them, and because they move in and out of their homes more frequently.

"This means students will be disproportionately affected by these measures.

"We hope that this wrong-headed proposal is swiftly dropped."

Local councils will have to consider whether those who do not pay council taxes, such as students, should be part of the scheme.

Chris Warne

Strutt anger at US scientists

A University of Sheffield researcher has claimed a team of American scientists have failed to properly reference his work in a recent molecular biology paper.

Professor David Strutt, of the University’s Department of Biomedical Science, has made complaints to a Stanford University research team, along with four other researchers.

They claim that most of their conclusions in the Stanford paper had already been drawn by other scientists, who had not been properly referenced.

Much of Professor Strutt’s research centres around how groups of cells "polarize" themselves, for example how hairs and feathers on skin communicate with each other so as to point in the same direction.

The American paper, entitled ‘Asymmetric Homotypic Interactions of the Atypical Cadherin Flamingo Mediate Intercellular Polarity Signaling’, was published in prestigious research journal Cell in June.

It was written by a team from the laboratory of Jeffrey Axelrod of the Stanford University School of Medicine, and looks at the "flamingo" gene, which affects how cells orient themselves.

Professor Peter Lawrence of Cambridge University also made complaints that the Stanford team’s experiments were largely the same as those in a 2004 paper he wrote, and lacked proper citations for their conclusions.He fears he may lose the credit he deserves for his work, and this may affect future funding.

Professor Axelrod denies any wrongdoing, claiming that the team made "rigourous efforts to cite the work of others in our field appropriately".

He said: "Our paper underwent a strict process of peer review prior to publication. Concerns about the review process should be directed to Cell.

"We stand by our conclusions as stated in the paper, as well as by our use of citations"
Jean-Francois Le Garrec, of France, and Marek Mlodzik and Gary Struhl, based in the USA, have also made complaints.

Mikey Smith

Print journalism graduate gets top NCTJ prize

A graduate from the University of Sheffield has been named Student Journalist of the Year by the National Council for the Training of Journalists (NCTJ).

Jennifer Smith, who completed her MA in Print Journalism this September, was given an NCTJ award of excellence at the Society of Editors conference in Bristol.

This year 1,700 students took the NCTJ preliminary exams in news writing, law, public administration and shorthand.

Out of the 200 students who achieved the gold standard of passes in every exam, Smith came top.

Senior newsroom figures from all branches of the media attended the annual conference on Sunday, November 9, including Paul Dacre, Editor of the Daily Mail, and news presenters Jon Snow and Alastair Stewart.

Alan Rusbridger, Editor of The Guardian, presented Smith with her award.

He said he was delighted to see the NCTJ celebrate the outstanding achievements of talented young journalists.

Peter Cole, Director of Journalism at the University of Sheffield, said: "It was a tremendous achievement by Jenny to win this award last week.

"She is the best of the best, and I was proud to be at the Society of Editors conference in Bristol when she was presented with her certificate - and to buy her a drink!

"Our MA course is currently top of the NCTJ league table for postgraduate courses."

This award came shortly after The Times Good University Guide 2009 named the University of Sheffield as the best place to study journalism.

The BA Journalism Studies degree was placed number one on The Times’ subject league table out of 86 centres offering media courses.

Professor Cole added: "Sheffield is the best university to study journalism at undergraduate level, and we were top in the National Student Satisfaction Survey.

"So it hasn’t been a bad year. We must be doing something right; or rather our students must."

The Department of Journalism Studies has existed since 1994 and offers students undergraduate and postgraduate courses.

Leanne Rinne

Disabled and dyslexic students hold a week of campaigning to raise awareness

The Disabled and Dyslexic Students’ Forum (DDSF) are holding an Awareness Week aiming to reduce discrimination through better understanding of the issues facing disabled students.

DDSF are running a stall and organising a variety of activities from Monday, November 17, to Sunday, November 23, in the Union of Students.

They put on a special film screening of Snow Cake, covering autism and the approaches to the condition, and a disability awareness training event for societies today at 12.30pm in the Satpal Ram Learning Centre.

The week is intended to promote awareness of areas of the Union building and activities that are inaccessible to disabled students, and highlight the prejudice towards disability that occurs every day.

Additionally it was to show that there are many forms of disability aside from physical impairment and to encourage Union staff, societies, and committees to gain a greater understanding of working with disabled students.

Chris Jesson, Students with Disabilities councillor and chair of DDSF, said: "It’s extremely important to increase disability awareness across the University because it is often misrepresented.

"Society does not pay enough attention towards this and there aren’t the appropriate facilities available for those with a mental health condition."

DDSF are working with NUS Disabled Students and the charity Mental Health Matters on the NUS campaign ‘Mental Health Stigma’.

The campaign follows findings by Harvard Medical School (HMS) that one in four adults will experience a mental health problem within the course of a year and that nearly half of all adults meet the HMS criteria for some type of mental disorder during their life.

These can take a variety of forms, from anxiety and mood disorders, to substance abuse and self-harm.

Most people who suffer from a mental disorder receive poor treatment, if they receive any at all, as many still do not believe they are legitimate illnesses.

Of those who are diagnosed, 55 per cent do not tell anyone out of fear of discrimination.

Throughout Disability Awareness Week and beyond, DDSF are working to reduce the stigma of mental disorders which can itself intensify the problem.

The week is particularly looking at the role of Union societies and how they can better cater for students with disabilities through training on approaching and working with disabled members.

DDSF encourage the role of tact in conversation and the training session for societies will ask for responses on how they would deal with certain scenarios involving a disabled student, with advice on the appropriate methods.

"It is particularly important that we promote to students what we do - communication between DDSF and societies and committees is something I want to improve substantially as this seems a grey area," said Jesson.

He added: "We should be one of the first ports of call should such organisations be considering the interests of students with disabilities."

Throughout the week, DDSF has been raising awareness of strobe lighting’s effects on students with photosensitive epilepsy.

A petition to campaign to prevent exclusion of these people by cutting out the strobe lighting on Union club nights has been distributed around the Union.

DDSF will continue to organise events throughout this academic year to further awareness of the issues surrounding disability, with the next one being International Persons with Disabilities Day on Wednesday, December 3.

The society meets every Wednesday at 5.30pm in the Moors meeting room in the Union.

Next week, the LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender) society are holding their campaigns week.

Jennie Hurwood

Proposals for Community Justice trials

A student residential area in Sheffield has been suggested for a pilot community justice scheme.

The scheme, which hopes to be in place in Broomhill by May 2009, is designed to prevent and punish criminal activity in community areas.

Students and local Broomhill residents will be asked to volunteer for the Community Justice Panel which will meet to reduce the number of offenders entering the criminal justice system.

The proposed scheme is designed to bring together all parties to resolve issues when conflict arises.

The panel will deal with anti-social behaviour, neighbour disputes, criminal damage, common assault and minor ABH (actual bodily harm).

Although going through the system will not result in a criminal record, Community Justice Panels will have the authority to issue Acceptable Behaviour Contracts (ABCs.)

These will be drawn up and signed by all parties involved.

This can then be used as evidence in court when ASBOs (anti-social behaviour orders) are being issued.

The scheme which was first piloted in Somerset has dealt with over 400 cases in the last three years, and has reduced the re-offending rate to 2.4 per cent.

It is said to have decreased the perception of crime within the community, and increased a feeling of community safety and cohesion.

It is intended that volunteers for the Community Justice Panels will reflect the diversity of residents within Broomhill.

University of Sheffield students will be among those asked to participate in the scheme.
Union Welfare Officer Kathryn Axon has commented on how she feels it will affect students living in Broomhill.

She said: "I think they’re a good thing as it will build more links between all members of the community.

"It is beneficial as people will not be given a criminal record for little petty things.

"It will be good to see the community getting involved."

Broomhill is awaiting a decision from the Council regarding authorisation for the Community Justice Panels to go ahead.

If the panels are found to be successful, further systems will be created across the city.

Charlotte Chelsom-Pill

More plans to change classification of degrees

The traditional 200-year-old university grading system looks set to change from classifications to report cards, following a radical review ordered by the Government.

Flexible teaching via the internet, year-round enrolment and overseas campuses were some of the other proposed reforms in the nine papers published last week, written by vice chancellors and leading academics.

While most of these reforms exist only on paper, from early next year 18 universities will be trialling a new grading system in English, Biology, Accounting and Creative Arts.

It is hoped that more universities will join the scheme for the following academic year.

In his report, Paul Ramsden, chief executive of the Higher Education Academy, said that universities should issue report cards instead of the traditional class degrees of firsts, 2:1s, 2:2s or thirds.

The report cards will give information on students’ performance throughout their time at university.

This includes a breakdown of grades by modules, and details of areas in which they have excelled as well as taking into account other skills gained during the student’s time at university.

The current proposal is to give the report cards alongside the graduate’s traditional final degree grade with the aim of giving employers, higher education institutions or other interested parties more contextual detail about the abilities of a particular candidate.

Mr. Ramsden said: "The present system of classification was designed for a smaller higher education world.

"It does not describe the range of knowledge, skills, experience and attributes of a graduate in the 21st century."

Rebecca Watson, Education Officer for the Union of Students, agrees that the traditional grading system is no longer sufficient in representing an individual student’s abilities.

She said: "A degree classification shows academic performance and attainment, but is not always indicative of other attributes the graduate may possess.

"Even if a graduate receives a lower than average classification, they may possess great interpersonal skills, team leadership skills and have participated in Union projects and societies.

"There needs to be some room for the classification system to take into account more than just academic success – to consider students holistically."

David Lammy, the Higher Education Minister, said: "While the UK degree is a highly valued and internationally recognised qualification, we believe that providing clear and transparent information is essential both for students and their future employers"

The University is currently launching the Sheffield Graduate Project which aims to make students consider and recognise their attributes and achievements outside of academic attainment.

Jennie Hurwood

Forge Radio get rights to record Band Aid Christmas charity single

Forge Radio presenters are set to follow in the footsteps of Bono, Sting, and Paul McCartney after gaining permission to record Band Aid’s ‘Do They Know It’s Christmas?’

The Union radio station have joined forces with Singers’ Society and the Music Players Society to record their version of the song, which will be released on iTunes in time to battle for the Christmas number one.

Ben Kennard, manager of Forge Radio, secured the right to record the song after months of negotiations with Bob Geldof’s Band Aid Trust.

He said: "Hopefully people will like our version of the song and we can make thousands for the Band Aid Trust."

He admitted they were very surprised to be given the go-ahead, as requests are turned down all the time.

"Although most of us weren’t even born when the original song was released, you can see the effect the record had over the years and how it remains a Christmas classic," he said.

Presenter Paul Garbett and nine others from Forge Radio and SingSoc will tackle a solo section of the song, while another 40 make up the chorus.

Charlotte Winstanley, Chair of SingSoc, held auditions recently to find the final 50 singers.
She said: "The talent was amazing and we heard songs from ‘Away in a Manger’ to classic rock tunes."

Just like in The X Factor, expectant hopefuls stood on a cross and performed to a panel of four judges.

"It was a very difficult decision, as there aren’t many solo parts and everyone was very talented," said Charlotte.

The organisers are in talks with Sheffield United, and have been interviewed by BBC Radio Sheffield.

The Yorkshire Post will be videoing the recording.

They are hoping to make it onto TV and get national coverage of the song, which could then become a chart hit like its predecessors.

Warner Brothers gave the recording rights for the single to be digitally downloaded but there will not be a CD copy to buy.

‘Do They Know It’s Christmas?’ was originally released in 1984, when Bob Geldof recruited the most famous singers of the time to record the song.

It became the fastest selling single of all time in the UK and went straight to number one, outselling all the other records in the charts put together.

All profits went to Geldof’s Band Aid Trust to help starving children in Africa.

It is the first version of the song to be released since ‘Band Aid 20’ in 2004.

That single took artists including Dizzee Rascal, Robbie Williams, and the Sugababes to Christmas number one.

"All we need now is for everyone to keep downloading once it’s been released," said Charlotte.

Fiona White

Funding to promote breast milk

Breastfeeding is at the heart of a £30million plan towards combating health issues in Sheffield.

Nine UK cities have been given a share of the money to become ‘healthy towns’ under plans by ministers to combat obesity.

Other towns are engaging in schemes related to cycling, walking, healthy eating and green spaces as part of the wider public health drive being rolled out in England.

Not only does breastfeeding reduce the risk of babies developing many illnesses, it also decreases disease later in life, as well as protecting the mother’s health.

Breastfed babies have better neurological development and reduced risk of sudden infant death syndrome, urinary tract infections and cardiovascular disease later in life.

This lower incidence of illness associated with higher breastfeeding rates could also lead to significant cost savings for the UK, in the treatment of illnesses and a reduction in the use of formulas.

While UK breastfeeding rates are increasing they are still among the lowest in Europe.
At birth, only 76 per cent of British babies are breastfed and this figure diminishes as the baby gets older. Ellie Brown from Sheffield City Council said: "Women will be more likely to breastfeed in places where they feel comfortable.

"The main drive is to improve people’s health to ensure they lead happy, longer lives."

Just one in four babies are still receiving breast milk at six months, despite recommendations that babies need it for the first six months of life. The Government is planning more healthy initiatives next year.

Georgia Gregory

Greens say Sheffield sustainability is 'not so good'

The Sheffield Green Party are calling for a bigger commitment to recycling from the Liberal Democrat run council after the city was ranked the seventh most sustainable city in the country.
David Hayes, the co-chair of Sheffield’s Green Party, said: "Although sustainability looks good on paper, in terms of recycling in reality it is not so good."

He said that Sheffield’s Green Party aims to raise awareness of three key issues: waste, renewable energy, and problems with terraced houses.

In terms of waste the Green Party cite a contract with waste management company Veolia as a key block to sustainability.

Mr. Hayes said: "The contract makes it inefficient for Veolia to increase recycling rates. Veolia are not pushing the recycling of tin and plastics as plastics are going in to the incinerator."

He claimed that although it may appear that Sheffield is improving sustainability with a dedication to recycling, Veolia are ignoring the profitable recycling of plastic as it is currently being used to power their incinerator.

Veolia Environmental Services currently has a contract with Sheffield City Council to be in charge of all waste disposals, including the Berners Road incinerator, until 2036.

Mr. Hayes also suggested that the Liberal Democrats have marketed the creation of a wind turbine in theory, but in reality this project has not yet been granted planning permission, suggesting a lack of dedication to the search for renewable energy.

Mr. Hayes raised concerns about the planning application for an E-ON biomass generator, questioning its sustainability due to the modes of transport that are necessary to carry the biomass to and from the generator.

"Terraced houses need to be looked at. Sheffield’s terraced houses, on the whole, do not have cavity walls and as such are inefficient to heat.

Improving insulation will increase the sustainability of the houses," he said.

Sheffield Council has just been awarded a £50,000 grant to give advice about insulation in these houses.

It is suggested that University of Sheffield students can help improve Sheffield’s sustainability by reusing devices rather than recycling them.

The survey, compiled by the Forum for the Future Sustainable Development Group, is designed as a guide to help councillors and citizens assess their achievement in terms of sustainability and how than can do better.

The cities are judged according to 13 indicators in three areas: the environment, the quality of life in the city and future proofing.

The indicators include air quality and commitment to recycling, unemployment rates, and commitments to climate change and sustainable energy.

The table of 20 cities was headed by Bristol, which was voted the most sustainable due to the city’s dedication to recycling.

In addition, it was credited as being Britain’s first cycling city due to an £11million scheme to encourage more people to ride their bikes rather than use their cars. Last year Sheffield also rated seventh in the rankings.

Victoria Ryves

Lights switch-on draws 30,000

X Factor finalist Rhydian Roberts was greeted with 30,000 screaming fans as he flicked the festive switch for Sheffield last weekend after a day of fun and excitement in the city.

This Christmas, Sheffield will be lit up by 170,000 lamps, 30 cross-street displays and 75 illuminated columns.

Welshman Rhydian Roberts, famous for his platinum hair and operatic performances in the 2007 talent show, turned on the lights last Sunday.

To keep the festive cheer he belted out Christmas classic ‘Oh Holy Night’ as well as West End favourite ‘There’s A Place For Us’.

Roberts said: "The sun is shining, there’s a huge crowd here, and I love Sheffield. Its a great chance to get into the Christmas spirit, so its a good time to kick start that festive period."

But the 25-year-old singer was not the only celebrity around for the switch on.

Fellow Welsh reality TV stars Only Men Aloud, who won BBC talent quest Last Choir Standing this year, got the crowd humming along.

Anthony Cotton, who plays Sean Tulley from Coronation Street, was the guest presenter at the Sheffield City Council event that lasted all afternoon.

The main stage outside City Hall attracted thousands of excited fans.

"It’s been a good day for the little ones, the best in a few years," said father-of-two Phill Dainton from Hillsborough, who was at the switch-on party.

Pudsey from Children in Need was out and about to collect his final donations from guests as they visited the stalls selling festive food and drink.

Face painting, fairground rides, and children wearing reindeer hats made the event a real day to remember. And it doesn’t end there for the city. Santa will be greeting children every weekend before Christmas on the Moor.

Victoria Haley

Radio presenters resign over distasteful comments

Two Forge Radio presenters have resigned after joking about the murdered Baby P and making distasteful comments about disability on their radio show this week.

Maen Gallagher and Joe Markham began to discuss the death of Baby P early in their Tuesday show, ‘Maen and Joe’, at about 2pm.

Gallagher then suggested that they put on a jolly song to follow the conversation. Markham joked that it would be bad taste to play ‘Mr. Brightside’ by The Killers.

Gallagher said that there was no such thing as bad taste.

After playing the song, they went on to discuss the number of Facebook groups about Baby P.

In response, Gallagher said: "This is why Facebook is so fucking ridiculous."

The presenters, who both study Biblical Studies, were also required by Forge Radio to read out an advert on the show to raise awareness for the University of Sheffield’s’ Disability Awareness Week.

While reading the advert, the pair criticised the way it had been written. Gallagher said: "Well, they are dyslexic."

As the show continued, the pair debated issues that the Disability and Dyslexic Students’ Forum might campaign for, including better disabled access.

Markham said: "There is nothing worse than when you are sat in a pub all day and you have to go to a cash point and you have to go up some stairs."

Confusion arose when Gallagher said that this was why they should support dyslexic students within the Union of Students.

When asked whether she had meant disabled, Gallagher suggested that by using a lift it would give dyslexic students a rest and "give them time for their brains to grow."

Ben Kennard, Station Manager of Forge Radio, has apologised on behalf of the station.
He said: "It is a great shame that the show in question thought it was acceptable to produce such content.

"Any views or opinions expressed by presenters do not represent the views of the station and we do have a disciplinary system in place should broadcasting standards be brought into question."

National Grid, who sponsor Forge Radio, were also criticised by the pair this week.

Markham said: "I am slightly embittered about National Grid – I used to work for them."

While the two played a song they were instructed on behalf of the Forge Radio committee to apologise on air, which they did.

Gallagher said in a statement: "I regret what happened and my way of showing that was through my resignation - there’s nothing further I can do about it.

"I apologise for my comments about dyslexic students.

"It was intended as a ridiculous and outlandish joke, but it was a mistake and I would hate to think that I have upset or offended anyone."

The station has confirmed that they would have sacked the two presenters had they not resigned.

Joe Allen, Secretary of Forge Radio, said: "I would like to express the station’s disappointment. It was an incident I do not wish to see repeated again.

"We take full procedures so this sort of thing is avoided. Each week the committee review every show and all presenters are warned about defamatory statements and are given training."

Charlotte Chelsom-Pill

Disabled students left stranded in queues by broken Arts Tower lift

Students and staff are queuing outside of the Arts Tower door due to one of the lifts being broken beyond repair.

The problem has caused concern for disabled students, especially regarding evacuation.
Chris Jesson, Students with Disabilities Councillor, is concerned about the day-to-day situation for students with disabilities using the Arts Tower.

He said: "I have on occasion seen wheelchair users being ignored in the queue when they should have priority in the main lifts, especially when the paternoster is also working.

"A lot of people don’t know that it is common courtesy to give up a place in the lift if a wheelchair user needs to get on. There needs to be greater awareness of how students with a disability have to evacuate university buildings in the event of fire.

"You have to actually go on the internet to find out the procedures. If there was an actual fire, you are not going to be able to know where to go."

But the University has promised it will be replaced with a new, faster lift, but this will take 32 weeks at a cost of roughly £500,000.

The pressure on the building has gradually increased since its opening in 1966. This year the situation is worse than ever and many students feel neglected.

One student said: "The lifts are the worst. If I start at 12.10pm, and get to the Arts Tower at 12pm, the queue for the lifts will already be out the door. It’s absurd."

Neil Cameron, Director of Estates at University of Sheffield, admits the Arts Tower refurbishment is long overdue.

He apologised to the students for the current situation, but said the University is now prioritising the Arts Tower. The building will be especially prioritised in next year’s estate budget.

Mr. Cameron said: "I am obviously sorry about the situation. It is dreadful to have to queue. We are working on it, but unfortunately it is going to take some time."

He said part of the problem is the building’s Grade II* listing. Any refurbishment or change to the Arts Tower are limited and have to be specially approved. Only 5 per cent of listed buildings in Britain reach the Grade II* level of listing.

The tower originally housed 100 staff and 1,000 students. Today 300 staff and 2,500 students use the building each day.

Earlier this year, one of the two passenger lifts broke completely, worsening the situation further.

Extra lifts will not be installed in the Arts Tower, as there is not enough space. Instead, the pressure on the building will be solved by other means.

The paternoster is not allowed to be removed, according to its Grade II* listing, but it will be refurbished. A contractors’ lift will be temporarily installed at the back of the Arts Tower.

This will help ease the pressure on the lifts because, for example, deliveries will be able to be transported into the tower through that lift instead.

Once refurbished, there are plans to move in more administrative offices rather than seminar rooms.

School of Modern Languages and Linguistics (SOMLAL), which takes up almost half of the floors, is moving out of the Arts Tower in December to the new Jessop West building. The Department of Architecture will also move out during the refurbishment.

Jo Wendel

Businesses hit by flyer charges

Sheffield City Council is trying to cut down on the huge numbers of flyers distributed and thrown away by charging businesses for permission to hand them out.

The council said that the scheme was initialised due to flyers being thrown on the floor and ending up as litter.

The costs for giving away free literature depend on the number of people circulating flyers at any one time for that company.

For only one annual pass, allowing a company to have only one person flyering at a time, the cost would be £75.

But a company employing five people to hand out leaflets at a time would have to pay £675. Additional permits cost £175.

A Council spokesman said: "The payments will be tiered, so larger businesses will have to pay more."

"[Companies should] hand out free literature responsibly, not forcing them into the hands of people who really don’t want them," he added.

The scheme does not end at the payments, as even with permits businesses will have to adhere to rules.

Companies must apply for the permit a week before they wish to use it, and the material to be distributed must be approved by the council.

The consent conditions state: "No free printed matter which clearly encourages irresponsible consumption of alcohol can be issued."

"This includes irresponsible drinks promotions which will not be allowed.

"Responsible promotions for alcohol must also carry the Drink Aware message."

Anna Macnaughton

Non-EEA students to be given identity cards

Controversial identity cards will be issued to foreigners, including international students, from next Tuesday.

All foreign nationals from outside the European Economic Area (EEA) who wish to extend their stay in the United Kingdom based on marriage, civil partnership, or their status as a student or a dependant will be issued an identity card.

British citizens over the age of 16 will be eligible to receive a card in 2009.

The Home Office claims that ID cards, which will include the photograph and fingerprints of the card holder, are an "easy and secure way for legal UK residents to prove who they are" and a prevention measure against illegal employment and terrorism threats.

However, leaks of confidential information of British citizens in the past year has raised doubts as to whether the cards will prevent or help identity theft.

A document published by the Border and Immigration Agency in March directly names foreign nationals who are in the country in order to marry or receive higher education as "higher-risk
categories" of people.

No explanation is given as to how non-EEA students, who pay up to £12,000 a year for a University degree, present a threat to national security or job markets.

While some British nationals have voiced their concerns about the scheme, international students have fewer opportunities to express their opinions.

With only seven full-time International Officers in all of the country’s universities, students have virtually no chance to have a say as to how their personal information will be treated.

The Union of Students International Officer, Sajeev Jeganathan, does not like the idea of an identity card scheme as he believes it invades personal privacy.

He said: "The scheme may interrupt the studies of students who may be reluctant to get the card.

"We have to increase international representation in the National Union of Students. In my opinion, every union that has a significant number of international students should have a full-time officer."

Jeganathan thinks the idea of a campaign is an effective measure against the scheme.

"If every student in the United Kingdom, both international and home, thinks it is a bad idea it has got to be done. It is going to be very tough, but there are definitely elements of hope," he added.

The University of Sheffield expressed a more reserved view on the issue of ID cards.

Debora Green, Assistant Director of the Student Services Department at the University of Sheffield, said: "The University does not actively support the introduction of these cards, but will do all it can to support those students required to apply for them.

"We have voiced concerns at every opportunity about the logistics of the scheme, as have Universities UK.

"The application for, and issue of ID cards, is going to create additional work for our staff and students.

"However, the Student Services Department is doing all it can to support and advise students affected to make the experience as straightforward as possible."

Students at Cambridge University have organised a protest for Friday, November 28.

Mina Kasherova

Student threatened with knife in Harcourt Road mugging

A University of Sheffield student was left feeling "shocked" and "angry" after being threatened with a knife and mugged, all for the sake of £12.

Andrew Pickering, of Springvale Road, Crookesmoor, was crossing the junction between Crookes Valley Road and Harcourt Road when a man approached the 22-year-old and demanded he hand over his wallet.

When Pickering refused, the offender became increasingly pushy and aggressive, leaving the student feeling he had no other alternative than to do what the man had asked.

The victim, who is studying for a Masters in International Political Economy, was walking along Crookes Valley Road on his way home from the Information Commons at around 11pm on Monday, November 17.

Pickering said: "The man asked me to hand over my wallet. When I refused he said that he had a knife and would use it if I did not do as he said.

"He had his hand in his pocket like he was holding a knife.

"I asked him to show me the knife if he had one but the man refused.

"He then became more aggressive and I decided it wasn’t worth pushing it so handed over my wallet. The man then walked off down Harcourt Road."

He then decided to follow the man down the road, asking him to take the money but leave the wallet. After a series of exchanges, the man took the £12 from the wallet and left it on the bonnet of a car.

Pickering said it was a "bit odd" that this had happened in a fairly public place and that he had never experienced anything of this nature before.

He has reported the incident to the police who have taken an e-fit of the attacker .
Union Welfare Officer Kathryn Axon has warned students about their safety at night.

She said: "Students should try to walk home in groups and keep the amount of money and valuable items they carry to an absolute minimum.

"Male students should be as cautious as females in these situations, especially when knives are concerned.

"Threats by knives are rare but it is important that students take precautions."

Police are looking for a man of Asian descent, slim in build and 5’9" in height.

Katie-Marie Bailey

World AIDS day

A University of Sheffield society that works with communities in East Africa tackling poverty and HIV/AIDS is getting reading for World AIDS Day.

On Monday, December 1, the University’s International Development Society, SidSoc, aims to raise consciousness of the disease and combat prejudice.

Approximately 80,000 people are infected in the UK, and about a third of these do not know that they are HIV positive. Emmanuelle Chazarin Möy, of SidSoc, said: "We all think we care about AIDS, world poverty, hunger, droughts; but do we really? One of the most important things you can do is to find out the facts about HIV."

SidSoc works in co-operation with communities in East Africa to tackle issues of poverty and HIV/AIDS as well as to raise awareness on a local level.

On December 1, they will be outside the Union of Students handing out free condoms with leaflets highlighting the importance of condoms in AIDS prevention. The society will be asking for donations which will go to different projects in East Africa.

Mark Duell

Jersey children's home doubts

A Sheffield professor thinks that bones found at a former Jersey children’s home may not even be those of a human, despite police saying they are from a child’s skull.

Prof essor Andrew Chamberlain, from the Department of Archaeology, doubts police claims that bone fragments discovered at Haute de la Garenne are from a child who died 50 years ago.

He examined bone fragments dug up from the site and told police he could not identify them as human. Later on they were proved to be between 300-400 years old.

However, the police officer in charge of the investigation wrote in an email to Jersey officials that tests showed the skull of a child had been found and that they died in the 1950s or later.

Professor Chamberlain said: "The fragments were too small to determine what species they were. The two most likely to be human I later found from carbon dating were 300 or 400 years old. I didn’t comment on how old they were in my report to the police.

"The bones were well preserved, and perhaps because they had reports of children going missing they thought the fragments were more recent. But I don’t know why they assumed this."

A University of Sheffield graduate working as a forensic anthropologist at the site suggested Professor Chamberlain examined the bone fragments as she knew he had special microscopic techniques.

This misinterpretation of his findings had a major effect on the ongoing investigation into child abuse and murder at the former children’s home.

The £4.5million investigation at Haute de la Garenne started two years ago, and searching of the former home began in February this year.

Victoria Hawkins

Sheikh honoured by Sheffield

The ruler of Sharjah was awarded an honorary degree by the University of Sheffield this month for his ongoing achievements as both a political leader and a renowned scholar.

His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan Bin Mohammed Al Qasimi is recognised as having significantly modernised Sharjah, of the United Arab Emirates, whilst also making a great contribution to the growth of its two universities.

Commenting on the presentation on Monday, November 10, the University of Sheffield’s Vice Chancellor, Professor Keith Burnett, said: "His Highness is an influential leader and academic within a noble Arab tradition. His commitment to education and his ongoing support to both universities in Sharjah make him a worthy recipient of an honorary degree."

Professor Burnett also stressed the importance of establishing a connection between the University of Sheffield and the University of Sharjah.

He said: "Through our partnership with the University of Sharjah we have experienced at first hand the value Middle Eastern countries place on the personal development of their students.

"This has been a valuable insight and is already impacting on how we approach teaching both within the Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology and the wider University."

His Highness is no stranger to academic success. After studying agriculture for five years at Cairo University, he went on to receive a PhD from the University of Exeter and has since published numerous publications on the history and geography of the Arab Gulf area.

He later became involved in politics, serving first as Minister for Education and then replacing his brother, Sheikh Khaled, as ruler of Sharjah in 1972.

Responding to the tribute, His Highness said: "Sheffield’s recognition is an honour we will cherish for many years. We are fully aware of Sheffield’s excellent reputation in many academic fields and we would like to thank all who made the collaboration agreement possible."

He also hoped that various exchanges between the universities of Sheffield and Sharjah would help to "enhance students’ learning" and lead to "the generation of new scientific knowledge."

As well as being committed to the world of science, His Highness is also a keen playwright. During his visit to the University, he attended a special performance of his own play, Nimrod, by a cast of Sheffield students.

The play follows the fortunes of King Nimrod, a Biblical figure who is thought to have built the Tower of Babel. The production, directed by Professor Dominic Shellard, used costumes from the play’s first showing at the Sharjah National Theatre.

After the show, Professor Shellard said: "It was an enormous privilege for the University of Sheffield to stage the UK premiere of this exciting play.

"The performance was exceptional and it was a memorable honour to introduce the play to its creator in a European context. We are looking forward to taking the production to Sharjah where we will perform in the world famous Sharjah Theatre Festival next March."

Rachel Blundy

Union Councillor on leaked BNP list

The Union Sabbatical Officers are calling for the democratic removal of a Students’ Union Council member who was exposed on the leaked British National Party (BNP) members list this week.

A member of staff at the University of Sheffield was also identified on the list.
Members of representative committees at the Union have united to condemn the Council member and have support from the National Union of Students (NUS).

A joint statement from all eight Sabbatical Officers said: "The BNP are a fascist organisation, who stand for an ‘all-white Britain’, an aim which could only be achieved through violence.

"Their leader has denied the Holocaust, and many of their members have criminal convictions for violent offences.

"They seek to manipulate the democratic process in order to destroy it. There can be no doubt that the BNP are a threat to our diverse, multicultural student community.

"The BNP do not represent the views of Sheffield students. Students would not have elected this individual had he been open about his support of a fascist organisation.

"The Union Officers, supported by numerous members of Council, believe that fascism has no place in our diverse Students’ Union, and this individual should be democratically removed from his position on Council."

The uncovering of the Students’ Union Councillor on the BNP members list comes despite the Union of Students openly opposing the far right party.

The Union has anti-racism and anti-homophobic policies, as well as a Union Statement of Unity urging students to help prevent the BNP from winning seats in the local area.

Yusuf Ghumra, Black Students’ Councillor, is shocked by the revelations.

He said: "The BNP as an organisation represents hate and intolerance, everything that this Union proudly opposes.

"It is alarming to think that they have representation here. This will come as a shock for Black students, particularly Muslims, who have been a primary target of the BNP in recent years.

"Sheffield Union is not a union where students should feel unsafe or have to look over their shoulders as they walk."

A statement from the Union Jewish Society said: "The Jewish Society is deeply concerned by the presence of a BNP member on our Union Council.

"The policies of the BNP directly contravene the tolerant and multicultural society that we would like to see at Sheffield.

"Anyone who subscribes to those beliefs is part of the problem of racism not the solution. We firmly believe that there should be no place for racists and fascists at our university."

The news that a member of the University of Sheffield’s Students’ Union Council was exposed on the list has concerned the NUS.

Bellavia Ribeiro-Addy, NUS Black Students’ Officer, said: "NUS recognises the threat the BNP poses to Black, Jewish, Muslim, Disabled, LGBT and Women students, and all those who believe in democracy and human rights.

"We fully support students’ unions working to ensure fascist organisations are not able to organise on campuses and threaten the safety of students.

"BNP members have a long record of violence and intimidation, including on campuses - a BNP activist was found guilty of assaulting a sabbatical officer at Salford University.

"NUS will be working with students’ unions around the country to counter the threat of BNP activity in students’ unions and ensure campuses are safe for all students."

The leaked lists also showed that a member of staff at the University is a party member. The employee in question is male and holds a non-academic position within the University.

A spokesperson for the University of Sheffield said: "The University is an equal opportunity employer and this is embedded in all our activities.

"We require all our staff to act in accordance with our diversity policies. As a University, we also place a high value on freedom of thought and expression within the law, and on the right of individuals to hold a diverse range of views and beliefs."

The list also showed a student who was living at Tapton Halls of Residence in 2003.

They were among 12,000 people, including police officers, soldiers, and teachers, to have their personal details leaked on an internet blog this week, reportedly by a disgruntled party member.

The BNP have recently been gaining support in South Yorkshire. The party won two seats in May this year at the local elections in Rotherham.

Martha Kelner

End accommodation ghettos, says Hurst

Union President Dave Hurst is to release a report detailing the ‘grossly unfair and unaffordable rent levels’ which he claims are ghettoising students living in University accommodation.

He is also calling for a day of action next month as part of a campaign against what the report calls ‘socially regressive’ pricing strategies.

The Unaffordable University Accommodation report claims that average accommodation prices at the University of Sheffield have increased drastically since 2005.

It adds that rent levels are in many cases higher than charges at other universities, with Hurst looking to Leeds, Manchester, and Leicester for comparisons.

The document states that the average rent in self-catered accommodation let to students by Accommodation and Campus Services (ACS) in 2005 was £2,742.75, with the average price in catered halls being slightly higher at £3,392.68.

According to the report, the average cost of self-catered provision has risen by 44 per cent since then to £3,942.74, while the average rent payable is said to have risen by 61 per cent in catered halls.

The average cost in catered accommodation this year is listed as £5,458.47, though the figures in the report compiled by Hurst have factored in an extra £15 per week to the cost to cover the reduction in food allowance which took place in September 2007.

The figures are also not like for like comparisons as the 2005 average prices were calculated on the basis of a standard 31 week contract, whereas the average prices for 2008 are based on a 42 week contract length.

The Union President is calling for action amongst the student body to show dissatisfaction with what he calls an "untenable situation."

He plans to lead a demonstration on Wednesday, December 3, at 1.15pm to coincide with a meeting of the University Senate.

This comes ahead of the deadline for rent charges being decided upon for the next academic year, according to dates listed in the report.

Hurst said: "When it comes to the crunch time when prices are set in mid-December we need to have the momentum with us to show that students aren’t going to put up with this.

"It’s not just a home student undergraduate issue; even if you aren’t in University accommodation, it does affect you."

Hurst’s report compares the prices charged by ACS with those at the Universities of Leeds, Manchester, and Leicester.

Regarding Leeds, the document states that: ‘out of 30 types of accommodation and room configurations, all but one are cheaper than the price of the Endcliffe Village new build rents’.

In some cases catered accommodation in Sheffield is over £2,000 more, though many of the figures are not comparing like for like rooms and contract lengths.

Despite this, the report claims that: ‘Even rooms with 51 week contract[s at Leeds] are still over £500 cheaper than a standard room in the Endcliffe Village with a 42 week contract.’

The charges at the University of Leicester cited in the research provide similar results, with the report stating: ‘all of Leicester’s University Accommodation is cheaper than that of Sheffield University Accommodation.’

The report claims that students in catered halls at the University of Sheffield can in some cases pay up to £2,231.21 more than students at Leicester.

It is also argued that: ‘rooms [at Leicester] with a 51 week contract are cheaper by over £550 compared against the 42 weeks here’.

Charges at the six biggest halls of residence at the University of Manchester are ‘all cheaper than here’ according to the report, though the differences are smaller, with the most expensive accommodation provided by ACS costing £1,641 more.

Another key tenet of the report is student satisfaction with rent levels as defined by the Annual Student Satisfaction Survey (ASSS) 2008.

Hurst’s report cites the ‘decline’ in students feeling that they are getting value for money in University accommodation.

The survey results show that 39 per cent of students in catered accommodation are ‘satisfied’ that they are getting value for money, with this figure rising to 42 per cent of students in self-catered accommodation.

Hurst’s report points out that according to the survey results, students in private sector housing reported a 77 per cent satisfaction rate.

Only four per cent of students in privately let accommodation stated that they were ‘very dissatisfied’ with value for money, compared to 36 per cent of self-catered students and 40 per cent of students in catered accommodation.

According to Unaffordable University Accommodation, the ASSS also showed that students from within the European Union (EU) were ‘"almost three times more likely to choose accommodation based on cost than Home students.

‘"Also Non-EU students were four times more likely to choose accommodation based on cost than Home students."’

Hurst argues that this effectively means that high rent prices being charged by ACS are forcing international students into private accommodation and reducing the chances of integration between home and international students.

He said: "You’re talking about the ‘ghetto’ argument where you’ve got international students who are already pretty much forced out into private sector accommodation because of their already astronomical fees, yet you’re going to end up with people from lower socio-economic backgrounds just becoming ghettoised.

"So you’re not going to have that mix [of people] which I think is brilliant because it brings people from different classes together who might not see as much of each other and I think it’s a brilliant melting pot, in a clichéd way.

"With that being destroyed and people saying ‘I cannot afford it’ - it’s not even that it’s expensive, they cannot afford it - they’re going to have to live elsewhere.

"You’re going to end up with people from very well-off backgrounds living in this very nice accommodation, and people living in other accommodation which I’m not saying is poor quality, but they just can’t afford anything else."

Ian Jones, General Manager of Residential Services, said: "Accommodation and Campus Services is very disappointed to learn that the Union President is producing a document which is critical of University accommodation and its affordability, rather than having a constructive discussion with the University about his concerns.

"In fact, our benchmarking with outside providers and other Universities reassures us that we are providing real value to students.

"In addition, we listen and act on the feedback which we collect every year from students, making changes in light of this within the year that feedback is given as part of our genuine commitment to ongoing improvement in our service.

"We also consult with the Students’ Union as part of our annual rent setting, and did so during the period highlighted in this report.

"Without seeing the report it is very difficult for us to comment on the specific figures used, although it appears that some are not valid and are being taken out of context.

"However, we will carefully read the report when we receive a full copy of it, and will then make a detailed response which can be shared with Forge Press readers and other interested parties."

When Hurst was elected earlier this year he promised to take a stand against the University where he felt it was necessary, including by staging protests such as the one he is planning for December 3.

He said: "If we can maximise that student engagement then not only does it make the Union a stronger body but it makes the students’ voices heard.

"That’s the whole purpose of this Union; to demonstrate that and facilitate that. If we can win this then it means…when the University says that they’re going to do anything against students’ best interests and will affect them, whether that’s cuts in academic departments or cuts in resources, we’re strong, and they won’t even think about it in meetings."

Ciaran Jones

Sheffield gang culture on the rise

Police in Sheffield have been working to try and prevent a rise of gang culture in the city, after admitting that gang violence is now endemic.

Since a dispute over a drugs deal in December 2005 there has been a fierce rivalry between Sheffield’s two most prolific gangs: the S3 from Pitsmoor and the S4 from Burngreave.

The feud culminated in the murder of 16-year-old Jonathon Matondo on October 17 last year.

Police have recorded 45 occasions on which the two gangs opened fire on each other between December 2005 and Matondo’s killing.

However, at the murder scene a senior police officer told reporters there was no real gang culture in the city. “We have heard rumours regarding gangs operating in the area,” he said. “But gangs are not prevalent in Sheffield.”

Sheffield often promotes itself as ‘the safest city in England’ and both the University of Sheffield and Sheffield Hallam University use the tagline to encourage an influx of students.

At the time of Matondo’s murder, even the city’s political leaders seemed to be content with keeping the problem at a distance, rather than taking the opportunity to launch a clamp-down on gang violence.

This year though, two more killings of prominent S3 members in the summer, Brett Blake and Tarek Chaiboub, forced the police to publicly admit that there was a definite ‘gang element’ to crime in the city.

In response, in September inner-city Sheffield’s police force launched Operation Kindred, kicking in doors, seizing drugs and searching for guns.

In its first fortnight, officers found drugs worth £630,000, recovered three firearms and made 25 arrests for gang and drug-related offences.

More recently, detectives have begun working with children as young as five to try to stop them becoming embroiled in gang culture, after identifying that children are often introduced to gangs as look-outs for drug dealers.

Talking about gang culture, the University’s Welfare Officer, Kathryn Axon, said: “While Sheffield is the safest major student city in Britain, in places like Broomhall students can get caught up in its consequences, mainly though petty crime such as vandalism.

“However, students are often removed from the effects of gang culture; for example there have been clashes of gangs at clubs but not ones that students would usually populate.”

“When students are involved it is almost always accidental- they are not targeted,” she added.

Ross Turner

Clegg: 'Recession causes mental health concerns'

Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg has warned a conference at the University of Sheffield that Britain faces an epidemic of mental distress if plunged into a recession.

It could increase the number of people suffering stress and depression, he said in a speech delivered last Friday at the University’s Mental Health Awareness Day.

Mr. Clegg, MP for the Sheffield Hallam constituency, said: "If you’ve been mentally unwell before, or are vulnerable to mental distress, you’re going to be right back in the thick of it.

"And even if mental illness is completely new to you, the chances of you developing problems with stress, depression or anxiety are extremely high."

As negative equity, home repossessions and job losses bite, there will inevitably be an impact on people’s mental health, he argued.

Mr. Clegg said: "I’m talking about an epidemic of mental distress, this will be the hidden tragedy of the recession."

He argued depression makes it difficult to motivate yourself and mania can lead to compulsive spending.

So people with mental health problems are more likely to get into "unmanageable debt" during the economic downturn, he added.

The Lib Dem leader said people should be able to take action when well so they cannot acquire loans when they are ill.

He wants people to be able to put a "generic freeze" on their credit rating, without having to specify they have mental problems, meaning they cannot take out a loan.

Mr. Clegg called for mental health professionals to be trained to recognise when people are at risk of debt, while debt counsellors should be taught to deal with mentally ill people appropriately.

He also proposed a system where people can request their bank to monitor their accounts for unusual spending patterns with a need for joint authorisation from a friend or support worker, so it can be overridden if they become ill.

He said: "Banks should put procedures in place to help customers who have disclosed their mental health problems and missed payments."

Mr. Clegg suggests that if people are unwell and have been unable to manage their finances, they should not be penalised with late fines and charges.

The Mental Health Awareness Day, held at Firth Court, focused on breaking down the barriers to employment often encountered by people with mental ill-health.

"There is still an unacceptable stigma in society attached to revealing mental ill-health," added the Lib Dem leader.

Tim Lamden

Students invent walking aid for Brittle Bone sufferers

An innovative walking frame for children with brittle bones has been designed by two Sheffield Engineering students in their spare time.

Masters graduates Barry Tan and Lim Ji Hui hope it will help young children who are too small to use conventional walking aids at Sheffield Children’s Hospital.

Sheffield disabled product manufacturer KingKraft Ltd made a prototype of the walker for free and tested it at Sheffield Children’s Hospital last week.

It was tried out by Meleah Pegg, a four-year-old with Osteogenesis Imperfecta (OI).

Her mother, Abi Pegg, said: "She was given a walker, which was too big for her, but was the smallest available.

"The walker did help her but it was still difficult for her as she would lean awkwardly on the walker to support her weight."

OI, more commonly known as Brittle Bone Disease, is a rare genetic condition which makes sufferers extremely vulnerable to bone fractures and deformities.

Children face extra difficulties when learning to walk because their limbs are much smaller than usual, and the slightest pressure may cause their leg bones to fracture.

Many children with OI cannot sit up until they are nine months old as their spines are so fragile.
The two students were told about problems faced by toddlers with the condition by their lecturer, Elena Rodriguez-Falcon.

Barry and Lim decided to take on the walker project as well as their coursework and exams.
Lim said: "I really enjoyed working on the project and although it involved balancing lots of
commitments it was well worth it.

"I just hope the hospital can get the funding they need to take our design forward."

Liz Knowles, an Occupational Therapist at Sheffield Children´s Hospital, said: "Tiny children who are severely affected with Brittle Bone Disease need support to get up and walk. They struggle with walkers too big and too wide for them."

Sheffield Children’s Hospital is the largest centre in the world for children with OI, with about 100 of its 270 patients severely affected.

There is lots of interest in the walkers by international OI groups, but the hospital needs a starting figure of around £10,000 to develop the prototype.

KingKraft Ltd Managing Director Nigel Harrison, also a University of Sheffield engineering graduate, said: "I had no hesitation in accepting the challenge, as I was very impressed by the design. Everybody in the company got behind the project and I am really pleased with the results."

Natalie Bowen

Uni diet warning

Healthy eating campaigns will not work unless we recognize modern changes in family life, according to University of Sheffield findings.

£1.2million was spent on a research programme carried out by the University of Sheffield and Royal Holloway (University of London), designed to see why healthy eating campaigns do not work as well as they could.

Despite the Government and celebrity chef Jamie Oliver promoting healthy eating, the report showed the majority of people still eat what they want.

It also found that a family’s circumstances, rather than personal choice, determines what is eaten, which sometimes means choosing the unhealthy option.

Kathryn Axon, Union Welfare Officer, said: "Family life is changing and on the recent Jamie Oliver programme he was trying to get people with low incomes to buy fresh ingredients which they couldn’t do.

"People are also busier and students for example cannot really afford to eat healthily.

"Students could buy fruit and vegetables that are in season so they are cheaper and shop at the end of the day for reduced items."

Food culture has changed with family lifestyles, and there is a greater need for convenience food with more single and divorced people than ever, with the ‘family meal’ dying out.

Recent government campaigns included making school dinners healthier, but many children are used to eating junk food at home.

Trying to get people to eat ‘five a day’ is difficult too, with families often not having time to fit it in.

Professor Peter Jackson from the University of Sheffield explained: "If government advice on healthy eating is to have a serious impact, it needs to be framed with a better understanding of the diversity of our everyday family lives."

The research did highlight some healthy eating campaigns that do work.

Healthy Start for pregnant women has proved successful with women eating more fruit and vegetables and taking vitamins.

It was also found that advice for healthy eating has actually appeared in women’s magazines since the 1940s, but this advice has since changed dramatically.

One in five adults are now obese and a third of children overweight, which is expected to rise to two thirds by 2050, and could cost the economy £50billion due to obesity related illnesses.

Instead of ignoring the problems and blaming our routines and circumstances, the Government is now being encouraged to promote healthy eating in an innovative and thoughtful way.

Kristiane Genovese

Architecture student job fears

Architecture graduates are set to become the latest casualties of the credit crunch as recession fears have forced many firms to take on fewer graduates than in previous years.

While the current financial climate has led to a reduction in graduate recruitment across the board, the record number of graduates applying to architecture firms has made competition in this field even more intense.

One of the UK’s biggest firms, Building Design Partnership Ltd. has confirmed that it will take on a third fewer Part I and Part II graduates this year compared to last, while the number of applicants has increased by 10 per cent.

According to Pam Cole, head of the Association of Professional Studies Advisors in Architecture, the full impact of the economic downturn is yet to come.

"I would expect Part I students to have a much harder time gaining employment next year," she said.

University of Sheffield Architecture graduate Wai Shin Li, 21, is just one of this year’s BA graduates who, after taking a year out in order to work in a professional practice before returning to do an MA/Arch in Architecture, has struggled to find work in his chosen profession.

Currently working as a temp in an online record distributor, he explained that after contacting over 50 firms, only 20 asked for a CV and none were able to offer him a position.

"Most companies only employ Part I students if they’re particularly busy. This year because of the financial climate they’re employing more Part II students so they don’t have to train them up," he said.

For Part I students the problem of not being able to find work is particularly pressing, as a lack of experience in a professional practice can harm your chances of placement on a MArch course.

Professor Roger Plank, Head of the School of Architecture at the University of Sheffield, concedes that today’s Architecture graduates may find life more difficult than their predecessors, but insists things aren’t nearly as bad as some suggest.

"In a recession, construction is often one of the first sectors of the economy to be affected. It is therefore not surprising that there are concerns about immediate employment prospects for graduates of architecture.

"However, the slowdown in construction is, at present, extremely uneven, with some areas, notably volume housing, facing a severe cutback, whilst many others are still buoyant."

Professor Plank encourages University of Sheffield graduates to not be disheartened by the
downturn in employment rates compared to last year.

"This comparison also has to be set in the context of the position in 2007 when jobs were plentiful - graduates could therefore be very selective about where they would work; this year the position is likely to be much more competitive.

"Even so, the best students will no doubt be able to exercise more choice, and it is relevant to note that employers generally rate Sheffield graduates very highly."

Daniel O'Brien

Building award for Information Commons

The Information Commons has been awarded the prestigious Yorkshire Building of the Year award for its outstanding architecture.

This striking University building won the top prize at the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) Yorkshire White Rose Awards in Leeds last month.

Matt Cartwright is Project Director at RMJM, the architects behind the IC. He said: "Information Commons has set a new benchmark for the education sector. It has been visited by over 1,000 professionals from all over the country.

"The project is the fruit of fantastic teamwork and we are delighted to have won these prestigious awards."

Alex Hunt, Manager of the Information Commons, said: "We are extremely proud of the Information Commons and are delighted that RMJM has been recognised for creating such an iconic building for the University.

"The awards are testament to all the innovative thinking that went into the building and the excellent collaboration between the University and the architectural team. The Information Commons not only provides a state-of-the-art learning environment for students it is also a striking building on the city’s landscape."

The Information Commons has previously won a national RIBA award, and two construction innovation and sustainability awards for its structural flooring system.

The building cost more than £23million to build, and was completed in April 2007.

The impressive building contains over 500 PCs, more than 1,300 study spaces and roughly 100,000 of the University’s most popular books.

It is open 24 hours a day, with thousands of students daily passing the security bars.

Joe Martin, a second year Architecture student, said: "I know some students complain about the building, that it’s monstrous and too big. But I think the IC is one of the most interesting buildings in Sheffield.

"It is an architecturally interesting building, but also a great environment to study in. I think the RIBA award is very well deserved."

Other Sheffield buildings to be awarded by RIBA Yorkshire include Sharrow School and the Hillsborough Park Pavilion.

Jo Wendel

Peak District Spiderwalk raises £2,000 for charity

Students from the University of Sheffield have taken part in a 26-mile Spiderwalk challenge across the Peak District to raise money for local charities.

At 9pm on Friday, October 24, 80 students gathered on the Union Concourse to take part in the RAG committee’s overnight fundraising event.

RAG, which stands for Raising and Giving, is a fundraising organisation run by a Union of Students team.

This year’s event raised over £2,000, which is more money than any previous Spiderwalk. The exact amount will be calculated over the next two weeks as sponsor money continues to come in.
Participants included members of the Dance Society, the Rugby Club, the High Peak Club and Sheffield Volunteering.

Many students decided to wear costumes ranging from orange jumpsuits to a Scooby Doo outfit.

Lucy Bugler, from the Dance society, raised £80. She said: "Six of us did it together. It was our first time but we would definitely do it again.

"Despite wearing more layers of clothing than I have ever put on in my life, it was absolutely amazing."

The students walked through Crookesmoor and Walkley towards the Peak District, before heading back to the Union of Students via Fulwood Road.

Douglas Smith and Oliver Houston, from the High Peaks Club, finished first, completing the walk in less than seven hours.

The last people arrived back at the Union at 8.30am the next morning.

Sarah Murphy, events co-ordinator of Spiderwalk, was based on a checkpoint during the night.

She said: "The whole event was a huge success. One boy suffered a leg strain towards the end of the walk, but nobody else had any injuries."

One of the 40 charities benefiting this year is the Burton Street Project, which helps disadvantaged children and adults in Sheffield.

Leanne Rinne

4,000 students lose grants in government blunder

The Government has been criticised for misleading students after backtracking on a new grant system that could have allowed up to 40,000 students extra financial help with their studies.

Last year the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills announced that two-thirds of all students would receive grants to supplement their loans.

This promise has now been withdrawn after it was discovered that the new grants would leave the government with a £200million hole in its pocket.

Up to 40,000 students will now no longer receive the grant money that they were expecting when they started university.

The Government had raised the qualifying household income threshold for a grant to £60,000, meaning that students from middle income families could receive a grant of between £50 and £524. However, the threshold has now been cut down to £50,020.

Union President Dave Hurst called the funding situation "another aggressive move in terms of higher education".

He said: "These cuts are not in students’ best interests. It means that students will have to put more of their own money into going to university and will increase the amount of people who will be priced out of education, so that university will end up being only for the elite," he said.

He added that this was another example of the Government saying one thing and doing another, in terms of widening support for students.

"The current student finance system is unsustainable and has lost sight of its original purpose," Hurst added.

Only one third of students were expected to qualify for the new grant levels, but in fact 40 per cent were eligible. The government has also had to cut its number of new student places from 15,000 to 10,000.

The government’s Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, John Denham, stressed that the changes to the financial support system will not affect students from lower income families.

Students with a household income of up to £25,000 will be eligible for the full grant amount of £2,835.

Denham also said that the new support arrangements will only affect students entering university in England in the next academic year.

The President of the National Union of Students, Wes Streeting, said that this cut will hit students from middle-income families just as they are suffering the effects of the credit crunch.

Stephen Williams, the Lib Dem Universities spokesman said: "This kind of incompetence is not going to persuade young people that the Government is committed to supporting them with their studies."

Hurst added that students at Sheffield who are suffering financial difficulties should not wait for the worst case scenario to arise.

He said: "There are two finance advisors available at Student Services Information Desk (SSiD) who will help with everything from budget plans to bankruptcies.

"Students should also be aware of all the bursaries and hardship schemes that are available to them from the university."

Kirsty McEwan

Charitable student walks on hot coals for local children's hospice

A student from the University of Sheffield completed a charity ‘Firewalk’ on Sunday, October 26.

Angharad Evans, from School of Health and Related Research, braved walking over hot coals measuring a blistering 1,200 degrees Fahrenheit, in Sheffield City Centre, as part of the annual Halloween ‘Fright Night.’

She completed the walk in front of hundreds of people, and hopes to raise £150 for the Bluebell Wood Children’s Hospice.

Bluebell Wood opened in July 2007 and cares for over 200 children with debilitating illnesses in the Yorkshire area.

It offers emergency and planned respite either at home, hospital, or in a ‘home from home’ setting at the hospice, and costs over £2.4million to run each year.

Evans said: "It was a really good experience to do something that pushed me out of my comfort zone whilst at the same time putting something back into the local community.

"Bluebell Wood Children’s Hospice is an amazing place and I know the money raised will be used to make the quality of life of the children better. It will also give their parents some peace of mind too."

Greg Oldfield, Director of Fundraising at Bluebell Wood said : "We were delighted so many people took part in the Firewalk raising vital funds and awareness for Bluebell Wood Children’s Hospice.

"It is such a crucial time for people to support Bluebell Wood as we opened in September for overnight care, and we need to raise over £2.4million every year to run our service."

He added: "It is only with the generous support of people like Angharad that we can continue to support local children and their families."

Evans undertook this year’s Firewalk along with 15 others, including the Union activities officer Matt Fox and two other students from the University of Sheffield.

After receiving a two hour briefing beforehand, she completed the walk successfully, and even managed to complete another three rounds.

She said: "There was no hypnosis or anything like that to complete the Firewalk. It was all about having confidence in yourself that you could complete it, and making sure that your body was relaxed, and that you breathed correctly."

"In the end, the Firewalk went really well, with only one blister appearing! At some points I did question myself as to why the Firewalk was a good idea, but I’m really pleased that I completed it for such a deserving charity."

The art of firewalking dates back to 1200 BC. It is often considered a test of mental strength, and is used increasingly today as a way of raising money for charity.

Anyone wishing to sponsor Angharad to help reach her £150 target should contact her at: jpa05ace@sheffield.ac.uk.

Tom Hastings

Rental bucks trend

While London’s property industry is sinking, Sheffield’s rental market manages to keep its head above the water.

Despite the UK’s city centre residential market suffering during difficult financial times, letting prices in Sheffield remain constant.

Sheffield’s location puts it at ahead of other major northern cities, an advantage which shows in its strong rental market.

Steven Blank of PJ Properties said that they aren’t too concerned about the effect of the financial crisis on their rental properties.

He said: "We’re doing okay and demand is still there".

Mr. Blank also noted that the proportional number of students living in Sheffield meant that the property market was much more stable than other city areas, like London.

The supply of properties to let in London is starting to outweigh demand from tenants, with the London lettings market predicted to remain fragile in 2009.

It is inevitable that more tenants will default on their monthly payments because of the economic climate and rising unemployment.

Julienne Wood, Director at the London estate agent Kinleigh Folkard & Hayward, said: "There is insurance to cover this eventuality and my advice to landlords is to make sure they are covered."

The student lettings market is recession-proof and so landlords considering investing should target university areas, she added.

Recent apartment developments in the city centre of Sheffield have been relatively unsuccessful on the market due to higher rates.

Landlords are expected to put more effort in to ensure they are sold, a spokesperson from Sheffield City Council said.

In general, though, the rental market in Sheffield has remained constant and could very well increase in the next few months, meaning that buyers and sellers in Sheffield can therefore remain optimistic despite the downturn.

Georgia Gregory

Burglaries fall in Broomhill

Police say they have noticed a significant drop in the number of burglaries in the Broomhill area of Sheffield.

Criminals had been targeting student houses regularly in the early weeks of term, attracted by the number of valuables inside.

DC Dave Walker, Crime and Disorder Reduction Officer for Sheffield West (which includes Broomhill), said: "There has been a notable drop from the second week of term when there was 18 burglaries that week.

"Last week we were down to eight, so there is a significant drop there. Eight is still eight too many but it is not significant in terms of the number of potential targets.

"It’s a yearly problem. Students become victims of crime predominantly for sneak in type burglaries, which are perpetrated by opportunist thieves."

The police have attempted to counteract rising crime by launching a number of initiatives.
Last week, Police Community Support Officers were stationed in the Union as part of Students’ Union Crime Reduction Week, offering advice and encouraging students to sign up to a free website called Immobilise.

The website helps identify the owner of any stolen property when recovered and also helps the police charge people with burglary or handling stolen goods.

They also run a yearly operation known as Operation Socratic in the first three weeks of term, including Freshers’ Week.

"The operation involves patrols paying particular attention to areas we have identified from previous years as hotspot areas," said DC Walker.

"Officers deviate their shifts so they can work at 4am for example, or longer hours if needs be."

Katherine Polson, a second year Medicine student returned home from a night out with her housemates to find they had been burgled.

"We had all been on a night out at the Uni for my friend’s birthday," said Polson, who lives on Crookesmoor Road.

"Two of my friends got home first and the front door was wide open. They went upstairs and found the rooms had had their doors smashed in.

"Seven out of the 10 rooms in the house had been broken into. It was really awful because the girl whose birthday it was had her birthday money and presents stolen."

The burglars made off with seven laptops, five iPods, four sets of speakers, two digital cameras and £200 in cash.

According to DC Walker, this catalogue of stolen items is illustrative of why criminals target houses occupied by students.

He said: "They are more appealing to criminals than your average family house because of the number of valuables.

"A burglar can expect to get his hands on up to nine laptops, nine iPods, depending on the number of students. This isn’t the case in your average family house."

Chris Warne

Happy days for Sheffield residents

Sheffield is the third happiest place to live in the UK, according to a recent study.

The city was ranked joint third with Nottingham. Birmingham came top of the table as the happiest place to live, with Manchester in second place.

London, Edinburgh and Newcastle were ranked joint 11th, whilst the study concluded that the city of Brighton is the least cheerful place to live.

But Hannah Gumbrill, a second-year English Literature student at the University of Sheffield, comes from Brighton and stood up for her home town.

She said: "As someone who is a true Brightonian I have to say that although it has become a bit more like Blackpool in recent years, it is still an amazing place to live.

"Not only does it accept unquestioningly all races, sexualities and fashion senses, but it is packed full with fabulous places to eat, drink and have fun."

The study, commissioned by the National Lottery, examined 16 cities across the UK, measuring residents’ happiness in relation to their average number of friends.

Sheffield’s residents have an average of 36 close friends, with 73 per cent of the population stating that they are ‘very happy’.

Kathryn Axon, Union Welfare Officer, believes it is important to keep in contact with people at home, especially now there are numerous ways of speaking to family and friends.

She said: "Perhaps students can visit their friends at other universities, as well as inviting them to Sheffield."

The University Of Nottingham’s School of Psychology looked at the link between happiness and social activity.

Dr. Richard Tunney, Associate Professor of Psychology at the University of Nottingham, said: "We need to look after our friends if we want to be happy, and happier people tend to have more close friends and make new ones regularly."

The study found that people who were ‘extremely dissatisfied’ with their lives had half the number of friends than those who were ‘extremely satisfied’.

People with fewer than five friends were deemed to have a less than 40 per cent chance of being happy, compared to people with more than 10 friends who are 55 per cent more likely to be happy.

The study does come with a note of caution. Dr. Tunney claims that people should not ignore their old friends in favour of making more.

He said: "It is more important to maintain the relationships that you already have."

Hannah Lyons

Legal concern over Union racism policy

The Union of Students is defiantly sticking to its anti-racism policy despite concerns that aspects of its campaign against fascism may be illegal.

The matter was raised at the first meeting of the newly-elected Students’ Union Council last Thursday.

Members agreed to continue a campaign to thwart the British National Party’s local election chances, particularly at the European elections this June.

But Brian Thwaites, representative for the Institute for Lifelong Learning, said he was worried that political campaigning of this sort may be illegal because of the University’s status as a tax exempt charity.

Union Women’s Officer Fiona Edwards claimed at the meeting that the BNP "stand in the tradition of Hitler".

She said: "The Students’ Union anti-racism policy has been in force for many years, regularly supported by students and noting with concern the electoral rise of racist organisations.

"Students have played an active part in slowing the resurgence of fascism in our city and our region in recent years and with the European elections just around the corner we must redouble our efforts to keep Sheffield a Nazi-free zone."

Formally, the Union is separate from the University itself. But charity regulations also apply to organisations that serve a particular purpose in connection with a charity.

If this applies to the Union, it too will be governed by rules stating that charities can only be involved in politics to help them achieve their "charitable purpose".

The University’s main charitable purpose is education, although other acceptable purposes do include promoting racial harmony.

During the meeting, Brian stated that he knew BNP leader Nick Griffin. But afterwards he was clear in his opposition to the far-right group, describing himself as a socialist.

He said: "The only thing that’s concerning me was the potential that we would be in breach of charities regulation, which could potentially cause the Officers some problems."

With its roots in the National Front of the 1970s and 1980s, the BNP is widely regarded as racist. According to its Constitution, it is "wholly opposed to any form of racial integration between British and non-European peoples".

Its aims include restoring the "overwhelmingly white makeup of the British population that existed in Britain prior to 1948".

The party has had clashes with students’ unions in the past. Griffin was booked to attend a debate at Oxford University last November, but the event was cancelled in the face of overwhelming student opposition.

Locally, the BNP has begun to enjoy some electoral success. In this year’s local elections in May, they won two seats on Rotherham Council.

They came second in three wards in Sheffield, with 742 votes in Firth Park, 1031 votes in Southey and 846 votes in Shiregreen and Brightside.

Robert Cooke