Voice

Student
10/12/13 Issue One

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Student news website scoops 15,000 visitors

DELIGHT: Reporters Mark Hughes (left) and Tony Hornsby (right), with editor Liam Andrews as CitiBlog reached a milestone
TUDENT-RUN news website CitiBlog, which is in partnership with the MK Citizen, has reached over 15,000 views despite being less than a year old. The website was launched by foundation degree journalism students at MK College and contains original stories and features, as well as those written using content provided by the Citizen. Under the partnership, the Citizen uses the best pieces on its website, in the paper and in Citizen First. CitiBlog has now reached a milestone 15,000 views after running for less than a year

by Liam Andrews @LiamJackAndrews

and has featured some scoops that beat even the local newspapers. Journalism course leader Jon Boyle, said: This is an exciting project that gives our highly talented students a platform to showcase their articles to the people of

Milton Keynes and beyond. Its a win-win situation for all parties involved as the Citizen will be able to cherry pick the best stories for the newspaper. Hopefully the students will make a name for themselves as professional journalists and their articles will

be graded for the workbased learning unit of their course. CitiBlog editor Liam Andrews added: We are delighted with how popular CitiBlog has become and reaching 15,000 views is an incredible achievement for us. To check out CitiBlog, visit www.citiblogmk. co.uk.

Contents

News

Editors Welcome
Dear readers,

NEWS
Cafe manager beats thousands Casino uniform design winner Horticultural Centre opens up College hands out 2,000 grant Historians make history in dig Book illustrated by a student
Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 8

We are delighted to welcome you to the 2013 edition of the Student Voice, which we have been working tirelessly on to create an innovative and engaging newspaper for you the student readers. Inside you will find a multitude of information designed specifically for your interests as students studying with Milton Keynes College.

We have combined news material, entertainment material and even a page dedicated specifically to exercising your brain (the puzzle page duh!) allowing our readers to feel most up to date with the goings on in and around the College. We have on the whole enjoyed creating this publication aimed at you the reader, it has given us the opportunity to ex-

plore the achievements and successes of fellow students as well as inform you all of the basic knowledge that comes with enjoying student life outside of the classroom (see the entertainment section). If none of this is of interest to you maybe youd prefer to head straight to the back pages where you will find a number or articles all relating to sport, perhaps you have a keen interest in Alan

Smith if so read the feature. Or maybe youre a fan of Milton Keynes very own Greg Rutherford either way head right on to the sports section. Working along side an outstanding team including our sub-editor and of course the rest of the writing team has been a absolute pleasure and the final product definitely compliments our team work ethic. So

with all that said please enjoy browsing through our many pages of student related articles aimed specifically at you and we hope our creative flair is enough to hold your attention and keep you entertained from front to back. Thanks for reading, Kathryn Townsend

ENTERTAINMENT
Trey Songz - Chapter V Review Thirty Seconds To Mars - Live Robin Thickes Blurred Lines Baggage Claim gets a verdict
Page 5 Page 10 Page 11 Page 11

VISIt our wEBsIte www.cItIBlogmk.co.uk

OPINION
Why MK Dons are a great club The EU is a waste of my money
Page 12 Page 13

SPORT
Alan Smith gives students a talk
Page 16

Gold College visit for Rutherford Page 17

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Adam cooks up a storm

Adam Gibson sliding his way to victory

Cafe manager wins 10km assault military challenge in Silverstone

Aspers uniform is designed nicely

ifteen students from Milton Keynes College went head to head to win a coveted prize to design the staff uniforms for the new Aspers casino which is the largest in the country outside London. In an exclusive competition organised for Milton Keynes College students, 18-year-old Stephanie Czoboriek pipped the other students to be first past the post. Damian Aspinall, Aspers Chairman was very impressed by the standard of entries and chose the winning design for the casinos staff uniforms. She said: It was really good to be provided with such an amazing opportunity and then to be the winner of the chosen designs is crazy. It was fascinating going to the studio and seeing all my designs as samples and was really beneficial as a student to see it in a real life situation. Im so pleased that they have chosen my designs and I cannot wait to go and see people actually wearing them when the casino opens. Entrants to the competition had been asked by Aspers for a design that would become the Stephanie posing with her winning design

News

Casino opens
by Rachele Gragemana
Students in Milton Keynes believe the new Casino is a great addition to the city. After The Casino MK opened their door to the public last month, students of Milton Keynes feel that the Casino MK is beneficial to Milton Keynes leisure. Journalism student Mark Hughes, 19, Northampton states, Having a Casino in MK was a brilliant idea, it adds to the variety of leisure activities that are within the city. Its different, exciting and we are lucky enough to have one in Milton Keynes. Media student Joe Appleby, 21, Walnut Tree said The Casino MK gives us as a city something to do, its different and it saves us having to travel to Northampton Casino. Its a nice environment and is good for a night out as the bar is amazing. Journalism student Liam Andrews, 20, Greenleys said I LOVE IT! It is a fun and friendly environment, as well as free to enter. Its a secure and safe surrounding, so you can relax and just enjoy your time with your friends. Although some students believed that the Casino MK would bring problems to the city, there were some who felt that the venue was much needed. Journalism student Beth Muddiman, 18, Northampton concluded, The Casino MK would be a great place to go out to socialize and meet new people. Gives Milton Keynes that little bit extra. I think that Milton Keynes needed the Casino to put this city right on the map.

by Mark Hughes @MarkFisiHughes94

ilbury Campus coffee shop manager, Adam Gibson has beaten off fierce competition from over 1000 other entries to win the Rock Solid Military Assault Marathon. The race which took place on the 12th October this year saw competitors battle through an eclectic range of obstacles, designed to make the event as difficult as possible to finish, let alone win the event. Hosted at the nearby Silverstone Woodland course, this course is one of only two courses selected in the country to host Rock Solid Events; and can be participated in either 5 or 10 kilometre distances, with Adam

himself winning the 10km race. The Manager, 29, was clearly undeterred by the physical challenges he was ensure to face on the Woodland course, with the locations array of water based hurdles slowing down even the fittest of competitors. He revealed: Ive done a lot of triathlon racing and marathons in the past and Ive also raced Iron Man before. Ashleigh at the College recommended The Rock Solid race to me, it sounded completely different to anything Ive done before so I signed up to the 10k race in Milton Keynes. While Adam is normally comfortable with flat level racing, he had already tested himself for some of the trials

he would face in the Rock Solid Marathon, by firstly mastering the Box Fit Sprint Triathlon, finishing the event in first place, as well as completing the gruelling Outlaw Ironman Distance Triathlon in just 11 hours. Adams time is even more impressive considering the event consisted of a 2.4 mile swim, a 112 mile bike ride, and a full marathon length 26.2 mile run to finish proceedings. In addition to preparing for his toughest event yet, Adam, as well as committing himself to Milton Keynes Colleges caf, also runs his own company, GreenlightPT, which specialises in multisport personal training and swimming coaching within Milton Keynes. Whether you have an

interest in competing in triathlons or you just simply want to return to regular exercise, Adam is on hand to share his winning secrets which have brought him multiple titles in recent times, his website is www.greenlightpt.co.uk. Within the Rock Solid Marathon itself Adam set a scorching pace throughout, averaging over 12 kilometres an hour despite the endless obstacles aimed at disrupting his progress. As our Caf manager explains, some of the hurdles he faced were not something to take faint heartedly. He said: I faced 8 feet high walls, barbed wire fencing to crawl under, a jump with a 15 foot drop, monkey bars, ice baths and I had to run through fire.

Even faced with such adversity Adam still managed to beat his nearest competitor by over 40 seconds, an astonishing feat considering the level of competition that he came up against to triumph in the race. His finishing time of 49 minutes and 11 seconds on such a demanding course pays testament to our Caf Managers determination and desire to perform at the highest level. Of course like any other competitive athlete Adam is certain to defend his crown as Milton Keynes Rock Solid Champion next year, not however before he pits himself against the same race at the countrys only other Assault Marathon course in Exeter in 2014.

inspiration behind the final uniform. Essential adjustments have been made so the outfits are practical for day-to-day wear by the casinos 250 staff. Fashion and Clothing Lecturer, Hilary Hutchinson, said that the competition and visit to the John Marks Uniform factory was a huge boost to the students future careers. It was really amazing to visit the studio and see Stephanies designs made into an entire collection, she explained. The students have been given an invalu-

able first-hand experience to work as professional designers for a real client. We were also lucky enough to visit the factory where many of the garments will be made, and see the entire production process. An opportunity such as this is invaluable to aspiring designers and will be a massive boost to their CVs. Nigel Hartland, General Manager at The Casino MK said that the competition was the result of a close working relationship with the College. He added: In the last

six years we have developed a thriving relationship with the College and were pleased to be able to offer this opportunity to students. They created some fantastic designs which they should be proud of. Stephanies winning design has been used to inspire the new uniform which our staff will be wearing when the casino opens. We fully intend to continue working in partnership with the College and offering opportunities to the next generation in Milton Keynes.

Horticultural Centre is open for business at Chaffron

on sale within the College, subsequently providing learners with extra knowledge in other areas such as customer service. Head of Foundation Learning, Mandy Riddy explained: The Centre will help the students develop enormously - it is more practical which most LDD students tend to thrive from. The qualifications they

College gives BMX champ 2,000 grant

News

MP Mark checks in

eptember 10 was an important milestone as the first phase of the Milton Keynes College Horticultural Centre was completed. The Centre has been designed specifically to enable LDD (Learning Difficulties/Disabilities) students the opportunity to gain qualifications in different areas, which up until now have not been

by Kathryn Townsend
ticultural Centre. The College has also built up links with local organisations such as Duck End Farm and the Donkey Sanctuary which will benefit students studying for qualifications in small animal care. Mandy continued: Wed like to thank both

put the first spade in the ground to begin the process. She explained: We are really excited to develop this centre in partnership with the Council. It is going to be a fantastic facility for our students which will really help them develop independent living and enterprise skills as well help them with employability.

Contractor Vince Jenner said that the company was very proud to be part of the project. He added: It is wonderful that the College chose us as a local company to build their Horticultural Centre and invest in the local economy. The first stage will consist of a growing area including raised beds, a green-house and shed.

STAR: Greg Rutherford (left), CEO Julie Mills and Alistair Patrick-Heselton hand the award to Izzy Ferrada

ilton Keynes College has continued its great links with the local community by handing out a grant to a local sports award winner. Izzy Ferrada, 17, from Great Linford is the current 17-29 Female British Champion for 24in BMX bikes and was handed the Greg Rutherford Sports

Person of the Year award by the man himself at a Jurys Inn event in December. The College hopes by giving a grant to the successful sports star that in return she will be able to inspire students into achieving what she has. Izzy said: The grant helps me a lot, it goes to-

wards things like my bike next year, race fees and simply things like petrol which really does build up. I definitely think the Colleges support will help me and the support I get from lots of people really does help as a whole. The plan for next season is to come into the Col-

lege and do some talks with students - I plan to get some riders down to the track, getting people interested in BMX racing and also just influence people more to get involved in sport. Izzy was honoured with the chance to meet gold medalist Greg Rutherford and Paralympian Alistair Patrick-Heselton.

available within the Milton Keynes area. The building itself comprises of several different areas including a classroom complete with an interactive smart board, changing facilities, a quiet room and full disabled access as well as a greenhouse and outdoor spaces for growing fruit and vegetables. Students will have the chance to grow their own fruit and vegetables along with various plants and flowers which will then go

gain should help them get employment in the future whether that is full employment or supported employment. During the development process the College has successfully managed to link up with Dobbies and Wyevale who have donated various equipment and also intend to collaborate further with the College in the future by setting up a work experience programme for students working towards a qualification at the Hor-

Dobbies and Wyevale for their generous contributions more specifically Tanya De Coning, the Community and Affairs and Events Officer at Dobbies and Dominic Wright who is the Store Manager at Wyevale. What started off as something quite small has broadened now into a much bigger college activity. It was back in July when the project took its most important steps when Principal Julie Mills

Many of our students can currently only access these type of facilities outside of the area so it is wonderful to be able to provide them here in Milton Keynes. Students with learning difficulties and disabilities is a growing department within the College with 90 students enrolled this academic year meaning thr centre is vital. Local company Newport Pagnell Construction Ltd won the tender to build the new centre.

This area has been designed with accessibility in mind and will be fully useable by wheelchair users. The second stage, a state-of-the-art building, will house a purpose built teaching room, chill out room for autistic students and full changing facilities and will be open in October. The new Horticultural Centre has been planned to be fully expandable for the future and is an important introduction to the College.

RIP Nelson Mandela 1918 - 2013

Students at College had the chance to quiz MK North MP, Mark Lancaster when he took the unusual step of holding a constituency surgery on campus. The Conservative MP, who has been in Parliament since 2005, met students and staff from the college to talk about the subjects of greatest concern to them. Top of their lists were a range of issues from transport to youth unemployment and job opportunities. I am always keen to support my constituency in any way I can said Mr Lancaster. I hold regular surgeries across Milton Keynes, but I was aware that I hadnt done so at Milton Keynes College and was eager to change this and take the opportunity to give young people access to their Member of Parliament. Alexander Balicki, Programme Manager for Youth Work and Enrichment, commented, I have been working with our local MPs for the last few months looking at a number of projects with them. We came up with this idea to provide learners with a bigger voice where they can discuss anything thats important to them not specifically relating to education, but also wider issues in Milton Keynes that affect them.

Historians dig up a piece of history

by Liam Andrews @LiamJackAndrews

BIM Bam!
The mk:50 club invited engineering and construction students from MK College along to their most recent meeting which was about Building Information Modelling (BIM). At the event there was a chance for the students to network with influential people in the construction industry in the city. Nick Isles, Deputy Principal, said: It is very important that ourselves and the business community work together. We need to co-produce solutions to the challenges we face in the industry at the moment. We, as a College, are proud to host this event because it allows us to build our connections. The speakers at the event were from David Coles Architects who spoke about the growing importance of BIM on the construction industry over the next few years. Mike Rhodes, mk:50 club chairman, added: Our aim is bringing construction professions into one trade and networking. This is why BIM is going to be so important because it allows you to create a virtual model of the building and everybody involved can have access to it. The only way this industry can work is if we all work together and that includes with students like we have here today because they need to be prepared for going in to work in the industry.

News

-level history students from Milton Keynes College have been working on the site today (Wednesday) testing out their archaeological skills by helping to slowly uncover the outlines of the former buildings. Studying the Second World War, the students were excited to be part of history by unearthing these unique findings, as well as examining how the huts were formed and what they were made of. Student Chlo Duhaney-Pearce, 17, said: I am currently trying to figure out if this gap in the layout is the sign of a pipe or doorway. I think this project is good for the community and teenagers as we can get a bad reputation, but today we are helping out

with history. It is a really great opportunity and it makes it more realistic learning history outside instead of in the classroom. The colleges history teacher Duncan Lovell, 45, said: Today is giving

them a bit of experience that they wouldnt otherwise have. They are learning about archaeology and what real historians would do. It is also a team building activity and

despite the cold they all have smiles on their faces and are really enjoying looking for something unique. It was a historic day for the students - literally - and an experience they will never forget.

Student illustrates health book

by Kathryn Townsend

student studying in his final year at Milton Keynes College has won the opportunity to illustrate for a local company producing a health book intended for seven to eight year olds. Graphics student Jim Young won a live brief for Lea Fowler Direc-

tor of Health Ventures doing a selection of illustrations for their health book, which is to be aimed at youngsters in order to educate them about nutrition. The illustrations included designing a brand new front cover as well as a dynamic lead to help you navigate your way through the book.

The finished product will be going to print as soon as the rights have been signed over and the book will then be distributed to around 50 schools in the local area before going national in the New Year. Talking of his experience Jim said: I am fully behind the concept of the book and am extremely happy with

the quality of work I ended up producing. It was my first time working with an actual client; I enjoyed having free reign to put my spin on her ideas and create a font cover for the book. The illustrations are fairly twee but I had fun creating the characters.

Thirty Seconds To Mars

BRILLIANT: Jared Leto during a chorus of Closer To The Edge

Reviews

Robin proves hes not Thicke

by Evone Bristol

obin first hit the scenes in 2000 with his album Cherry Blue Skies now he is back with his sixth studio album Blurred Lines. I have never bought a Robin Thicke album before but I found myself singing along to Blurred Lines and decided to purchase his album, I was truly not disappointed. The first track off the album is his hit song Blurred Lines featuring T.I. and Pharrell,

the song has also been named biggest selling song of 2013. There is a club track on the album called Give It To You featuring Kendrick Lamar and 2 chains, it is upbeat, fun and will have you dancing off your feet. Every song off the album has a feel good beat to it, this album is definitely one that should be on your Christmas list. Evone rating: 5/5

by Liam Andrews @LiamJackAndrews

ave you ever gone to a gig with super high expectations only to have them dashed? It was nothing like that at the NIA in Birmingham in November with 30 Seconds To Mars as they exceeded already high expectations. Jared Letos epic entrance was just the beginning of an incredible performance

which the man himself even described as an unforgettable night. But the night had begun well before 30 Seconds To Mars arrival as You Me At Six got the crowd going on their return to the UK singing old hits as well as their new single Lived A Lie. Personal highlights from the show included the simply brilliant Closer To The Edge and the raw passion during the chorus of no no

no no, while the vocal performance during End Of All Days was perfection. As usual Jared wanted to get the crowd as involved as possible and asked everybody to get their phones and lighters out for City of Angels and for people to sit on others shoulders, as well as releasing confetti and massive balloons into the audience. The acoustic set right in the middle of the performance was a great chance

for the crowd to catch their breaths, although by the sheer amount of screams when Jared asked for song requests it seemed like nobody needed a rest. To please everyone, he played parts of old favourites including From Yesterday and Attack, before singing the beautiful Alibi and The Kill. No 30 Seconds To Mars night would be complete without Kings and Queens and they played

that on one of many encores, before covering Rihannas Stay because Jared claimed he didnt want to leave and would have played the same show again tomorrow night if he were allowed. And to round off the night, Jared invited some of the crowd onto the stage to join in with Up In The Air which of course led to a surge of people trying to get to the front. It capped off an amazing night at the

Derulos album will be tattooed on your mind

Jason Derulo, by Evone BristolTattoos Album Review

Treys new chapter of top Songz

rey Songz keeps up his player but charming appearance in the first nine songs of his fifth album Chapter V. Trey also explores his vulnerable and passionate side, as he takes us on an emotional rollercoaster within his tracks, Pretty Girls Lie, Bad Decisions, and the old school Without A Woman. Expectations were high due to Triggas previous albums, Trey had to up his game to ensure that he reached the top ten in the UK Charts. Songzs albums are a massive hit in the US, but his fourth album Passion, Pain & Pleasure reached 167 in the UK chart, despite containing fan-fav hit Bottoms Up. So far, Chapter V has gained a few top 10 singles in the R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and the UK chart in, Heart Attack, Simply Amazing, Fumble and 2 reasons. Treys first success from Chapter V was current single Simply Amazing,

iami pop-R&B sensation Jason Derulo first hit the scenes in 2009 with Watcha Say and new his back with his third studio album Tattoos it has a different sound as

it is has a ballad vibe to it compared to his previous albums but is still just as good. The lead song off the album is called Talk dirty to me featuring 2 chains and it is great dance track, upbeat and catchy.

He has a heartfelt

that has great lyrics and is a good love song, which features his girlfriend Jordin Sparks in the video and he proposes to her. Another good song on the album is called Vertigo featuring his girlfriend Jordin Sparks,

meaning Ill love you more than yesterday it is a nice romantic song. This is a great third album if you would like a fun, fresh sound to Jason purchase this album you will not be disappointed.

track called Marry me

by Chelsie Freed
which indicated that Trey Day is unquestionably heading in the right direction. Soft guitars and a pulsing beat simply amazed music fans out there, as Trey didnt exactly follow his sexual image. Instead, he gave a smooth vocal and passionate performance, which complimented the lyrics and turned Trey into a hopeless romantic. Accompanying

lead track Heart Attack further highlights his ability as fans from all over the world are singing as if it were a nationally recognised anthem. With this said, Trey ensures that he sticks to the one trait he knows best sex, drink and clubs, Panty Wetter, Hail Mary, Playin Hard and Dive in. Despite the impeccable bass, and immeasurable production, Trigga ensures that his sexual innuendos are more engaging. Trey is explicit

with his references to sex and lyrically predicts what women want. Portrays and represents the sentiments of the men in which he stands for, and slowly developing a voice currently missing in R&B. Bear-in-mind Trey definitely gives hope to every R&B fan out there, as he mixes old school with the new. He manages to do the impossible and modernise the classic R&B. 10/10

Its a bold Claim, but we say five stars

P
aula Patton stars in the romantic comedy Baggage Claim as air stewardess Montana Moore who is determined to get engaged before her youngest sisters wedding, leaving her 30 days to find Mr Right. Montana Moore ac-

by Evone Bristol
cidently bumps into her ex-boyfriends in hope that they may have changed and be the one to propose to her. This is a fun film and it will keep you interested throughout, this film has lots of famil-

iar faces including Jill Scott, Trey Songz and Lala Anthony. This film was well directed and written by David Talbert. Go see this movie. A good story. A good cast. You will enjoy it. Evone rating: 5/5

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Milton Keynes Dons: A club to be proud of, not to hate

E
by Liam Andrews @LiamJackAndrews
very week an away team comes to stadium:mk and their fans blast MK Dons for being a franchise and a fake club, but its about time people started to respect the football club for what they do for the beautiful game and the city of Milton Keynes. Being from Milton Keynes, but not a Dons fan because they didnt exist at the time, its great to see what the club is doing for the community and football as a whole. Most recently they threw all of their support behind young Henry Allen who recently passed away by holding a world record onesie attempt and manager Karl Robinson gave a speech at his memorial service which is something the club didnt have to do, but they did it anyway because they want to be part of the community. And what better way amount. And while MK Dons get a lot of grief for their support from other fans, it is worth noting that most of their fans are below the age of 16 as people over that age would have been brought up supporting other teams. And it also must be recognised that Milton Keynes is a growing city and itself has only existed for 50 years. So, it may not be for another few years until the true core of the Dons support can be established.

Opinion
There are no benefits to staying in the European Parliament, but only Nigel Farage knows it

We need to leave the EU - now

by Liam Andrews @LiamJackAndrews
MEP Nigel Faarage speaking at the EU

is there to cement a football team as part of a community than to bring players from the city through your youth academy and into the first team? As recent as this weekend a Dons academy product, Brendan Galloway, scored his first senior goal for the club and this is on top of the rise of Dele Alli and George Baldock. Not to mention Georges brother Sam who earned the club in excess of 1 million. Its great to see a football

club investing in the future and giving young people in the area a chance to fulfill their dreams. And they dont just give young footballers the chance to play for them, the club also has fantastic schemes to allow young fans to watch their team. Regular Family Fun Day events see adults get into games for just 10, while under 18s only have to pay 1. On these days, families are invited to get involved

with community events such as learning about fire safety and different cultures, so it really shows how Pete Winkelman has built MK Dons into something much more than a football club. The Dons have been averaging 7,923 fans a game so far this season which is the eighth highest in League One and considering this includes huge household names such as Wolves, Preston and Sheffield United, it is a decent

Returning to the footballing point of view, Pete Winkelman has given young managers the chance to begin and build their career at his club, with the appointments of Paul Ince (now at Blackpool), Roberto Di Matteo (went on to win the Champions League with Chelsea) and current manager Karl Robinson who is in his fourth season as manager and has been linked with many high profile jobs in the business.

t is about time that the UK woke up and realised that being part of the European Union is doing the country more harm than it is good. There has been much talk over whether there should be a referendum on the idea, and its vital that this happens. Nigel Farage, leader of United Kingdom Independence Party (UKIP) has been the lead protester against the UK being in the EU at the European Parliament, where he has a seat. An overwhelming number of people are now against the UKs involvement in the EU, and as taxpayers we should have a right to choose where our money is going. And its not as if this is a small amount of our money 65 billion last year was spent on registration fees alone. That rises by six per cent next year. This is not to mention the millions that the country spends each day on foreign aid to the EU. You cannot criticise

the government that originally made us part of the EU as the reasons in the 70s were obvious helping the UK with trade. However, the criticism should be aimed at the current government and the last Labour government for not pulling us out of the EU. I have yet to meet one person who can actually tell me why we are still part of the EU, the only answer I ever seem to get is a simple we should be in the EU.

If somebody had a good reason why we should be in it and explained his or her reasoning then I would listen, but nobody has a reason. Obviously the main reason this country is part of it is because of the trading that you get, but with the current financial situation as it is, companies wont turn down trade just because you are not part of the EU. Instead, they will take all of the money that

they can get, regardless of whether your country is part of the European Union. There is no financial gain by being in the EU, but we are wasting so much money by just being part of it. Another concern over this is that immigrants from countries outside of Europe have to go through rigourous tests if they want to move over here. Whereas, if your country is part of the EU there are no tests that

you have to undergo at all, and you will be paid 985 when you come over here even if you dont get yourself a job. If we were to leave then this would then allow every potential immigrant to have the exact same opportunity to get into the country rather than this EU bias. There really is no positive that I can think of to the UK being part of this Union and the sooner that we get out of it the better for our country.

Tuiton fees are nothing to worry about B

y putting myself thousands of pounds in debt, it will probably give me a better chance of earning more money in the future. Whereas, if I decided not to do a degree because of fees then I would probably earn less money in the future, even taking into account the fact I would not be paying back loans. Basically, you are only paying for your university fees if the university does its job and you end up in a position earning the top bracket of money. Not to mention the fact that this is saving the country huge amounts of money in the short-term which will benefit us in the future when the country is in a better position financially. Lets not forget, this money that you have to pay is going towards better teaching and facilities that will end up with you being a better student anyway. And the argument that it puts poorer students off is not well backed up, as the figures show that families earning under 25,000 will get more than 3,000 which they do not need to pay back. When you do start earning 21,000 a year you have to pay back nine per cent of your income a month, which if you earn 25,000

equates to 30 a month. That is 30 out of over 2,000 that you would earn in that month - doesnt sound like much does it? Someday, students may finally recognise that tuition fees actually have positive impacts on the country and are not as bad as they have been made out to be.

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Alan Smith: Karl Robinson can take MK Dons as far as he wants

Sport

Alan Smith in action for MK Dons

Thank you: The children from Stanton School thank Greg Rutherford MBE for getting involved at the Milton Keynes College event

Greg: I need to give back

Continued from back page. to have finished. Hopefully programmes like this will inspire kids to get out there, get involved and get fit, healthy and get involved in sport whether thats the long jump or not! Were breeding a nation of children that want to play sports and games on their video consoles rather than actually getting out there and playing themselves. As well as meeting Sports Leaders from the College, Greg was also getting children from Stanton School involved and was mobbed by the excited kids as they scrambled to get an autograph or photo with the Olympic champion. After becoming a national and local hero at the London 2012 Olympic Games, the gold medalist wanted to come back to the town where he grew up and show that success can be achieevd in the local community - as well as giving something back to the place that gave him so much support. Its great from my point of view to be able to give back a bit to these guys because the amount of support Ive had has been out of this world, he expained. So to be able to come back, talk to these guys have a bit of fun and try and show them Im just a normal lad from Bletchley and with a lot of hard work and dedication you can achieve anything - like I did, I was fortunate enough to get a gold medal. I remember when I was a kid I was able to meet sportsmen and women and often you think well this wont happen to me, but in the local community I can prove that it actually can happen. Greg stayed at the College for four hours, before going on to visit the Asda store in Bletchley who are supporting the Sport Leaders UK attempts to get young people involved in helping out the local community. He added: This is the second year that Asda Active has partnered up with Sport Leaders UK Its really impressive because the schemes awards and qualifications aim to give young people qualifications that they can take forward into

lan Smith comes across as a tough tackling hard man on the pitch, but off the field he is a completely different man altogether who believes the treatment of young players is key for their passion of the game. Speaking at a Silbury Campus press conference with journalism degree students, Smith shocked the young press men and women who werent expeccting a friendly man to walk in. A red card in a Champions League semi-final and plenty of nasty challenges, nobody was expecting Smith to come in and be a

really interesting nice bloke, but that is exactly what he was. Smith says his passion for football is something that has never diminished and never will, but he understands why young players may lose that feeling because they are brought in at the ages of eight and nine. For Smith, that is far to young, and he says, For me, the enjoyment factor is one of the reasons I disagree with teams bringing in players so young. A lot of teams now bring in players at eight years old, and between eight and sixteen you cant tell how good theyre going to be.

I dont agree with it, because it eventually becomes your job and something you have to focus on - it adds extra pressure to them because if youve been playing since you are that young everybody will expect you to go on and make it as a professional. Thats a massive amount of pressure on a young player, I think they should be left to enjoy growing up as a person and playing football for the school team or in the playground because at the end of the day thats when you enjoy it so much. When I went to Leeds at 16, it was my job, I mean

it was the best job in the world, but you have to graft every single day to become a professional. If you go in at eight years old and youre there for the next ten years its just too much. I would take them at 14, because thats when you can see if theyre going to develop. But despite disagreeing with bringing in players at such a young age, Smith does believe that academies are vital in the future of English football. After working with his own boss Karl Robinson it is something he is considering on the coaching side of things especially after he

came through one of the first academies as they are known today at Leeds back in 1996. He adds, I enjoy working with Karl on the coaching side of things and because I came through the Leeds academy which was one of the first in the world back in 1996. That was with Howard Wilkinson who formed the academies that most Premier League sides use today. So as a player who has come through that, you do believe in it and I believe I have got the attributes to help younger players develop having had that expe-

Olympic legacy was thrown around like there was no tomorrow and people like myself and others who were involved at the Olympics have a duty to get children active again. Greg said it is vital that he shows the local community just how important it is to get active, and blamed video games for dampening the countrys success in support. He added: I live a mile away from here and go past the same places where I used to play out when I was a kid with all my mates. But now that seems to have gone and nobody is out anymore - that seems

working with the community, helping with their CV and help with all general volunteering. A question and answer session with the students saw one of the younger children ask Greg whether he won a medal at the Olympics. And much to their delight he proceeded to show them the gold medal he won and even let them pass it around the group while he spoke to them. The Sports Leaders were delighted when they were handed certificates for all their hard work from the man himself, before posing for a photograph together as Greg Rutherford captured the Colleges attention.

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Greg jumps in to get kids involved
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by Liam Andrews @LiamJackAndrews
REG Rutherford MBE visited Milton Keynes College in October as he aimed to get more kids involved in sports. The visit was in partnership with Asda Active and Sport Leaders UK as the College welcomed a local hero and Olympic gold medalist onto its Bletchley Campus to help out. Greg, 26, involved himself in basketball and a throwing game. He told StudentVoice: I think the whole programme is hugely important, purely because its getting children active which is something that I see as lacking hugely in this country. More on page 23

Voice

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