Sheffield Hallam announce fees are to be £8,500

By Jessica Hassall

Professor Philip Jones the Vice-Chancellor of Sheffield Hallam University has announced the fees for applicants applying after 2012

The Governments' change in funding for higher education means universities will lose 80% of their teaching grant and capital funding for buildings and facilities. This is going to affect many undergraduate students to be as Sheffield Hallam is the fifth most popular university in the UK in terms of applications.

Under the current system previously enforced by the labour party students pay £3,375 per year of study towards the cost of their tuition. The Government then make up the rest of the cost through the use of the teaching grant. The new system created means the Government's contribution will be decreased by a large amount and consequently students will have to make up the total amount of the fee's themselves.

Both Sheffield Hallam and Sheffield University students have voiced their opinions on the fee rise through protests in the city centre of Sheffield. Back in November students marched through the centre with banners and posters expressing their unhappiness with the new system. Now the fees have officially been announced, current students at Hallam realise how lucky they are to escape such a financially crippling change. Bethany Schroder a second year student said, 'I can't believe how much this is going to change the way university had finally become, people from all backgrounds are able to come to university but that will all change. It's ridiculous how much debt you already get into from getting a degree, I can't imagine what people who have to pay £8,500 are going to do. I'm counting myself very lucky.'

The Vice Chancellor of Sheffield Hallam, Philip Jones said, 'the University has worked hard to determine not only what the current cost of delivering a degree course is, but also what we need to allow us to invest for the future.'

The changes to fees has made the decision about going to University a very serious one, which one? how far? which course? Are all dilemmas you'd face when making the decision about University but now the question maybe, can I? Some people will simply not be able to financially cope with the strains this new system has brought about.

Sheffield Hallam students are very against the change Suzanne O'hara an Environmental studies student said, 'Even though it doesn't affect me it still angers me because I know what University entails financially. Us current students know how tough it can be to handle loans and rent and learn to budget, 'students to be' are really going to have a tough time coping with that sort of debt, just seems totally unfair.'

Universities may not achieve a broad range of applicants from a variety of backgrounds if their decision to come to University is already made up for them because of financial problems. Hallam's fees have nearly tripled in amount what does the future hold for UK Universities?

Stocksbridge Floral Art Society bloom with success this spring

By Jessica Hassall

Stocksbridge Floral Art Society's arrangements shine at the Halifax flower festival, Mary Adam the Chairman of the club tells us what they get up to.

The society has been running for over 40 years, and what a lovely tradition it is. The group meet 10 times a year on the third thursday of every month at the christchurch hall in Stocksbridge. Aswell as all the practical activities, and flower festivals they have outings to open gardens or flower shows. Mary Adam tells us, 'we hold 2 practical evenings where we all learn to design and make arrangements, and these evenings are informative, friendly and fun. We have just been involved in a flower festival at Shibden Hall Halifax which went great!'

The group have both area and national demonstrators who come to the meetings to create 5 or 6 outstandingly beautiful arrangements. Mary said, 'Our booking secretary organises these demonstrations from all over the north east area of NAFAS (national association of flower arrangement societies) who have been chosen to help with the flowers for the upcoming royal wedding! It's great for ideas and new people are always welcome so everybody's always learning.'

The society has been running for a long time, Stocksbridge seems to be a great place for environmentally friendly activities. Gardening and walking clubs are amongst the many and it certainly gives a good name for the town who always thrive in the valley in bloom competitions. The enthusiastic Mary declares her love for the group, 'I love the Floral Art society and I look forward to all we do throughout the year, it's really fun and socialable and the work we do is something to be proud of.'

The group attend flower shows in Harrogate and Southport most years and they have been going strong for Stocksbridge for years! Let's hope they continue to bloom for many more.

Stocksbridge's Haunted Bypass

By Virginie Mousset

In the past few years, the bypass of Stocksbridge has been dubbed the ‘Killer road’, due to the many accidents that have been caused there.  Bad driving and speeding caused many deaths on that road.

However, these accidents aren’t what made this road famous. In 1989, the road was completed on the North side of the valley. It went through the centre of Stocksbridge, Deepcar and continued down through Wharncliffe Side and Oughtibridge.

The road, which opened on Friday the 13^th, gained its fame, when Michael Aspen did a show on its supposed haunting. Various satellite channels soon followed.

The creepy story about these haunting comes from the very early days of the road, in fact the road was been built when these sinister events started to happen.

A group of security guards observed a group of young children playing late at night below Pearoyd Bridge.  They noticed that the young children seemed to be wearing clothes from a different era; the clothes seemed to look old. After walking over to the spot where they had noticed the children playing, they saw that the mud had no footprints on it. In the morning, they asked some of the workers that lived in caravans and found that they also could hear children singing and playing late at night.

The following night, the two security guards went back to their round and saw a figure that looked like a monk. When they drove towards the spot where they saw him, the monk had vanished. This spooked the security guards so much they called the police, who didn’t believe them and told them they needed a priest instead of the police. They took the policeman’s word slightly too literally and ended up banging on the church’s door so loudly, and they were so uncontrollable that the vicar in turn called the police.

Due to these events, two policemen were sent to investigate the road. They parked their car so that they could see the bridge, where the security guards had seen the monk. At first they thought they had seen something move, but found that it was only a tarpaulin blowing. Then they felt it go cold all of a sudden. Then they both saw a body- torso only in the window. It then vanished. They tried to start the car but it didn’t start at first. They then drove up to the construction site, parked up and informed their station of their whereabouts. Then a loud crash was felt in the car, no-one was around. This caused the two policemen to drive off in a hurry.

The legend goes that the Monk became disappointed with the harsh way of life at a nearby monastery, and had left and found work as a gardener at Underbank Hall. There he had lived the rest of his natural life, but because he had left the monastery the monk was buried in unhallowed ground on a nearby hillside. A hillside that is now cut through by the A616 Stocksbridge Bypass. According to the legend, his spirit is at unrest due to his grave being disturbed. The children are said to have either fallen down a shaft or that they were buried alive during mining accidents, or killed when a cart carrying youngsters home from a day out overturned.

However, in recent years, the road has seen less and less accidents due to a slight redesign with better signage coupled with specs cameras (these measure your average speed over a set distance - no point braking just for them!) stopped the fatalities. These accidents have gone down by 82 %.

Either way, you won’t be finding me on that road anytime soon, so if you do go through that road be careful!

Youngest Snooker Referee

By Virginie Mousset

Sixteen year old Julian Roper from Stocksbridge, Sheffield is officially England’s youngest snooker referee.

Snooker obsessed Julian, passed his class three snooker exam on December 17, and got his first official engagement on the 23^rd of January. The Sheffield and District Snooker Association asked him to referee one of their junior ranking tournaments at Riley’s Club, on Birley Moor Road.

Julian’s love for snooked came from his grandfather, who has been taking him to the World Championships at the Crucible since he was six.

“Julian has been obsessed with snooker since he was very young. It was Julian’s wish to become a referee. None of the family were surprised he passed!”

Currently studying at Hillsborough College, Julian is hoping that he will one day accomplish his dream of becoming a Class One referee and oversee World Championship matches at the Crucible.

If you are a snooker fan yourself, Sheffield & District Snooker Association hold tournaments for the under 18s on a regular basis.

Rhinos coming to a city near you!

By Virginie Mousset

Last year, it was all about the elephants. This year it’s all about the rhinos.

Jess Heath, from Stocksbridge, is designing one of these rhinos. When asked why she was taking part in this event, she said:

“I think this is a great idea, I feel like I’m really taking part in something important and valuable. And I love art, so this is a real joy for me to take part in. I feel the two charities that are being involved in this event are amazing and completely different to one another. I may be making a small difference to someone’s life, animal or human. ”

Rhinos were chosen as the theme for this year’s event because the event wanted: “something large and robust that will make a real impact wherever it is placed.  Measuring 6ft long by 5 ft high, by 2ft wide and weigh 60kg they should certainly turn heads.  They also make a great blank canvas for any artist.  Schools get to work with a scaled down mini-rhino. Our Rhinos also enable us to make a great choice in terms of our chosen animal charity.  They are one of the endangered species supported by the Tusk Trust.  The Trust not only protects wildlife but also educates and supports local communities - something that is at the heart of this initiative.”

The rhinos will be placed all over the country and will be out in public for up to three months in spring 2012. Once the rhinos are taken off the streets, they will be treated to a bit of TLC, to fix any damages. After this, the monuments will be part of a gala auction in the summer of 2012. A few of the rhinos will be auctioned off, but most of these will be returned to the community organisations that created them.

The event Woa! Rhino is owned by Wild in Art and managed in partnership with About the Place Ltd. Woa! Rhino is not a charity, but they produce this event so that they can help charities. The charities that they have chosen to donate to are: ROSY and Tusk Trust. 65% of the net proceeds made from the gala auction will be donated to these charities.

Oliver O’Dell from About The Place Ltd spoke about the event saying:

“Very rarely do you come across a project that can bring together different parts of the local community through an activity that creates both entertainment and positive new relationships.  Wild in Art’s concept does just that.”

Woe for local band.

Increasingly popular Stocksbridge metal band, Bring me the horizon, have suffered an unlikely setback.
The bands drummer, Matt Nicholls, will miss the rest of the UK tour after breaking his arm in a friendly football match.

By Jake Finney.

Stocksbridge Steelworks: then and now

Upon entering Stocksbridge, you are greeted with the peak districts hills masked in a grey canvas.

That grey canvas is Stocksbridge Steelworks. Although it may not be picturesque, the Steelworks factory defines Stocksbridge. As significant as the steel industry has been to Stocksbridge, there has been a serious decline in demand for its services.

The Steelworks were first introduced to Stocksbridge in 1842 when a man called Samuel Fox took over a disused Corn Mill, and fascinatingly renovated it into the Stocksbridge Steelworks that stand before us today. Samuel Fox, reputedly on foot, from Bradwell in Derbyshire, sought out premises to rent for the wire-drawing business.

The business expanded at a rapid rate and started to produce a variety of items such as railway lines and springs by the 1860’s. Between 1872 and 1877 a railway line was built to link the works with the Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway at Deepcar. This was the Stocksbridge Railway, which existed as a subsidiary company until 1992.

Throughout the businesses existence, there have been outstanding highs and demoralising lows. In 1967, the factory were assembling and testing springs for Rolls-Royce cars. However, as demand for steel declined in Britain, particularly in the 21^st century, so did Stocksbridge Steelworks productivity. The plant has seen numerous threats of closure and many of the workers have been laid off as most of the factories productivity had been shifted to Rotherham’s Aldwarke works.

With the future of the company looking bleak, and its very existence in doubt, news of new investment was more than welcome to the Stocksbridge plant. The plants current owners, Tata, have committed to investing £6.5m.  Tata Steel, formerly known as Corus, will install high specification equipment at its Stocksbridge plant to increase production of special steels for the aerospace industry by 30%.

Peter Hogg, general manager of Tata Steel Speciality, said: "As the demand for aerospace steel increases, it's vital we have the ability to increase our production of this highly technical and demanding product, which is used in aircraft landing gear, engines, wings and other safety-critical components."

                                         Above: Stocksbridge Steelworks in it's thriving early years.


By Jake Finney