News @ ForgeToday

Residents' access barred at Sheffield station

2008-12-12T00:46:00.000Z

Sheffield station, ‘The Golden Gate’ to the city, stood illuminated in all its £35million regenerated glory last night, as protestors gathered to voice their opposition against plans to install ticket barriers at the station.

In October this year East Midlands Trains announced their plans to install 13 barriers at the station, eight in the front hall and five at the back.

Tim Shoveller, managing director of East Midlands Trains, the company which runs the station, says the barriers are needed to prevent loss of revenue, due to fare dodging.

But Sheffield residents, lecturers, and students who regularly use the station as an access route from their homes, work, schools and colleges to the rest of the city, are strongly opposed to the plans.

Residents Against Station Closure, one of the groups set up to oppose the plans, organised the protest outside the station last night. One of their placards read ‘Don’t cut off our safe path through the station’.

Terry Gallagher, secretary for the RASC, said that the only other route into the town centre from the other side of the station is a dilapidated old bridge, which is dimly lit, full of rubbish and graffiti and very difficult for wheelchair users and pushchairs to access.

Sheffield City Council voted unanimously against the ‘gating’ plans on September 3rd. They also have an online vote on their website, where you can register your views on the proposed barriers.

Mr Shoveller, of EMT, said: "I'm sorry for all the frustration this has caused, which was never our intention. We have listened to and worked with people concerned about the matter to develop solutions, and want to move on."

EMT have suggested giving residents and other people who regularly use the bridge ‘Smart Cards’, which would allow them 5minutes to pass through the station, as well as allowing elderly, disabled or people with young children free passage across the bridge without a smart card or ticket.

Out of the 100 questions and concerns raised by residents, EMT have only agreed to answer up to a maximum of 10. Member of the RASC Ellie Lockley, a student at Sheffield Hallam University, fears the technology is a “speculative idea that has not been fully thought through.”

She said: “If they have not got the capacity to think this proposal through to ensure it is workable before they install barriers they will not have the capacity to set up and maintain the pass system.

“Sheffield has far less crime than other comparative cities across England and if they want to reduce fare dodging then they should simply employ more ticket masters.”

Alice Carder

Celebrated historian returns for sell-out crowds

2008-12-10T20:42:00.000Z

*Web Exclusve*

On Tuesday, December 2, leading historian and academic, Sir Ian Kershaw, delivered a much anticipated talk to a packed University House as part of The Exchange programme of lectures.

Widely regarded as one of the world's foremost experts on Nazism and Hitler, Kershaw's willingness to return to Hitler for this talk came as something of a surprise, him having vowed never again to lecture on the subject ten years ago in 1998.

Organised jointly between the History and Politics Societies, the sell-out event drew a wide audience from both University students and staff,as well as from members of the local community and beyond.

Kershaw gave a wide-ranging and engaging talk that covered the entire span of Hitler's political career, from his lowly beginnings as a Vienna down-and-out, through his meteoric rise to power on the wave of economic depression in theearly 1930s, to his eventual suicide in 1945.

Kershaw then received anumberof questions from the floor. Afterwards, the debate continued in the Interval bar, with drinks and a buffet. Kershaw described his return to the University as a "pleasure".

After studying at Liverpool and Oxford, Kershaw has enjoyed a prolific career, holding professorships at the Universities of Manchester, Ruhr and Nottingham before joining the University of Sheffield's Department of History in 1989, in the capacity of Professor of Modern History. He has recently retired.

Kershaw has written a number of influential books on Hitler and The Third Reich, his most recent publication being a single-volume version of his renowned biography of Adolf Hitler, entitled Hitler. He was also involved with the BAFTA-winning BBC Television series, 'The Nazis: A Warning from History', BBC2's 'War of the Century', and the BBC's 'Timewatch' programmes on 'Operation Sealion', where he acted as historical advisor.

He was knighted in 2002 for Services to History.

Begun in 2007, The Exchange programme is still in its infancy but aims to open minds and generate a forum for discussion and debate amongst the University community through attracting prestigious political and public figures to the Students' Union. Previous high profile speakers at Exchange events have included Alistair Campbell, celebrated sociologist and adviser to Gordon Brown, Anthony Giddens, and University of Sheffield graduate and former Home Secretary, David Blunkett.

Joe Oliver, a second year history student at the University and involved in the coordinating of the event, stressed the importance of Kershaw's lecture. He said, "In years to come, people will view this era of Sir Ian's career as the period in which he shifted greater emphasis to the irreplaceable nature of Hitler in the functioning of the Third Reich."

Phil Woods

Mental Health awareness campaign

2008-12-10T20:21:00.000Z

*Web Exlusive*

This week the Union of Students marked Mental Health Week, raising awareness of a topic many students consider a taboo.

Organised by the Welfare Committee, Sports Committee and Mental Health Matters, the one-week campaign aimed to educate students on different disorders related to anxiety, stress and depression. It also set out the services that are available to students throughout the University.

Following a series of social campaigns organised in the Union, such as Disability Awareness Week and LGBT Campaign Week, Mental Health Week focused on the balance between physical exercise and psychological well-being.

Natalie Hibbs from the Welfare Committee said: "We are focusing specifically on anxiety, stress and depression this week - encouraging students to talk to one another about how they are feeling, to eat a healthy diet, and to get plenty of physical exercise to improve their mental well-being.

"Also, we will be running a follow-up campaign in the second semester alongside the Shrimps group, who will be doing a special performance to raise money for MIND."

This week's campaign included exercise in front of the Union and a Relaxation Day, as well as information on where students can ask for help.

The week provided students with an opportunity to write down what worries them on a 'Stress Level' board and discover that other people share their anxieties.

Though mental health is usually something most people feel uncomfortable talking about, one out of four suffers from a mental health problem. Away from friends, home and family and pressed by deadlines, lack of sleep and poor diet, it comes as no surprise that a students' psyche is under constant threat. The fact that fellow students often have no knowledge or understanding of the problem only makes matters worse.

The organisers of the campaign aim to reduce the stigma that surrounds mental health problems while offering advice to students.

There is plenty of help for stressed-out students. The University Health Service and the University Counselling Service both provide services for students. The Mental Health Matters organisation also provides drop-in sessions for students, friends and family to find information and share their experiences.

The Skills for Life programme organises workshops which concentrate on different mental health issues – exam insecurities, revision problems, sleep deprivation, peer pressure and disappointment.

Mina Kasherova

Student sexual health initiatives

2008-12-09T20:03:00.000Z

*Web exclusive*

Students are being urged to get themselves checked for Chlamydia by the University Health Service as part of a new national initiative.

More than one in 10 people aged between 15 and 24 who are tested has the sexually-transmitted disease, according to recent figures. In line with the national Chlamydia screening programme, students now have access to free checks from pharmacies linked to the University Health Service.

Area Support Pharmacist Ravi Mohan, of Welldricks pharmacy on Glossop Road, says all students should take advantage of the programme.

He said: "Since we have had all the testing kits here we have been saying to students 'get yourselves tested', but I am concerned they are not taking up our advice.

"Even if you are in a relationship it doesn't mean you are fooling around as it can stay there for some time."

He also warned that full sexual contact is not needed to contract Chlamydia, as it can even find its way into the body through the eyes.

Chlamydia is the most common sexually-transmitted bacterial in the UK and despite being largely symptomless, can cause infertility among females. The disease can also lead to Pelvic Inflammatory Disease and ectopic pregnancy – a condition where the baby forms outside of the womb. If contracted by men, it can lower the fertility of their sperm whilst also causing swelling to the testicles.

Mr. Mohan said the test is a simple procedure which involves giving a small urine sample.

"Appointments do not need to be made before hand and it will only take ten minutes to fill out a form," he said.

The pharmacy is also raising awareness about the effects flu can have on students over the winter period. Recent statistics show that 18,000 people die each year from flu-related illness, with an additional 30,000 hospital admissions.

Mr. Mohan said: "There are over a million GP consultations relating to flu each year that could be avoided if people got the jab.

"Flu can especially affect younger people with other conditions like asthma or diabetes.

"Students who present their U-card to any University-linked pharmacy will receive a 20% discount on flu jabs, reducing the cost to £11.99."

Michael Hunter

Quiz for Amnesty

2008-12-05T21:52:00.001Z

The School of English is challenging staff and students to look back over 2008, with a quiz in aid of Amnesty International, writes Amy Taylor.

The 2008 Year Quiz will test both acumen and memory with questions about events from the past 12 months. Entry can be on an individual or group basis for a total prize of £50.

The quiz will be available from the School of English website, www.shef.ac.uk/english/, from Monday, December 15. Donations from entrants are welcome.

Any enquiries to Nicky Hallett: n.a.hallett@sheffield.ac.uk.

Students plan 'Get Sleighed' bar crawl for hospice

2008-12-05T21:50:00.001Z

A massive bar crawl has been organised to help raise money for community projects and St. Luke’s Hospice on Sunday, December 14.

The pub crawl has been organised by Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE) who have been involved in around 20 projects already.

‘Get Sleighed’ is designed not only to raise money for St. Luke’s Hospice, which is the only hospice in the area, but also to fund a project in Africa during February next year.

The project, set to take place in Tanzania, will help farmers to create a self-sustaining business as well as building a business and IT school.

Two students who have organised the project are Helen Gammons and Emma Millard, both third year students in Management at the University of Sheffield.

They became involved in SIFE at the beginning of this year and regret not getting involved sooner. Emma said: "It’s nice seeing the work I’ve done help others."

Helen said: "I love business projects and these help so many people."

The idea behind SIFE is that they invest money into struggling businesses and therefore help them survive and develop.

The business then pays back the loan in instalments with interest at a much lower percentage than that of the banks.

Other projects have included re-housing for the homeless, which allowed homeless people to refurbish houses that they are living in. This not only gave them shelter, but allows them to apply for jobs as they have a fixed living address.

The pub crawl is set to begin at 7.30pm at Vodka Revolution on Sunday, where a raffle will take place using prizes donated by the bar, which is managed by Ian Boyles.

The route will then consist of Varsity, The Cavendish, Bia Hoi, Walkabout, RSVP and Embrace. Donations from other bars include £100 from Varsity and £500 from Embrace.

Tickets for the event can be bought from the Box Office or direct from Vodka Revolution, The Cavendish, RSVP, Varsity and Emma Millard on 07960453660 and Helen Gammons on 07745556028.

Also anyone interested in SIFE can go along to the meetings every Tuesday at 7pm in the Enterprise Zone next to St George’s Church or go to http://www.sheffieldsife.org/.

Chris McKay

Students in sweatshop protest

2008-12-05T21:49:00.000Z

Members of the University of Sheffield’s Speak Society sat outside the Union on Tuesday and Wednesday this week to protest against the conditions of sweatshops.

Bundled up against the cold, students sewed clothes on the concourse from 12pm to 2pm to draw attention to their campaign.

Society members asked people to take part in their petition against sweatshop conditions by recording an mp3 file stating their support.

Speak groups across the country hope to record 24 hours of sound to present as an audio petition to the UK government and the European Commission.

The Sheffield group aimed to record an hour of speech over the two days. The audio petition was chosen as they are felt to get more notice than a traditional petition.

Speak does not want to deprive sweatshop workers of their jobs, but campaigns to improve their pay and working conditions.

Mikey Sandford, a third year Biblical Studies student and co-president of the University’s Speak Society, said: "Companies should have a responsibility for human rights and working environments.

"Companies won’t do it without laws – they will go on making a profit regardless."

His co-president Katie Wellbrook, a second year English Literature student, said: "People seem positive about the campaign. It’s an issue most people can relate to."

The UK-based Speak is part of the Trade Justice Movement, which is made up by around 50 groups campaigning for corporate responsibility.

"We wanted to show what working in a sweatshop really means – doing something very tedious in horrendous conditions for hours on end for very little pay," Wellbrook added.

NoSweat, another campaign group, will have two ex-sweatshop workers speaking at their event ‘We Make Your Clothes’ at 7pm on December 8, in the Octagon Centre Meeting Room Two.

Natalie Bowen

Sheffield incentive shows that it pays to recycle

2008-12-05T21:48:00.000Z

Ever imagined a vending machine that could give you money rather than greedily swallowing it in exchange for a bag of half-crushed crisps? Well this one comes close.

The University of Sheffield has installed a Reverse Vending Machine (RVM), which will give you a token every time you recycle a plastic bottle or aluminium can.

All that has to be done is to take empty container to the RVM in the Arts Tower and enter it into the machine, which scans and then crushes the can or bottle.

A token receipt for 5 per cent off a hot drink at eatwithUS outlets across the campus will then be issued.

Sheffield is the first city in Yorkshire to install an RVM, and the University hopes it will be an extra incentive for staff and students to recycle.

Plastic and tins from the Information Commons are already recycled by the University, along with cardboard and paper from across the campus.

The University of Sheffield has been praised for recognising the green agenda after winning awards for its water minimisation plan.

It works with the Carbon Trust to reduce its carbon footprint, gains a large majority of its electricity from renewable energy sources, and has transport initiatives to encourage staff not to drive to work.

Pat McGrath, Director of Accommodation and Campus Services (ACS) said: "As well as encouraging our customers to recycle, we hope that local businesses will follow our lead and take a step towards a greener future."

RVMs are supplied by Reverse Vending Corporation, which has installed over 19,000 RVMs throughout Europe. The machine can hold up to 2,000 cans and bottles in separate bins before it needs emptying.

Its technology recognises if anything else is entered into the machine, and rejects containers which are partially-full.

"The offering of incentive-based recycling is an innovative idea and it’s great to have Yorkshire’s first Reverse Vending Machine here at the University," said Pat McGrath.

"Each time a student, staff member or visitor decides to recycle their used drinks container, they will get cheaper drinks in return."

The machine is located in the Plaza Café area of the Arts Tower, with traditional recycling bins.

Fiona White

University of Sheffield inventor awarded for device that predicts volcanic eruption

2008-12-05T21:47:00.000Z

A remote-control led helicopter that could help predict volcanic eruptions has earned its University of Sheffield inventor a prestigious Rolex Award for Enterprise.

The device created by Dr. Andrew McGonigle, a senior research fellow of the University’s Geography Department, can determine when eruptions will occur, saving the lives of local people and researchers.

The award-winning AEROVOLC II is a small, unmanned helicopter that can be guided in and around volcanoes to measure the amounts of carbon dioxide and sulphur dioxide present.

Dr. McGonigle, who was named a Laureate at the awards ceremony, said: "Carbon dioxide as a gas is very important with volcanology because it is released from rising batches of magma relatively early on in the ascent process."

A build up of these gases beneath the earth’s surface contributes towards violent eruptions that can pose a significant threat to life and property.

His innovation has been used to monitor volcanoes Etna and Stromboli in Italy, two of the most active in Europe. The aircraft is a cheaper and more effective method than previous attempts to predict volcanic activity and eliminates the dangers researchers face when gathering data.

Experts would normally climb to the crater’s edge to collect information, which often results in fatalities.

"What we are trying to do is enable the same measurement of carbon dioxide emissions but enabling scientists to remain completely remote at a safe distance from the volcano," Dr. McGonigle explained.

The international Rolex award, including a £67,000 grant, was presented on November 18 during a ceremony in Dubai celebrating innovators in science, exploration, conservation, and the arts.

"Being granted this award is a profound and unexpected honour which has given me the deepest joy and satisfaction," Dr. McGonigle added.

"I am very much looking forward to using these funds to purchase the latest in autonomous flight helicopter technology and to deploy this on volcanoes in attempts to improve our eruption forecasting capabilities."

Ten winners chosen from across 127 countries also received a Rolex chronometer and worldwide publicity campaigns for their projects.

Chief executive of Rolex Patrick Heiniger said: "The Rolex Awards for Enterprise enable the work of global pioneers who are breaking new ground in their fields and improving lives worldwide.

"We are proud to support these truly original thinkers and salute them for their ingenuity and commitment of purpose."

The grant money will improve the invention’s reliability and accuracy, allowing it to pinpoint eruptions weeks and in some cases months, before they happen.

The technology means that people living in volcanic zones will receive reliable warnings before an eruption, allowing them time to prepare and evacuate, potentially saving thousands of lives.

Professor Grant Bigg, Head of the University’s Department of Geography said: "We are delighted that Andrew has been given the opportunity to develop the device and wish him well with the project."

Lauren Merryweather

Student flea market

2008-12-05T21:46:00.000Z

Students got a taste of what it’s like to be Sir Alan Sugar’s apprentice on Wednesday when they hosted a Christmas Flea Market.

Students involved in the project formed teams and ran stalls in the Enterprise Zone in a bid to sell as many second-hand items as possible.

The 25 teams involved in the project were all competing against each other in a bid to win a cash prize of £50. The project was organised by six interns from the University’s Enterprise Zone.

Project Leader and Enterprise Zone intern Omolade Kadiri said: "The project started out because we hoped to raise awareness of the Enterprise Zone and get more students involved in it.

"The project was very similar to something Sir Alan Sugar would set, which makes it fun and something a lot of students can relate to.

"The reactions to the project were all really positive, although I think the amount of work needed to do this was underestimated."

Another Enterprise Zone intern involved in the project, Christian Chia, said: "Everything starts with an idea, once you can put that into motion, your dream becomes reality.

"Hopefully students involved will realise just what it takes to actually run a successful business."
Stalls inside the Enterprise Zone sold everything from books to jewellery. The idea behind the project was to teach students employability skills, such as decision making.

Georgie Lamble, whose stall was selling raffle tickets, said: "It’s been really good because what companies are looking for is business awareness."

Students across all departments went down to the Enterprise Zone to have a look around the stalls.

Plans are already being formed to hold another event of this kind next year.

Ms. Kadiri said: "We’re planning an Easter Flea Market, which will possibly happen next semester. We will also be having the Christmas one again next year."

Chris Conway

Orchestra helps sick children

2008-12-05T21:45:00.000Z

The University’s Department of Music are helping to bring fun and magic to the wards of the Sheffield Children’s Hospital this Christmas.

The award winning Wind Orchestra held their annual Children’s Hospital charity concert on Sunday, November 23.

Proceeds from this year’s concert will be donated to the Clown Doctors initiative at the Children’s Hospital.

By performing tricks and telling jokes, the specially trained Clown Doctors help to bring a cheerful atmosphere to the children’s wards.

They will visit sick children in the wards once a week to support them and their families through what can often be a traumatic time.

Stewart Campbell, Concerts Co-ordinator at the University of Sheffield, said: "I’m delighted that the Department of Music is hosting this concert, especially when it’s for such a good cause.

"There is something for everyone here, and it’s a fantastic opportunity to raise money for the hospital while enjoying an outstanding musical event."

Angela Tunn, Fundraising Administrator for the Children’s Hospital Charity said: "It’s brilliant, we love the support from the University. They give a lot of very good support to us. We are very grateful."

Led by their conductor Anthony Houghton, the orchestra performed a lively programme of music designed to appeal to all the family.

It included a musical production of Roald Dahl’s quirky take on the Little Red Riding Hood tale.

A family bookstall also contributed to the fundraising.

The event was part of the Department of Music’s autumn concert series.

Jennie Hurwood

EU driving licence confusion at Embrace

2008-12-05T21:44:00.001Z

A second year international student was refused entry to Embrace nightclub by a bouncer despite showing a valid European Union driving licence.

Edvarts Dzelzitis was eventually allowed into Embrace nightclub after his friend spoke at length to the head doorman at Embrace on Burgess Street on Friday, November 21.

The 20-year-old Latvian, who studies Civil Engineering with Business Management, was angered by the incident.

He said: "One bouncer didn’t want to let us in. So after a while arguing, we got in thanks to my friend talking to the main bouncer.

"I have never had any other trouble at nightclubs. The EU driving licence looks very like the UK driving licence. I was quite surprised and it wasn’t like the bouncer took a proper look at it anyway."

Dzelzitis has asked the Embrace management to confirm whether or not they accept EU driving licences as forms of identification.

Bill Surtees, Embrace manager, stated that the nightclub follow South Yorkshire Police guidelines by accepting either a Portman Group hologram card, passport, or a photographic driving licence.

He said: "If the identification is in a good state of repair and legible, then that’s acceptable. We operate a Challenge 21 policy - if we believe a person is under 21 we ask them for identification.

"If [Dzelzitis] has been let in then the doorman has shown an amount of flexibility. On a student night there is always an amount of flexibility. If they have given him the benefit of the doubt, then they have shown a bit of humanity and diligence."

Sajeev Jeganathan, Union International Officer, said he has never heard of any students having problems using an EU driving licence as proof of age.

"I would have expected the driving licence would have been accepted unless Embrace have a particular problem with them," he added.

"It’s a pity that these things still happen in Sheffield - it’s a multicultural city. Foreigners still find issues like this and it’s sad, but I still can’t understand why they wouldn’t let them in."

Jeganathan added that it is impracticable for students to carry around passports as a back-up identification in case this sort of problem happens.

He said: "There have been issues with international students carrying their passport, so they should always carry a different form of ID.

"Passports are valuable and you would not want to mislay it in a club – that would a big problem. I wouldn’t advise anyone to carry them around as if they lose it it’s a big problem."

Earlier this year, a 21-year-old Politics student from Denmark claimed she was discriminated against by a Somerfield store in central Sheffield.

Tal Szlenski was not allowed to purchase alcohol despite having a European Union driving licence and a Danish passport.

Somerfield said at the time: "We are not breaking any laws – [we] can only accept ID that is recognised by the UK, this is with the support of the Government."

Mark Duell

Strobe-lit bungee jump for charity

2008-12-05T21:44:00.000Z

A student from the University of Sheffield has bungee jumped in the dark from a 150ft platform at the Magna Centre in Rotherham to raise money for charity.

Jack Wolfe, a first year Geography student, bungee jumped at the highest indoor venue of its kind in the UK to raise money for charities in Sheffield last Saturday.

The fundraising event was organised by the Raising and Giving (RAG) Students’ Union organisation and cost £49. RAG is renowned for organising extreme events at reasonable prices to raise as much money as possible for charity.

Wolfe, 18, said: "It’s something I’ve always wanted to do and I got to raise money for local charities too. The opportunity was too good to pass up on.

"I did it by myself as I think a lot of my friends thought it might be a little scary. I hadn’t done anything like it before so I would be lying if I said I didn’t have butterflies in my stomach on the way there."

Wolfe hopes to raise nearly £100 for 40 charities in total.

He added: "It was a real rush. The nerves were building as I was climbing the stairs to the platform and hovering over the edge moments before was hugely nerve wracking.

"Once I jumped off the platform the feeling of the adrenaline pumping through my body was amazing. Definitely a worthwhile experience."

Wolfe was also part of breaking the world record for the most people dressing as Santa and going down a zip-wire in an hour. He said that he would recommend the experience to anyone and would definitely do it again.

"Nobody backed out which was good; there were a few nervous faces but everyone went for it. It was a really good atmosphere as everyone cheered each other on and gave them lots of support."

Wolfe has taken part in many RAG fundraising events, including a bar crawl during Freshers’ Week and the recent 26-mile Spiderwalk. He said: "I’ve met lots of really nice people and I have always really enjoyed myself."

Leanne Rinne

Expensive alcohol will reduce risks

2008-12-05T21:43:00.000Z

A new report has found an unprecedented direct link between alcohol prices and alcohol-related harm.

The study, released on Wednesday by the University of Sheffield’s School of Health and Related Research, was produced on behalf of the Department of Health.

It shows that by increasing the price of alcohol, the Government could save thousands of lives as well as millions of pounds of taxpayers’ money.

The University team, led by Dr. Petra Meier of the School of Health and Related Research, examined 40 different alcohol pricing set-ups including increasing minimum price per unit and restricting promotional offers.

She said: "The results suggest that policies which increase the price of alcohol can bring significant health and social benefits and lead to considerable financial savings in the NHS, criminal justice system and in the workplace."

Heavier drinkers would be most strongly impacted by a general alcohol price rise, the research found.

A minimum price of alcohol enforced in supermarkets and off-licences, as well as pubs and clubs would specifically target harmful drinkers - those more likely to be enticed by cheaper alcohol.

The report shows that the greater the minimum price of alcohol, the more effective it is in reducing consumption levels.

A 70p minimum price per unit would lead to an 18.6 per cent reduction, compared with a 2.6 per cent fall when the minimum price is 40p.

The report also shows that strict alcohol pricing policies reduce health risks, and the consequent cost to the NHS.

It estimates that a 40p minimum price would lessen hospital admissions by 41,000 ever year and save £116million.

Estimated reductions in crime, particularly violent attacks, theft and robbery, as a result of increased alcohol prices, would also result in Government savings.

It is thought a 30p off-trade, coupled with an 80p on-trade price restriction, would prevent 68,000 crimes every year.

A new report has found an unprecedented direct link between alcohol prices and alcohol-related harm.

The study, released on Wednesday by the University of Sheffield’s School of Health and Related Research, was produced on behalf of the Department of Health.

It shows that by increasing the price of alcohol, the Government could save thousands of lives as well as millions of pounds of taxpayers’ money.

The University team, led by Dr. Petra Meier of the School of Health and Related Research, examined 40 different alcohol pricing set-ups including increasing minimum price per unit and restricting promotional offers.

She said: "The results suggest that policies which increase the price of alcohol can bring significant health and social benefits and lead to considerable financial savings in the NHS, criminal justice system and in the workplace."

Heavier drinkers would be most strongly impacted by a general alcohol price rise, the research found.

A minimum price of alcohol enforced in supermarkets and off-licences, as well as pubs and clubs would specifically target harmful drinkers - those more likely to be enticed by cheaper alcohol.

The report shows that the greater the minimum price of alcohol, the more effective it is in reducing consumption levels.

A 70p minimum price per unit would lead to an 18.6 per cent reduction, compared with a 2.6 per cent fall when the minimum price is 40p.

The report also shows that strict alcohol pricing policies reduce health risks, and the consequent cost to the NHS.

It estimates that a 40p minimum price would lessen hospital admissions by 41,000 ever year and save £116million.

Estimated reductions in crime, particularly violent attacks, theft and robbery, as a result of increased alcohol prices, would also result in Government savings.

It is thought a 30p off-trade, coupled with an 80p on-trade price restriction, would prevent 68,000 crimes every year.

Martha Kelner

Societies' talents showcased

2008-12-05T21:42:00.000Z

Candles and fairy lights set the mood in the packed venue. The audience were ready to see something special.

After two months of planning and preparation, the Societies Showcase opened with a lively performance from the Gospel Choir, featuring a solo by Matt Fox, Union Activities Officer and event organiser.

The audience in the Union’s Foundry watched performances demonstrating the skills of 12 different societies last Sunday.

Fox said: "Last year the audience was just the performers and their friends, but this year we wanted it to be a real showcase of what is available for people to join within the Union, so we really pushed the promotion."

A big marketing campaign, including posters, plasma screen adverts, website promotion, What’s On and flyers, saw every ticket sold and a more varied turnout than last year.

"I’m here to see the lot. I’ve not seen any of them before so it ought to be interesting," said Helen Grieves, a History student.

There was a great range of performances including an Agatha Christie opera by the University of Sheffield Light Entertainment Society (USLES) which featured the song ‘Don’t Cry for Me, I’m the Cleaner’.

The Hip-Hop Dance Society put on a street and break dance battle, and there was a variety of spectacular aerials by the Swing Dance Society.

The Shrimps’ performance of improvisational comedy was particularly popular, with many of the other performers giving it a special mention.

President of the Hip-Hop Dance Society, Anastasia Duncanson, said: "Shrimps were really great. I liked Flying Teapots even though I couldn’t see very well as we were at the side of the stage, waiting to go on."

Beth Kopcke, who demonstrated impressive hula-hoop skills with Flying Teapots, returned the compliment, picking out the performances by the Shrimps, Hip-Hop Dance Society and Bollywood Society as her favourites.

The Societies Committee, guided by Matt Fox, started preparations for the event at the end of September following the Activities Fair held during Intro Week.

Although the societies had more varied periods of preparation, all put on great performances with some featuring people who only joined the society at the start of this academic year.

Of three numbers by the DanceSport Society, one was performed entirely by members who had joined less than two months before the event.

Even more surprisingly, they were asked to dance in the Showcase only a couple of days before the event. Both numbers by the Swing Dance Society featured new and more experienced dancers.

Samantha Mutty, President of the Swing Dance Society, said: "We are really proud, especially of all our beginners and so pleased with how it has come together."

Matt Fox thanked everyone involved for making the evening such a success. "Every performance was brilliant," he said.

At the end of the evening there was a collection for the University of Southern Africa fund.

Jennie Hurwood

38 stone woman trapped in bath dies

2008-12-05T21:41:00.000Z

A 38 stone Sheffield woman who was trapped in a scalding bath died from horrifying burns, an inquest heard.

Liza Jayne McKenna, 40, died of multiple organ failure due to burns to her legs and buttocks, leaving lumps of pink flesh in the bathtub.

McKenna and her boyfriend, Carl Land, had been drinking heavily since the afternoon and watching Big Brother, Sheffield Coroners’ Court heard.

Land fell asleep and McKenna decided to run a bath at her flat on Martin Street, Upperthorpe.
Land, of Morgan Road, Southey Green, told the court: "I wanted to go to the toilet and I saw her in the bath.

"I noticed her legs were pink. When I realised I helped her out of the bath and she wasn’t saying anything."

The court was told McKenna started to towel herself dry.

"She wasn’t saying she was hurt, and asked me to get her a jug of water," said Land.

Land fetched her some water which McKenna promptly poured on her legs saying, "my legs are burning".

He said: "It looked as if there was blood coming through. It seemed she caught her left foot on the bathroom door. She left a lump of skin on it."

She was taken to Northern General hospital on July 26 this year and died six days later.

In a statement from pathologist Dr. Nick Tiffin, the court heard McKenna suffered from depression, mania, psychosis and alcohol abuse. He said that she also had a history of self-harming, smoked excessively and was morbidly obese.

Recording a verdict of accidental death, Assistant Deputy Coroner David Urpeth said: "I am satisfied that this was a case of somebody who had been troubled for many years and had taken solace in alcohol to a significant extent.

"She got into the bath that night, not intending it to be too hot and as a result suffered from burns that led to her death."

Robert Golledge

Sheffield's finest acknowledged in Night on Honour ceremony

2008-12-05T21:39:00.001Z

Celebrities, local dignitaries, and 2,000 members of the public gathered for a glitzy awards ceremony on Sunday, November 30, to honour Sheffield’s unsung heroes.

Ten awards were given out at Sheffield’s Night of Honour in Ponds Forge International Sports Centre, including Sheffield’s Best Community Organisation and Sheffield’s Best Spring Chicken Award.

Sandra Howard won Sheffield’s Lifetime Achievement Award for overcoming a battle against Crohn’s Disease and going on to found the epilepsy charity FABLE.

She said: "It’s a great honour, I just can’t stop smiling. The other nominees were such worthy competitors that to win was quite unbelievable."

Sheffield’s Child of the Year Award was won by Lauren Stacey, who lost her mum in a tragic car accident this year and sustained life-threatening injuries. She has since learned to walk, talk, and eat again.

Lauren received a standing ovation from the audience and was presented with a bike and goody bag as well as her award.

The event was organised by Hope City Enterprise, the community charity of the Megacentre, and sponsored by a wide variety of companies including Barclays, Royal Mail, Sheffield Wednesday FC and Decathlon.

Louise Davies, the hostess and Night of Honour Director was pleased with the event and the chance to crown the winners.

She said: "Every one of the nominees is a hero in their own communities, serving people day-in, day-out.

"Tonight has been truly incredible, it never ceases to amaze me how much good goes on behind the scenes."

Star guests included Hollyoaks star Will Mellor, the former cricket umpire Dickie Bird and Sheffield’s Lord Mayor.

The entertainment also included performances from Sheffield artists, including the Sheffield Dragons Team Elite martial arts group and Sheffield Park Academy Dance School.

One nominee for Sheffield’s best King or Queen of Customer Service was Alison Bygrave, a graduate and member of staff at the University of Sheffield Department of Biblical Studies.

Bygrave keeps an eye out for any students struggling with being away from home for the first time and strives to sort out any problems students have with their courses as soon as possible.

Bygrave said: "I really enjoyed the Night of Honour - it was very well put together and had a great atmosphere.

"The best part was seeing all the winners getting credit for their actions, when they never expected anything for doing what they do."

Anna Macnaughton

Warming up this winter

2008-12-05T21:39:00.000Z

Sheffield’s less fortunate have been getting some tender loving care this Christmas as students have joined forces to raise money and donate gifts to them.

The University of Sheffield’s Volunteer Committee has organised a winter full of activities to help bring some Christmas cheer into the lives of abused children, refugees and drug addicts in Sheffield.

This week, the committee have been holding their annual drive on the concourse, Winter Warmers, to recruit event volunteers.

Activities range from the Christmas Gifts Appeal - where volunteers donate a shoebox of gifts to the needy - to Santa 5K, which involves running 5 kilometres dressed as Father Christmas.

Harry Stevens, from the committee, said: "It’s a well established campaign run by the Volunteer Committee, and we’ve had much success in the past. We hope, with the help from students, this will continue this year."

The committee has teamed up with local organisations such as cancer charity Amy’s Retreat, Bluebell Wood Children’s Hospice and St. Mark’s Church.

At the recruitment drive, the committee will be providing prospective volunteers with free mince pies and hot chocolate. The festive activities will continue into the New Year.

Students can sign up for an event at the Student Volunteering Office in The Source.

Andre Nunn

Sheffield volunteers win award

2008-12-05T21:38:00.000Z

A team from the University of Sheffield received a top prize at the national Higher Education Volunteering Awards 2008 on Tuesday.

The award ceremony, which took place at Manchester United’s Old Trafford stadium, recognised SheffieldVolunteering as the ‘Volunteering Team of the Year’ for their overall contribution to the local community.

Judges at the awards also identified the team as an ‘Exceptional’ winner, viewing their achievements as out of the ordinary.

SheffieldVolunteering, which is based in the Union of Students, has been recognised at the awards for the past six years.

The University also won The Guardian Public Service ‘Good Citizenship’ Award last year in recognition of the impact the team has had in the local community.

Over 1,200 volunteers, including current University of Sheffield students, alumni students and staff, helped Sheffield Volunteering to provide support to 126 different organisations across Sheffield this year.

Stella McHugh, Head of SheffieldVolunteering, said: "We are delighted to have received special recognition for our contribution to volunteering in the community.

"Our volunteers are involved in a range of community initiatives that have a hugely positive impact on the region.

"Our team is dedicated to helping local community groups, and I’m thrilled that theirhard work has been acknowledged by this national award."

One of the schemes the team is involved in is ‘ANTS’ (A nice time on Saturday) which provides activities for children who have been recently bereaved.

Future projects involve ‘clubbing crew’ which samples the Sheffield nightlife with disabled adults and the opportunity to assist with coaching sports in kids clubs and schools.

SheffieldVolunteering were singled out by the Higher Education Academy, which run the awards, for their extensive impact on the local community.

The team’s commitment to ongoing projects, their increasing of the numbers of volunteers involved, and the influence of students who carry on volunteering after graduation were also noted by the Academy.

Martha Kelner

2008-12-05T21:37:00.000Z

More than one million young people could be jobless within the next few years if unemployment continues to rise, according to research carried out by the University’s Geography department and the Prince’s Trust charity.

Currently 760,000 young people under the age of 25 are unemployed.

The University’s research team worked with the Prince’s Trust, a charity which aims to change young lives in the UK, to try and find out how the growing recession will affect young people in the future.

Danny Dorling, Professor of Human Geography, states that young people will be the first to suffer as employers cut back on jobs.

He said: "Action must be taken to prevent young people from falling into this employment trap."
Researchers considered the differences affecting young people now as compared to the recession that their parents may have experienced in the 1980s.

"Many people hit the labour market with degrees now, and are older, as compared to those in the 1980s," said Dr. Bethan Thomas, one of the University’s researchers.

"The 1980s saw a lot of manufacturing jobs hit by the recession, whereas now we have jobs demanding a higher level of skills."

The researchers found that times are going to be hard for under 25-year-olds trying to start work.

"We are hearing rumours of businesses pulling out of graduate recruitment services such as Milkround.com," added Dr. Thomas.

This could impact on future graduates because recruiters such as major High Street retailers and banks decide to reduce their intake of new staff to get through the recession.

Martina Milburn, Chief Executive of the Prince’s Trust, said that young people need to be encouraged into the job market.

"By helping them into work, we can save the UK economy billions each year and tap into lost potential."

The Prince’s Trust said that youth unemployment costs the UK economy around £10million a day in lost productivity. Dr. Thomas said that despite the concerns that young people may have, there could be opportunities for students in the recession.

"The Government is very concerned about NEETs (young people not in education, employment or training).

"This group are being encouraged to continue learning and gaining skills.

"This may provide an opportunity for graduates to administer the system of further education and to impart their own knowledge through teaching."

Kirsty McEwen

Old hospital is new home for Music students

2008-12-05T21:36:00.001Z

A Grade II listed Victorian building where thousands of babies were born has been restored and will now be home to the University of Sheffield’s Department of Music.

The Jessop Hospital for Women, on Leavygreave Road in the Portobello area of the city, will be renamed the Jessop Building.

Office space for staff and postgraduate students, along with a computer studio for the Department of Music, will be provided over three floors.

Teaching spaces for the Faculty of Arts and Humanities will also be available in the building.

Original crafted features on the outside of the historical construction, such as brick and stonework, have been cleaned, replaced, or repaired, as recommended by the council.

On the inside of the building decorative Victorian ceilings and walls have been renovated.

Ornate stone staircases and dark corridors have been transformed, creating a more spacious environment.

An entrance and bronze cladding are new to the rear of the building, as well as replacement sash windows, an access ramp and a bay window on the ground floor.

Professor Tony Crook, Chair of the University’s Project Executive Group that is overseeing the redevelopment, paid tribute to all those involved in the project, and to those who "have now enabled us to realise our vision."

University Vice-Chancellor, Professor Keith Burnett, said: "We feel extremely proud to be unveiling the carefully restored and renovated Jessop Building.

"This is a building that is close to many people’s hearts and is an important part of Sheffield’s history."

Natalie Thomas

Crisis talks held over fascism fears

2008-12-05T21:36:00.000Z

Students’ Union councillors and representatives at the University went into crisis talks last week to discuss whether an alleged BNP member should be allowed to retain their position on the Union council.

Representatives from the Womens’, Muslim, Jewish, LGBT and Disabled & Dyslexic Students’ societies unanimously agreed that the councillor in question should be democratically ousted by the student body.

One Union Councillor and one University member of staff were among the catalogue of names exposed.

Fiona Edwards, Union Womens’ Officer, called a meeting on Wednesday, November 26, to voice her growing concerns about fascism in Sheffield and the University.

She said: "The BNP is not a normal political party. It is a fascist organisation, which calls for an ‘all-white Britain’. The BNP’s presence on our campus threatens the safey of Sheffield students."
In response to claims that the councillor should be entitled to their own political beliefs, she argued that no attempt was being made to impede the individual’s freedom of speech.

She said students should be made aware of the recent revelations and be given the chance to decide whether to re-elect the candidate.

Paul Scarott, of Sheffield Unite Against Fascism, claimed that the situation in Sheffield would prove to be a "test case" for students’ unions across the country. He said: "The lesson with history is that you have to do it now."

Rachel Blundy

Union Council wanted to put alleged BNP member's seat up for referendum

2008-12-05T21:34:00.000Z

Union Council passed a motion proposing a vote of no confidence in one of its councillors after their appearance on a list of alleged British National Party members.

However, the councillor was absent from council and did not send apologies.

As this was the councillor’s second such absence, a union bye-law meant that he was deemed to have resigned by default.

The no confidence motion was brought collectively by the Union Sabbatical Officers and would have put the councillor’s position on council to a cross-campus referendum.

A vote on the motion was carried out nonetheless and was passed by an overwhelming majority.

However, due to the councillor’s resignation the referendum will not now be carried out.

During the debate at Union Council a handful of councillors opposed the motion.

After the meeting Clyde D’Silva, councillor for the Mechanical Engineering department, said: "I’ve met the individual before and they seemed like an okay person.

"They are representing a department and I don’t think their political views have anything to do with their performance. The individual should have had a chance to respond."

Union President Dave Hurst said: "We have repeatedly attempted to contact this person and have not been able to.

"Whilst the issue of BNP membership is only an accusation, by not utilising their right to reply left us with no other avenue than by letting students decide.

"We felt that it was important for the student body to decide on what should happen.

"I believe the Union has acted in a proactive way to ensure that our students’ best interests were looked after at all times."

Black Students’ Councillor Yusuf Ghumra said: "Obviously I am thrilled that this Union no longer has fascists in positions of influence and authority, and it is a proud moment for our Union when different groups can unite to achieve a higher common goal."

The BNP have condemned the actions of Union Council to attempt to remove the councillor.

Simon Derby, a spokesperson for the BNP, said: "They have acted illegally as using the information is a breach of the Data Protection Act, which effectively is handling stolen goods.

"If the person wanted to make a complaint to the Police or the University authority they would have a very strong case.

"From a political point of view universities have always had a range of political views dominated by the left.

"Now that some so called ‘anti-fascist’ groups want to get rid of individuals who support our party’s viewpoints, they effectively act like fascists themselves."

The list containing the names, addresses and personal details of more than 12,000 alleged BNP members was leaked on an Internet blog two weeks ago.

Subsequently, the authenticity of the list has been challenged.

Forge Press and the Union of Students have repeatedly attempted to contact the Union Councillor involved but the individual was not available for comment.

Andrew Pickering

Warning event on fire safety

2008-12-05T21:33:00.000Z

South Yorkshire firefighters recreated a chip pan fire in a demonstration on the concourse of the Union of Students on Wednesday.

It was part of the ‘Fire Kills’ campaign that aims to raise awareness about the importance of having a working fire alarm in your house, as well as the need to have an escape route planned out of your house in case of a fire.

Guy Manser, a first year Physics student, said: "The chip pan demonstration is very visual. It is really effective in showing what really can happen."

The ‘Fire Kills’ campaign is being promoted at the University of Sheffield as research has shown that students are at a greater risk of fire than almost any other group. The partying, smoking and drinking that are often part of student life can provide a lethal combination that results in a potentially life-threatening house fire.

It is estimated that five people aged 17 to 24 are killed or injured by fires every day and people are twice as likely to die in a fire if they do not have a working fire alarm.

Third year student Phil Jackson is the Fire Kills Student Ambassador at the University of Sheffield. He helped to co-ordinate Wednesday’s event and took part by handing out freebies.

He said: "I have been involved in the ‘Fire Kills’ campaign since September. ‘The Great Escape’ scheme aims to encourage people to plan an escape route from their property in case of fire.

"It is also important to have a working fire alarm on student premises, and to test it regularly."

The ‘Great Escape’ scheme, which is working alongside ‘Fire Kills’, highlights the importance of planning an escape route from your home in case of fire. The scheme is supported by Hollyoaks cast members Lena Kaur and Zoe Lister.

Lena Kaur, who plays art student Leila Roy in the soap, said: "Moving out of home into your own place might feel like a great escape, but you have to get clued up on potential dangers in the home.

"When you live in your own accommodation you’re responsible for yourself, and no one is there to look after you. If you have a fire, you need to be prepared."

Victoria Ryves

Student's upset at Landscape move

2008-12-05T21:32:00.000Z

Landscape and Architecture dual-honours students have been left angry after a disruptive departmental move.

The students feel that they were under-informed about Department of Landscape’s move from the Arts Tower.

Landscape will relocate to the Crookesmoor Building in January 2009, but the Department of Architecture will remain some distance away in its current location in the Arts Tower.

A second year student studying Landscape and Architecture said: "The first I heard of the move was in an email a couple of weeks ago. The lack of information on the move makes it a bit of a worry how it will go.

"We are coming up to a project in which we are going to have to integrate the two departments and I don’t know how it will work out.

"We will be making a site model in one space but will have to split our time between the two departmental locations."

A spokesperson from the University of Sheffield has said: "Staff from both Landscape and Architecture are keen to minimise any disruption for students, especially those on dual courses, who are studying both subjects.

"The timetables for semester two, which starts in January 2009, have been put together to minimise the movement of students on dual courses between the two departments, and the practical implications of this will be monitored closely.

"Both Architecture and Landscape are working to ensure that students are aware of the move and how it will affect them."

The Architecture department will be moving in mid-June 2009 to join the Landscape department in the Crookesmoor building for the next academic year.

The student added: "On the one hand the move could be really bad, but I accept that in the long run, everything will be much closer together."

Charlotte Chelsom-Pill

Crime against students in Sheffield rises

2008-12-05T21:31:00.001Z

Crime against students in Sheffield has risen over the past 12 months, according to the latest statistics.

Miscellaneous thefts (items which are left unattended and then stolen) and criminal damage to motor vehicles have seen a sharp increase, up by 15 and 12 incidents respectively.

Satellite navigation systems and mp3 players are among the items commonly being stolen from students.

In total there were 269 crimes committed against students in October 2008, compared to 172 in October 2007.

Criminal damage to cars increased from seven incidences in October 2007 to 12 in the same month this year.

There were 30 miscellaneous thefts against students in October this year, compared to 15 in October 2007.

Cases of rape, racial harassment and common assault against students were all lower in October 2008 compared to October 2007.

But theft and burglary have increased. There have been 67 incidences of burglary from student dwellings in October this year, an increase from the 59 incidences reported in the previous year.

In total, all crime in the city centre has fallen by 13 per cent, including robberies which fell by 48 per cent and vehicle crime which fell by 23 per cent.

South Yorkshire Police hope to continue a reduction in crime by granting City Centre Ambassadors further powers, such as the right to take names and addresses of people acting in an anti-social manner and issuing them with fixed penalty notices, which usually range between £40 and £80.

Nevertheless, South Yorkshire Police believes that simple things can be done to reduce the risk of becoming a victim of crime.

PC Paul Briggs, PC Clive Tyree and PC Simon Nolan of the City Centre Neighbourhood Team said: "Criminals are breaking into cars even if they see the sat nav cables or the mark a suction pad leaves.

"It is important students remove all valuables and also any sign that valuables could be present in a car.

"Sheffield’s crime figures are low compared to other areas but students can prevent miscellaneous thefts by not leaving personal belongings in areas where loads of people have legitimate entry, such as communal areas or bars.

"Common sense can prevent a lot of crime.

"Make sure you walk in groups or get a taxi, and stay in well-lit areas."

Kayley Dempsey

Lack of community spirit, says report

2008-12-05T21:31:00.000Z

Britain is the most fragmented it has been in the past 40 years, according to research by the University of Sheffield’s Department of Geography.

The report, commissioned by the BBC, reveals communities have become increasingly degenerated since the 1960s, particularly in relation to where the old and young live.

The report states that communities with a large student population are a key factor in causing this sense of division.

The researchers conducted the study by comparing 45 local radio regions under five themes: inequalities, segregation, polarisation, fragmentation and disengagement.

They found that due to economic, social and political change, our neighbourhoods have become progressively socially distinct when compared to the more mixed neighbourhoods of 1968.

The figures show that 97 per cent of communities in the UK have become more socially fragmented over the past three decades.

This leads to a lack of a sense of belonging and community spirit, as well as leaving individuals to feel lonely and isolated.

The researchers argue this is due to the increase in divorce, immigration and the growing student population.

By creating ‘loneliness’ indices to discover where most people felt they did not belong, academics found the Stoke region to be the least fragmented area.

London reflected the most fragmented and segregated community, whereas Derby was the least segregated.

Dr. Dan Vickers, an author of the report, said that younger generations moving away from home is a key factor as to why this segregation occurs.

He said: "In modern Britain it is increasingly less likely that young adults live with, or close to other generations of their family, but they are increasingly more likely to live among others who are demographically similar to themselves."

Crookes in Sheffield is cited as an area with shallow community roots, as the high student population in these areas cause local residents to look for properties elsewhere, leading to broken communities.

Adam Gunderson, a 19-year-old History and Politics student living on Harcourt Road, agrees that this is the case.

He said: "The house next door to us has been unoccupied for two years as it is not allowed to be rented to students.

"There appear to be a lack of residents in this area who are not students, and it is hard to avoid the ‘student way of life’ which deters them from the area."

Alexandra Rucki

LGBT councillor received abusive email in awareness week

2008-12-05T21:30:00.000Z

The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) committee received an abusive email during their awareness campaign last week.

The campaigning during ‘Inequality Week’ focused on different areas in which LGBT students are discriminated against, such as media, law, work, society and medicine. There were also guest speakers, a debate and ‘Ask a Gay Friday’.

In response to a debate about whether gay equality had been achieved Adam Hood, LGBT Union Councillor, received an email through a social networking website stating: ‘[…] the law is what controls society - so gay equality has been achieved you fucking idiot.

‘Of course some people are homophobic, some people are prejudiced against black people, some people are prejudiced against white people.

‘SOME IDIOTS ARE PREJUDICED, not most people, and not the LAW THAT GOVERNS EVERYONE. Get over it, you schmuck.

‘I’m so sick of some homosexuals acting like "oh it’s so hard". It’s not. Calm the fuck down. It may have been hard 20 years ago. It’s not now.

‘Not everyone is anti-gay. Most people are not homophobic retards. People like you give others a bad name.’

Hood then confirmed that the individual apologised.

Of the week, Hood said: "It is about raising awareness of areas where lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people are still treated unequally or even harassed.

"Gay men are not allowed to give blood even though they are a low risk demographic because they mainly practise safe sex.

"The Anthony Nolan Trust (a bone marrow charity) do accept the blood of gay men after testing.
"Gay people cannot get married even though in today’s society this is a social practice rather than a religious one.

"We spent the week campaigning about different issues to raise awareness about the vast differences between homosexual and heterosexual couples.

"There are still vast inequalities between homosexuals and heterosexuals in the western world."

The medicine element of the campaign aimed to highlight the ban on gay men giving blood.

A man who has had sex with another man cannot give blood, regardless of whether they use protection or carry a sexually transmitted infections.

The waiting times for transgender surgery are also long, with it taking up to four years for gender-reassignment surgery to be completed.

LGBT students also argued that lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender students are also treated unequally in the media, becuase gay men are often still portrayed as camp or feminine and lesbians as butch.

Many newspapers and television programmes are also felt to use homosexual stereotypes.

The LGBT hopes to raise awareness of this treatment of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender students.

Although there are laws to protect LGBT students, many will still face prejudice in their life.

Many religious organisations do not want to allow adoption by gay couples; only six per cent of schools have anti-LGBT-bullying policies and 90 per cent of gay people under the age of 18 have experienced verbal abuse.

Craig Purshouse

Two fires in a week on The Nook in Crookesmoor

2008-12-05T21:29:00.000Z

Firefighters are warning students to be more alert around the house after a two fires on one street in Crookesmoor last week.

The fires at two properties on The Nook were put out with minimal damage but both the police and fire service are advising residents to pay more attention to possible fire hazards.

Emergency services were called to The Nook early on Saturday morning when food was left cooking unattended and caught fire at the home of a group of students. Firemen said the group
had been drinking when the incident took place at around 4:30am.

The incident comes after two female residents of The Nook had to evacuate their property quickly last Sunday when an unattended candle set fire to a bedroom.

The tea light was left burning on top of the television and the flame set fire to a drape hanging from the wall.

Fortunately, the smoke alarms went off and the two residents managed to exit safely and alert the emergency services.

Crews from Rivelin and Lowedges arrived quickly on scene and the fire was put out with minimal damage to the property.

Neither of the residents was injured.

South Yorkshire Fire Service Watch Manager Tim Lancashire said: "This incident shows just how dangerous using tea lights can be. If they are placed close to materials, on top of televisions or on window sills there is a big risk of fire.

If people are intent on using them they should never be left unattended.

"There was some damage to the bedroom but the occupants did the right thing by closing the bedroom door to keep it from spreading, and getting out of the house straight away."

Ian Fenton, a spokesman for South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue, said that the fire service expected an increase in these types of incidents, with darkness setting in much earlier and Christmas decorations making an appearance.

He stressed the importance of vigilance around fire hazards such as candles and electrical appliances.

The fire service is also encouraging students to test their smoke alarms regularly.

Current legislation states that all residences built after June 1992, must be fitted with smoke alarms on every floor of the property.

Amy Taylor

Scarred student needs 17 stitches after Octagon fancy dress balll turns ugly

2008-12-05T21:27:00.000Z

A second year Biology student has been left with a lifelong scar on her forehead after an argument turned into an assault at a fancy dress ball.

Emma Wall needed 17 stitches after she smashed her head open outside the Octagon when a row over a spilled drink got out of control.

The 22-year-old was at the biology ball with her boyfriend Dave Whiteside when the trouble started.

Another woman collided with her and began complaining Wall had spilled a drink on her. When another man joined in the couple walked away, but Dave was pushed from behind.

Wall, who lives in Crookes, does not know whether her boyfriend fell into her or she was pushed too, but she fell face-first on the floor, splitting her head open and needing hospital treatment.

"We were walking from one side of the dance floor to the other and a girl nudged into me and spilled a drink, but there were so many people in there, I didn’t think anything of it. You expect it when places are so busy," she said.

"The next thing I knew I saw my boyfriend talking to a man with the girl, and I found out later he had been having a go at my boyfriend about the spilled drink.

"We started walking away and then this man punched my boyfriend in the side of his head and pushed him from behind and I ended up on the floor with blood pouring from my head."

She has been left with a Y-shaped scar that will stay with her for the rest of her life.

Union President Dave Hurst said: "The Union prides itself on its safe drinking and environment policies.

"It is horrible when instances such as this occur, and we wish her a speedy recovery.

"Any instances such as this are totally unacceptable and anyone found guilty of causing violence to other students or staff will face bans and be referred to the University’s disciplinary procedure.

"This behaviour is not representative of our students, and our staff try and act in the best interest of all members to prevent instances such as this."

The couple are urging witnesses to come forward and have designed posters to put up around the Union to help their appeal.

The posters show what Wall looked like before and after the incident to show the result of her night out.

Wall added: "I can’t believe people would behave this way and not accept responsibility for it, but we are going to look through CCTV footage from the night to try to identify them.

"I see the scar every day, I can’t miss it".

Hurst said: "We can’t believe all this over a spilled drink. Emma is left with this scar to remind her of that night every time she looks in the mirror. I am totally gutted."

Victoria Haley

New university proposed for Dearne Valley

2008-12-05T21:21:00.000Z

A new university is to be established in South Yorkshire after being backed by the Government last week.

The new university is to be built in the Dearne Valley area, near Rotherham, with plans for the development to get underway in the new year.

Under the ‘New University Challenge’ initiative, 20 new universities and colleges will be built nationwide within the next six years.

Professor Paul White, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Learning and Teaching at the University of Sheffield, said: "The University of Sheffield has worked in the Dearne Valley for many years to try to enhance educational achievement in the area and to attract more people into Higher
Education.

"A variety of data sources show that educational achievement in the Dearne is well below the national average and that Higher Education participation rates are amongst the lowest in England.

"The possible creation of further educational opportunities within the Dearne Valley is welcomed by the University as it would provide added diversity in what can be offered to the region."

The proposed new university would prove beneficial for students of Rotherham and Barnsley, whose councils wholeheartedly approve the idea. Doncaster council are still in discussions over the matter.

Union Education Officer Rebecca Watson said the new Higher Education facility would provide countless benefits to South Yorkshire, as Higher Education can transform local economies and the lives of younger generations.

She said: "It’s important that both universities work in collaboration to increase communication with the local community, and to keep those relations strong.

"Institutions have large and extensive impacts upon the community, both in a positive and negative sense.

"It’s essential that both universities work as collaborative partners to secure a strong community relationship by branching out and contributing to the community."

Yorkshire is already home to several Higher Education institutions and it is feared that another university could lead to the current institutions attracting less students and see a decline in funding.

However, the University of Sheffield should not feel threatened, said Rebecca Watson.

"Currently, we support other unions in the area such as Leeds, York, and Hallam on various campaigns and events," she said.

"The proposed university at Dearne Valley would give us a great opportunity to extend our network further."

The decision on whether the development will go ahead is yet to be taken by the Government.

Roz Glynn

Students and residents team up for Bingham Park regeneration

2008-12-05T21:18:00.000Z

A student volunteer team and a local conservationist group have joined forces to make a local park a more inviting place for the local community to enjoy.
Volunteer groups Endcliffe Development Committee and Friends of Porter Valley were working together to clear up the Shepherd’s Wheel area of Bingham Park on Sunday, November 31.
This was a step towards their vision of clearing the mill pond and restoring the park’s water wheel.
Ros Hancock, co-ordinator of Friends of Porter Valley, explained how the Friends group communicates with park rangers about the work that needs doing and offer as much help as they can.
Their most recent project was the repair of the footpaths around Endcliffe Park, a route that many students and local residents use to walk or go for a jog.
Hancock was pleased at the level of student involvement in the volunteering exercise.
She said: "We’ve had a very good turnout today. We have the biggest Friends group in the area but most of the members are over 50, so it’s good to have more young people about."
The Endcliffe Development Committee volunteer wherever they can.
Luke MacWilliam, Vice-Chair of the committee, highlighted the negative stereotypes of students held by some members of the local community, and said he hoped that by volunteering, students could be seen more positively.
He said: "It will give something back to the community that enjoys the park."
All the volunteers were cheerful, and students enjoyed the opportunity to care for the community they live in.
To get involved in the Endcliffe Development Committee, which also holds film nights and community events, go to: www.tinyurl.com/5bmaxn.
To learn more about the work of Friends of Porter Valley in the local community, or to become involved with volunteering and educational walks around the local parks and wooded areas, visit: www.sheffieldportervalley.org.uk.

Amris Kaur

Injured student abandoned in Octagon

2008-12-05T21:16:00.000Z

A Union investigation is being launched after a second year Law student was left cradling a broken wrist as security staff allegedly failed to help her to safety during a fire alarm in the Octagon.

Kerri Riordan, 19, said she was left to get a taxi to Northern General Hospital with a friend after the incident happened on Friday, November 28, at the University’s Octagon Centre.

Riordan was out with friends at the Space club night when a fight broke out between two male students. Riordan was dancing in the main room when she was unintentionally punched in the face as she got caught up in the disturbance.

As she was making her way to the toilets to clean herself up she fainted, slipping on the wet floor and falling heavily on her wrist.

A member of Union security staff helped her to her feet, taking her to a quiet room where she received first aid.

Riordan said: "It was during the time that I was in the first aid room that the fire alarms sounded.

"Uninformed of what was occurring, the gentleman left me to see what was going on [and] I was left sitting in the first aid room for enough time for the building to be evacuated."

When the member of security staff failed to return after 10 minutes, Riordan took it upon herself to seek advice from a female member of the team who was standing outside the room.

"I explained to her why I was there and asked the lady what I should do regarding the incident.

"Her response was: ‘I think you would rather leave the building instead of getting burnt’, or words to that effect."

Riordan was left to make her own way through the crowds to get a taxi to the Northern General hospital, where she received treatment for her broken wrist.

Riordan said the whole incident was "very distressing" and she has emailed a complaint about the way she was treated to the head of Union Security, Martin Wick.

Wick said that all complaints are taken seriously and dealt with to conclusion.

In an email to Riordan, he said: "I feel I must apologise immediately as we certainly, at least initially, look as if we could have done much better.

"I will investigate thoroughly and will keep you aware of any developments."

Katie-Marie Bailey

Unaffordable University Accommodation - Reply from the University and ACS

2008-12-05T21:13:00.000Z

The University of Sheffield has made a strong commitment to quality and value in its student accommodation. For this reason, the University was dismayed to learn from Forge Press about a draft report and planned demonstration led by the Union of Students President. In particular, we were appalled by misleading and inaccurate statistics which were used to support claims that Sheffield was far more expensive than other universities or that we fail to offer ours students value for money.

The claims vs. the facts

The Union President told Forge Press that in Sheffield the ‘average’ catered rent is £5,458.47, with an ‘average’ reported increase of 61 per cent. In fact, the correct average catered rent in standard accommodation (with a shared bathroom) is £4,211.74 an increase of 23.4 per cent over three years.

In catered en-suite accommodation the average rent is now £4,857.52, an increase since 2005/6 of 26.3 per cent. Even our highest catered rent is not at the level reported by the Union President in the last issue of Forge Press as average.

In self-catering accommodation, the increase is not 44 per cent as stated, but is 23.6 per cent for standard rooms and 30.1 per cent for en-suite.

Why any above RPI increases?

So why would the University increase any rents above RPI when we are more than aware of the challenges to student finances through our extensive work on student welfare and hardship?

The answer is simple.

In the years prior to 2005 there was very little investment in student accommodation, meaning the University had fairly low quality, standard and twin rooms with shared facilities, the majority offering catered accommodation.

Following extensive research with current and future students, an analysis of accommodation applications and comparing ourselves to our peers nationally, the University made a decision to meet the demands of students themselves by increasing the number of en-suite self-catering rooms. We also decided to demolish many of the existing facilities as they were no longer compliant with disability and health and safety legislation, and were not fit for their purpose in a modern context.

Overall rents have risen in line with a dramatic increase in quality of accommodation, but value is still central and we still compare favourably with other universities on a like-for-like basis.

How have things changed?

Back in 2005/6, 60 per cent of rooms were catered and 86 per cent were standard with shared bathrooms. In addition, 5 per cent were twins meaning students had to share a bedroom. In 2008/9, 18 per cent of rooms are catered and only 27 per cent are standard. For entry in 2008/9, nearly 75 per cent of applicants requested en-suite accommodation.

The University spends over £1m per year refurbishing our accommodation and facilities. This has to be funded because the residential provision for the University is self-financing and cannot be funded by provision dedicated to teaching and research. Increased utilities costs also have to be taken into account.

But there is more than simply the accommodation itself. We’ve also improved the provision of welfare support and security, introduced better internet connection, included room contents insurance and opened new facilities available for all types of accommodation. These extra services and facilities are not available in private housing but should be considered when comparing rents, and they are often very important to students and their families as they make decisions about where they wish to study, particularly when making a transition from home to University life.

Choice and value - how we compare

Sheffield does not forget the needs of those who are on a very tight budget. For this reason, we have always endeavoured to offer accommodation at a variety of cost levels. At the lower end of the scale we have rents that have increased at less than RPI, with some rents being frozen year on year.

We are not embarrassed by comparisons with others. To remain competitive in a growing marketplace, we of course benchmark our rents against comparable accommodation providers in the city and at other similar universities.

Our rents are comparable to those at Manchester and Leeds when like-for-like quality, facilities, distance from campus and contract lengths are taken into consideration.

The rent range for standard catered accommodation aimed at undergraduates is £3,756-£4,587 for between 38 and 42 weeks in Sheffield, whilst the range in like-for-like accommodation at Leeds is £3,500-£5,100 for 39 weeks. Rent ranges in Manchester are very similar to those in Sheffield, and for en-suite accommodation the ranges for Sheffield are less expensive than Manchester.

How we answer our critics

We do understand that students often face very real financial challenges. Accommodation costs are significant and we do what we can to balance quality and cost. However, we have invested in outstanding new and refurbished facilities precisely because we want to meet student demand with an excellent range of accommodation that offers students a balanced choice that can be based on cost, quality, location and their individual needs. This range of accommodation types means we can and do offer an integrated community which attracts students from many different backgrounds and cultures.

We know the quality and standard of our accommodation plays an important part in students choosing to come to Sheffield. Increasingly students are looking beyond the academic standards they have come to expect from our University and consider the wider student experience when deciding where to study.

In the 2008 Annual Student Satisfaction Survey the proportion of students saying they choose to come to Sheffield because they liked the accommodation increased significantly.

It is a matter of great regret to the University that the Union President publicly quote figures which were incorrect, and made statements which were misleading as they did not compare like with like.

Also, that these statements were made in response to a report that the University had not seen and where we had been unable to provide figures which would make this clear.

Over many years the University has worked with the Students’ Union as we set student rents and determine the standard of accommodation we offer.

While we welcome arguments and positive suggestions for change, and seek and respond to the opinions of students, we do so on the basis of our reputation for quality and the facts of what we offer.

Despite criticism, we are rightly proud of these and we hope that the detailed discussions we are now having with the Union of Students will allow us to move forward from unnecessary confrontation.

Hurst leads protest as ACS rebut report

2008-12-05T21:11:00.001Z

Union President Dave Hurst led a protest against rent charges in University-owned accommodation on Wednesday, despite the University of Sheffield condemning his report on the issue as ‘misleading and inaccurate’.

The demonstration was attended by approximately 60 students calling for an end to what they believe are unaffordable prices in University accommodation.

The rally took place after the University said that they were ‘appalled’ by Hurst’s Unaffordable University Accommodation report.

They released a statement rebutting the claims made by the Union President that average charges at Sheffield had risen by as much as 61 per cent since 2005.

Campaigners congregated on the Union concourse at 1.15pm on Wednesday before marching to Firth Court ahead of a meeting of the University Senate, one of the highest governance bodies within the institution.

Union President Hurst and Women’s Officer Fiona Edwards co-ordinated the protest, with Edwards criticising what she called the University’s "disgraceful policy of putting students into ever more debt" as she addressed campaigners through a megaphone on the concourse.

Campaigners’ chants of "We all live in an overpriced regime" and "What do we want? Cheaper rents. When do we want it? Now" are said to have been audible during the brief Senate meeting in Firth Hall, which was chaired by the Vice Chancellor of the University, Professor Keith Burnett.

The demonstrators held up placards with slogans such as ‘Less than 10 per cent of accommodation below minimum student loan’ and ‘42-week contract detention’ which they stuck in the ground outside Firth Court when the rally ended at 2.30pm.

As the protest finished, Hurst thanked those who had showed their support and stated that the end of the demonstration did not mark the end of the campaign. He said: "We’re not backing down…until we win our demands".

The protest went ahead after the University condemned its planning and Hurst’s report as ‘unnecessary confrontation’. A University statement said: ‘It is a matter of great regret to the University that the Union President publicly quoted figures which were incorrect, and made statements which were misleading as they did not compare like with like’.

The University’s response to the findings of Hurst’s report also states: ‘The Union President told Forge Press that in Sheffield the "average" catered rent is £5,458.47, with an "average" reported increase of 61 per cent. In fact, the correct average catered rent in standard accommodation (with a shared bathroom) is £4,211.74, an increase of 23.4 per cent over three years.

‘In catered en-suite accommodation the average rent is now £4,857.52, an increase since 2005/6 of 26.3 per cent. Even our highest catered rent is not at the level reported by the Union President in the last issue of Forge Press as average.

‘In self-catering accommodation, the increase is not 44 per cent as stated, but is 23.6 per cent for standard rooms and 30.1 per cent for en-suite.’

Al Hussein, a second year Computer Science student from Yemen, was one of the protestors. He said: "The main reason why I am demonstrating is to show the University that what students get for their money is unacceptable.

"Many international students choose the University accommodation because they don’t know the country, let alone the city. I pay £4,400 for my room in Brocco Flats and it is not value for money."

Marwa Saeed, a first year Medicine student, said that the cost of accommodation meant that residents did not always have enough money for basic provisions. She said: "We simply cannot afford the cost of accommodation at the University. The maintenance loan doesn’t cover all accommodation costs, and when it does it leaves little money to buy food or toiletries."

Hurst continues to dispute the figures, despite the release of the statistics by Accommodation and Campus Services (ACS). Speaking after the protest, he said: "I’m still not comfortable with their figures and I’m still going to challenge them."

The Union President also defended his report, and argued that any inaccuracies found in it would not be sufficient to deter campaigners. He said: "I don’t think anyone will get that disenfranchised and say ‘Look, you were massively off, I’ve lost faith’.

"I don’t think they’ve got too much to criticise in terms of the figures being that far away from what was suggested, and out of the discrepancies, pretty much the only one they pulled up was the average price in terms of the comparisons with the other cities.

"It was never meant to be a comprehensive report. I did the best that I could in my terms and it helps that ACS have provided me with their figures so I can see their calculations, which has helped me to provide new evidence in terms of one per cent of [accommodation] being below £3,000, and 10 per cent being below minimum student loan."

According to the University of Sheffield, the correct figures show that 19 per cent of rent prices are affordable within the minimum student loan, and rent in 96 per cent of accommodation offered by ACS can be paid for within the maximum student loan available.

Hurst claims that these statistics do not match the data that ACS has sent to him, and he said after the protest that he felt he was left with no choice but to leak his report and plan a demonstration to highlight the message of his campaign.

He said: "[ACS said] when it was in the last issue of Forge Press I should have discussed it with them. I’ve been in the job five months. I’ve tried to discuss these issues with ACS – [there is] nothing there in discussions with the University, and because it’s such a burning issue for me and for students I couldn’t take that. I tried discussing it in the room, and there wasn’t even a nudge of a move.

"It’s not particularly brilliant that it’s all over the paper, but if that’s the only way the University or ACS operates, then that’s what has to be done and unfortunately these actions have to be taken and it’s important that these actions are taken. Then it doesn’t lead to the situation, where I feel there has been in previous years, that if you don’t toe the line that’s it, and your discussion is sidelined.

"I think that’s why we can agree on things that are in the best interests of students but on one or two – and on this one issue there’s quite a difference between the Union and the University’s perspective – that we stand our ground on it and we fight it.

"But I make this clear: that doesn’t sever any other ties between [the Union and the University], only if they turn it that way, that’s never been my intention. If it’s in the interests of students that we co-operate – which obviously was the University’s reason for dealing with us anyway – there’s no reason for that to alter.

"If we don’t do anything, if we can’t speak out when we feel [it is] necessary, then what’s the point in being here? And that’s my sort of thing, not to rock the boat in terms of losing all the other stuff, because what we do is so important to student welfare, but I believe we’ve always made that clear and I’d be very surprised if they do anything to disrupt that.

"There’s a 100 per cent commitment from me to discuss with them as the only way that we can both change is in the interests of us both to work together. I just think that sometimes we have to act [in a way] which isn’t in the interests of the University for the greater long term interests of students."

After the demonstration, Professor Dominic Shellard, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for External Affairs, said: "The University was dismayed by the way the Union President Dave Hurst undertook this campaign and demonstration. We were given no sight of the report before it was issued to Forge Press and no opportunity to work with the Union President on the issues raised.

"Worse, the figures which were used in the report, on the Union website and in campaign materials were wrong, and damaging to Sheffield’s reputation with potential students worried about money, as the Sabbatical Officers themselves subsequently acknowledged.

"Now the campaign has shifted its focus to the link between the student loan and accommodation costs in Sheffield. But again it is damaging and misleading. 96 per cent of University accommodation is affordable within the maximum loan amount which is available to students from lower economic backgrounds, and 19 per cent of University accommodation is within even the minimum loan amount given to students.

"We provide the best value accommodation we can within our ring-fenced resources in response to student demand, and continually assess student demand and local costs. If the real issue is student hardship, the campaign is targeting the wrong audience. Students all over the country are concerned about the cost of Higher Education and the level of loans.

"We also care deeply about those issues, and are very active in support and welfare provision to students in hardship – in fact we work closely with the Union of Students in this area through our Financial Support Panel, the Student Services Information Desk and all we do in providing hardship bursaries.

"This campaign may well damage the very people it is meant to help because it gives the completely misleading perception that Sheffield is less affordable than other comparable universities when this is not the case – in fact, this year’s Natwest survey named Sheffield as the third least expensive in the country."

Ciaran Jones

Sheffield's 'Fritzl' sentenced to over 19 years in jail

2008-12-05T13:41:00.000Z

A man who raped his own daughters for a period of 25 years, resulting in 19 pregnancies, was sentenced to 19 and a half years in prison at Sheffield Crown Court last week.

Mr. X, who cannot be named for legal reasons, has been dubbed ‘Britain’s Fritzl’, in reference to Josef Fritzl, the Austrian man who imprisoned his daughter and raped her, resulting in the birth of eight children.

"He called himself the ‘Gaffer’: he liked to think of himself as a hard man," said Nicholas Campbell QC, quoting the defendant’s son for the prosecution.

"The whole family was frightened of him. When they heard his car pulling up outside the house they ran to their bedrooms and hid silently. He had a one second temper - he was a Jekyll and Hyde character," continued his son’s evidence.

The man began abusing the girls when they were as young as eight years old and started raping them before they were teenagers. Their first pregnancies occurred when they were aged 13 and 14.

At several points in their statements both daughters quote their father as saying the abuse would "never end" whenever they asked him to stop or threatened to leave.

Despite genetic abnormalities resulting in miscarriages, abortions and the birth of unhealthy children, Mr. X insisted that his daughters not take the contraceptive pill because he wanted more children with them.

He even offered his eldest daughter £500 to have another child with him. She refused the money.

"I didn’t want to, I didn’t want any more kids. My dad was getting nasty, he was hitting me. I didn’t want any more babies suffering in that way," she said when asked why she had more children with him.

To evade social services, the police and suspicious neighbours, the family regularly moved between South Yorkshire and Lincolnshire. Frequently they lived in small, isolated rural villages.
When the children were at primary school they did receive a visit from social services, but no action was taken and the social worker who carried out the visit does not remember it.

Broken bones, bruising and burns were passed off as accidents and the children were kept from school if they were too visibly bruised.

The chance of multiple babies, with the types of abnormalities found in the girls’ children, being born to non-related parents was one in 100, said expert witness Dr. Alexander Henderson.

When the parents of a child are father and daughter the chances of these abnormalities is one in two.

The majority of the children conceived had some form of abnormality picked up in pre-natal screening, yet the daughters continued to tell doctors that their dad was not the father, despite the mounting evidence.

The girls’ father convinced them that if they told the police or social services the truth they would lose their children. After one particularly harsh beating the girls rang Childline and asked whether they would keep their children if they reported their father.

The Childline worker was unable to say that they would, which only helped to reinforce their father’s threats.

Mr. X’s wife and son both fled the family within months of each other when the girls were in their early teens. The daughters believe that their mother knew of the abuse but was too frightened to do anything.

The case has been subject to extraordinary reporting restrictions, with news sources banned from reporting the identity or ages of the victims and their children.

The nature of any of the children’s health issues is also to be kept secret along with numerous other details.

The victims’ solicitors have already reported the Daily Mail, News of the World and Sky News to the Attorney General for attempting to contact the victims.

Mr. X pleaded guilty to 25 counts of rape and four counts of assault; he was given 25 life sentences, with a minimum tariff of 19 and a half years imprisonment.

Alex Orton

World maps redesigned by professors

2008-11-21T22:10:00.000Z

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

2008-11-21T22:05:00.000Z

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

2008-11-21T22:00:00.000Z

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

2008-11-21T21:55:00.000Z

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

2008-11-21T21:50:00.000Z

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

2008-11-21T21:45:00.000Z

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

2008-11-21T21:40:00.000Z

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

2008-11-21T21:35:00.000Z

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

2008-11-21T21:32:00.000Z

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'

2008-11-21T21:30:00.000Z

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

2008-11-21T21:25:00.000Z

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

2008-11-21T21:15:00.000Z

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

2008-11-21T21:10:00.000Z

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

2008-11-21T21:05:00.000Z

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

2008-11-21T21:00:00.000Z

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

2008-11-21T20:55:00.000Z

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

2008-11-21T20:50:00.000Z

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

2008-11-21T20:45:00.000Z

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

2008-11-21T20:40:00.000Z

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

2008-11-21T20:35:00.000Z

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

2008-11-21T20:30:00.000Z

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

2008-11-19T16:25:00.000Z

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'

2008-11-07T22:25:00.000Z

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

2008-11-07T22:20:00.000Z

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

2008-11-07T22:15:00.000Z

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

2008-11-07T22:10:00.000Z

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

2008-11-07T22:05:00.000Z

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

2008-11-07T22:00:00.000Z

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

2008-11-07T21:55:00.000Z

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

2008-11-07T21:50:00.000Z

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

2008-11-07T21:45:00.000Z

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

2008-11-07T21:40:00.000Z

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

2008-11-07T21:35:00.000Z

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

2008-11-07T21:30:00.000Z

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

Graduate in BBC row

2008-11-07T21:25:00.000Z

A University of Sheffield graduate is at the centre of the furore surrounding lewd phone calls made to Fawlty Towers actor Andrew Sachs.

Nic Philps, 25, was the producer of Russell Brand’s Saturday night BBC Radio 2 show in which the comedian and talk show host Jonathan Ross were scheduled to interview the actor.

When Sachs, 78, who played Manuel in the classic BBC comedy, failed to pick up his phone for a pre-recorded interview, the pair left answer phone messages claiming Brand had slept with his granddaughter and joked about him committing suicide.

Philps, a Psychology graduate who achieved a 2:1 degree, asked Sachs for permission to air the calls. Despite the actor’s refusal, the obscenities remained in the show on Saturday, October, 18.

Jake Yapp, who is currently contributing to the BBC 6 Music breakfast show and co-producing upcoming Five Live show The Big Ask, has previously worked alongside and under the editorial eye of Nic Philps.

He said: "Nic is genuinely one of the nicest people I have ever worked with and has always been, in my experience, incredibly conscientious and cautious.

"I don’t think youth is a factor here, and it will not have affected Nic’s ability to regulate. If anything I was wowed by Nic’s precociousness in a wholly positive way. He has a wise head on his shoulders."

Complaints to the BBC and regulator Ofcom have led to the resignation of both Russell Brand and BBC Radio 2 controller Lesley Douglas, as well as the three month suspension of Jonathan Ross without pay, and the unspecified suspension of Philps.

Philps, who studied the ‘Current Debates in Broadcasting’ module in the Department of Journalism while at University, is employed by Russell Brand’s own independent production company Vanity Projects. This unique set-up meant Brand was essentially Philps’ boss.

Veteran DJ and BBC Radio 2 presenter Paul Gambaccini said: "Because he succeeded in becoming an independent production where everybody has become answerable only to himself, the chain of command had been reduced to two people – Russell and Lesley."

Jake Yapp refused to blame Philps for the furore. He said: "My understanding of it is that the broadcast material was cleared by someone higher up than Nic.

"The responsibility lies with the person whose mouth it came out of and the general feeling in the BBC is that Brand and Ross were a liability – an accident waiting to happen."

Martha Kelner

OTC officers fired by Army after student reports cocaine abuse

2008-11-07T21:20:00.000Z

Officers at the University of Sheffield’s Officers Training Corps (OTC) who were found snorting cocaine in the toilets of a Sheffield barracks were fined and sacked by the Army last week.

Captain James Fulton, 28, admitting to possessing and supplying the Class A drug to Captain Daniel Chamings during a Burns Night party at Somme Barracks on West Street in January.

Fulton, of Eccleshall, Sheffield, was handed a £4,000 fine at a court martial, while 27-year-old Chamings was fined £3,000. They were also the most senior officers to ever be dismissed for drug offences.

The two officers involved were leaders and mentors to students from both of Sheffield’s universities.

Territorial Army officer Chamings was arrested by the Royal Military Police along with Fulton following a tip-off from a student officer cadet.

The court martial at Catterick Garrison, North Yorkshire, heard how the cadet had heard laughter coming from one of the toilet cubicles and looked over the top to see the officers cutting up white powder on the toilet cistern.

After seeing the young cadet, the court heard that Fulton, with a banknote rolled up behind his ear, said to Chamings: "It’s okay, he will be alright".

But the officer cadet was said to be left "shocked and angry" by the incident and hours later the pair were arrested by military police.

A year ago Fulton was lauded as a hero after leading a raid in Iraq which uncovered a massive collection of explosives near an insurgency base in Basra.

Dr. Roy Millington, Chairman of Sheffield Military Education Committee, said: "The drug incident arising during the Burns Night celebration was brought to my attention immediately.

"The military police were called in and the two offending officers, who were not students, were placed under military arrest.

"The student’s action and attitude in this situation was impeccable and I would like to congratulate them for their vigilance and integrity.

"We feel that the whole incident was handled sensitively and efficiently by the Ministry of Defence."

University Officer Training Corps were first established in UK universities in 1908 by the then War Office (now Ministry of Defence).

Students becoming officer cadets are subject to military discipline and Queen’s Regulations when attending drill nights, weekend camps and related activities.

Where ever there is an OTC, the universities from which students are recruited are required to set up a Military Education Committee.

Its purpose is to moderate and ensure that there is a proper balance between academic work and military studies.

It also has to advise and recommend on any action or activity which may be prejudicial to the constituent universities.

Michael Hunter

Fears over release date for approved landlords

2008-11-07T21:10:00.000Z

A decision to bring forward the release of the University’s approved list of landlords by two months has been branded as "annoying" by students.

In previous years the University department Accommodation & Campus Services (ACS) has annually released a list of approved landlords through the PropertywithUS service at the start of January.

All properties included on the register have been inspected by a University Housing Officer before their details are made available to students. The properties are required to meet the standards of the Sheffield City Council’s responsible landlord scheme.

However, this year the release date has been moved forward to Monday, November 10.

First year students will now have to make decisions about housemates based on people that they have only known for a number of weeks.

At the other end of the spectrum, this has also proved problematic for final year students applying for postgraduate courses.

Postgraduate application deadlines are generally later in the academic year, meaning that prospective students will be unable to search for accommodation without a guaranteed place at the University.

This has left students with the decision of either signing contracts early to secure themselves a house or waiting until later in the academic year, taking the risk that all the University approved landlords may have no properties left to offer.

It has been suggested this will then increase the number of students having to live in un-registered housing which poses a number of potential risks.

Third year Maths student Charlie Bunting hopes to do a PGCE next year, but as the application scheme for teacher training courses is still in progress he will not know for definite until after Christmas if he needs a place to live in Sheffield.

Charlie said: "It’s a shame I can’t stay in my current house but because of this new release date our landlord wants us to tell him if we’re staying by November 7. I’m confident I’ll still be able to get housing after Christmas but it is annoying."

Welfare Officer Kathryn Axon has defended the move. She said: "Each year landlords release their properties earlier and earlier whilst we tell students not to rush into signing.

"The stats and student opinion show us that students want the information about house hunting early so that they can make an informed decision.

"The step to release the list early is positive as it means that whilst students should not rush into signing, if they feel they absolutely cannot wait then they have the option of signing with a registered property."

The Union of Students has held the Smart Move campaign this week to promote the House Hunting Guide online and raise awareness for general house hunting good practice.

Holly Taylor

Counselling service a lifeline for students suffering increased psychological stress

2008-11-07T21:00:00.000Z

The University of Sheffield is set to celebrate the success of its Nightline service with a week of events starting on Monday, November 17.

This coincides with a recent study which has revealed that one in four students show raised levels of psychological distress.

The report by The Association for University and College Counselling showed that student distress levels are higher than that of the general population.

Nightline is a listening and information service provided for students, by students, available each night from 8pm to 8am.

The Nightline Awareness Week will see the start of a variety of events and promotions around the university in celebration of the organisation.

Beth Mobey, one of the public faces of Nightline, said: "[We] just decided that it’s about time we had a week to celebrate, publicise and raise money for the organisation".

The week will play host to bake sales, speed dating, and glow stick selling, as well as an arctic-themed Roar club night on Wednesday, November 19, in homage to the organization’s mascot, the Nightline Penguin.

Although affiliated with the umbrella organisation National Nightline, Sheffield’s Nightline is an autonomous organisation run completely by students for the last 35 years.

Last year the organisation received the Outstanding Volunteers Award, along with Sheffield Volunteers, at the Union’s Activities Award.

The core principles of Nightline are anonymity, impartiality, and confidentiality.

Each volunteer will devote approximately 300 hours per year to the organization and they are not paid for their time.

An anonymous volunteer said: "Call numbers vary from night to night, with certain times of the year being busier than others, especially in exam period and Freshers’ Week."

Because of its confidential nature, Mobey is unable to answer some of the more intrusive questions about the inner workings of the organisation.

But she said: "The University of Sheffield Nightline provides three services. The one that has been around the longest and that we are best known for is the telephone listening service.

"We also provide a telephone information service and an e-listening service via email.

"I guess the information service is seen as a bit of a cheap version of 118, which isn’t a bad thing."

When asked what it means to be a night line volunteer, Mobey added: "It can be challenging but it’s the most rewarding thing I’ve ever been a part of."

If you are interested in volunteering for nightline you can contact the organization via sunl@sheffield.ac.uk.

Imogen Child

Hitchhike students warned

2008-11-07T20:50:00.000Z

Students taking part in the ‘Baby Bummit’ charity event were picked up by police after attempting to hitchhike on the M18 motorway.

Organised by Sheffield Rag, the sponsored event is a smaller version of the annual ‘Bummit’ hitchhike to Europe, in which students make their way to a specified European city by any means possible.

The University of Sheffield students had been dropped at the M18 sliproad after hitching the first part of the journey in their attempt to make it to Brighton before the 8pm deadline on Wednesday, November 5.

Walking on motorways is illegal in the United Kingdom, as is hitchhiking from motorway sliproads, due to volume of traffic and worries for personal safety.

Police were alerted to the possible danger by passing drivers, and the group of hitchers were escorted from the sliproad to a nearby service station.

The Highways Agency are renewing warnings about irresponsible pedestrian action along the country’s busiest roads.

Traffic Operations Manager Maggie Carter said: "We were very concerned for the safety of these students and we advised them to contact the event organisers for advice on how to safely proceed with their journeys.

"If students are walking or hitchhiking on sliproads or hard shoulders they should immediately make their way to the nearest available exit and continue their journey from a safe location."

Rag Committee Chairman Nick Stanton echoed her concerns, saying that students taking part in the event had been told expressly to avoid motorway hitching.

"It was only one team of about three people that were involved," he said, adding that they were grateful to the police for removing the students from the busy dual carriageway.

South Yorkshire Police were made aware of the problem after calls were made by drivers on the M18 to Hallam FM and BBC Radio Sheffield’s traffic control centres, warning other drivers to be aware of the pedestrians.

A spokesperson for the University’s Union of Students said: "All students taking part in the hitchhike to Brighton participated in two safety briefings and received an information booklet, with clear instructions not to hitchhike on the motorway.

"As soon as the University was notified the Bummit chair took immediate action to ensure all students were safe."

Bummit’s sponsored events have been a success since they began in 2001, with last year’s teams hitchhiking all the way to Tallinn, Estonia.

Each participant must raise at least £200. This year’s fundraising total already stands at over £39,000.

Amy Taylor

Kick 'Em Off Campus plots student newspaper disruption

2008-11-07T20:40:00.000Z

Anti-military recruitment group Kick ’Em Off Campus have been discussing plans to disrupt the production of Forge Press, leaked documents have revealed.

In emails sent to members who signed up to the group’s mailing list, Kick ’Em Off Campus’ activists plotted ways of interfering with the paper’s content and distribution.

The group has recently discussed occupying the Media Hub, producing a document and inserting it into copies of the paper, and stealing the printing press.

The reason behind the plans is that Kick ’Em Off Campus activists are angry at the opinions expressed in Kyle Christie’s comment piece ‘The military are not responsible for politics’, published in Forge Press on Friday, October 10.

On Tuesday, October 14, Kick ’Em Off Campus sent an email to Forge Press stating they would like a right of reply to Kyle Christie’s article.

The email said: "In the spirit of free and open debate we would like the opportunity to respond to this article and put across what we believe to be the genuine objectives of the campaign. This may be either in the form of an interview with a spokesperson from the campaign or the space to write our own article."

Forge Press Editor Ciaran Jones replied to the group, inviting them to send in a letter.

On Saturday, October 25, Kick ’Em Off Campus responded with a 912 word letter.

In reply, Forge Press invited the group to amend their letter to a more practical word count of about 350 words. Kick ‘Em Off Campus have not yet responded to this email.

The leaked documents show that in response to Forge Press’ reply of Tuesday, October 28, an email was circulated later that day to Kick ’Em Off Campus members stating: "This is complete bullshit. Personally I think with should go with option two of slipping them [copies of the email correspondence between Kick ’Em Off Campus and Forge Press] into the paper and maybe posting it around the University. We will discuss it tonight."

The Kick ’Em Off Campus group held a meeting on Tuesday, October 28, where items on the agenda included: "Debate on Monday, petitioning and the doing better thereof, recruitment fair, Forge Press the bastards, and putting a petition forward to Union Council as referendum."

At the meeting Kick ’Em Off Campus activists started to plan action against Forge Press. Minutes of the meeting read: "Occupy their (Forge Press’) offices? Steal the printing press? Remind them that nobody else ever writes to them either. Make a point about the role of the newspaper and who has ownership."

Later on the document states Kick ’Em Off Campus will print out their letter and the Forge Press response, and slip it into the papers. They also state that they intend to put up posters around the Union.

Dave Hurst, Union President, said: "After seeing email evidence that Forge Press did give the group a chance to respond, and no reply has been received, it would seem rather hasty for certain individuals to attack the paper before they have actually been ignored.

"If a group is misrepresented then it is entirely fair that a group have the chance to rebut it. I believe this to have happened in an acceptable way.

"I agree that there are issues. Some of the potentially planned activity would not only affect Forge Press, but would be stealing from the Union itself and, in effect, other students.

"If Forge Press failed to allow a rebuttal then a complaint would need to be lodged with press complaints first."

In the October 28 meeting, plans for a protest at the Yorkshire Autumn Graduate Recruitment Fair were discussed, as well as ideas for their debate at the Debating Society on Monday, November 3.

At the debate, entitled ‘This House would Kick ’Em Off Campus’, the audience overwhelmingly voted to keep Officer Training Corps (OTC) and military recruitment on campus, based on both the vote of conscience (what debaters really think) and competence (which side argued most effectively).

Kick ’Em Off Campus have now collected the required 50 signatures to force Union Council to discuss the issue of military recruitment on campus.

The Union Council has the power to put any issue to referendum. If Council chose not to support a referendum for the Kick ’Em Off Campus campaign, the group would have to collect 960 signatures to force a referendum.

Rob Golledge

Plagiarism student expelled

2008-11-07T20:35:00.000Z

A University of Sheffield Masters student has been expelled after it was discovered that they had paid someone to write their dissertation, as well as having plagiarised several other pieces of assessed work.

The decision was taken by the University’s Disciplinary Appeals Committee, after meeting to consider the case. The University states that penalties for unfair means are judged on an individual basis, and are according to each academic department.

Plagiarism and collusion are viewed as grave offences, and both undergraduate and postgraduate students are regularly warned about dishonesty in submitted work.

A Student Services Department spokesperson said: "This student will not be able to graduate with a Masters degree from this University, which will have serious implications for their career."

A spokesperson for the University said: "The University provides guidance to academic departments on developing sound academic practice among students, including how to avoid the use of unfair means.

"We consider that individual student issues are a matter between the student and the University and we are therefore not in a position to comment on a particular case."

Amy Taylor

Black male concern

2008-11-07T20:30:00.000Z

A Government minister has expressed concerns over the proportion of black male students attending university.

David Lammy, the new Minister of State for Higher Education and Intellectual Property, has called for more work to be done to increase the number of black students in response to figures showing the proportion of black Caribbean male students has remained at one per cent for three years.

Deborah Fowler, Head of the University’s Outreach and Access Section, said: "We would like to increase diversity generally, and the work that my team undertakes aims to encourage students with the potential to succeed on our degree programmes from all backgrounds to consider the University of Sheffield as an option."

The latest figures show there was a total of 2,317 male and 1,950 female ethnic minority students at the University of Sheffield in the 2006/07 academic year. Overall, ethnic minority students account for approximately 20 per cent of the student population at the University.

Ross Turner

NUS President visits Sheffield to speak on structural reform

2008-11-07T20:20:00.000Z

Wes Streeting, President of the National Union of Students (NUS), has been speaking in Sheffield about reforming the organisation.

The NUS Extraordinary Conference is taking place on Wednesday, November 12, in Wolverhampton in an attempt to pass a set of reforms which would dramatically change the structures of the NUS.

The changes were agreed at a similar conference last year but failed to pass at the NUS annual conference.

Streeting, elected as NUS President earlier this year, was optimistic about the reforms being voted through.

"I think there are a lot of people out there who voted no last year who’ve been saying to me that the reforms look much better," he said.

Streeting spoke to Sheffield’s delegation to the conference to encourage them to vote for the changes, which he said were set to "drag NUS kicking and screaming into the 21st century".

The changes include the addition of a trustee board, a proposal that has been met with opposition from some within the student movement.

Streeting emphasised how the reforms have changed to allow for greater scrutiny of the board, which would probably include external experts on financial matters.

He said: "We’ve introduced a whole number of checks and balances: the power of the NEC (National Executive Committee) to refer issues back to the board but also the power to sack the board individually or collectively if they step out of line."

But he added: "There’s definitely a rump of people who I think will never be happy whatever we do.

"I think a lot of them, if they are honest, though they obviously won’t be, have a lot of vested interest in the current structures."

Many of the Sheffield delegation, elected last month, are opposed to the changes being supported by Streeting, who remains keen to change their minds.

He said: "I want to dispel any myths about the reform proposals, make sure that people properly understand them but also make sure people realise just how high the stakes are for this reform process."

Streeting also recalled the role Sheffield played in campaigning for the proposals to change the NUS. Many of last year’s sabbatical officers were vocal supporters of reforming the organisation.

"I think it would be a strange about-turn on the part of Sheffield if they were to vote against," he added.

The NUS President spoke opposite Daniel Randall, a Sheffield student and former member of the NEC of the NUS, at the talk in The Source.

Union President Dave Hurst said that the officers shouldn’t be forced into a decision.

He said: "They are expected, whether for or against the reforms, to fulfil their manifesto.

"It’s a different constitution from last year. [The officers] have a duty to fulfil what they said [when running for election]."

He added that talks such as this were important and that reforms should continue to be discussed.

Kyle Christie

'Students' attack taxi driver

2008-11-07T20:10:00.000Z

Two Sheffield students have allegedly been involved in an attack against a taxi driver in the Ecclesall Road area.

The incident occurred on Thursday, October 23, when the students hailed the taxi after a night out at around 3am and left driver Muddasar Khan with facial injuries.

A 21-year-old man and a 23-year-old man have since been arrested in connection with the incident and released on police bail pending further enquiries.

Hafeas Rehman, chairperson of the Sheffield Taxi Trade Association, said that there have been at least three incidents like this against taxi drivers within the past year, and he claims the problem is often linked to racism.

"Any attack is not on. The taxi drivers are doing a difficult job and it is already hard to take people home after they have been drinking," he said.

"I know there are going to be bad apples in any location, but when the language turns to racism and there are physical attacks, it makes it very hard to tolerate."

He added that after this recent attack taxi drivers are now increasingly scared for their own safety, and that the racist attitudes of some passengers are becoming an issue.

The event followed on from an incident earlier in the month in which a Sheffield Hallam University student was the victim of a taxi scam.

This week the Union has been involved with ‘Hail Safer’, a campaign which aims to eliminate problems like this by improving the relationship between the driver and passenger.

The campaign aims to educate students on the importance of taxi safety. It also protects the drivers by encouraging students to respect them.

Kathryn Axon, Welfare Officer at the Union of Students, says it is only a minority of students who are involved in violence against Sheffield taxi drivers.

She said: "The taxi drivers provide a good service and the behaviour is really appalling. Students need to have respect for the drivers."

It is unknown whether the students attended the University of Sheffield or Sheffield Hallam University.

Alexandra Rucki

Student protesters target graduate fair

2008-11-07T20:00:00.000Z

Four activist groups targeted a recruitment fair at the University of Sheffield’s Octagon centre this week to raise awareness of unethical practises by some graduate recruiters.

Environmentalist group People & Planet emptied buckets of charcoal over the stall of energy company E-ON at the annual Yorkshire Autumn Graduate Recruitment Fair.

The group also handed out leaflets condemning the company’s decision to build more coal power stations.

Local animal rights campaigners Sheffield Animal Friends also distributed leaflets and unravelled a banner reading ‘Procter & Gamble poison animals’ in front of the Procter & Gamble stall.

Anti-military group Kick ’Em Off Campus, whose attempt to hang a banner reading ‘Keep your bloody hands off our students’ on the bridge connecting the Octagon and University House was quashed by security, protested in front of the Octagon centre.

No Sweat, who campaign against sweat shops, handed out leaflets highlighting the horrendous conditions some workers are subject to in labour factories. Their campaign was aimed at companies such as Tesco, Asda and Wal-Mart, who were at the fair.

University security acted quickly to halt the two protests that made it inside the Octagon. All groups were allowed to protest in front of the steps of the Octagon.

People & Planet is the largest student network in Britain campaigning to end world poverty, defend human rights, and protect the environment.

Maddie Heyes, of Sheffield People & Planet, said: "We protested against E-ON’s plans to build new coal power plants because coal is the dirtiest fuel in terms of carbon emissions.

"It is quite frankly outrageous that they can decide to do this at a time when we should be looking to invest in renewable energies in an attempt to overcome climate change.

"We decided to protest today because students need to get up off their arses to make a difference in this world and to save it for future generations."

Sheffield Animal Friends frequently demonstrate around the city and South Yorkshire against fur, vivisection, and meat industries.

Group member Jonny Mears said: "Procter & Gamble are notorious for testing on animals. They constantly test chemicals and ingredients on animals while producing misleading information which suggests they don’t.

"It is currently illegal to test on animals for cosmetics in the UK but until 2013 products tested on animals abroad can still be sold in this country.

"Procter & Gamble’s Herbal Essences developed a chemical which was force-fed to thousands of rats; it is this sort of abuse we’re against," said Jonny Mears, of Sheffield Animal Friends.

Kick ’Em Off Campus are currently campaigning to remove military recruitment and associations with Officer Training Corps (OTC) from campus.

Their protest was aimed at the armed forces and companies which deal in the arms trade such, as BAE systems.

A spokesperson for the group said: "It was an attempt to keep a visible presence on campus and to make a stand against military recruiters that use careers fairs as a way of recruiting students.

"We were unsuccessful in an attempt to put our banner up inside.

"We were told we had breached the Public Order Act and were not even allowed to stand on the steps of the Octagon because it is University property.

"Subsequently to us being asked to leave, the University security were asking students who typically had a certain appearance, such as having dreadlocks, if they were anything to do with us. This is outrageous."

The University has defended its actions in ejecting protesters from the recruitment fair.

A University spokesperson said: "The University of Sheffield supports freedom of speech and the right of students to express their views within the law.

"In relation to the Graduate Recruitment Fair, our security staff allowed the protest to go ahead, but had to balance this with the needs of students and recruiters who wished to discuss potential employment opportunities within the Octagon Centre.

"For that reason, to avoid disruption to the Recruitment Fair, security staff politely requested that the protesting groups move to the Octagon steps where they could continue their protest without preventing the business of the Fair itself.

"The groups involved agreed to do so."

Rob Golledge