Alt. Cardiff
The underfunded ‘crisis point’ in Welsh healthcare
Image Credit: Shutterstock Edited by Craig Strachan
Alt.| News
Image Credit: Outdoor Cardiff
Local running groups told to jog on as Roath park undergoes flooding investigations Members of multiple Cardiff-based running groups are being forced to change their routes because of closures to Roath Park as they conduct investigations into potential flooding risks near the lake. Runners from both the Roath Park Runners and Cardiff Casual Runners Club Facebook groups have been re-planning their usual circuits because of the investigations happening this month by Cardiff Council on the dam and spillway. According to Outdoor Cardiff, it was discovered that the dam’s spillway
capacity would not be sufficient in the event of extreme flooding in a routine check by Cardiff Council under the Reservoirs Act of 1975. In theory, this could damage the park and surrounding residential areas if such an event were to occur. As a result, Cardiff Council are closing off the surrounding area to the dam and spillway from the public for approximately a month starting in November this year. After which the council plans to start construction changes there in the same month a year later. These closures could include the promenade that goes from the dam all the way
Vegan cafe cooks up new plant based Christmas menu ready for the festive season A vegan cafe and plant store on City road in Cathays, has launched a new Christmas menu for those who’ve gone plant based this year’s holiday season. Their menu includes rosemary fried potatoes, a roasted jerusalem artichoke and a chocolate and chestnut brownie. And the popularity of veganism in the UK is only rising. As the Guardian reported, over 500,000 people pledged to go vegan in 2021 and plant based diets have gone from fads to mainstream consumption. Veganism’s rise in the UK has bred a new demand as we head into the Christmas period. Vegan Christmas. This is something Eartha has witnessed in their store.
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Stephen Peckham, who is one of the manager’s of the cafe, says, “The trend for vegan “The trend for vegan cuisine has been growing for many years now and our customers make no exception during the festive season.” Tackling the classics in a meat and dairy free way brings its challenges also. “Our festive menu is made from traditional Christmas ingredients only we’ve put our own slant on things,” Stephen says. He adds, “We have orecchiette pasta with roast butternut and sage,” instead of your usual meat and two veg and a, “vegan nut roast which we always serve on Sundays anyway because we like to stick to the classics,” as opposed to your traditional turkey roast.
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past the lighthouse. This is a popular path for runners because of the picturesque exercise setting the lake provides. As a result, some members of the aforementioned running clubs have decided to look elsewhere for their jogging needs. “I’ll definitely have to start running somewhere else, like Bute park” says Roath Park Runner James Edmunds. “It’s a shame because I actually prefer Roath, it’s more peaceful” James added. Susi Menhinick, one of the administrators of Cardiff Casual Runners Club, said, “It’s quite surprising to hear, we will have to alter our usual running routes which is a bit of a pain.” But, she said, “it’s worth it if it keeps the park intact.”
Independent ceramic duo are bringing a Christmas stall to Cardiff centre Two South Walian ceramicists hope their new Christmas-themed pop-up stall in central Cardiff will boost their sales in their first high street stall since leaving lockdown. Bill Price and Ben Dunnett, independent ceramicists from Newport, will have an animatronic pop-up stall in Cardiff Creative shop at Queen’s Arcade. According to their website, they originally started selling reusable ceramic straws in 2017 after David Attenborough’s Blue Planet II highlighted the damage plastic straws had on the environment. Bill said, “It’s been quite amazing since reopening in April and we’re hoping the volume of
sales will increase even more dramatically in the next few weeks” there will even be an animatronic stand opening to reveal different ceramic wares in Cardiff creative from this month. They’ve been experimenting with Christmas-themed goods including a twirling toadstool tree, brussels sprout and Christmas pudding earrings. They have done pop-ups in the past, however, this is the first time they’ve returned to Cardiff high street with their Christmas goods since the pandemic began. Even at the prospect of another lockdown Bill remains positive. “The winter lockdown was a bit of a welcome rest last year, and financially online sales totally took over so we were kept pretty busy,” Bill said.
Alt.| Interview
‘I was very nervous, when people came back to the clubs it wasn’t normal’
During the pandemic, shot-girl Nicolle Mozfi had to stop working in Cardiff’s LGBTQ+ clubs. Now she’s witnessing the struggles of getting ‘back to normal’ When asked to describe herself in a word Nicolle Mozfi says, “Perfect, talented, intelligent, beautiful, iconic, the list goes on. You need a dictionary for me darling.” The 23-year-old transgender woman has been selling shots for almost five years and has become synonymous with Cardiff ’s LGBTQ+ nightclubs. “I’m like the furniture, it’s like I live here,” Nicolle says when explaining her involvement with local LGBTQ+ clubs Kings and Pulse. She exudes a natural confidence that not only lifts the atmosphere in the room but also makes her impossible to reject when she asks you to buy three Jager bombs for a fiver. Then the pandemic hits and she loses both of those things. Uncharacteristically at this point, Nicolle doesn’t have much
to say. “It was just a blur for me, very stressful” she says, explaining she lived with her Slovakian mother in Cardiff throughout the lockdowns.
Getting the party started again “I was very nervous at first,” Nicolle says in an off brand way for her. It became clear to her that being at home for 18 months made people forget how to interact with others politely, especially bar staff. She says, “It felt like when everything went back to normal it really wasn’t normal at all. “Seeing everyone shouting at everyone
it was horrible, a lot of people hit on me, they forget I’m working.” Some of the things she says customers have said to her are beyond belief. Nicolle recalls, “One time someone offered me £20 to pee on them.” She maintains that she loves her job but other staff members confirm the abuse levelled at them and Nicolle has gotten worse since the pandemic. One bartender revealed Nicolle had been referred to as a “tranny” on several occasions and door staff said they felt they had never seen
“One time someone offered me £20 to pee on them”
Getting to know Nicolle: Asking fellow Kings and Pulse employees to describe her in as few words as possible “Terrifying but my icon” “A true princess” “Gorgeous Darling” “Mental, but I love her” “Eccentric, actually I take it back, flirty” “The words I’m thinking of you wouldn’t be allowed to print.”
so many predators as they do now.
But Nicolle, as bold as ever, doesn’t plan to quit bar life anytime soon. When asked about the future she says, “I’m not rushing anywhere. “In my 30s I want my own nightclub, called Nicolle’s Fantasy Land.” Explaining that people would have to do a Jager bomb with her in order to be allowed entry. But as she says herself, “I’m irreplaceable darling.” Irreplaceable to Kings and Pulse, but also to Cardiff ’s LGBTQ+ community too.
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Alt. | Feature
Image Credits: Craig Strachan Written by: Craig Strachan
Endometriosis:
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The groups addressing the ‘crisis point’ in Welsh gynaecology
Debates over increasing funding for English endometriosis care happened in Parliament last month, why are those suffering in Wales not getting the same consideration?
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ynaecological health campaigners see it as a topic that’s finally starting to get the recognition that it’s long been owed. Endometriosis and PCOS are gynaecological conditions common in as many as 1 in 10 women/AFAB. The chronic illness can cause symptoms of pain, loss of fertility, loss of normal organ function and results in many sufferers having to give up their jobs and overall, giving a very poor quality of life to thousands across the country. Many of whom go undiagnosed. “When they said it might mean I wouldn’t be able to have children I kind of shutdown, I nearly cried in the doctor’s room,” one anonymous woman said in response to finding out about her diagnosis of PCOS. According to the NHS, PCOS is when your ovaries become enlarged and contain many fluid-filled sacs that surround the eggs similar to cysts causing irregular menstruation and impacting fertility. Whereas endometriosis occurs where cells similar to the ones in the lining of the womb (uterus) are found elsewhere in the body. Each month these cells react in the same way to those in the womb, building up and then breaking down and bleeding. Unlike the cells in the womb that leave the body as a period, this blood can’t escape.
Yet until now, many experts say NHS funding towards the condition has been criminally underprovided. It was welcomed by charities such as Endometriosis UK when the UK government debated a £5.9bn increase of funding towards both illnesses in NHS England in the House of Commons last month. However, because of the devolved NHS, said funding increases (if they were to go through) wouldn’t impact the lives of those suffering in Wales. Rachel Joseph (Fair Treatment for the Women of Wales) The House of Commons have debated it, why not the Senedd? So how are the Welsh government tackling this health crisis and are they doing enough? The answer is complicated, but on the face of it, charities are saying no they aren’t doing enough. In 2018, the Welsh government co-authored a report with the Fair Treatment for the Women of Wales (FTWW) suggesting much more drastic measures should be implemented towards care for those suffering with endometriosis. However, when contacted on progress made since the report, FTWW spokesperson Rachel Joseph, admitted, “progress regarding patient access to care has been, very
Alt. | Feature sadly, limited.” She then added that, “Many clinicians and patients describe endometriosis care in Wales as being at a crisis point,” with patient waiting times being, “in excess of five years.” Rachel also highlighted how for those not resident in the nation’s capital, referrals for the condition are regularly refused due to funding arrangements. This was raised recently by Wales Online, revealing there are only two specialist surgeons in Wales and only one specialist clinic (in Cardiff). One place in the whole country, for a condition that’s as common as diabetes in Wales and evidently can be just as dangerous and life-changing. This is a brutal reality for those suffering in Wales. The woman quoted at the start of the piece asked for
“Many clinicians and patients describe endometriosis care in Wales as being at a crisis point.” Rachel Joseph anonymity because she says, “I feel embarrassed that my body doesn’t function like everyone else’s.” She also says, “I could’ve been helped more with understanding what my diagnosis actually meant but the communication between the endocrinologist and my GP is so slow it took at least four months to be seen between my first and second appointments,” in Cardiff. However, the organisations surrounding this issue are starting to put pressure on the Welsh government and Rachel from FTWW, reveals that there’s reason for hope among those suffering. How are different groups pushing for improvements to endometriosis care after Covid-19? Rachel says, “There has been some positive progress that should not be
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overlooked.” FTWW have set up a petition, similar to the one that led to the House of Commons debate, for funding increases for endometriosis care to be debated in the Senedd. In addition, Rachel commends the Welsh government’s initiative called the Women’s Health Implementation Group (WHIG) in response to the 2018 report. In an attempt to ask the Welsh government for comment, Alt Cardiff contacted the office of Welsh health minister Eluned Morgan. But, in response she said there was an average waiting time of five weeks to email correspondence due to the overwhelming amount or enquiries she faces in light of the coronavirus pandemic. However, a Welsh government spokesperson acknowledged that, “Health boards are responsible for delivering high quality gynaecology services and WHIG has funded pelvic health coordinators in each board,” meaning that in theory everyone in Wales should have access to someone who understands illnesses such as PCOS and endometriosis properly. FTWW also spoke of the introduction of a new website called Endometriosis Cymru due to be launched in March 2022, which had been co-produced by WHIG and Cardiff University Professor, Jacky Boivin. This website would not only increase
awareness for the issue in Wales, but also seeks to lower the diagnostic delay many face. “It’s quite easy to dismiss, especially when girls are in their teens and going through puberty,” the anonymous woman says. Hopefully this website would reduce that, and also provide care in the case of any future lockdowns, where practically all sufferers of the condition couldn’t be seen by professionals. But overall, is it enough? Do the
“I could’ve been helped more with understanding what my diagnosis actually meant.” Anonymous PCOS sufferer Welsh government need to do more? Rachel says, “There are still several key recommendations made by the 2018 report which need attention. “Endometriosis care in Wales deserves more recognition and more action at a quicker rate as, for many of those affected, time is running out.”