Sixth magazine - The Thomas Hardye School

SIXTH
❄❄❄❄❄❄❄❄❄❄❄
LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
We start our first issue of ‘Sixth’ as
we mean to go on, by bringing you a
diversity of opinion from some of our
very own Sixth Formers. We have a
great variety of articles, ranging from
advice on car insurance, how to
survive London a budget, a piece of
writing on school football and a
column on vintage fashion. As
Christmas is coming ever closer, the
majority of this issue is focused on
the festive season; with Christmas
present suggestions, a list of mustsee Christmas films, an article on
Christmas songs and an update on
what The Student Union are doing
this Christmas. For those who are
more interested in the arts, we have a
selection of photography and art from
our Sixth Form students and a
creative piece of writing. With such
diversity, there is sure to be at least
one article that interests you.
This is the Sixth Form magazine for
you and written by you. If you are
interested in writing or contributing
creative work, we would love to have
you involved in the magazine. Our
focus is variety and the more articles
we have the better.
I would like to thank all the
contributors, without your efforts the
magazine simply wouldn’t work.
Finally, as The Editor, I would like to
wish both contributors and readers
alike a Merry Christmas and a Happy
New Year.
Alice Cunningham Johns
Editor
EDITOR ALICE CUNNINGHAM JOHNS CO-EDITORS LILY DOHERTY &
FRANCESCA MORPHAKIS GRAPHICS/LAYOUT RORY NEWBERY
FRONT PAGE JAMES HERBERT WRITERS RORY NEWBERY.
GEORGIA VILLER, KARL MALONE, CALUM BRENNAN, CHARLOTTE
COLLINS, HANNAH WHALEY,, TASHA BAILEY, JULIET GOSS, ETHAN
TAYLOR, SOPHIE GRANT-FOALE, ELLIE MULLAN, JOSH HEPBURN &
SOPHIE COURTIER, ISABELLA HARRIS FILM CORRESPONDENT
OLIVER BOWEN ASHWIN EDITOR OF HARDYEAN JOURNAL RORY
NEWBERY HJ WRITERS CATHERINE FRAMPTON-HOBBS, EMILY
PHILLIPS & ALEX LINES DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY TORI HICKS
PHOTOGRAPHERS JORDAN BOSHER, SAM MCINTYRE, LEANNE
ATKIN, NICKY TRAVIS, HANNAH BARMES-HEALY, OLLIE SOHAWON,
AMBER HEINRICH, WIOLETA HARDEJ, AIDEN ROGERS, EMILY
SMITH DIRECTOR OF ART JAMES HERBERT
❄❄❄❄❄❄❄❄❄❄❄
STUDENT UNION
❄
WINTER REPORT
❄
The Union was set up years ago to protect and promote the interests of the Sixth
Formers within the centre, entire school and community; a purpose that I can proudly
say still exists today. As one of the largest Sixth Forms in the country, its an onerous task
but as luck would have it, we have the biggest Student Union team Hardye’s has seen to
date. In June, we began with two President (Georgia & Myself) alongside eight Vice
Presidents (Charlie, Lizzie, Aiden, Tom, Bronte, Martha, Rachael & Emily), since then
we’ve appointed two more (Dominic & Jasmine) as part of our promise to make the
Union more efficient and reflective of the Sixth Form population, whilst keeping true to
the traditions of the Union. More so than ever before, each VP has their own
responsibilities within the Union - a ministry that they oversee, and it’s my job to
provide as much support as humanly possible - but this is becoming more rare as each
VP has taken their ministry and done great things with them.
The Union has worked closely with the lower school’s Student Voice in our common
aim to have a larger presence within the community. I’m immensely proud of all the
Sixth Formers who volunteered their evenings for the Sixth Form Convention, and it is
occasions like this that make me feel we can do good. The Sixth Form alone make up for
4% of the population of Dorchester. !hile most of us can not yet vote, this by no means
makes us less influential in the community. The Union is focused on using our sense of
community to the advantage of the community and the Sixth Form and we hope that
you will support us as we find more ways of doing this.
Quite depressingly, one of our biggest operations now is the Leavers’ Book & Leavers’
Ball for those of us who are departing in the summer. This is one of the reasons why
Dom & Jasmine are essential to the Union - ensuring that the interests of the Year 12 are
still the focus of our meetings as we already start planning our last day. The Union have
been franticly busy week trying to organise a great ‘Christmas !eek’ for you all. !e
hope you will enjoy your last week before Christmas & take part in the events we’ve
planned.
I’d like to use this as an opportunity to remind you that its not too late for you to get
involved with the Union. If you have any ideas, thoughts or issues then we are interested
to hear them from and there’ll definitely be someone in the Union who can help you.
Enjoy your break, and best of luck for those with exams in January. Merry Christmas!
Rory Newbery,
Student Union President
THANK YOU TO ALL THOSE WHO TOOK PART IN THE STUDENT UNION CHARITY VOTE, THE THREE CHARITIES YOU CHOSE ARE
NELSON MANDELA CHILDREN’S FUND ❄ JULIA’S HOUSE ❄ FETUS (BOSNIA)
❄❄❄❄❄❄❄❄❄❄❄
RORY NEWBERY
family give us which
means, we’ve also
accumulated the power
to determine just how
much thought was put
into the presents we
receive. It really is
survival of the fittest if
you want to go down as
one of the greatest giftgivers in living memory.
So its time to step up
your game.
truth is that only you
know best; so ditch the
google searches and
start really thinking
about it. A well
thought-out present will
delight any giftee, albeit
your your best friend or
grandma, but where to
start?
likes of Debenhams, Argos
and Tesco make it sound
like they know best when
it comes to buying for
your friends and family,
but the
We’ll take you through
some top tips for every
type of person you’ll be
buying for and the idea
is that you use this as
your starting ground
not as the resolution.
To tackle this first world
problem, I’ve put
forwards my suggestions
to ensuring everybody is
happy this Christmas.
But remember!
Safeguarding your bank
account funds is a
priority for many of us,
as university is just
around the corner and
money will be a scarce
resource if we go OTT
Googleplex
this winter...
Sites like
notonthehighstreet.com
offer some great
personalised and handcrafted gifts from small
If you’re like me and
As we reach that age
businesses across
have tried googling
where Christmas is
something along the lines Britain. Its worth
more than just being
of ‘Christmas presents
about seeing whats
filtering your results by
for
Dad’,
you’ll
have
under the tree, we come
price, as it can get a bit
to realise that there was been inundated with the pricey!
so much fun to be had same old websites. The
choosing presents. Most
importantly - choosing
the right presents. More
than ever before, we
appreciate the presents
our friends and
Think about what it is that they do for you... is there
anything that you could buy them to make it easier, fun or
shows that you appreciate it? At this turning point in your
parents’ age, steer clear of hampers and bath salts just yet
and perhaps go for an option that they could show off to
their friends; a tasteful accessory or piece of clothing
perhaps?
friends &
siblings
Naturally, you’re always going to want to beat everyone else at
the present race. To ensure a clear defeat, get them something
epic - perhaps club together with others to get them the one
thing that’d make putting up with you worth it. Festival tickets
are inherently a fastpass to their heart but even a staple-piece
for their wardrobe could assure success.
older
people
Whilst the aim of the game here is to gain yourself the title of
‘best grandson/daughter this year’ you need a show-stopper
that will guarantee you wow them so much they forget to give
you that sloppy kiss. Take them on a journey of nostalgia, find
out their favourite childhood sweets or an item of clothing that
was big then, but vintage now. This can be very cheap yet
personal.
“FEW THINGS IN LIFE ARE
MORE SATISFYING THAN
GIVING A GIFT THATS
JUST RIGHT”
❄❄❄❄❄❄❄❄❄❄❄
parents
(PERFECT FOR THAT PERSON YOU
SIT NEXT TO IN THE LIBRARY
WITH THE BETTER PLAYLIST...)
BREAKFAST STATION
(coming soon)
BLUW EARPHONE SPLITTER
{£4.20)
DEBENHAMS
CUPCAKES IN A JAR
(£8 FOR 2)
NOTONTHEHIGHSTREET.COM
❄❄❄❄❄❄❄❄❄❄❄
CHRISTM
Part of our culture or just plain irrit
As the nights draw shorter and the first
few rumours of snow begin to drift
around, hearing the faint jingle of one of
Mariah Carey’s only too familiar
Christmas songs would not seem at all
out of place.
to overthrow the mainstream, the result
being a monumental victory. As twelveyear-old girls cried themselves to sleep,
true music fans all over the country felt a
huge sense of pride as the system had
been cheated.
As festive paraphernalia begins to line
the shelves of every shop increasingly
earlier each year, it seems as though the
Christmas cheer has been strung out over
several months, and not just confined to
December. That inevitably begs the
question, ‘how early is too early?’ for all
the Scrooges out there, just the sight of a
knitted jumper in October is enough to
make them run as far away as possible.
Soon, the familiar yet somewhat
comforting rasp of The Pogues –‘Fairytale
of New York’ will grace the airwaves of
The Scott Mills show on Radio 1. As odd
as it sounds, Christmas songs are being
woven into tradition. In much the same
way as we expect to have not one but five
condiments with our Christmas dinner, it
somehow feels out of place if there isn’t
an X Factor triumph reigning over the
highly sought after Christmas number
one spot in the charts. The battle of
2009, between Rage Against The
Machine and X Factor ‘sweetheart’ Joe
McElderry showed a monumental shift in
the paradigm of festive tradition. A
disgruntled group of music fans led a
campaign, sparked by a Facebook group,
Despite this, it is wrong to dictate that
only twelve-year-old girls enjoy jingle bell,
icing sugar sprinkled ballads. Though
maybe subliminally or secretively, people
do enjoy Christmas pop music, no matter
what their age is or which genre they
usually listen to. Over the years, various
artists such as Coldplay and The
Darkness have tried their dab hand at
recording songs, which they hope will
have the same appeal as classics such as
‘Last Christmas’ by Wham! or ‘Wonderful
Christmastime’ by Paul McCartney, and
become loved by the masses and repeated
for years to come. However, the odds are
not always in their favour. Apart from the
anomalous ‘Do They Know Its Christmas?’
by Band Aid which features successful
artists such as Bob Geldof, George
Michael, David Bowie and many others,
Christmas pop is a niche and is often
classified as its own genre. Current artists
such as Taylor Swift, Jason Mraz and
Girls Aloud have tried to put their stamp
on old classics or released twinkly ballads
more sickly than a tin of Quality Streets
in an attempt to jump on the bandwagon
and have their names displayed in lights
❄❄❄❄❄❄❄❄❄❄❄
AS SONGS
ating? by Charlotte Collins, 12MT
alongside legends such as Frank Sinatra or
Doris Day, both of whom, despite their
Christmas songs being decades old, are
still more favourable to any X Factoresque replicas. songs being decades old,
are still more favourable to any X Factoresque replicas.
Many artists find success in their own
right through singing Christmas one-hit
wonders, such as ‘I Wish It Could Be
Christmas Everyday’ by Wizzard. Despite
their cheesiness, we can’t be too harsh on
Christmas songs, they are the reoccurring
soundtrack to the holiday season and
albums along the lines of ‘Top 100
Christmas Songs Of All Time’ seem to top
the charts as bestseller each year, which
makes me wonder who the UK does not
own one of these albums yet as a
Christmas album has now become a
household essential.
Music surrounds us at Christmas,
whether it is in Church, the carol singers
on your doorstep or as motivation blasting
through department store speakers as you
frantically buy those last minute presents.
A song title of James Brown, ‘Let’s Unite
The World At Christmas Time’, mimics how
music binds us all together at that time of
year. Anthems such as ‘Santa Claus Is
Coming To Town’ by Frank Sinatra and
‘White Christmas’ by Bing Crosby evoke a
sense of unity as people across the
country have a mutual word for word
knowledge of the songs. They evoke a
sense of tradition and comfort as they
remind us of our favourite celebration of
the year and bring back happy memories
of the past. Christmas songs should not be
taken for granted and we need to embrace
them as part of tradition because
Christmas would certainly be very dull
without them.
Molly Sullivan s Top 10
Christmas Tunes
10)Mistletoe Justin Bieber
9)Warm this Winter Gabriella Cilmi
8)I wish it could be Christmas
everyday Wizzard
7)The Christmas Song Michael
Buble
6)Santa Baby Eartha Kitt
5)Baby it’s Cold Outside Dean
Martin & Doris Day
4)Last Christmas WHAM!
3)It’s Beginning to Look A Lot Like
Christmas Bing Crosby
2)All I Want for Christmas is You
Mariah Carey
1)Fairy Tale of New York The
Pogues
❄
❄
❄
❄
❄
❄
❄
❄
❄
❄
❄
STUCK FOR PRESENT IDEAS?
HOW ABOUT GIG TICKETS FOR ONE OF THESE UPCOMING EVENTS
Ellie Goulding EXAMPLE
£25
❄
❄
Two Door JAKE BUGG
Cinema Club
£12
❄
£15
❄
tuesday
18th dec
19:00
MONDAY
11th FEB
18:30
£22.50
southampton
joiners
BOURNEMOUTH
THE BIC
saturday
23rd feb
19:00
monday
28th jan
19:00
KAISER CHIEFS
£25
❄
PLAN B
MONDAY
25TH feb
19:00
❄
the KERRANG! BASTILLE
£10
tour
❄
BOURNEMOUTH
THE BIC
THURSDAY
7TH FEB
18:30
southampton
guildhall
(AMAZON £12)
yeovil
westland leisure
southampton
guildhall
THURSDAY
7th FEB
18:30
PLECTRUM MAKER
SOUTHAMPTON
GUILDHALL
£27.50
THURSDAY
7TH MAR
19:00
❄
£16.50
SOUTHAMPTON
MO CLUB
Q MAG SUBSCRIPTION
(£30 + FREE
HEADPHONES)
spotify, amazon mp3 and
itunes giftcards are ideal for
law-abiding music lovers
£9
❄
£7
£9
❄
Live 2012
The Evolution of ManTake the Crown
Coldplay
Example
Robbie William
hmv.co.uk
sainsburys.co.uk sainsburys.co.uk
SINGERS & MUSICIANS NEEDED!
If you’re either (or both) then get in touch with Brontë to
have your name on the contact list for updates on the latest
opportunities within the school and local area.
[email protected]
DO YOU WANT TO START
A CLUB, PROJECT OR
EVENT?
THE DRAMA SOCIETY
amnesty international
FILM FESTIVAL
2012
the
Hardyean
journal
READING GROUP
milkshakes
cakes &
books
SPANISH CLUB
for sixth form
2012 HAS SEEN MORE STUDENT-LED
INITIATIVES FORMED THAN EVER BEFORE
IF YOU WANT TO START
YOUR OWN, TALK TO
THE UNION.
[email protected]
❄❄❄❄❄❄❄❄❄❄❄
THIS YEAR, NEXT YEAR,
SOMETIME, NEVER
The New Year resolutions we never keep.
ALICE CUNNINGHAM-JOHNS
When the calendar hits the 26th of December
and Christmas is another 365 days away,
there is only one thing on everyone’s minds the New Year. New Year to most people
means the best parties of the year, with the
regrets of the last year being officially
consigned to history. Considering this is
Britain and we are infamous for our awful
weather, it is more than likely that the
temperature will be freezing and the night will
be rainy. However, I am sure such weather
will dampen few people’s spirits and you like
me will be out until the early hours of New
Year’s Day. The partying is not all that people
focus on with New Year drawing closer,
around this time of year you are sure to be
asked by a friend or maybe even your mum
“What New Year resolutions will you be
making this year?” And soon enough
advertisements for yet another fitness DVD
starring yet another reality TV star will be
appearing on our screens, brainwashing us
into thinking this is genuinely how celebrities
stay thin.
We are all guilty of making New Year
resolutions and sticking to them for the
remainder of January then gradually as the
months progress the good intentions slowly
fade until they are nothing but the DVD case
at the back of the cupboard collecting dust.
But why is this? Why are we prone to giving
up on our resolutions? A"er years and years
of making them, you’d think that we could
finally keep one up for longer than a couple of
months. Perhaps the question is not why we
give them up, but why we make them in the
first place?
The most common resolutions made (and I am
sure you’ve made one of them before – I know
I have) are ones geared towards selfimprovement: lose weight; drink less; stop
smoking; get more organised; do homework ;
spend less time in the Common Room or on
the Internet blah blah blah. These all suggest a
discontent with our lifestyle, which is hardly
shocking considering the society in which we
live and it’s unhealthy focus on nothing less
than perfection. But this obsession on
behaving how they tell us we should in the
magazines or looking like the characters in
90210 is ridiculous because it encourages us to
be unhappy with ourselves, because we will
always feel the need to do better and will
constantly compare ourselves with the
unrealistic images that surround us. The fact
of the matter is that you should make your
New Year Resolutions as an individual. If you
know that you never do your homework on
time and you really do want to change this,
then change it. If you want to look like
Rihanna don’t start obsessively going to the
gym twice a day because that won’t make you
look any more like her (you’d need extreme
plastic surgery for that), instead you will just
end up dissatisfied and your self-esteem will be
on the floor.
The importance of New Year resolutions is
actually about reflecting on the old year and
having good intentions for the one to come
and what it is that you want to achieve. It
should not be about what society pressures
you to strive for but about self -improvement
for you as an individual. So this year, stop
thinking mass culture, start thinking about a
resolution that’s personal to you and, stick to
it!
❄❄❄❄❄❄❄❄❄❄❄
5
CHRISTMAS
COMEDIES
Bad Santa (2003)
The story of two conmen who pose as a drunken Santa and his Elf, but
instead of spreading festive cheer the duo rob shopping centres on
Christmas eve. In a black comedy that features over 300 swear words, it
shows that with just a little bit of help from a fat kid and even the worse
people can learn the true meaning of Christmas.
How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000)
Based on the much loved Dr Seuss books, the Grinch was outcast by the whole of
Whoville as a child, but when young Cindy Lou’s attempt to reconnect the freak
with the town ends in his public humiliation, Jim Carrey’s green villain aims to ruin
the much loved Christmas holidays for everyone.
3
Elf (2003)
4
Jon Favreau directs Will Ferrell as an oversized elf, who is sent to America to
discover his real identity. It’s the most quotable and ridiculous Christmas film of
all time. And everyone knows Christmas is just around the corner when Channel
4 start showing it every other day.
2
Home Alone (1990)
Probably the best film troubled child star Macaulay Culkin will ever star in, follows
the hilarious consequences of what happens when Kevin is left ‘home alone’ to
fend against histories most unsuccessful burglars. Culkin’s Home Alone instalments
are undoubtedly classics, just be sure to avoid the 3rd, 4th and 5th instalments.
1
Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale (2010)
The list ends with a relatively unheard of Finnish movie, which is perhaps the
weirdest take on the Santa Claus story to date. When archaeologists unearth
Santa’s body, children begin to go missing, leading a group of hunters to
attempt to recapture him. But things including Santa’s Elves make this job
harder than they first thought.
by Oliver Bowen Ashwin
❄❄❄❄❄❄❄❄❄❄❄
FILMS FOR REVISION
by Oliver Bowen Ashwin
PSYCHOLOGY
‘A DANGEROUS
METHOD’
Watch Kiera Knightley get
spanked in a film that aims to
tell the story of how Sigmund
Freud developed
psychoanalysis and how he
used his abstract diagnosis and
new treatment techniques to
try and help his clients.
MEDIA STUDIES
ANY FILM
AVAILABLE
Swap revision
for a dvd with
this list of
VAGUELY
educational movies,
that will lessen the
guilt of
skipping
important work...
HISTORY
‘SCHINDLER’S
LIST’
Although in black and white, this
moving true story of how Oskar
Schindler, a narcissistic and
greedy German businessman
shows his kind side by turning
his factory into a refuge,
resulting in the saving of over a
thousand Jews from Auschwitz.
Although sometimes a hard film
to watch, it beats reading AQAs
soulless text books.
ENGLISH LIT
‘JANE EYRE’
Not a fan of reading but found
yourself stuck taking English lit?
Take the easiest of shortcuts
and watch one of many movie
interpretations of Charlotte
Brontes ‘classic’ novel.
Although suggested you
shouldn’t quote the films, you
can wing doing your
coursework by watching.
PE
‘COACH
CARTER’
Take a break from doing press
ups and watch Samuel L.
Jackson turn around the
fortunes of a failing college
basket team. A true story that’s
got no real link to your course
apart from the fact they play
sport, but it is bound to help
inspire you.
AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
FREE
FREE
THURSDAY 13TH DECEMBER • 16:30 • SIXTH FORM CENTRE
THE HOBBIT
AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY
{Release Date - December 13TH 2012}
Story- How Bilbo Baggins of Hobbiton, acquired the ring that would one day
nearly destroy Middle Earth and end up making studios very rich.
After the final instalment of the
cursed production, enough time
Lord of the Rings trilogy made over had passed that he was once again
$1 billion dollars and won 11 Oscars available. In 2011 with Jackson
fittingly back in the director’s
including best film, it was obvious
chair and MGM in swift recovery,
the studios would be returning to
the movies began filming just
Middle Earth soon enough. The
three years behind schedule.
announcement that the Hobbit
films were going to be made came
The Hobbit is a direct adaptation
in early 2008, pleasing but not
of perhaps Tolkien’s most loved
surprising rings fans worldwide.
book of the same title, and with
But for a while it seemed like the
the films now split into three due
Hobbit would never be made, a
to there being “too much of a
plagued production saw release
story to tell for just two films” and
dates pushed further and further
“too much money to miss out
back. With studio MGM reaching
from”, there is even more Dwarf
the brink of bankruptcy, the films
funding falling away, on going major and Hobbit fun to look forward to.
union disputes in shooting location The prequels see a very English
cast with ‘Sherlock’ and ‘Office’
New Zealand and a fire that
star Martin Freeman taking the
destroyed a number of vital props,
lead as Bilbo, ‘QIs’ Stephen Fry as
the production was falling further
the Mayor of Lake Town and
into dismay. Things then took a
‘Merlins’ Richard Armitige as
turn from bad to worse, as Pans
dwarf Thorin. LOTR favourites Ian
Labyrinth and Hellboy creator
Mackellen returns as Gandalf, and
Guillermo Del Toro left directing
Orlando Bloom elfs up one last
duties, due to the films continued
lengthy delays. But this turned out time. With the Hobbit looking
to be the first bit of fortune handed likely to emulate the success of
the Rings and dominate the
to the project. Lord of the Rings
Oscars for the next three years,
writer and director Peter Jackson
we are just left waiting for what
had originally stated he could not
Tolkien tale will be dug up next, to
direct, due to other commitments
help keep the Middle Earth money
with The Lovely Bones and King
Kong, but because of the seemingly machine burning.
WATCH THE TRAILER THEHOBBIT.COM
BOOK THE TICKETS PLAZADORCHESTER.COM OR ODEON.CO.UK
❄❄❄❄❄❄❄❄❄❄❄
{The Classics}
5
3
5 FILMS TO WATCH BEFORE YOU LEAVE HARDYE’S IN YEAR 13
(OR YEAR 14 IF THINGS DIDN’T GO TO PLAN...)
Once (2007)
A little seen Irish musical, features the music and appearance of cult
acoustic star Glen Hansard. A modern take on the genre makes you forget
you are even watching a musical, and instead you remain gripped by a
beautiful soundtrack within a simple story.
Goodfellas (1990)
Martin Scorsese’s epic gangster flick, depicts the hay days of real-life criminal Henry Hill,
and how he worked his way up the mob hierarchy and ended up running large robberies
and living a glamorous lifestyle normally only linked with celebrities.
Trainspotting (1996)
4
This film made by Olympic opening ceremony hero Danny Boyle, is about how
Mark Renton attempts to climb back from his heroin addiction but finds the
influence of his friends and the reaction of his family an on going struggle.
Featuring powerful visuals and darkly humorous scenes, this is a must watch.
2
The Prestige (2006)
Director Chris Nolan, the man behind the recent Batman films and Inception, tells
the story of how the rivalry between two magicians is taken to the extreme after
one performs the ultimate illusion. With a great cast and an unexpected plot twist,
this film is engaging from start to finish, but is in great danger of being a forgotten
great.
1
When Harry met Sally (1989)
It felt fair I should include a chick flick in this list, as for every 20 crap Jennifer
Aniston films to come out of Hollywood there is one gem hidden away, and
this is one of them. The movie follows close friends Harry and Sally who are
confronted with the problem: "Can a man and a woman be friends, without
sex getting in the way?" funny and charming it makes for easy viewing.
by Oliver Bowen Ashwin
ROOM FOR TWO?
ISABELLA HARRIS
The Odeon cinema is the /irst to be opened in Brewery Square for the Wessex Autistic Society. The cinema consists of three screens and more than 400 seats (which you would expect for a £3m building). Dorchester celebrated the opening night by the premier of ‘Skyfall’ the new released James Bond /ilm by Lord Julian Fellowes. However, at the Plaza cinema their bookings for the opening week of the /ilm were nearly at full capacity with just the occasional seat left. It seems evident that there is no competition between the two as The Odeon can be found to have many a seat available. everyone in Dorchester shares his opinion as a Facebook group has emerged entitled ‘Boycott Odeon Dorchester’. They are in support of The Plaza in Trinity Street and have over 1,000 people showing their loyalty to the local, independent cinema. It is a family business and as a community it seems right that we should support what is left of our town’s independent businesses. Others welcomed The Odeon as it has brought new jobs and tourists into Dorchester to spend money which will bene/it the community as a whole. There is a comment from the boycott Facebook page saying ‘I will not boycott The Odeon-­‐ I support anything that brings life in to Dorchester-­‐ and jobs.’
HARD WORK... HARDLY WORKING?
The usual cost for The Plaza Cinema is £2.50 on weekdays for a 2D /ilm and only £3.50 at weekends, whereas The Odeon is an extortionate £7 (£5.50 with a Student ID). The Plaza prices are undoubtedly reasonable for Dorchester citizens especially since the target audience for the cinema is working families and teenagers who supposedly are not ‘made of money’. The Odeon is a multi-­‐million pound corporation and they have no need to worry if sales do not pick up for years as they can still operate even with losses. Lord Fellowes pointed out in his speech ‘How thrilling it is now to have two cinemas in Dorchester’ and added that he ‘wished both success’. However, not The Odeon will bring visitors into Dorchester and what’s wrong with that? It is a bene/it for all of the community, visitors will be spending money in Dorchester’s local shops and it could lead to an increase in activities in the local area. Having another cinema will also mean that if The Plaza’s showing of a particular /ilm is sold out, or they aren’t showing the /ilm you want to see, instead of trekking into Weymouth, you can now easily pop into town. However, the majority of us will and should remain loyal to The Plaza, it is one of the only independent cinemas left – and would you really spend £7 to see a /ilm you can see for just £2.50? UNIVERSITY
DON’T GIVE UP ON IT JUST YET
BY LILY DOHERTY
It seems like as soon as you get into
Sixth Form everything begins to
revolve around university. You find
yourself volunteering for anything and
signing up to chess club - as long as
you can put it on your UCAS form.
Further education appears to be
compulsory for A-Level students but
with a change to the system in 2012 it
looked like university was not the
dream for everyone.
enormous. Not only is it the freedom
you have been wanting since you
started to talk, but you also get the
opportunity to live with a group of
people from all over the UK (not just
the tiny town you grew up in). You will
also be drinking massive amounts,
eating rubbish and going out all night!
University expands your horizons and
opens up opportunities to go anywhere
in the world, specialising in a subject
you enjoy.
HARD WORK... HARDLY WORKING?
Certainly in 2012 the number of
applicants to university decreased
significantly. In 2012, Parliament voted
to increase university tuition fees from
£3000 a year to £9000. This had a
negative effect on the majority of
universities. The week after the 2012
results day a report revealed that the
total applicants accepted had reduced
by almost 30,000 compared to the
previous year. The prospect of such a
vast debt certainly deterred many
from even applying. As the number of
applicants reduced, so too did the
offers made to students. The offers of
AAB from many of the Russell Group
universities dropped, in some cases, to
DD in an attempt to attract more
students. Although this is bad news for
universities, this is good news for
prospective undergraduates.
Yes, the fees are astronomical and the
idea of committing to three more
years of writing endless essays may
not be appealing but the benefits are
Prospective students can get a
student loan to cover their costs which
does not have to be paid back until you
are earning over £21,000. Even then it
is only 9% of your income meaning it
can be paid back manageably and
without too much resentment to the
bank for taking your wages. The
average salary of a graduate in 2012 is
£26,500 per year; a comfortable
amount that is enough to keep you
going and slowly start paying back
that student loan. University should
not be cut out of your future just
because of the increase in fees!
The fact of the matter is that the
majority of graduates earn more than
people who do not go to university.
Although it is not for everyone, if you
are undecided because you have
always thought you were not good
enough to get in or the cost was too
high, now is the time to apply as
universities are actually offering lower,
more realistic grades.
Stop being so
homophobic
by Juliet Goss
I’m a lesbian. What of it? As a
generation, I think we don’t like to
think of ourselves as homophobic- it’s
not exactly an attractive attribute,
but yet sometimes homophobia can
sneak into our minds and slip out of
our mouths without us even realising
it.
You only have to walk through a few
corridors to hear someone complain,
“that’s so gay”. One of the definitions
for “gay” in the Urban Dictionary
reads: “often used to describe
something stupid or unfortunate,
originating from homophobia.”
“Gay”-it’s just a word, right? We
don’t mean it as in “homosexual”, we
mean it as in: lame, rubbish, stupid,
annoying, weird etc… The problem is,
“saxophone” is just a word. Yet, it still
has a meaning- we all associate the
word “saxophone” with the musical
instrument, and gay is associated with
being homosexual, but we allow it to
be used in a negative way, frequently.
Cutting out a useful word from your
vocabulary is a hassle though… Enter
thesaurus! Take, for example, the
insult “Gaylord”. “Gaylord” was the
insult of
you gayboy...
Year 4. “Gaylord” is a great insult- but
is there really any room for it in the
21st century? With a bit of thesaurus
fun, you land with “lamelord”. Great
insult- if you enjoy a bit of
alliteration. Or, if applicable, just go
for the classic “fun-sponge”.
“why should it make a difference
whether they like girls or guys?”
Clare Balding, Nick Grimshaw and
Scott Mills. All people I changed my
views of when I found out they were
gay, I’m not proud of it- why should it
make a difference whether they like
girls or guys? It doesn’t affect me or
my life. It’s like we expect everyone
who is homosexual to have certain
characteristics, a particular style or
voice- but that’s certainly not the
case if you’re heterosexual, so where
did this strange idea stem from?
Wherever it came from, it needs to
go back.
I’m not really a lesbian; I just
wondered if I stated it, whether it
would affect your view of me. The sad
truth is, it probably did.
FELLA & ME
BY CALLUM BRENNAN
I wasn’t born blind. I had a brain tumour
when I was five that caused me to lose my
sight. Fortunately, after a few months
some of my sight came back; not a lot, but
enough. I was young and I didn’t
completely understand my predicament,
but everyone else did. I was taught Braille
and touch typing in Year Two and we had
a lady with a guide dog come in to talk to
the class. Now I don’t remember what the
lady’s or the dog’s name was, but I do
remember the deep feeling of longing. I
didn’t fully understand the concept of a
guide dog, but I knew then that I wanted
one.
For those of you who don’t know my name
is Calum Brennan and I’m the guy walking
around with a guide dog.
This is
apparently noticeable, so I thought I’d tell
you the ins and outs of how I got him and
what it is that he does. First off, his name
is Fella and he is a pure, black Labrador.
He was born on Christmas Eve of 2010 in a
litter of five. He was the first of his litter to
be sent off for training. When he was just
four weeks old Fella was then sent up to
Scotland to live with his puppy dog walker.
A puppy dog walker is someone who the
dog lives with for a year to be introduced
to different surroundings such as the
beach, quiet country lanes or busy town
centres.
After a year, the dog is taken away to be
trained. In this case, Fella went back to
Lemmington Spa where there is a guide
dog base. As for where Fella was trained, I
am not entirely sure, but I would assume it
was Southampton as that is where he
came from. He then had to be trained by
two different people for three months
each. It was only after all this that he and
I met for the first time.
Unfortunately, you couldn’t have a guide
dog then until you were sixteen (now it’s
fourteen and they’re trying to get it down
to eleven), but then I had to wait and I
pushed the thought to the back of my
mind. The thought only started coming
back to the front of my mind in Year Nine,
and then in Year Ten I gradually started
talking to my parents, friends and teaching
assistants about it.
In the April of Year Eleven, my Dad and I
went up to the guide dog centre in
Southampton. There were a few other
people around my age, who were also
looking to get a guide dog. A couple of
trainers talked to us about what the
training involves, how much commitment
it takes to look after a dog and all the
things you have to do for it - there were far
more than I had ever thought. After this
we then had a practice walk with a guide
dog from the centre. The dog I was paired
with was a golden Labrador called Gregg,
who was three years old. The walk was
good and I was shown all the commands
and Gregg was a lovely dog, and his pace
was not that different from mine. A few
weeks later, the guide dog centre called
me up to check that I still wanted a guide
dog, I said yes and I was finally put on the
waiting list.
Unfortunately, I was not
matched up with any dog in the summer
holidays, which I’d wanted because I would
have had the dog in time for Sixth Form –
new dog new school! It was in the Easter
holidays the next year that my dad and I
went up to the centre again because they
wanted to test me with two new dogs. One
called Tylor and the other Lenny. Both of
them were eighteen months and black
Labrador cross Retriever. I walked with
them on the harness but neither was
right. One was too fast and one was too
slow.
It was then in June that they came down
and met me after school and introduced
me to Fella. I loved him straight away, but I
do with every dog I meet! The question
was would my pace match his? With him
on harness we walked around Queens
Avenue with his trainer who reminded me
of the commands. When we got back to
the car it seemed promising. They both
thought we looked good together and that
he listened to me very well. A few weeks
later the centre called me to say that they
thought Fella and I made a good match
and that they wanted to train me in the
summer holidays! To get it done before the
Olympics, I broke up on July the 12th and
Fella arrived that Friday to start training
and move in with me. The training was
good (apart from getting up early) and we
did it in 2 weeks. It was a few days before
school that I was brought up to school to
walk with Fella around the school to get
him use to the routes and new
environment without the traffic and now
he knows most of the routes without me
directing him.
It’s quite funny, but it was to be expected
that people would talk to Fella before me
and I’m invisible as the attention is on
Fella, which I’m glad with. Now Fella is the
schools own celebrity as a lot of people
can’t get over the fact that a dog is
allowed in school, but you need to
remember that he isn’t an ordinary pet
dog. He is at home and when I take him
free running, but in school he’s basically
my eyes and a much better pair than the
cane was. As far as stroking goes, pretty
much all of you know you shouldn’t, and
that is right. You don’t touch him when
he’s on harness. This is because he’s
working. It would be like someone poking
or talking to you whilst you’re trying to
work. Would you like that? However, you
can stroke him when he’s not got the
harness on, just ask me first please. It
was suggested to me not to allow people,
but I decided to because everyone just
wants to touch Fella!
is the english language in decline?
ETHAN TAYLOR
Thomas Sprat said in The History of the Royal
Society: “that of all the Studies of men, nothing
may be sooner obtain'd, than this vicious
abundance of Phrase, this trick of Metaphors,
this volubility of Tongue, which makes so great
a noise in the World. But I spend words in vain;
for the evil is now so inveterate, that it is hard
to know whom to blame, or where to begin to
reform.” This book was published in 1667.
Although it may seem that the deterioration of
the English language is a contemporary
problem surfacing with the rise of the internet,
it is not. The corruption of the grammatical
rules that are laid out in our fine language
manifested as a fundamental component of the
language itself. There was no set date when
English began to diverge from its written laws
– the variation from what we know as
Standard English existed before Standard
English was adopted as the basis of the
language; it was only in the late 17th century
that the codification of English into a
dictionary system began to occur on a large
scale. However, by the middle of the 15th
century, the East Midland dialect became
accepted as the written model for official
documents, regardless of the native dialect of
the scribe, which influenced the elitist attitude
to Standard English reflected in the upper class
of the following centuries. By the time of
Shakespeare in the 16th century, non-standard
use was already associated with simplicity or
buffoonery. Characters speaking a nonstandard variety would not be taken seriously.
For example, in King Lear, the high-born Edgar
disguises himself as a ‘base peasant’ and affects
Kentish speech in order to create the illusion of
idiocy. It is here that the idea of correct speech,
in addition to written language, began to form.
But enough history, after all, the topic of this
article is not “Was the English Language in
Decline?” The English Language as it was is
disappearing. It is rife with the inaccuracies of
millions of seemingly harmless errors every
day, by those who are not even aware of the
linguistic genocide they are participating in.
Double negation such as “we didn’t do nothing”
which, mathematically, is entirely
incomprehensible, actually reversing the
intended effect; or other mistakes like ending
sentences prepositionally, to which you might
ask “what are you talking about?” These are
minor fallacies which some might argue
undermine the integrity of traditional English
dialect. However, does double negation really
impede upon clarity? Is the use of prepositions
at the end of sentences truly more confusing?
The question to ask is; how useful is Standard
English? Language is an evolutionary process
which alters throughout the course of time to
conform to the major ideologies of society and
the technological progress of mankind; at no
point has it ever been, nor will it ever be,
‘complete’. One might even go as far as to
suggest that Standard English is a hindrance
to the advancement of the English Language as
a whole; a pretentiously archaic elitism used to
criticise and suppress variety within the
English community through pointless
prescriptivism.
The answer, then, is a resounding no. The
futile pursuit of perfect English is of no benefit
to society. One should encourage diversity
within language as progress in a perpetually
evolving system.
GEORGIA
V I L L E R
VINTAGE MISCONCEPTION
In the ever-evolving world of fashion, the
vintage chic sector has expanded greatly
within the last year. The trend is taking
over the fashion industry - in magazines,
on websites, photo shoots and blogs. It
seems common high-street brands are
taking inspiration from the popular vintage
style only to create mass-produced
replicas which then become unoriginal. It
is evident that the preconceptions of
second-hand clothes should change as
extortionate price tags are attached to
these items, despite having young cashstrapped consumers as a target audience.
On canvassing opinion from Thomas
Hardye students, second-hand clothing is
often seen to be ‘dated’ and it’s ‘hard to
find anything worth buying’. However, the
rise in specific vintage shops targeted at
niche audiences could influence how we
see these clothes. For example, Shoreditch
in London is described as London’s ‘most
distinctive area for unique fashion’, while
the atmosphere and sense of individuality
within Brick Lane is very apparent. It is due
to a good supply of genuine, high quality
vintage clothing on sale and modelled in a
cutting edge setting. The numerous
exciting and creatively furnished stores
provide a memorable experience and
guarantee of finding an item that suits you
and your budget. It is therefore clear that
this unique selling tactic cultivates a better
perception of second hand clothes.
However, taking inspiration from these
high-end vintage clothing emporiums and
with maybe a little style magazine
research, students can go in search of
bargain pieces that are for sale in local
charity shops before they find their way to
the Brick Lane outlets. Doing this would
also prevent the need to pay the higher
prices for the professional vintage stylist
eye.
Going vintage helps fashion-savvy
shoppers keep up with the trends without
burning a hole in the tiny student pocket.
Whilst also promoting originality, it
provides teenagers with an opportunity to
express themselves with the vast array on
offer, knowing you’ll be the only one with
that item also makes it that bit more
special. The way we construct our image
says a lot about our personality, having a
carefully picked one-off to add to your
wardrobe shows the ability of teenagers to
reinvent the authentic look whilst your
individual character shows through. The
fact that recycling and contributing to
charity are often part of the process, the
vintage clothing industry is ethical
consumerism at its very best.
THE LIGHT AND THE DUST
Creative Writing by Hannah Whaley
The ferry port of San Giovanni is bathed in soft sunlight when we arrive. The rain that fell
this morning is collected in small puddles here and there. I help Leandro navigate around
these, it wouldn’t be wise for him to dampen his feet. Tiny streams and rivulets trickle away
from these pools, finding their paths in the stone cracks in the ground. Many seem intent on
returning to the lake – their source – but most will be evaporated in the growing heat before
sufficient progress is made.
Cornflower blue. The exact shade of the sky as we stand at the port looking across the lake.
Our eyes catching on the dark lake fish drifting in their nonchalant way and the ducks above
them, who quack eagerly at Leandro and me. We have no scraps for them today and I gesture
at them with my empty hands to demonstrate this. After sparing us indignant looks and a
flutter of tail feathers they move away across the sparkling water, without a backward glance.
The clouds are not in a position to cover the sun for a long while and I enjoy the gentle feel of
warmth on my skin. A light breeze is blowing through the hairs around the sides of my head,
the ones I still possess, lifting and pushing them back. It is nearly all grey now. I do not
know how age crept up on me so swiftly, although I am not yet as old as Leandro.
I cast a glance back at him to see him close his eyes and welcome the breeze. He told me
not so long ago that he has come to savour every breath of wind that comes his way. I know
I’d feel the same if I’d spent as much time on oxygen tanks as he has. He is hooked up to
one now. A clear plastic tube runs from his nostrils to the metal canister of oxygen. Leandro
carries it carefully, mindful not to drop it or allow his tube to become tangled.
I am thankful that it is only a short walk to the ferry port as Leandro insisted on this trip
today. He is a stubborn old fool and still sees himself as a young man. He still retains the
majority of his brilliant mind but his physical condition has … deteriorated. I look at him
thoughtfully, feeling a deep respect as I take in his wise face, the flesh doughy and lined.
One might think a clumsy housewife took time away from shirts to iron these creases into
his skin. I try not to spend my time on such fanciful thoughts. The world is what it is, do not
waste your life gazing at it with a glamorous eye. Leandro says this to me often. He says many
things in that vein. Although I am far into adulthood, I still learn much from him, the word’s
oldest student; listening with hairy ears and watching with tired eyes.
A teacher, a great friend, almost like a father sometimes. Not in the general physical sense,
for I am the one who must care for him in that way. No, his paternal feelings for me are more
subtle and more spiritual. As though his soul is linked to mine.
“Were you not taught that it’s rude to stare?” Leandro asks, breaking me out of my reverie. I
smile apologetically and transfer my gaze to the mountains and hills surrounding the lake.
The water’s edges are flecked with blocks of pale orange, yellow and pink. All different
shades of buildings clustered tightly together to form the towns: Bellagio, Lenno, Menaggio
and Verrena. Of course there are more, but it is not always necessary to state all things
present and in view. So at present the many remaining towns of Lake Como go
unmentioned.
San Giovanni is not one of the biggest nor one of the most impressive, but I am thankful for
this. It means we are left alone. The steep streets of Bellagio and the market in Lenno are
always plagued with visitors from every corner of the world. The beauty of Lake Como does
not go unobserved. However, San Giovanni lives in its own quiet way, empty of hotels and
things to entertain those on holiday. The ferry stops by many times a day but few get on
and even fewer get off. They simply wait – drinking in the warm air and the modest
buildings – until they are taken away again to their chosen destination.
Yet we are here today, Leandro and I, and we wait for the ferry to arrive.
“Nico”, he says, squinting across the lake, “tell me, is the ferry on its way? These old eyes are
not what they used to be.”
“It’s coming from Bellagio now” I say. “It should be here in a few minutes.”
“That’s good” He closes his eyes and draws in a deep breath and I can hear it rattle in his
chest. I watch him put a hand to his chest. He rubs slightly, his green woollen over vest
rasping against a crisp shirt.
“Are you feeling all right? Do you want to go back?” I ask quickly. Leandro waves his hand at
me dismissively and says with great dignity:
“I am perfectly fine, stop fussing over me”. He has opened his eyes now but his hand returns
to his chest. Feeling his heart. Counting the pulses. “It would be a waste of time to come
here for a purpose and then not stay to fulfil that purpose.”
“We’ll stay then, but let me hold that for you” I say, holding out my hand for his oxygen
canister. He passes it to me without a word and I grasp it tightly; feeling the cold metal
against my fingers. Cradling what ties him to life.
The ferry is almost here. I can pick out individual faces peering over the sides and observing
the diminished welcoming party. Hiding their eyes behind sunglasses and cameras. Leandro
makes a disgruntled noise.
“More people to stare at me”. He says. “Perhaps I should charge admission; ‘Roll up and see
the dying man!’” He lets out a harsh laugh and then a series of harsher coughs. He manages
to swallow these down but I see his chest shake with the effort of it. Trying to take his mind
off it I say,
“Here comes Raphael, tanned and trim as ever!” As I say this the ferry turns slightly to pull up
at the port. A jovial looking man in a blue uniform stands at the edge with a loop of rope in
one hand. He throws it with the casual skill of one who has had long to practise his aim. The
loop slips over a hook attached to the port and he slides a metal walkway across the gap.
Another blue suit holds the walkway in place whilst Raphael saunters over to us, wearing a
big grin that displays his endless white teeth. As soon as he reaches us I am pulled into his
strong embrace; firm, working hands patting my back. I pull back and we hold each other at
arms’ length with identical smiles.
“How are you, you old devil?” He asks, laughter in his voice.
“I am just fine thanks” I reply. “How is that lovely wife of yours?” Raphael’s smile broadens even
further and blissful happiness emanates from him in waves.
“She’s great, getting bigger every day” he laughs. “Three months then I’ll be bringing a bouncing
baby boy to balance on youreaky knees”.
“I look forward to that very much” I say truthfully. Raphael turns to Leandro and greets him just
as warmly. However, he obviously notices Leandro’s fragility, for he simply holds him by his
shoulders whilst they exchange pleasantries. Leandro, in turn, grips the arms steadying him and
I see all the things he tries to communicate in this. The unsaid things that are too hard to
voice.
Raphael tips him an understanding nod and lightly squeezes the shoulders in his hands.
“It’s good to see you” he says simply. Leandro nods back solemnly.
“It has been too long” he says. “Give my kindest regards to your wife … and your son”.
“I will.”
He shakes my hand in both of his and returns to the ferry, withdrawing the metal walkway.
With a deft flick of his arm he unhooks the knotted rope. The ferry’s engine starts up sluggishly,
churning the water behind it and marbling it with white froth. Raphael stands at the railing as
the boat chugs away, presumably to the Villa Carlotta in Cadenabbia.
His arm is raised and waving in farewell and I sense this is meant specifically for Leandro.
Leandro returns the wave and I notice a nostalgic smile play about his lips. I fold my arms and
lean against the railing, watching the ferry head for its next destination.
We pause for a little while, until I feel Leandro’s desire to leave.
“Come on” I say quietly. “I’ll take you home.”
He leans against me heavily as we walk back and I am carrying his oxygen canister again. My
arm is around his shoulders, feeling his struggle for breath, trying to hold the pieces of him
together. The only sound comes from our feet, treading a familiar path and the circulation of air
in two respiratory systems, one considerably weaker than the other.
“Not long now” I say, hearing the double meaning behind my words. I know Leandro hears it too.
My arms are gentle around his frame and he fits easily into my embrace. Our shadows appear
Siamese as they streak along behind us. They are hanging back, perhaps they are not quite
ready to leave the sunshine. Sometimes it is the hardest thing to leave behind, but we all have
to give it up when our time comes.
Leandro is absorbing the air around him, the sounds, the smells. He gazes wistfully at our
surroundings; the tall characteristic trees, the pastel colours of the house and even the dust
kicked up by our shuffling feet. I try to view it all through his eyes and find I can’t. It is too
painful to imagine how he must feel having his last look, walking his last walk. The ghost of a
smile I saw earlier is full and bright across his face, although his eyes appear to glisten with held
back tears.
The path disappears underneath our feet like the end of a dusty treadmill and we come to
white paving slabs embedded in thick-bladed grass. We are home.
Leandro pats the old door frame when we reach the house and I let him open it with the key
himself. He hangs back for a moment, but his face is set and I know that he is ready.
Without a word or a backwards glance he steps over the threshold and goes to his favourite
seat. It is in front of a vast window that looks out onto the ferry port, the lake and the
mountains beyond. I open the smaller window panes on either side and run my fingers over
the old wind chimes. They tinkle softly and the cracked crystals dangling from the chimes
are given a new lease of life and cast small rainbows onto the floor and Leandro’s chair. He
puts his hand out and seems to hold one in his weathered palm.
“Nico” his voice is quiet.
“Yes”
“Sit with me old friend” he says, “and talk to me of something beautiful. I want to hear ….
something …” His voice is almost inaudible so I nod and go to his side so that he might save
his breath.
“You remember the last time you and I went to the Villa Carlotta?” I ask. Leandro nods and
closes his eyes
“There were so many flowers, every colour, every shade you could think of. There were
swans shaped from small bushes and entire gardens filled with bamboo, cacti and other
exotic plants.” I kneel beside him and take his hand, the one holding the rainbow. The hand
holds mine as best it can.
“There is a great fountain at the front of the Villa” I go on. “Filled with fish and purple pond
lilies. And if you go inside you can look over the balcony and see almost everything. You
can even see this very house. There are so many trees of different origins: Japanese bonsai,
American redwoods and great oaks. Just looking at them made me feel tiny and
insignificant, they were so powerful, yet so beautiful …” My stream of thought wavers.
His grip has gone slack in mine. I wait, and watch. I watch his chest to see if it will rise
again. It doesn’t. Keeping my hand in his I remove the oxygen tube from his nose and turn
it off at the canister. With my other hand I smooth the white hair back and kiss his brow.
Our hands part.
I almost close the curtains, but, I think he would prefer the sun to be illuminating his
features for just a little longer.
I look at the peacefully dead man in the chair, coloured rays of light streaking his palm. The
world does not turn upside down, there is nothing different.
There is only the light and the dust motes swirling in the air. A few spots of moisture falling
to the carpet. An absence of breathing.
WE ARE NOT BORN INTO THE WORLD TO DO
EVERYTHING, BUT TO DO SOMETHING
SOPHIE GRANT FOALE
There has always been injustice and
inequality in society, but there are many
ways in which we can help the community,
both locally and worldwide. Extensive
famine throughout developing countries,
political and religious oppression, and
many living without access to safe shelter
are just some of the terrible conditions
people are forced to endure. We can all use
the excuse of being too busy, or not
knowing how to get involved, but
inevitably it is only a sense of collective
responsibility and unity that will inspire
us to help each other.
One way that we can have a positive
impact is by volunteering. Whether it is in
a charity shop, at a residential care home,
mentoring someone or helping with the
environment, everyone would be welcomed
by organisations that run these projects.
You can see the difference you are making
and get an instant response making
extremely important work rewarding. The
effects are very broad, both for you and
those you are helping, as it connects a
wide range of people who may not usually
come into contact. This can improve your
communication, interpersonal and
leadership skills whilst also making you
more self-confident and fulfilled.
Volunteering is also useful for awards such
as the Duke of Edinburgh and AQA
Baccalaureate, giving a good impression
on a personal statement or CV, as it
indicates a well rounded, compassionate
person.
You can also get involved with events to
raise money for charity. Buying the big
issue or your Christmas cards from a local
charity shop allows you to give money to
a good cause. Donating unwanted items to
charity or getting involved with sponsored
events are also easy ways to benefit the
community and those who are less
fortunate than us. The Dorchester town
“Champions of Discounts” affiliation card
means you can get discounts from shops,
restaurants and attractions whilst also
supporting the Weldmar Hospicecare Trust
and local businesses.
An easy way to improve the environment
and the welfare of animals is to buy free
range, organic local produce which also
reduces your carbon footprint. Fair trade
products ensure that workers from around
the world are given reasonable wages that
will not fluctuate with the global market
giving them a steady, reliable income.
Another simple method is to recycle.
Separate your rubbish so that it can be
reused, saving resources and money, or
upcycle old items to create something new.
Henry David Thoreau once wrote “One is
not born into the world to do everything
but to do something” and this philosophy
can encourage us to develop parts of our
own lives so that they focus on other
people rather than ourselves. We all have
the opportunity to help others in our
everyday lives so we should aim to do
something worthwhile and have a
positive, significant impact.
HARD WORK... HARDLY WORKING?
Ellie Mullan & Josh Hepburn
Many people nowadays are balancing the
challenge of a job with the pressure of Sixth
Form, for some this is an easy task but for
others it can be a daily struggle. Everyone, it
seems, has some kind of part time work:
from babysitting to waitressing, people are
desperate for extra cash and seemingly
willing to do whatever hours or rate of pay to
get it. From people we have a talked to, the
range of pay is huge – from the minimum of
£3.68 to over £10.00 per hour. So, how much
should we be doing, and how much should
we be expected to be paid for it?
From our own experience, at this age it can
be difficult to find a job at all, let alone one
that matches your expectations. Many
people have described their jobs as boring,
repetitive and menial. Is the time spent in
boredom worth the amount you’re getting
paid for it?
We believe that it’s more the idea of having a
job than the job itself that attracts so many.
It seems now, not having a job is odd – why
don’t you? We think many feel the social
pressure to have a job purely because
everyone else has one; the expectation to
conform is clearly evident.
For many people a job seems to be the main
priority above school, spending more hours
at work than studying. Despite this being
understandable, the grades you receive
during your time at Sixth Form will affect
your future more than the money you receive
from part time work. It is imperative you are
able to find a balance between your job and
coursework, as to not affect any forthcoming
opportunities you may want to pursue.
ADVICE
+ CHECK TO SEE HOW MANY HOURS YOU’RE EXPECTED TO DO PER WEEK
+ ASK HOW FLEXIBLE HOURS CAN BE DURING EXAM PERIODS
+ MAKE SURE THAT YOU CAN JUGGLE YOUR TIME EFFICIENTLY
+ DON’T STRESS YOURSELF AT WORK (AND SCHOOL)
+ BE REALISTIC - NOT EVERYONE CAN JUGGLE SIXTH FORM & WORK
STUDENT UNION
THE
OPE
(AND A FEW P
It’s such a big moment when you
turn 17 – at last you can learn to drive!
Freedom beckons…your own car
means being able to go where you
want, when you want, without having
to beg lifts from parents and negotiate
picking-up times (“Midnight? Don’t be
ridiculous! That’s far too late, you’ve
got school tomorrow….”)
So it might surprise you to learn that
the number of 17 – 20 year olds with
a full driving licence has fallen from
48% to 30% over the last 10 years.
Why? What possible reason could
there be for fewer young people
enjoying the many benefits that being
able to drive can bring?
Well, as so often in life, MONEY is
probably the answer. The costs of
learning to drive, taking the test, car
tax and fuel have all risen greatly in
recent years, putting many people off.
And one of the biggest costs of all –
bigger than actually buying a car, in
many cases – is insurance.
You have to have valid insurance in
order to drive; that’s the law. And it’s
not just a legal formality – insurance
is vital for young people because they
are much more likely to have an
accident than any other group of road
users. The statistics are sobering.
Statistics are what make insurance so
expensive, because insurance
companies know they are more likely
to have to pay out large sums of
money to young drivers than older,
more experienced ones. There has
been one piece of good news though
– it’s been statistically proved that
girls are much less likely than boys to
have an accident (come on, girls, we
all already knew that girls are better
drivers, didn’t we?) and insurance
companies have recognised this by
making motor insurance for girls quite
a bit cheaper than for boys. Quite
right too!
But this is all about to end; for an EU
ruling which comes into force on 21
December means that insurance
companies can no longer take gender
into account when deciding
insurance premiums. While
theoretically the cost of insurance for
boys should come down a little, it’s
much more likely that the costs for
girls will go sky high. The Association
of British Insurers reckons that costs
for boys might fall by up to 10%, but
that costs for girls will rise by 25%!
Since male drivers account for more
than 92% of all driving convictions,
and are involved in twice as
N
ROAD
OTHOLES...)
many accidents as females, this is one
case where “gender equality” really
doesn’t seem fair.
So, how can you make your insurance
cheaper? One way a lot of people do it
is by insuring a young person's car in
their parent’s name, adding the child
as a named driver. This way they get a
much cheaper quote, because it’s
based on the greater age and
experience of the parent. Clever, huh?
Well, no, not really. Though many
people don’t realise it, this practice is
actually illegal. It’s called ‘fronting’ and
invalidates the policy: it could even
lead to you appearing in court, being
charged with driving without
insurance, while your parent may be
charged with fraud and could end up
with a jail sentence.
If you are stopped by the police and
found not to have valid insurance, the
police can immediately impound your
car; leaving you to walk home. They
will charge you for transporting and
storing the car, and if you can’t produce
valid insurance with 14 days the car
will be scrapped. This is in addition to
a fine, possibly a ban, and 6-8 points
on your licence. If you passed your test
less than two years ago, 6 points
BY SOPHIE COURTIER
means you will lose your licence and
have to take your test again. It will also
put your future insurance costs through
the roof. So you really, really, really
don’t want this to happen!
So, when it comes to your turn to start
driving, how can you keep car
insurance costs as low as possible?
Shop around, using internet
comparison sites such as confused.com.
Add one or both of your parents to your
policy as named drivers; this is
perfectly legal and can bring the cost
down a surprising amount (as long as
your parents have clean driving
records, of course!) And there’s
something called Telematics – fitting a
box to your car that monitors the way
you drive and reports back to your
insurer. This often helps to make your
policy cheaper, but only if you drive
safely – otherwise it could end up
putting your insurance costs up. It can
restrict the number of miles you are
allowed to drive, and prevent you
driving at night. Also, it records exactly
where you have been and when, and
sometimes it can even report back to
your parents!
Hmmmm….what was that about the
freedom of the open road……..?!
ECONOMICS
Hardyean Journal
WILL CHINA RUN THE WORLD?
by Catherine Frampton-Hobbs, Chief of Economics
There has been much
debate regarding China’s
substantial investment into
African -and many othercountries for over a decade.
The question being, in the
long run, “Is China friend
or foe?”
China has previously been
operating in its own sphere
in both East and Central
Asia for 300years without
being
aggressively
expansionist
like
the
European or American
powers. For the past
200years, China has been a
fairly
closed
society,
particularly under Mao Tse
Don. China’s communism
was seen by the Western
world as a threat, similar to
the Soviet bloc, when in
fact it was nothing of the
sort. China has a very large
land mass, and 20% of the
world’s population. In spite
of
this,
it
lacks
agriculturally
productive
land, and whilst rich in rare
in earth minerals, also lacks
the raw material required
for heavy industry (such as
steel and copper). This is
why it is necessary for
China to look overseas to
source its vital raw
materials, just as the
‘developed’ West has done
for centuries.
Correspondingly,
it
is
inevitable that big players
in African countries would
seek outside assistance to
increase their economic
trading, and Chinese firms
have
grasped
this
opportunity with both
hands. It is conceivable
that, despite the frequency
of this occurring in
economies, this could be a
“win-win” situation. Not
only
has
China
accumulated vast quantities
of raw materials from these
countries, such as oil from
Sudan (7% of China’s oil)
and copper from Zambia,
but its investments are sure
to reap colossal gains in
years to come. China’s
‘exploitation’
of
the
mineral and agricultural
wealth of other nations is
no different to the behavior
of the multinationals and
countries of the West.
However, China’s buying
power, especially since the
economic crash (of the
West)
has
increased
significantly. The trade
volume between between
Africa and China having
risen 30% yoy through the
first three quarters last year,
the
total
for
2011
amounting to $166bn.
There is an issue over
whether the people of the
countries from which China
is buying are benefiting, or
whether they continue to
live in poverty as their
leaders reap the rewards of
this trade - and this may
well be the case. Again, we
do not hold the moral high
ground in this regard, but it
is still a matter of concern.
We must not forget that
Africa has gained too.
China has not been stingy
with its soft loans and has
invested billions (USD) into
African economies. It is
speculated that China is
looking to invest hundreds
of billions (USD) . The
transport in Africa is
improving with roads,
bridges, and rail links being
funded by China, and yes,
with the intention of being
convenient for Chinese
investors and trading, yet
also it provides a much
more advanced transport
system for the natives. This
enables trade amongst
people in Africa to increase
also, and improves the
mobility
of
labour
(although not in the most
rural areas). This all seems
to be, as said before, a
“win-win” situation.
Nevertheless, this is still a
very controversial topic,
raising a fair amount of
concern for African welfare.
It is worrying that China
has vast areas of land in
Ethiopia for farming and
food production, which all
gets sent straight to China.
If this escalates, China
could have more power in a
country than those living
there, and have control over
so many natural resources
that the African countries
themselves are left to
struggle, without.
Africa is not the sole target
for China’s investments;
Middle Eastern nations are
also turning their trade from
the Western world to China
with alacrity. Furthermore,
China is the fastest growing
investor in Latin America
since 2010, with 90% of
this expenditure pursuing
the extraction of natural
resources. It seems that
we’ve not fully registered
China’s head first dive into
the emerging economies,
gaining the promise of
unthinkable quantities of
resources whilst the rest of
us contemplate bail-outs
and political scandals.
China's own retail markets
are
becoming
rapidly
developed, in terms of the
quality of goods sold,
something
that
has
happened
faster
than
expected . Perhaps we have
underestimated
their
potential, with Chinese
brands becoming global
competitors with retail
giants, such as Li Ning with
'Nike' and 'Adidas'. China
has a firm grip in its future,
which is laudable. The
concern is its grip on other
countries’
futures.
Countries
whose diplomats
Hardyean
Journal
and
businessmen
(and
women) are so thirsty for
investment, that they may
be
blind
to
the
consequences which could
later
impede
them.
Sustainability is key and so
important in emerging
countries.
The West has to look past
its fear of Communist
China and see it for what it
is - a country with slightly
different value systems
doing what the West does in
a very similar way, and
arguably doing it much
better than we do. Certainly
this is the case in this
decade - and probably the
next decade too. China’s
monopoly of parts of Africa
is of course matched by the
many other monopolies
existing that are owned by
European and American
organisations.
Chinese
power in any country
outside China is purely
economic. China has not
invaded and imposed a
failed democracy on any
other country - something
we cannot claim.
The important thing is to
see China without our
Western blinkers on. There
is nothing China has done
that we haven’t done more
of and made a far worse
situation of...
POLITICS
Hardyean Journal
AMERICAN ELECTIONS
by Alex Lines, Political Writer
There was a time when the seemingly
free, libertarian elections of the United
States were the envy of the entire world.
As France burned in the fire of revolution
and the imperial powers of Europe ruled
over their colonies with an iron fist, the
American people where amongst a
privileged few who had a real say in who
could run their fledgling country.
Although for the first couple of elections
only white, male property owners could
vote and women were denied that
freedom entirely until 1920, America was
still a long way ahead of most other
nations in the world when it was but a
young democracy. However, as the nation
ages and its enormous influence over the
rest of the world begins to fade,
American elections have become unfair,
antiquated, stagnated affairs. As you
probably already know, Barack Obama
has won the White House in one of the
closest electoral races since their
inception in 1788. However, there’s a fair
chance that neither candidate deserves to
be there at all.
#
One of the primary reasons for this
is the old fashioned electoral system that
the United States uses, a method that
hasn’t been changed since the elections
began in the Eighteenth Century.
America uses an Electoral College system
in which the winners in each individual
state are determined before giving each
state a number of “points” based upon its
population. The number of points each
candidate has won is then tallied up from
across the nation, determining the winner
of the election and the next President
(and Vice-President) of the United States.
The problem with this frankly archaic
system is that it results in some peoples
votes being worth more than others. For
example, if you were a supporter of the
Republican Party and lived in California –
one of the most valuable states in the
election, being worth fifty-five points –
your vote would be almost entirely
useless because the Democratic
dominance of the western state (they’ve
won it in every election since 1988) would
mean that your vote had little-to-no
chance of really effecting the result.
Furthermore, the state-by-state
system creates a phenomenon known as
“swing states.” Swing states are areas of
the country that are evenly split between
Democrat and Republican supporters and
are worth a large amount of points in the
election, examples being Ohio, Florida or
Colorado. This means that votes cast in
swing states are far more valuable than
ones in safe states, like Texas for the
Republicans or New York for the
Democrats, meaning that people who live
in areas with a low population or where
one part dominates have no way of really
having their say in who takes the greatest
prize in American politics. This seems to
go to show that the states are perhaps not
so united after all. With this system, many
times a candidate has won the election
with a smaller proportion of the vote than
his opponent, one example being in 2000
when George W. Bush won the
election despite only having 48% of the
vote, whilst his opponent, Al Gore, earned
48.3%. This is entirely wrong; more
American citizens believed that Al Gore
was the greater candidate, but he still lost
because of a system that is unnecessarily
complicated and archaic. The system was
necessary in 1788 because it was impossible
to tally up an entire nation’s ballots before
the advent of mass transportation
technology such as trains. However, with
technological advances such as railway,
automobiles, planes and even the internet,
it would be perfectly feasible to gather the
information of the whole country together
without needing to tally the votes in the
long-winded, state-by-state system
currently employed.
#
Another problem that the elections
have is that it perpetuates the unfortunate
American phenomenon of the two party
state. The focus in US politics is almost
entirely geared towards the Democrats and
the Republicans, with other parties such as
the Greens or the Libertarians getting
almost no coverage and therefore having
very little chance of seriously challenging
for an election victory. This entirely
restricts the choice of the voters; it is clear
that many Americans agree with the policy
of these so called “third parties” or are at
least dissatisfied with both the main
candidates, but these frustrated electors
have no way of showing these feelings
through the ballot box because they know
that their preferred politicians have little
chance of winning and are scared of
“wasting” their vote on a candidate that
would never take the White House. This
focus on just two parties is glaringly
obvious on the TV debates. There were 417
candidates running for Presidency in 2012 although many of them were not serious
attempts at winning the election - yet the
TV debates that have such an impact on
the way the public votes featured just 2
potential Presidents; Barack
Obama
and
Hardyean
Journal
Mitt Romney. The Green Party were, in
fact, so enraged by this that on the 16th of
October, the date of the second
presidential debate, Jill Stein (Presidential
candidate for the Greens) was arrested
trying to join the debate in protest at her
exclusion. This goes to show that the third
parties of the American political system are
totally ostracised from the election process,
giving voters little choice between
Democrats and Republicans; surely this is
not the way things should be in the land of
the free?
#
It appears clear that the American
system of electing their leaders is
hopelessly broken. It renders a large
amount of votes almost entirely useless,
excludes presidential hopefuls who are not
Republican or Democrat and places an
undue emphasis on states that can swing
the election. There are alternatives to the
Electoral College that would rectify this
problem; for example, America could use
the Alternative Vote system, whereby the
voters rank their candidates in order of
preference. If there is no majority after the
votes are counted, then least popular
candidates are eliminated and the votes for
the potential President that was eliminated
then redistributed based on second choice.
This solves both problems; every vote is of
equal value, because it is not measured on a
state-by-state basis, and it allows third
parties to really have a say, because voters
can list second choices, eliminating the fear
of wasting their vote on hopeless
candidates. Why, then, does America
persist with their outdated system? It is
clear that it is needlessly unfair and
complicated and that it is certainly not in
the best interests of the American
populous. For the country that claims to
be the birthplace of modern democracy, it
seems that the United States has lost sight
of the liberties upon which it was founded.
POLITICS
Hardyean Journal
THE ARGENTINE COMPLEX
by Rory Newbery, Hardyean Journal Editor
Cristina Fernández de
Kirchner’s government
faces a 25% inflation rate.
A failing privatisation
spree, siege economy and a
growing trend in offshore
accounts - these have led to
a clampdown on the people
of Argentina. You can’t go
on holiday without
declaring your taxidentification number and
notifying the tax agency
(AFIP) exactly where it is
you’re going. This is a
president who is paranoid
that her people are
spending too much money
on the other side of the
borders.
However, despite a
gloomy economy and
allegations of corruption
and excessive spending, Ms.
Fernández seems to have
her eyes feasted on
something much more
‘important’; the Falklands.
If you went to any LatinAmerican country, they’d
have you believe that the
small islands of a little over
3,400 people were called
Islas Malvinas. If you’d
listen a little more to what
our Latin-American friends
were saying, you might
soon be under the
impression that Falkland
Islanders are being enslaved
by a colonial UK and
detained against their will.
Argentina have tried
everything whilst facing
waning support from their
neighbors including
addressing the UN to
persuade the UK to open
negotiation talks. But
London’s move to hold a
referendum in 2013 seems
to have worked in silencing
Buenos Aires.
Instead of Ms.
Fernández telling the UK
what The Falklands want,
The Falklands can speak for
themselves - like any other
functioning democracy
would. 1,600 are eligible to
vote but a resounding ‘yes’
is most expected. Ms.
Fernández won’t be happy,
but we can count on
democracy, then she can
carry on sorting out what
she’s got, a troubled
economy.
VISIT OUR WEBSITE
www.hardyeanjournal.co.uk
for more articles (updated frequently)
CULTURE
Hardyean Journal
LONDON 2012: CHANGING CHANNELS
by Emily Phillips, Culture Editor
The London 2012 Olympic
games proved to be truly
inspiring , the screaming
crowds , the never ending
cheers of support for the
British Ol ympians , we
cannot help but realise how
very patriotic we have all
become. While we watch on
BBC One the visual thrills
of the explosive closing
ceremony, we begin to feel a
sense of content as we move
towards the end of the
games. However , this is not
the end , as the Paralympics
are never far behind.
Unfortunately ,there is one
unmistakable differencethey are not broadcast on
BBC, one of the world's
most treasured and
respected broadcasters.
Instead, we switch over to
Channel 4, where we begin
to notice the annoying add
breaks and the constant
reminders
of
other
programs we apparently
cannot afford to miss. Even
the Daily Mail described
the viewers as ‘furious’ when
the games were interrupted
by adverts. The BBC has
covered Paralympic sport
since the 1980 Summer
Paralympics, which took
place in Arnheim, so why
have the London organising
committee
(Locog)
suddenly decided to change
the channels? Surely this
implies the Paralympics are
not as impressive as the
Olympics , in a statement,
t h e B BC said: "We are
disappointed to have not
been awarded the rights to
the 2012 Paralympic Games.
We ' r e p r o u d o f o u r
traditions and record in
covering disability sport.”
Does it not seem rather
evident that the BBC were
surprised and indeed
shocked by Locog’s decision
to give broadcasting rights
to Channel 4 . To a viewer
at home this seems obvious
in being somewhat hurtful
to the Paralympic games. If
anything, these games are
equally if not more
impressive and inspiring
given the fact all the
Pa r a l y m p i a n s h a v e a
disability that they have
challenged themselves
against. No doubt , the
Paral ympics brought in
figures such as 7.7 Million
for the closing ceremony ,
although this was 3.5 million
less than the opening one
which could be due to the
tedious add breaks. It was
probably noticeable that
Channel 4 may of not
to t a l l y l i v e d u p to t h e
standards of the BBC.
Viewers said they would
have preferred to have seen
the action back on
Olympics broadcaster the
BBC, saying that Channel 4
coverage featured too much
time in the studio talking
and that parts of the
presentation looked ‘dull’.
Indeed , most people were
alarmed by the channel
change and it is not
surprising to why less and
less people , throughout the
duration of the Paralympics,
tuned out.
LONDON O
Conquering London on a ‘shoe-string’
around Camden Market eating
budget has never been more difficult
sizzling Chinese and Moroccan
for us students, who carefully vale
‘taster’s is staggering. By your fourth
ever hard-earned pound, spending as
mini pot of ‘bang bang’ chicken you
little as possible is a major priority.
begin to feel this is advertising gone
Every time we visit London we are
crazy. It nearly defeats the purpose
disillusioned by how much we are
of promotion itself when you’re so full
forced to spend just to ‘get by’. One
on free food that you don’t even
begins to question the enjoyment of
need the real thing.
the whole experience when forced to
pay 50p to simply use a blocked up
metallic toilet. Think what that could
have been spent on!
Where to stay is admittedly a
problem unless you are fortunate
enough to have friends or relatives to
stay with. Not many of us are lucky
Despite our exasperation at these
enough to ‘sofa-surf’ from borough to
toilet taxes we were surprised how,
borough. But leave early and come
by walking, using an overall day tube
back late and you should be able to
pass (£5..20 with a 16-25 railcard)
squeeze the most out of a pricey day.
and making the most of generous
freebee’s you can actually manage
so scrape by pretty cheaply. As long
as you are well aware of the lack of
compromise drivers have when it
comes to zebra crossings, walking is a
great way to get to grips with the
inner circle of the ‘Big Smoke’. With
regard to freebee’s the number of
times we have strolled purposefully
For keen shoppers with a bulging
wallet then Oxford Street is the
place for you. But if you are looking
for a more ‘atmospheric experience’
then either head to Camden, Brick
Lane or Portobello. Here, you are
sure to find some electric markets,
fresh street food, and meet some
kindred spirits. But do not be fooled:
these sellers know their target market
FEELING
NERDY?
LONDON IS
HOME TO SOME
OF THE WORLD’S
FINEST
UNIVERSITIES.
NEARLY ALL OF
THESE HAVE A
SPEAKERS
PROGRAM
WHERE WELLKNOWN
ACADEMICS AND
GUESTS TALK
FOR FREE.
ATTENDANCE OF
THESE EVENTS
WILL LOOK
GREAT ON YOUR
UCAS FORM!
CHECK ANY
UNIVERSITY’S
EVENTS PAGE TO
GET FREE
TICKETS.
N A BUDGET
TRAVEL
MEGATRAINS is a great
site if you’re flexible with
your timings and book in
advance. Even if there
isn’t the return journey
you want then why not
buy a single journey on
here and your other
single journey on SWT?
Regent’s Park Open Air
Theatre is a hidden gem of
London. It re-opens in
Summer 2013 with the
likes of Pride & Prejudice
to The Sound of Music
openairtheatre.org/
by Tasha Bailey & Rory Newbery
well and you would be hard-
question of all – what and
pushed to find a bargain among
where to eat. If freebees will not
the rails of leather jackets and
suffice, there are plenty of well-
worn in high tops. For want of
priced cafés offering lunch on
some ‘cultural enlightenment’
the move. In the East End,
then there are plenty of free
around Shoreditch and
exhibitions and museums. And
Spitalfields there are numerous
be sure to use your last years of
cafés serving hot, take-away
‘childhood’ wisely (for those
food. Take the tube to Aldgate
under eighteen) – remember
East or Liverpool Street and it
ID’s and you will get it for half
is only a short walk away. On
the price. If you want to meet
your way you can pick up a hot
your Q then head to the (free)
wrap or bowl of rice and curry
National Gallery and admire a
and then hit the trendy market
Turner. Or if not, then the Mall
hotspot with a full stomach.
Galleries and National Portrait
There are some nice little cafés
are also free. But if starring,
around Covent Garden, all the
wide-eyed into a sixteenth
way up to Leicester Square,
century landscape doesn’t
which are a bit more pricey, or
tickle your fancy then there are
head to the popular Hard Rock
plenty of free concerts and
café on Hyde Park corner for a
workshops at the royal Festival
sit down burger. Small
Hall, archive film showings at
supermarkets surround the
the BFI Mediatheque and
edges of the famous London
skeletal remains at the
parks so you can even buy
Hunterian Museum.
yourself a meal deal for under
We are well aware that we
have yet to mention the biggest
a fiver and just watch the world
go by. ENJOY!
SPORTS
TOWN WIN TO BOOST FOOTBALL?
Karl Malone 13RJ
The question is though; can this anyone watching Dorchester would
Will Dorchester Town’s historic FA determination to win latch on to have seen and felt, with the team
The Thomas Hardye football team fighting as one unit to secure the
cup win over Plymouth Argyle
success not only for themselves
boost The Thomas Hardye Sixth as they look to further their
but for the team and the town.
Form team to further their cup success? The first team have
progressed with ease in both the This school team need to take on
success?
County Cup and National Cup,
this philosophy if they wish to
On a mystical Sunday evening in bragging a one hundred per cent succeed. And believe me; I think
November, with the rain pouring, record, home and away; not tasting they have the ability to go far!
Dorchester Town football club
defeat yet. With the strong outfit There is no reason why not. They
(below) made History. Battling to they possess, they do not lack in just need to become infected with
the death, they overcame league skill to help them to continue their that same passion and turn up
two side, Plymouth Argyle. Stated prosperity. This has been in clear with the right mentality and they
as an “all-time great cup tie” by view through the way they have could beat anyone. Consistent
one jubilant fan, the huge feat
strolled through the first rounds performer Will Sonner believes
sparked wonderful scenes of
of teams with ease. However, this they are ready, ‘we are looking
euphoria at the Avenue Stadium will certainly not be the case in
strong, and we are looking forward
with shouts of “we did it!” flowing the future fixtures, with opposing to the next game and believe we
through the air. This win was so teams proposing a much stronger can win’.
impressive due to the
challenge looming over them.
So, from the sound of it, the team
stubbornness of Dorchester’s
They have the talent but do they
have taken a leaf out of Dorchester
defence. When Dorchester took thehave that desire?
Town’s book, and look forward with
lead early in the second half, they
hung on for the remaining forty They may have won every game, confidence ready for a few tough
but they are not a perfect outfit, encounters. We will soon see. Let’s
one minutes despite the
support the team together as a
continuous pressure they were not by a long shot. They could
school and hope they can progress
put under by Plymouth’s attack. even be criticised for not
This determination to win is what connecting well, as there seems to to a higher height. Who knows
every football fan loves to see and be no togetherness about the side. they could even win the County
I believe that is the key to any
Cup, hell, why not the National Cup
makes it that much more
rewarding if it results in success. team’s success. It’s certainly what too!