Issue 1145 - Monday November 25 by Cardiff Student Media

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25 tachwedd 2019 25 november 2019

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Students’ Union adopts official pro-choice stance

Charlotte King Head of News

ardiff University’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) was held on November 21 and saw students putting forward various motions, calling upon Cardiff University’s Students’ Union to act in a number of ways. One of the evening’s motions, proposed by Isadora Sinha, calling upon the Students’ Union to adopt an official pro-choice stance, passed with a near unanimous vote in favour of the motion. The motion demanded that the Students’ Union adopt a stance on abortion rights and bodily autonomy and alleged that misinformation has been spread about the medical procedure of abortion by Students’ Union affiliated societies. It also called upon the Students’ Union to provide more comprehensive ‘Pregnancy Support’ in line with its level of awareness of other health-related issues like mental health, wellbeing and sexual health. Additionally, it also asked the Union to change its pregnancy and abortion-related terminology; provide up-to-date information on where to seek help on the back of Students’ Union toilet stall doors; create a prochoice awareness campaign highlighting the importance of access to safe and legal abortion; and ensure that Students’ Union affiliated societies do not spread misinformation about abortion and pregnancy nor participate in activities against the Union’s policy. The passion of students from both sides of the argument in the room was undeniable. Speaking to the crowd, Sinha expressed, “carrying pregnancy needs to be an individual choice and the Students’ Union stance should reflect this” and stated that this motion does not censor anyone but rather will help create a “supportive learning environment” for students. Other supporters of the motion took to the stage too with one student arguing that becoming pro-choice does not mean that the Students’ Union becomes actively anti-abortion but ensures people have the right to bodily autonomy. Another student expressed that supporting the motion is supporting a basic human right and if people have not experienced having to make a choice on pregnancy themselves, they should “listen to the ones who have been there”. However, the motion was met with opposition from some students. Prior to the AGM, Cardiff University Catholic Society published an open let-

ter addressed to them by Reverend Fr Sebastian Jones from the University Catholic Chaplaincy calling the motion a “troubling development”. Prior to voting on the motion, it was warned that if the motion were to be passed, CathSoc would resign its membership of the Guild of Societies and continue to function independently of the Guild. However, at the time of writing it is not certain whether this will be going ahead in light of the motion’s result. Cardiff Students for Life, a society aiming to “promote, expand and develop understanding of pro-life issues” also voiced concerns regarding the motion prior to AGM, calling on all of its members to attend the AGM to vote against the motion “for our freedom of speech and conscience”. At the event, students opposing the motion said: “our human rights are being threatened”. One student argued that approving the motion would endanger students’ right to freedom of expression, conscience and choice. They stated that students have the right to a space for balanced debate and that the motion greatly offends the Catholic community at Cardiff University. A second speaker in opposition to the motion also stated that this motion would prevent the Students’ Union committing to its principle of inclusivity by denying their right to hold a contrary opinion to being pro-choice and would prevent certain students from being able to practice their faiths. Another student also felt the motion would be the same as the Students’ Union affiliating itself with a political party in principle. As the debate drew to a close, Sinha returned to the stage to express how the Students’ Union is not neutral on racism or transphobia and bodily autonomy is “a basic human right”; she feels there is no neutral. “It needs to be [the pregnant woman’s] choice and it needs to be an informed one.” Henceforth, the Students’ Union will now officially adopt a pro-choice stance and provide pregnancy support for students which is “unbiased and medically accurate” by now referring to a foetus at 13-weeks instead of a baby. Additionally, up-todate information on pregnancy-related medical services will be posted on toilet stall doors, VP Welfare and Campaigns will ensure the Union is campaigining for and provides strategies for the prochoice stance, and VP of Societies and Volunterring will see that societies “do not spread misinformation about abortion and pregnancy nor participate in activities against SU policy”.

Lights, Christmas, action: Cardiff residents are preparing to head to the polls next month. Source: Tomos Evans

Step Into Christmas 2019 event cancelled for financial reasons

his year, Cardiff Council’’s usual event to switch on the lights, Step Into Christmas, was cancelled. A spokesperson for Cardiff Council said that “Step Into Christmas was re-

moved from the events budget last year to help the Council bridge a budget gap of approximately £25 million”. Gair Rhydd spoke to some stallholders in the Christmas market to get their response to the cancellation of

UCU strike action: Cymru ar daith should students i Ewrop ar gyfer show support? Ewros 2020

his week members of the University and College Union are undertaking strike action in 60 universities across the UK, resulting in cancelled lectures and seminars for students. Staff are striking to protest various issues, including working conditions, improvement in pay, staff wellbeing, and the gender pay gap which constitutes a difference of 21% between pay for male and female colleagues. This week, one of our Comment editors, Adam Clarke, shares his view on the strike and why he believes students should stand in solidarity with their lecturers. To find out more about Adam’s view on the strikes and his stance on students’ support of the 8-day staff strike, turn to page 16.

u dathliadau lu ar draws Cymru wrth i’r tîm cenedlaethol lwyddo i gyrraedd pencampwriaeth Ewros 2020. Daeth buddugoliaeth i Gymru o 2-0 yn erbyn Hwngari a wnaeth sicrhau eu lle yn y bencampwriaeth. Roedd nifer o chwaraewyr profiadol megis Aaron Ramsey, a sgoriodd y ddwy gôl, yn gyffaeliad i’r tîm ifanc hwn. Ond, roedd chwaraewyr ifainc megis Ethan Ampadu, David Brooks a Kieffer Moore hefyd yn allweddol i llwyddiant y tîm ar y dydd. Bydd Cymru’n gobeithio i ailadrodd a gwella ar eu llwyddiant ym Mharis yn 2016 pan wnaethant gyrraedd y rownd gyn-derfynol. Amser a ddengys pun ai bydd Cymru yn llwyddiannus yn eu hymdrechion. Ewch i dudalen 10 i ddarllen adroddiad Taf-od o’r gem.

the event. You can read what they had to say inside, alongside the view of an attendee of this year’s Christmas lights switch on. To read more on the cancellation of the event, turn to page 3.

Devolution in the United Kingdom: where are we now?

evolution has become a defining issue in this election as the nations within the United Kingdom grow increasingly autonomous from Westminster. There have been more vocal calls for independence in Scotland and Wales in recent years and with the Brexit negotiations still ongoing, some feel that the Union’s strength is being tested like never before. However, while the SNP argues in favour of a second independence referendum for Scotland, does Wales have an appetite for increased devolution to the Welsh Assembly? And just how likely is Welsh independence? Read more on page 12 to find out the history and context of devolution and the attitute of the Welsh and Scottish people.

EDITORIAL

Gair Rhydd 2019/20 Coordinator Elaine Morgan

Editor-in-Chief Tomos Evans

Deputy Editors

Charlotte King George Willoughby

News

Charlotte King Olly Davies Anna Dutton Zoe Kramer

Features

Mustakim Hasnath Sam Tilley

Taf-od

For more content, head to gairrhydd.com

A note from the Editor Nodyn gan y Golygydd (News)rounding Newid i down... Newsround?

Llion Carbis Aled Biston Rhodri Davies Deio Jones

Politics

Lowri Pitcher Hallum Cowell Tom-Henry Jones Maisie Marston

Comment

Adam Clarke Harry Clarke-Ezzidio Kat Smith Tehreem Sultan

Column Road Indigo Jones

Advice

Molly Govus Rhiannon James

Satwik Speaks Satwik Shivoham

Science

Olivia Davies Holly Giles

@Caerdydd

Tirion Davies Natalie Graham

Five Minute Fun Michael Ash

Sport

Reece Chambers Olly Allen Ella Fenwick Luke Wakeling George Willoughby

Head of Digital Media Aliraza Manji

Social Media Manager Ashley Boyle

Digital Media Editors Matt Hancock-Bruce Daniel O’Callaghan Tom Walker

Graphics Editor

Oli King

Copy Editors Muskan Arora Boadicea Dowd Anurag Hegde Dewi Morris

Write to the editor editor@gairrhydd.com

At Gair Rhydd we take seriously our responsibility to maintain the highest possible standards. We may occasionally make mistakes, however if you believe we have fallen below the standards we seek to uphold, please email editor@gairrhydd.com. You can view our Ethical Policy Statement and Complaints Procedure at cardiffstudentmedia.co.uk/complaints. Opinions expressed in editorials and opinion pieces are not reflective of Cardiff Student Media, who act as the publisher of Gair Rhydd in legal terms, and should not be considered official communications or the organisation’s stance. Gair Rhydd is a Post Office registered newspaper.

Breaking news?: Newsround’s teatime slot. Source: Jon S (via Flickr) Tomos Evans Editor-in-Chief

n an age when fake news is prevalent, there is nothing more important than obtaining our news from a plethora of sources, in order to question and analyse the information we acquire. As young people, growing up in the context of fake news can be especially challenging which is why it is crucial that we have reliable and trustworthy sources for our news. One of the sources which young people have depended upon for many years now is the BBC’s flagship children’s news service, Newsround. A staple of everyone’s childhood, the teatime bulletin would always be vital viewing after coming home from school. It was recently announced, however, that Newsround’s afternoon bulletin would be axed from the CBBC channel, if plans submitted to Ofcom are approved. The BBC say that this proposal is a response to changing viewing habits, with the vast majority of young people instead opting to watch TV and access news online. Money saved from axing the afternoon Newsround bulletin would be redeployed to online news as a response to viewer demand. I can understand the challenging nature of the current context for the BBC. Traditional forms of obtaining news are being made redundant with the advancement of social media. Young

people are particularly likely to receive their news via social media. According to a report published by Ofcom in 2018, 64% of UK adults obtain their news via the internet, whilst a staggering 82% of 16-24-year-olds get their news on the internet. The BBC’s proposed plans for Newsround would see an overall reduction in news content on CBBC from 85 hours to 35 hours per year, a 59% decrease. This would have a significant impact on news consumption amongst young people at a time when social media allows for the formation of misleading news. So great is the power of social media in forging false truths that AI can now be used to create so-called “deepfake” videos. One such video, produced by research company Future Advocacy in collaboration with artist Bill Posters, depicted Boris Johnson and Jeremy Corbyn endorsing each other to be Prime Minister. Whilst this particular video was produced to raise awareness of “deepfake” videos, unless we have a trusted media, willing to scrutinise this kind of content, the potential damage to democracy is significant. That is why the reduction of Newsround’s content would be so detrimental – a friendly, familiar face no longer as visible. With a General Election campaign underway, a strong, independent press is more crucial then ever in holding those in power, and those seeking power, to account.

Newyddion yn torri?: Y bwletin prynhawn. Tarddiad: Jon S (drwy Flickr) Tomos Evans Prif Olygydd

ewn oes lle mae newyddion ffug yn ffynnu, does dim byd pwysicach na chael gafael yn ein newyddion drwy amrywiaeth o ffynonellau, er mwyn gallu cwestiynu a chraffu ar y wybodaeth y derbyniwn. Fel pobl ifanc, gall dyfu ac aeddfedu yn nghyd-destun newyddion ffug fod yn heriol sef pam ei bod hi’n hollbwysig fod gennym ffynonellau dibynadwy a didwyll ar gyfer ein newyddion. Un o’r ffynonellau mae pobl ifanc wedi dibynnu arni ers blynyddoedd bellach yw prif wasanaeth newyddion plant y BBC, Newsround. Yn rhan annatod o fagwraeth y rhan fwyaf, roedd y bwletin amser te bob amser ar y teledu wrth ddychwelyd o’r ysgol, wedi Ffeil, wrth gwrs. Ond, yn ddiweddar, daeth y cyhoeddiad y byddai bwletin prynhawn Newsround yn diflannu os y caiff gynlluniau’r BBC eu cymeradwyo gan Ofcom. Byddai’r arian a gaiff ei arbed drwy gwtogi ar y ddarpariaeth yn cael ei fuddsoddi mewn newyddion ar-lein er mwyn ymateb i anghenion gwylwyr. Deallaf naws heriol y cyd-destun cyfredol i’r BBC. Mae ffurfiau traddodiadol o dderbyn ein newyddion wedi eu disodli gyda datblygiad cyfryngau cymdeithasol. Mae pobl ifanc yn arbennig o debygol o dderbyn eu newyddion drwy gyfryngau

cymdeithasol. Yn ôl adroddiad a gyhoeddwyd gan Ofcom yn 2018, mae 64% o oedolion y DU yn derbyn eu newyddion drwy’r rhyngrwyd, tra bod 82% o bobl rhwng 15 a 24 oed yn derbyn eu newyddion drwy’r rhyngrwyd. Byddai cynlluniau arfaethedig y BBC ar gyfer Newsround yn gweld gostyngiad o gynnwys newyddion ar CBBC o 85 awr i 35 awr y flwyddyn, gostyngiad o 59%. Byddai hyn yn cael effaith andwyol ar dderbyn newyddion ymysg pobl ifanc ar adeg pan mae cyfryngau cymdeithasol yn galluogi ffurfiant newyddion ffug. Mor fawr yw gallu’r cyfryngau cymdeithasol i greu anwireddau y gall AI gael ei ddefnyddio bellach er mwyn creu fideos “deepfake”. Roedd un fideo o’r fath, a gafodd ei gynhyrchu gan y cwmni ymchwil Future Advocacy gyda’r a’r artist Bill Posters, yn cynnwys Boris Johnson a Jeremy Corbyn yn cefnogi ei gilydd i fod yn Brif Weinidog. Tra y cafodd y fideo hwn ei greu er mwyn codi ymwybyddyiaeth o fideos “deepfake”, oni bai bod gennym gyfryngau y gallwn gredu, sy’n barod i ddadansoddi’r math hyn o gynnwys, mae’r difrod posibl i’n democratiaeth yn sylweddol. Dyna pam y byddai gostyngiad yng nghynnwys Newsround mor niweidiol: llais dibynadwy na fyddai mor glywadwy. Gydag ymgyrch Etholiad Cyffredinol bellach yn ei hanterth, mae gwasg gref ac annibynnol yn allweddol wrth ddal y rhai mewn grym, a’r rhai sy’n gobeithio am rym, i gyfrif.

Tomos Evans Editor-in-Chief

raders at Cardiff city centre’s Christmas market have expressed disappointment at Cardiff Council’s decision not to hold their annual Step into Christmas event this year. The event, which formally marks the turning on of the city centre’s Christmas lights, was not held for financial reasons. Rhiannon Roberts, one of the traders at the market, told Gair Rhydd, “There was no footfall, more or less. I know it was raining again but normally the first Thursday of the markets is a really busy day for all traders and everyone I talked

to said that it wasn’t a great day at all. We still made sales, but you could see the difference.” Rhiannon continued, “I think that it did have an impact that the Cardiff switching on the lights didn’t happen. I’ve done this event for years and every time there’s a buzz, there’s entertainment. The children come out, the adults come out, obviously they buy with us at the market. But, also, it’s just a nice vibe and everyone’s out to celebrate the start of Christmas and we definitely saw something change.” In previous years, the Step into Christmas event has seen celebrities such as former Doctor Who starts David Tennant and Billie Piper switch on the lights.

How fire-safe is Cardiff University student accommodation?

Gair Rhydd spoke to the university to find out more about fire safety and cladding used on accommodation buildings Charlotte King Head of News

n November 15, The Cube in Bolton, a private student halls of residence in Manchester, went up in flames and saw 100 residents fleeing the building. The fire damaged every floor of the accommodation but, fortunately, only two students were treated for “minor injuries” on site. Up to 200 firefighters tackled the blaze, which quickly spread throughout the building. This event has again raised the issue of flammable cladding being used on the outside of apartment complexes, which first became a topic of discussion following the tragedy at Grenfell Tower in 2017 which took the lives of 72 people. The Cube did not have the same cladding that Grenfell Tower was built with, but was instead built with High Pressure Laminate (HPL) cladding. In light of this recent development, Gair Rhydd has looked into whether Cardiff University halls of residences and private student accommodation complexes in Cardiff are built with combustible cladding, and more gener-

ally how safe student accommodation throughout the city is with regards to fire safety. Gair Rhydd enquired about the fire safety regulations adhered to by Cardiff University halls of residences and whether flammable cladding has been used on university accommodation. We were informed that, following the Grenfell Tower fire, the University conducted a review of the construction and cladding attached to all of its buildings, and a spokesperson reports that Talybont Gate has a rainwater screen attached to partial elevations of the building, “this being of HPL material”. However, the University goes on further to state that there is a variety of specifications of HPL cladding, all with different fire rating classifications and the HPL cladding used on the Talybont Gate residences “has a European Fire Standard rating which is the highest for this type of material.” Behind the HPL cladding, Gair Rhydd has been told that the walls of Talybont Gate are “packed with Rock Wool fibre, a non-combustible material”. The Fire Protection Association, the UK’s National Fire Safety Organisation, has called for all HPL clad-

ding to be “urgently removed”, stating that “thousands of people are at risk”. However, they also reported that when the cladding is used with noncombustible rock fibre insulation, as Talybont Gate is, the system “does not present a risk to public safety”. A spokesperson for Cardiff University said: “We have carried out extensive inspections of our buildings. This includes our high-rise and residential student accommodation. “We take the health and safety of our staff and students extremely seriously and we remain confident that we have robust fire policies and procedures in place in University-owned properties. However, should there be any legislative changes or changes to fire and safeguarding which result from the review of the Grenfell Tower fire then we will work with the appropriate bodies to implement them.” Speaking to Gair Rhydd about safety in the instance of a fire, a first-year student who lives in university accommodation, said: “I feel confident I can get out of the building as I live on the ground floor and the [fire] alarms are super loud, but I don’t think the staff get there very quickly and if something had hap-

pened to me that they would know.” In response, the University said they do not comment on anonymous claims but encourage any student who has safety concerns to “raise them through formal university channels” so they can be thoroughly investigated. They continued that all university residences have the highest category fire alarm systems, which are regularly tested and connected to security to prompt an immediate response. There are also fire action notices in all bedrooms, kitchens and landings and they have also installed emergency lighting and directional signalling in the case of a fire. It appears that the discussion around flammable cladding and fire safety in high-rise buildings is back on the agenda following the blaze in Manchester’s The Cube. The Government has stated that in light of the recent event, they have provided councils with funding to find out the types of cladding used on high rise buildings and have tested various cladding materials, including HPL, to see “whether any further action is necessary”.

To contact our news desk, drop us an email at news@gairrhydd.com

family to enjoy.” The spokesperson added that, despite the poor weather conditions on the day, “our monitoring of footfall shows there were more people in the city centre this year compared with the Step Into Christmas event in 2017. They also said that “It’s important to point out that Cardiff is still recognised as having one of the strongest Christmas offerings in the UK that people can come to and enjoy across the whole festive season and not just on one day or evening. “The council is intent on trying to make the Christmas experience in the city one which can be enjoyed across the season and a number of events have been planned in the run up to Christmas to help traders. These events “are in addition to all the other great reasons to visit the city over Christmas, including the enhanced Winter Wonderland, Santa’s Grotto in Queen Street, the fantastic Christmas market and Christmas lights - including the spectacular reindeer - and of course the Christmas tree outside the castle. It’s important not to forget the Christmas shows we put on at St David’s Hall and the New Theatre, and of course the chance to experience a Victorian Christmas at Cardiff Castle.” With the Christmas spirit in full swing, many in Cardiff are left wondering whether Step Into Christmas will be stepping back into Cardiff next year.

NEWS

Bringing Christmas to Cardiff: Rhiannon Roberts, one of Cardiff Christmas market’s stallholders. Source: Tomos Evans

In terms of the plans for next year, Rhiannon said, “I’d like [the event] to come back, really. So, entertainment again. Penarth, Barry – they all have the switching on of the lights so it would be nice for actual Cardiff, the capital city, to do something big.” Non Watts, another of the Christmas market traders told Gair Rhydd that, unlike Rhiannon, “It didn’t affect us personally”. However, she added that “It was disappointing that the city itself was unable to put something on, regardless of the weather, as there were many children around.” Mikey Roberts took his six-year-old daughter to the city centre to see the Christmas lights being turned on, as he has in previous years. He described it to Gair Rhydd as “a big let down”. He continued, “The atmosphere was flat and not like it has been in previous years which was a shame.” Mikey adds, “I’d like next year’s version to be similar to previous events, and not like this year’s no show! I’m sure shops in the city centre would have made a lot more money with a bigger crowd in the city centre.” A council spokesperson said: “Step Into Christmas was removed from the events budget last year to help the council bridge a budget gap of approximately £25 million, and while we appreciate it will be missed by some, there’s little doubt there is a host of wonderful Christmas activities taking part in the city throughout the season for all the

NEWYDDION

Step into Christmas cancelled for 2019 due to financial constraints

For more content, head to gairrhydd.com/news

Christmas market stallholders disappointed at lights event no show

Your news desk Charlotte King Olly Davies Anna Dutton Zoe Kramer

4 NEWS Students’ Union net income drops to £3,165 Sam Tilley Features Editor

he financial security of Cardiff University Students’ Union was called into question at the Annual General Meeting last Thursday. The net income generated by the Students’ Union fell from £262,043 in the financial year 2017-18 to a significantly lower figure of £3,165 in the financial year in 2018-19. However, it must be remembered that 2017-18 was a particularly successful year for the SU, financially. The Union employs 100 ‘career’ staff and up to 300 student staff. The main source of the Students’ Union’s income is a ‘block grant’ from Cardiff University, however, due to the precarious financial situation of the University, the block grant was frozen in 2018-19 whilst it received a 1% cut in 2019-20, impacting on the SU’s ability to spend as much as they have done in previous years. Students’ Union President Jackie Yip said with regards to the University’s financial situation: “When the University catches a cold, we also begin sneezing.” Due to the financial position of the university, the block grant may well be cut again later in the year, it was reported at the AGM. The Students’ Union are reportedly currently trying to offset this loss of income by increasing revenue in areas such as letting and venues; for example, Orla Tarn, VP Societies, discussed how the Union has looked into opening the Great Hall for club nights but reported that it would currently cost £5,000 to do so. The Board of Trustees was questioned by an audience member on whether its priorities were commercial or student-focussed, and Tarn responded: “We will never intend to deliberately usurp student activities.”

Over the past academic year... Student engagement with Jobshop is up by 60% The Students’ Union sold just under 500,000 VKs last year The Students’ Union was named the third best SU in the UK, according to Whatuni The SU received a £2.9 million block grant from the University

In total, the Union now has

78 waterboard vessels for student use

For every £1 a student puts into a student group, the SU puts in £3

AGM 2019 sees all five motions passed by students

Written by the News team.

ackie Yip, President of Cardiff University’s Students’ Union, opened up this year’s Annual General Meeting with a call upon students to register to vote for the upcoming General Election on December 12. After approving the minutes of last year’s AGM with little opposi-

tion, Yip sifted through “student wins” from the last academic year, including working with the National Assembly of Wales to get rid of agency fees, achieving a 39% increase engagement with Give it a Go, and launching a Cardiff Volunteering online membership site. Yip also stated that it has been an

award-winning year, with the Students’ Union ranking the third-best Students’ Union in the UK and also being named one of the Sunday Times’ Top 100 not-for-profit employers. AGM 2019 was a night of heightened emotion with a varied list of motions up for discussion, ranging from institutional racism to abor-

tion. Before delving into the specific motions, Josh Prior, Chair of the Student Senate, announced to the crowd that some of this year’s emotions are “quite emotive” and encouraged students to “keep it polite”. Here is a breakdown of each motion voted on at this year’s AGM and what happened throughout the evening:

Commitment to tackling institutional racism: Passed

his motion, proposed by Jackie Yip, called upon the Students’ Union to do a number of things, one being to call on Cardiff University to publicly acknowledge its duty to act on the findings of the Equality and Human Rights Commission 2019 report into racial harassment in UK public universities. The report discovered that racial harassment is commonly experienced by students and staff at UK universities, with 24% of students from an ethnic minority background reporting experiencing racial harassment since beginning their course and one in 20 leaving their studies due to racial harassment; additionally, it was found that three in 20 staff have left their jobs, too. Additionally, two thirds of students stated that they did not report experiencing racial harassment to their university because they were not confident in the process.

The motion therefore also called upon the Students’ Union to work with Cardiff University to find solutions to ensure student voices are heard and to work with the National Union of Students Wales to lobby the Higher Education Funding Council Wales ,to ensure the recommendations of the report are acted upon. The motion states that “there is no place for racism in society” and universities should be leading the way in changing cultures and tackling behaviours to ensure students can study without living in fear of harassment. In 2016, Cardiff University was accused of institutional racism following a play performed by the medical school, Anaphylaxis, in which students “blacked up” to convey a member of university staff. Since then, some students have continued to protest against alleged racism within the university, for example in July 2019, a protest was organised outside Cardiff

Become a Living Wage employer: Passed

roposed by Leo Holmes, the first motion of the night requested that the Students’ Union becomes a Living Wage employer and applies to the Living Wage Foundation for Living Wage accreditation. It is reported that Cardiff University is already a Real Living Wage employer, paying its staff the Living Wage of £9.30 per hour. The motion called upon the Students’ Union to pay its employees a Living Wage because they believe that financial stress can be a contributor to mental health issues among younger generations, Union workers will become more productive, making the Students’ Union a happier workplace, and it would show that the Union respects the hard work taken by staff and contractors in the Students’ Union by reducing the likelihood of financial strain adversely affecting their mental health. What’s more, the motion proposed that Living Wage accreditation could be beneficial to Union business. Therefore, this motion called for the Students’ Union to apply for accreditation; ensure all new and currently employed staff are paid at least £9.30 per hour within the

next three academic years; ensure that there are no cuts to Mental Health services as a result of implementing the wage; and also to immediately begin plans to employ all on-site contractors with the new wage within the next three years. At the AGM, Leo Holmes, was welcomed to the stage to explain his motion. He argued that by paying a Living Wage, the Students’ Union would “greatly benefit” workers through raising their standard of living. He argued that this would improve the “worklife balance” of employees who work at the SU, saying they work “an excessive number of hours” and if their work-life balance is improved, individuals will have more time to focus on their studies and not just their paid work. He went on to say it would be beneficial for customers too as the workforce would be ‘healthier and happier’. Some were against the motion, including someone who works for the Union who suggested it would detract funds away from other services. After the discussion, when put to a vote, although it was very tight, the motion passed, contrasting with previous years.

University with Stand Up To Racism Cardiff, to call on the institution to release the apology letters from those who performed in the play. At the time, a spokesperson for Cardiff University said: “We do take allegations of racism extremely seriously” and that all allegations are being thoroughly investigated with appropriate action taken. As part of her speech to propose this motion at the AGM, Jackie Yip said that 25% of BAME students reported having experienced racial harassment in their first term with 8% saying they had experienced suicidal thoughts. Jackie clearly outlined her position and the University’s position toward racism during her speech, saying “there is absolutely no place for racism both on our campus and in wider society and we should be acting to ensure that the results of these findings are things of our past and not of our future.”

Various students asked Jackie questions after it was acknowledged nobody was in opposition to her motion. One student, a member of the Jewish Society, asked Jackie if there was anything regarding anti-Semitism in the motion. She was also asked where students could find greater support for racial harassment on campus. In response to these questions, Jackie said that there are gaps in the current support system on offer to students but that the University will be implementing changes. In relation to the anti-Semitism enquiry, she also expressed that the institutional racism statistics informing the motion did not refer to a specific ethnicity or religion but there is a zero-racism policy across campus. There were no speeches against the motion and when put to a vote, it was unanimously passed with very few abstentions.

Support the UCU Strike action: Passed

his motion called upon the Students’ Union to support the University College Union (UCU) Strike action occurring in universities across the UK beginning on November 25. Proposed by Hebe Fletcher, it asked the Union to lobby the University for free reimbursements for lost contact hours, to work with the UCU to facilitate and promote ‘Teach Out’ sessions for students during the strike period, and for Vice President Postgraduate to encourage students to support and engage with staff at rallies or on picket lines. The motion argued that the UK Higher Education sector is facing “a crisis of poor employment conditions”. As of November 25, university staff throughout the country, including staff at Cardiff University, are striking for eight days and refusing to cover absent colleagues and reschedule lost lectures through additional Action Short of Strike until April 29 2020 at the latest. The motion argued that strike action is more than about pay and pensions but about “protecting the work culture within our University” and taking a stand against “pay inequality, precari-

ous work, inequality and excessive workloads” which affect lecturers and postgraduate students who teach, and the Students’ Union has a duty to support issues faced by postgraduate students. Arguing in support of the strike, a speaker said, “I believe we as a Students’ Union should support this strike action. We cannot afford to stay neutral” and went on to discuss the wider implications of the strike, such as the impact of working conditions and unsustainable workloads on staff. Other issues included the gender pay gap and the lack of job security at Cardiff University. Queries from the audience raised concerns about missing exams and questioned whether this was taken into account when strike action was discussed, as well as whether strike action is fair on international students. In response to these questions, the motion’s proposer said the Union takes into account how the industrial action will impact the workload of students and suggested that students approach Student Advice for targeted support. When put to a vote, this motion was passed almost unanimously.

Sabbatical Officer Review

he Sabbatical Officer Review was set to be one of the most heated discussions of the night. The online consultation process to gauge student responses to the review options - removing VP Postgraduate to make way for a Welsh Language and Communities Officer; merging VP Education and VP Welfare to free up a space for the Welsh Officer; or conducting a year-long review of the current Sabbatical Officer team - was met with hostility from both undergraduate and postgraduate students. The proposal to introduce a fulltime Welsh Language and Communities Sabbatical Officer was voted in favour of at last year’s AGM and was on the agenda early in the evening, However, the Sabbatical Officer Review was unexpectedly postponed until the end of the AGM. The delay was met with opposition from some students, shouting “No!” from the audience. As the AGM neared its end, the Sabbatical Officer Review came back on the agenda. Before beginning the

debate on the Review, Yip stated “the decision is in your hands here today”. The first proposal debated was to remove VP Postgraduate. Incumbent VP Postgraduate, Nick Fox, spoke against the proposal, talking of how the role has secured many wins for the student body as a whole, not just for postgraduates. For example, VP Postgraduate secured opening the ASSL for 24 hours a day, seven days a week during Christmas and Easter holidays. He also stressed the importance of VP Postgraduate in combating mental health issues amongst postgraduate students, as well as addressing the disproportionate focus on the undergraduate university experience. However, Fox made it abundantly clear he was not against the creation of a Welsh Language role. The second proposal debated was to merge the VP Education and VP Welfare roles. Tomos Evans, current VP Education, said that “as a very proud Welsh speaker and someone who is half Welsh...I see the need for more Welsh representation,

but I would not be doing my job as VP Education if I did not express my concerns”. The VP Education is a very broad role, he continued, which encompasses all students at Cardiff University. The role was also argued to be a crutch for other officers who do not understand the entire education system themselves. Merging the roles could unfairly increase the workload, he argued. The third and final proposal was for the Sabbatical Officer team to remain the same with a year-long review on how to further implement the Welsh language throughout the Union. A postgraduate student spoke at the AGM stating how they wanted the Students’ Union to be bilingual, but they felt that VP Postgraduate is a vital role for them; they seemed dismayed at the proposals on offer to them. Wiliam Rees then spoke in favour of creating the Welsh Language Officer and expressed his anger at the three proposals offered to students. Speaking in Welsh, he reminded the room that last year’s motion called

NEWYDDION 5

for the creation of an eighth Sabbatical Officer without any negative impact on other students; Rees felt this promise had not been met. In a statement on the Students’ Union’s website, a spokesperson said: “To seek the valuable input and engagement with proposers of the motion, at least 9 attempts (via a combination of email, social media and phone calls) were made to inform them of this approach”. For Welsh students studying in the Welsh capital, Rees argued that the additional role is necessary to increase student representation and ultimately felt the three options did not do that. Following Rees’ speech, some students proceeded to rip up their ballot papers for the Officer Review, and some students were holding recycling bags by the exit door of the Great Hall to allow students to bin their ballot papers instead of casting their votes in the provided boxes. At the time of writing, the result of the Review ballot has not yet been announced.

Silent protesters attend AGM to raise awareness of violence in Hong Kong

They have called on the SU to create space for democratic debate on the issue Olly Davies News Editor

t the AGM on Thursday November 21, students from Cardiff University held a silent protest to raise awareness of the current situation in Hong Kong. The students wore all black to mourn what they perceive to be the death of democracy in Hong Kong. They also adorned themselves with face masks and one student also wore a yellow helmet with the slogan “Free Hong Kong” printed across the top. One of the students who was part of the protest, Michael Li, a Cardiff University student from Hong Kong, spoke to Gair Rhydd prior to the AGM. He felt that the University and the Students’ Union have not been doing enough to raise awareness and support the efforts of protesters in Hong Kong. In response to this allegation, Jackie Yip said: “The Students’ Union will absolutely support students to speak on issues they are passionate about.” However, Cardiff University declined to comment. The protests in Hong Kong are ongoing and have now spread to university campuses in Hong Kong. The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) currently has 200 anti-government protesters barricaded inside. At the time of writing, they have been surrounded by police for three days and are said to be running low on supplies. The protesters entered the university campus the week before last and to begin with kept the police at a distance by lighting fires and throwing petrol bombs. Now, adults who leave campus face arrest, leaving some too scared to come out. Michael has been carrying out silent protests in his lectures; wearing the yel-

low hat and facemask he wore to last week’s AGM. Michael has also spoken to Jackie Yip, President of Cardiff University Student’s Union, about raising awareness of events in Hong Kong at the University.

In this country we have democracy and I hope the SU can allow Hong Kong students to talk about this. Michael Li

He has alleged that Jackie Yip has refused to do anything because of fears of upsetting Chinese students and colleagues. He also alleged that Yip feared she would face criticism from the Chinese Society if she were to allow protests on campus. Gair Rhydd has reached out to the Students’ Union for a comment on this, and Yip responded saying: “I and a number of others at the Students’ Union have met and reached out to Michael to outline ways he and others can talk about the violence in Hong Kong. At present, we are working to identify ways to support them and achieve their aims whilst being mindful of the conflict and potential impact on the student community.” One policy Michael is hoping to see the Students’ Union implement is to create Lennon Walls. Lennon Walls are a place to share political views and solidarity by using post-it notes and murals. He told Gair Rhydd that he sub-

mitted an ‘idea’ on the Ideas Platform to have Lennon Walls installed in the Union building. However, according to Michael, the Union fears the wall will not be used to “use our voices in a peaceful way” and instead fear it may become a cite of vandalism and graffiti. At Thursday night’s AGM Michael addressed Jackie directly. He asked her if the Union was going to talk about the Hong Kong revolution, feeling it is not just a political issue, but also a humanity and human rights issue. Michael declared, “in this country we have democracy and I hope the SU can allow Hong Kong students to talk about this.” Michael’s speech was met with applause in a gesture of solidarity with him. Jackie Yip thanked him for his contribution and she offered to speak to him in person at a later date. Moreover, Michael reported that he and other students have tried to revive the Students for Liberty society, but said that because all the founders were students from Hong Kong, the Students’ Union told him he could not

restart the society as a Hong Kong Society already exists. In response to these allegations, Jackie Yip commented: “No application has been received for a Students for Liberty society to date, but we would be happy to consider any application for this society to be established. “It is true that with any protest that could have a potential negative impact on some segments of the student body, the Union will work with the proposers to ensure freedom of speech can prevail in line with supporting those that may feel affected by the actions... it is not about stopping any debate on campus. “I’d like to send solidarity to all caught up in the violence.” Ultimately, Michael and his fellow protestors in Cardiff just “want the government to hear our voice” but feel that university students are not willing to stand up and speak about the revolution because the University is a place to study, but Michael questions, “Shouldn’t we study this revolution? It’s about humanity; it’s about democracy.”

“Liberate Hong Kong”: Students protest at AGM against the alleged lack of discussion about the violence in Hong Kong. Source: Tim Marsh

Adopt a Radical Environmental Policy: Passed

roposed by Matt Tomlin, this motion called upon the Students’ Union to adopt a Radical Environmental Policy which would require a number of actions from the Union. Firstly, it called upon the Students’ Union to begin a ‘Tell the Truth’ campaign regarding the climate and ecological crisis on university campus by the end of the next academic term and must be done in collaboration with interested campaigning and environmental groups. It also requires the Union to lobby Cardiff University to “communicate the truth” about environmental crises and for both institutions to commit immediately to be carbon net-zero by 2025. Moreover, it asked the Students’ Union to create a Students’ Assembly for Climate and Ecological Justice with approval from the Union and Cardiff University within this academic year. The motion outlined that such an Assembly would work like a Citizens’ Assembly, being composed of a random, representative sample of up to 500 students. If the Union cannot implement these changes, it is stated they must become “active in demanding the government makes systemic changes” so they are able to make these changes to the Union.

The best way forward is a new democratic system. Matt Tomlin

In the motion, Tomlin argued that there is very little representation of Cardiff University students in the environmental decision-making processes of the Students’ Union and Cardiff University. As a result, he claims the best way forward is to create a new democratic system. James Wareham, VP Welfare, then proposed an amendment to the motion, calling for the student assembly clause to be removed. He said that while he supports the motion, he wants to re-evaluate it to make sure it succeeds. “I vehemently support the remainder of the motion and its intention,” Wareham said, but added that the motion without the amendment could have unintended consequences, emphasising a potential lack of attendance at a Student Assembly and emphasising the fact that those present at the AGM were there due to mandatory attendance. He also stressed the importance that the work in this area be done in a meaningful and effective way. Tomlin argued against the amendment on the basis that “my motion specifically says up to 500 students,” and that a democratic majority should be sufficient to pass the motion. The amendment passed, although the votes had to be counted twice. The amended motion as a whole also passed, with very few votes against.

6 NEWS

Botticelli masterpiece found in Cardiff Charlotte King Head of News

t was recently discovered that a painting housed in the National Museum Cardif, thought to be a copy, is actually an authentic Botticelli masterpiece. The painting of the Madonna was dismissed as a bad copy of Sandro Boticelli’s artistic style, but BBC Four’s programme, Lost Masterpieces, discovered that it is, in fact, an original. The 400-year-old painting became part of Gwendoline Davies’ collection, a Welsh philanthropist, who bequeathed the piece to the National Museum Cardiff in the early 1950s. Davies had believed that the painting was an original masterpiece when it was in her collection, however over time, experts downgraded its status to a bad copy. The museum describes Botticelli as “one of the most esteemed artists in Italy” at the height of his fame in the 15th century. The Madonna painting had been kept in storage for over 50 years at the museum in Cardiff, with one of the presenters of the BBC programme stating this is because “experts never quite made the effort to go and see it” because it was just too far away from London. The BBC presenter said that when looking at the painting, however, parts of it reminded him of the Birth of Venus, Botticelli’s most renowned painting, and concluded that the Florentine artist was crucial in Madonna’s creation. It is even thought that one small doodle of a man’s face in the bottom corner of the painting was done by Botticelli himself, discovered through Xray scans of the piece. Infra-red photos uncovered this drawing typical of Botticelli’s style and this is what proved that the painting was not a copy but in fact an original. Speaking to the BBC, Adam Webster, Chief Conservator at the National Museum Cardiff, commented: “The results are striking and demonstrate the crucial role that conservation plays in the proper understanding of our heritage. “We are delighted with and grateful for the results. “The painting now sits beautifully in our galleries and I hope fans of the series will come and enjoy this masterpiece.” The painting will now be put on display at the National Museum Cardiff in Cathays Park.

Prince Andrew steps back from royal duties “for forseeable future”

Gair Rhydd News provides a recap of the recent BBC Newsnight interview Anna Dutton News Editor

t has recently been reported that Prince Andrew will be stepping back from royal duties “for [the] forseeable future.” But what has led to this announcement? Gair Rhydd News provides a recap of Prince Andrew’s recent BBC Newsnight interview which has been criticised by some and has even become the subject of memes across social media. But, prior to this interview, what was the series of events that has led up to where we are now? Virginia Giuffre who was one of the accusers in the Jeffrey Epstein sex trafficking case has claimed she was forced into having sex with Prince Andrew three times. The Prince has been facing questions for a number of months surrounding the Epstein case and has categorically denied all the claims against him in the recent BBC Newsnight interview. Jeffrey Epstein was a wealthy financier from the US who was awaiting trial for sex trafficking charges. In 2005, the charges were first brought against Mr Epstein by the parents of a 14-year old girl who they said had been molested by Epstein in his Palm Beach house. After the police searched his property, pictures of girls were found

ing charges. Prince Andrew and Epstein were spotted together on a variety of occasions in different settings and the Prince said in his interview with the BBC that his relationship with Epstein had “some seriously beneficial outcomes” unrelated to the accusations against both of them. Prince Andrew says he wanted to learn more about “the international business world” and this was why he had a relationship with Epstein. The claims against Prince Andrew, as outlined by the journalist

Prince Andrew: Stepping back from royal duties. Source: Chatham House (via Wikimedia Commons)

Emily Maitlis, are that Virginia Roberts (maiden name) met the Prince in 2001, dined with him, went dancing in Tramps nightclub London, and went on to have sex with Prince Andrew in a house in Belgravia belonging to Ghislaine Maxwell. The Prince responded he had “no recollection of ever meeting this lady, none whatsoever.” He then explained that on the day he was being accused of having sex with Roberts, March 10, 2001, he had taken his daughter Beatrice to Pizza Express in Woking at around “4:00 or 5:00 in the afternoon” and was then at home. Virginia Roberts then goes on to claim that Prince Andrew was “profusely sweating” as noted by the interviewer, which he denies on account of a “peculiar medical condition” and that it “was almost impossible” for the Prince to sweat, he responds. Prince Andrew denies the claim, saying ‘“I can absolutely categorically tell you it never happened.” After questions from the interviewer about testifying or providing a statement under oath, Prince Andrew said that “if push came to shove and the legal advice was to do so, then I would be duty-bound to do so.” Roberts alleges that she and the Prince had sex three times overall. The Prince has denied these claims.

The number of 20-34 year olds living at home is at its highest since 1996 Figures emerging from an ONS report are at a record-high

George Willoughby Deputy Editor

his year has seen the highest estimated number of young adults aged 20-34 still living with their parents. Latest figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show that the number of young adults aged 20-34 living with their parents is at a 20-year high.

I’ll have to move back home because rent is way too expensive. Hannah Priest

Sandro Botticelli. Source: Wikimedia Commons

throughout the house. Epstein avoided federal charges and was given an 18-month prison sentence, during which time he was permitted to go to work for 12 hours of the day, 6 days a week. The Miami Herald stated that Alexander Acosta, the federal prosecutor, was able to strike a deal that meant the FBI investigation into whether more people were affected, and the status of those people, was suppressed. Epstein is believed to have committed suicide at the age of 66 whilst he was awaiting trial for sex traffick-

This sugggests that, whether by choice or by other factors, young adults are struggling to get on the housing ladder. Housing prices in the United Kingdom have been rising every year, and these latest findings reveal that it is impacting the younger demographic.

Since 2009, the average house price in the UK has increased by 48%. The percentage of young adults aged 20-34 living with their parents in 2009 was 23%. Comparing this to 2019, the figure has risen to 27%. It is important to remember thatthese figures released by the ONS is that they are estimates. The Labour Force Survey conducted the research and each year the number of respondents varied. The total figures were not representative of the entire 20-34 population, but they supplied a useful insight into the current housing trends. Out of the respondents in 1999, a total of 2,383 people aged 20-34 were living with their parents. In 2019, this increased by 46% with 3,487 respondents living with their parents. The number of young adults aged 20-34 living with their parents has been growing. As the graph demonstrates, it is becoming increasingly common for men and women aged 20-34 to be living with their parents.Whilst the figures show a large increase from 20 years ago, compared to last year, the number of young adults living with their parents was similar. 2018 saw only 135 fewer men and women still living with their parents at the ages of 20-34. Also, from 2014 to 2016, the to-

tal number of respondents who were living with their parents actually decreased from 3,303 to 3,288. Only in the last few years has the trend since reversed. According to figures from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), Cardiff University’s employment after leaving was among the best. The number of graduates securing a job or further education after graduating was 95.7%. However, despite these statistics, as the ONS findings show, young adults are still finding it difficult to move out from their parents’ houses.

Cardiff’s employment figures will differ from other universities, but, even with a job to the age of 34, there is a growing number of young adults still living with their parents. Speaking to Gair Rhydd, Hannah Priest, a third year JOMEC student said: “After university, I am planning to go travelling but when I come back, I’ll definitely have to move back home with my parents because rent is way too expensive. “Hopefully, I’ll then get a graduate job and live in my parents’ house as I try to save money up for my own place.”

Upward trend: The number of young adults aged 20-34 living with their parents is increasing. Source: George Willoughby

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Gyda streicio’n debygol o fynd yn ei flaen, cawn farn rhai o fyfyrwyr y Brifysgol am y gweithredu diwydiannol ac os ydyn nhw’n cytuno gyda’r darlithwyr

Owain Ap Myrddin Myfyriwr ail flwyddyn Cymraeg

Rydw i’n cydymdeimlo’n fawr a phob aelod o staff y Brifysgol fydd yn streicio gan fod eu rhesymau dros wneud yn rai dilys iawn. Er hyn credaf y dylai’r broblem fod wedi cael ei datrys cyn hyn drwy gael y Brifysgol ac Undeb Prifysgol a Choleg yn cydweithio gyda’i gilydd i ddod i ryw fath o ddealltwriaeth. Yn syml credaf fod £9,000 y flwyddyn yn llawer gormod o arian i’w dalu i golli 8 diwrnod o addysg.

Daniel O’Callaghan Myfyriwr ail flwyddyn Fferylliaeth

Wrth gwrs, rwyf yn siŵr bod gan UCU ei resymau am streicio, ac ni allwn bwyntio’r bys ar bob aelod o staff sy’n gweithio i’r undeb. Rhaid inni gydnabod bod gofyn i’r darlithwyr barchu penderfyniadau’r undeb. O ran elfennau ymarferol y streic, cyfyd ambell anhawster i’r myfyrwyr gan nad oes disgwyl- yn gyfreithiol- i’r darlithwyr hysbysu i’w myfyrwyr eu bônt yn streicio. Er hyn, rwyf yn sicr y bydd y myfyrwyr yn gwerthfawrogi’r amser ychwanegol y maent yn eu cael ar gyfer cwblhau eu hasesiadau.

Rhys Gittins

Myfyriwr ail flwyddyn y Gyfraith a Gwleidyddiaeth Fel myfyrwyr eraill yn y Brifysgol, rwyf yn ymwybodol o’r streicio sydd am ddigwydd a chydnabyddaf eu hawl i streicio, ond anghytunaf yn llwyr gyda’r streicio. Rhoddir yr holl ffocws ar y staff, tra bod myfyrwyr, sydd yn talu ffioedd dysgu, yn cael eu gosod mewn sefyllfaoedd o ansicrwydd. Dylai unrhyw addysg a gollwyd gael ei adlewyrchu yn deg mewn asesiadau a dylai’r ffocws fod ar ddatrys y problemau sy’n ymgodi rhwng yr undebau a’r Brifysgol yn hytrach na streicio.

NEWYDDION

Eich unig gyhoeddiad myfyrwyr wythnosol trwy gyfrwng y Gymraeg. Sefydlwyd: 2003 Am fwy o gynnwys, ewch i gairrhydd.com/tafod

Eich adran taf-od Llion Carbis Aled Biston Rhodri Davies Deio Jones tafod@gairrhydd.com

Maes B yn cynnal Plan B!

Gigs yn cael eu cynnal oherwydd canslo rhan o’r digwyddiad yn yr haf Aled Biston Golygydd Taf-od

ae Maes B wedi cyhoeddi eu bod am gynnal dwy gig dros y Gaeaf fel cyfaddawd am ohirio gigiau’r haf yn Eisteddfod Llanrwst. Bydd y gigiau yn cael eu cynnal ar Ragfyr 13 ac 14 yn Undeb Myfyrwyr Prifysgol Drindod Dewi Sant yng Nghaerfyrddin, ac yn Nhŷ Pawb yn Wrecsam, gan gynnwys bandiau megis Mellt, Gwilym a Los Blancos. Daw’r gigiau yma o ganlyniad i ddwy noson olaf Maes B yn cael eu gohirio yn yr Eisteddfod Genedlaethol yn Llanrwst dros yr haf. Bu rhagolygon tywydd rhybudd melyn yn golygu bod Maes B wedi cymryd y penderfyniad o ohirio’r ddwy noson olaf, ac o ganlyniad ni chafodd llawer o fandiau’r cyfle i berfformio yn un o ddigwyddiadau mwyaf y flwyddyn ym myd cerddoriaeth Cymraeg. Er, rhaid rhoi tegwch i Maes B, ad-dalwyd pawb a brynodd tocynnau ar gyfer y ddwy noson, ac mae’r gigiau yma yn fonws oedd neb yn eu disgwyl. Perfformio yn y gigiau yma dros y Nadolig mae bandiau mwyaf Cymru ar y foment, megis Gwilym a Los Blancos sydd wedi chwarae ym Maes B o’r blaen. Ond i fandiau megis 3 Hwr Doeth a Mellt, dyma’r tro cyntaf iddynt chwarae ym Maes B. Mellt yw

prif fand y gig yng Nghaerfyrddin, ac yn cwbl haeddiannol o gael gwneud. Mae eu halbwm cyntaf ‘Mae’n Hawdd pan ti’n Ifanc’ wedi bod yn boblogaidd iawn. Os ydych eisiau darganfod pwy sydd yn chwarae yn y gigiau yma, mae rhestr yr holl fandiau sydd yn chwarae ar wefan Maes B. Mae’n dda bod Maes B yn cynnal y gigiau yma dros gyfnod y Nadolig. Mae cynnal y gigiau yn rhoi ail gyfle i bobl ifanc mwynhau a chael y profiad yr oeddent wedi methu yn Llanrwst dros yr haf. Hefyd mae yna gyfle i’r rhai oedd methu mynd i Maes B profi’r bandiau yma’n fyw. Dywedodd Llew Glyn, un o aelodau’r band Gwilym “Mae’n syniad grêt o ystyried bod ‘na lot o bobol wedi eu siomi pam ddaeth Maes ‘leni i derfyn annisgwyl. Ma’r ffaith bod y gigs yng nghanol y gaeaf yn cŵl ‘fyd, gan fod ‘na lot llai o gigs mawr tu allan i fisoedd yr haf ”. Dengys y digwyddiad yma ymrwymiad Maes B tuag at gynnal gigiau a sicrhau bod Maes B yn cael eu cynnal yn eu cyfanrwydd. Mae tocynnau gig Wrecsam wedi gwerthu allan yn barod, ac nid oes llawer ar ôl ar gyfer gig Caerfyrddin, sydd yn dangos y cyffro sydd ymysg pobl ifanc am y gigiau yma. Os yw’r gigiau yma yn llwyddiannus, efallai bydd Maes B yn edrych i gynnal mwy dros y blynyddoedd nesaf. Mae Maes B ond yn ddigwyddiad unwaith y flwyddyn sydd cyd-fynd

Maes B yn dychwelyd: Bydd gigiau Maes B yn cael eu cynnal dros yr Haf. Tarddiad: Erin Siân Williams â’r Eisteddfod Genedlaethol. Mae tocynnau’r gigiau yma wedi gwerthu allan yn gyflym iawn, gan brofi bod pobl ifanc yn awyddus i fynychu’r gigiau yma, felly efallai bod Maes B am wneud mwy o bethau fel hyn yn y dyfodol. Roedd Lowri Bebb, myfyriwr o Gaernarfon wedi mynychu Maes B eleni ac yn mynd i Plan B yn Wrecsam, dywedodd hi “Mae’n peth da fod Maes B yn cynnal y nosweithiau ar ôl id-

dyn nhw ohirio ddwy noson yn yr haf. Maent yn gwneud siwr bod y bandiau yn cael ail gyfle i berfformio a bod pobl ifanc yn cael cyfle i mwynhau”. Beth bynnag mae Maes B yn penderfynu gwneud, mae’r gigiau yn addo i fod yn ddwy noson llawn cyffro, hwyl a cherddoriaeth wych. Edrychaf ymlaen at weld y gigiau yn llawn dop gyda’r dorf yn cyd-ganu holl ganeuon y bandiau.

‘Amgueddfa Feddygaeth Filwrol’ i agor yn y Bae erbyn 2022

Bydd yr amgueddfa yn cael ei adeiladu ar dîr yr Eglwys Normanaidd Deio Jones Golygydd Taf-od

ae’r newyddion wedi torri fod amgueddfa arloesol newydd yn dod i Fae Caerdydd erbyn 2022. Teitl yr amgueddfa fydd ‘Amgueddfa Feddygaeth Filwrol’ a fydd yn cofnodi cyfraniadau aruthrol meddygon a nyrsys yn ystod rhyfeloedd ac yn esbonio sut mae gwrthdaro wedi arwain at rai o’r datblygiadau pwysicaf yn hanes meddygaeth. Mae penderfyniad i’w ddisgwyl yn gynnar yn y flwyddyn newydd ynghylch cais cynllunio i adeiladu canolfan pedwar llawr ger yr Eglwys Normanaidd. Mae’n fwriad i greu canolfan mwy uchelgeisiol sydd hefyd yn edrych ar ddatblygiadau’r dyfodol gyda chynlluniau gwerth £30miliwn i symud yr amgueddfa o Aldershot i’r Bae. Dywedodd Jason Semens, sef cyfarwyddwr yr amgueddfa wrth y BBC bod yna obaith y bydd cyflwyno hanes “meddyginiaeth chwyldroadol ac esblygiadol” yn ennyn diddordeb

plant a phobl ifanc mewn meddyginiaeth a gofal iechyd. Dywedodd Semens hefyd, “Yr hyn efallai nad yw llawer o bobl yn sylweddoli yw bod llawer o’r datblygiadau chwyldroadol hyn ym maes meddygaeth wedi bod yn fuddiol i’r boblogaeth ehangach.” Ymysg y datblygiadau hynny hefyd mae Pelydr-X, dulliau o drosglwyddo gwaed, brechiadau newydd a thechnegau llawfeddygol arloesol i achub bywydau. Er mwyn datblygu syniadau i gyflwyno technolegau’r dyfodol, aeth cynrychiolwyr yr amgueddfa i ddinas Linz yn Awstria - ac yn benodol i ganolfan Ars Electronica, sy’n cael ei adnabod fel “amgueddfa’r dyfodol”. Yn ôl y BBC, gall ymwelwyr deimlo fel eu bod yn cerdded ar garped hud, eistedd ar yr haul, hedfan dros byramidiau, gwibio i bellfannau’r bydysawd neu gymryd rhan mewn gemau cyfrifiadurol rhithwir. Mae’n ganolfan eithriadol sy’n cynnwys ystafell anferthol - yr unig le drwy’r byd lle gall ymwelwyr weld a chysylltu’n rhyngweithiol â delweddau 3-D sy’n cael eu

taflunio ar y waliau a’r llawr. Dywedodd cyfarwyddwr artistig ARS Electronica, Gerfried Stocker, “Mae’r dechnoleg yma yn hyblyg iawn, mae modd creu cyflwyniadau am hanes celf, arddangosfeydd archeolegol a gwyddonol, teithio i’r gofod ac, wrth gwrs, fynd i berfeddion y corff dynol - yn debyg iawn i’r hen ffilmiau ffuglen wyddonol lle maen nhw’n teithio mewn llong danfor fach trwy’r corff.” Mi fydd yr ystafell yn cael ei ddefnyddio fel ystafell darlithoedd i fyfyrwyr meddygol y brifysgol ar ben y ffaith ei fod yn atyniad i dwristiaid. Gall llawfeddygon hefyd ddod i ymarfer llawdriniaethau drwy allu cerdded drwy ddelweddau o gyrff ac organau eu cleifion. Dywedodd pennaeth ARS Electronica, Andreas Bauer wrth ddangos y dechnoleg i gynrychiolydd o’r BBC, “Y gwahaniaeth mawr yw ein bod ni’n edrych ar fodau dynol go iawn, nid model yw hyn, ond data person byw.” Dywed y gwleidydd lleol, Doris Lang-Mayerhofer “Yn ogystal â’r celf, gwyddoniaeth a chymdeithas, mae’n gwahodd pobl i fed-

Y Bae a’i ddiwylliant: Mi fydd yr adeiladu’n dechrau yn 2021 os yw’r cynlluniau’n cael eu cymeradwyo Tarddiad: Deio Jones dwl y tu allan i’r bocs. Mae’n edrych nid yn unig ar y dechnoleg ond yr effaith ar fywydau a’r natur ddynol.” Y gobaith yw dechrau ar y gwaith yn gynnar yn 2021 os bydd y cynlluniau yn cael eu cymeradwyo, ac agor yr amgueddfa cyn diwedd 2022. Y bwriad nawr yw mynd ati i sicrhau grantiau a buddsoddiadau er mwyn ariannu’r prosiect. Nid oes bwriad gofyn am arian cyhoeddus i’w ariannu.

Indigo Jones

Indigo Jones sy’n bwrw golwg dros un o raglenni enwocaf

Netflix, The Crown Dydw i byth wedi gwylio’r rhaglen Netflix enwog The Crown o’r blaen, ond yn ddiweddar fe gerddais mewn i’r ystafell byw a gweld fy nghydletywr yn ei wylio. Felly, fel cyd-ddigwyddiad, y bennod gyntaf o’r gyfres fe wnes i wylio oedd y bennod ymroddedig i drychineb Aberfan. Fel rhywun o’r De sydd yn byw yn eithaf agos i’r Cymoedd, a aeth i ysgol gynradd ac uwchradd Cymraeg,

Trafod gyda’r

taf-od

rydw i’n eithaf cyfarwydd gyda stori Aberfan. Yn yr ysgol roeddem yn dysgu am y digwyddiad ac yn cynnal munud o dawelwch i alaru’r rhai bu farw yn y trychineb. Mae’r stori yn rhywbeth trist a hanesyddol yn Ne Cymru yn enwedig yn Aberfan ei hun, wrth i’r digwyddiad o’r diwrnod yna yn 1966 gadael ei farc ar y dref am fyth. Roedd gweld portread o’r digwyddiad ar raglen deledu enwog yn rhywbeth cyffrous iawn, gan nad ydym yn gweld cynrychiolaeth o hanes Cymru yn aml. Pan glywais i fod The Crown yn creu’r bennod yma roeddwn i’n edrych ymlaen at weld sut bydd Cymru, Aberfan a’r digwyddiad yn cael eu cynrychioli. Ar ddechrau’r bennod, gwelsom blant ysgol Pantglas yn ymarfer cân yn barod ar gyfer ei gwasanaeth ysgol. Roedd y cân “All things bright and beautiful” yn chwarae, ac emosiynol iawn ydoedd, oherwydd llwyddodd i adlewyrchu’r hyn roedd y plant yn neud cyn dechreuodd y trychineb. Mae’r rhaglen yn dangos y plant yma yn mynd adref i weld eu rhieni ac ymarfer y cân, gan roi

Yn Trafod gyda’r Taf-od wythnos yma mae...

Magi Tudur

1. Pwy wyt ti a beth wyt ti’n astudio?

8. Prosecco neu champagne? Pam?

Magi Tudur o ardal Llanberis, a dw i’n astudio Meddygaeth.

Champagne...ond, methu fforddio fo, felly prosecco!

2. Beth yw’r digwyddiad sy’n codi’r mwyaf o embaras arnat?

9. Beth oedd y diwrnod gorau iti ei gael erioed?

Mae hyn yn digwydd lot - pan ma’ rhywun yn deud helo a dw i’n deud helo yn ôl, ond dim efo fi ma’ nhw’n siarad...

Lot o atgofion yn dod i’r meddwl ond un sy’n sefyll allan ydy; pan o ni’n India dechrau’r flwyddyn.

3. Beth oedd dy air cyntaf?

10. Beth yw dy gas beth?

Gair cyntaf? “iawn”

Pobl yn sbeitio’r iaith Gymraeg!

4. Pe fyddet ti ar yr X-Factor, pa gân byddet ti’n ei chanu a pham?

11. Beth fyddet ti’n gwneud yn ystod dy noson ddelfrydol?

Oh, You Pretty Things - achos dw i’n lyfio David Bowie a hwnna dw i wastad yn gweiddi canu yn y car.

Chinese tec awe, Gavin and Stacey ar teli, gwin a board games gyda ffrindiau.

5. Beth fyddet ti’n ei archebu o’r bwyty Indiaidd lleol? Chicken Bhuna, Lamb Bhuna, Prawn Bhuna, Mushroom Rice, Keema Naan a naw poppadom. 6. Pwy oeddet ti’n ffansio pan oeddet ti’n iau? Zac Efron 7. Pwy yw dy hoff fand/artist? Velvet Underground sy’n sefyll allan, er mae gen i lot o hoff fandiau

siawns i’r gynulleidfa dechrau adnabod y plant. Ond ar ôl hynny, ac ar ôl y trychineb, mae’r stori yn troi nôl at y Frenhines Elizabeth. Yn sydyn ar ôl 10 munud, mae’r stori yma am dref fach yng Nghymru yn newid nôl i rywbeth amdan y teulu brenhinol; pwnc sy’n cael digon o gynrychiolaeth yn y cyfryngau torfol. Mae’n addawol bod hanes a phobl Cymraeg yn derbyn cynrychiolaeth, ond pam oes rhaid newid rhywbeth o hanes Cymru i hanes Lloegr? Yn enwedig pwnc mor ddifrifol a sensitif fel Aberfan. Yn y rhaglen, rydym yn gweld ni aeth y Frenhines yn syth i ddangos cysur i’r bobl yn y dref. A pan aeth hi i weld nhw, roedd rhaid iddi esgus crio. Yn erthygl gan y Radio Times, roedd dyn a goroesodd y trychineb yn credu bod y Frenhines yn dod ar draws yn ddideimlad ac nad oedd hyn yn wir. Ond, wrth i ni wylio’r bennod, ceir portread o’r Frenhines fel rhywun ar wahân o’r digwyddiad, yn enwedig wrth i ni weld y rhieni sy’n galaru a braidd yn clywed yr enwau o’r plant ac athrawon bu farw. Ar ddiwedd y rhaglen rydyn ni’n

‘What’s Occuring?’: Magi yn dynwared ‘Nessa’ oddi ar Gavin and Stacey Tarddiad: Magi Tudur

12. Pe taset gallu bod yn unrhyw anifail am ddiwrnod, pa un fyddet ti’n dewis, a pham? Gwylan Fôr, er mwyn dwyn sglodion pobl. 13. Disgrifia dy hun mewn 3 gair. Anturus, penderfynol a chymdeithasol. 14. Pwy fydd yn trafod ‘da’r Taf-od wythnos nesaf? Martha Owen.

Ar y daith i annibyniaeth: Magi yn un o orymdeithiau dros Annibyniaeth i Gymru Tarddiad: Magi Tudur

gweld neges sy’n sôn am y nifer o blant ac athrawon bu farw, a bod y Frenhines yn difaru peidio mynd yn syth i Aberfan ar ôl iddi hi glywed am y digwyddiad. Ydy’r gyfres yn meddwl fod y neges olaf yma yn wneud lan am y ffaith fei bod nhw braidd yn trafod y stori ac yn lle yn ffocysu ar galedwch y Frenhines yn ystod yr amser anodd yma i bobl Cymru?

Mynwent Aberfan: Man gorffwys y 146 cafodd eu lladd. Tarddiad: Robin Llwyd ab Owen (drwy Wikipedia)

Rhodri Davies Golygydd Taf-od

u cynnwrf yn ddiweddar mewn ffatri yn Rhydaman wedi ffrae iaith arall pan gafodd y gweithwyr gyfarwyddyd i ddefnyddio Saesneg yn y gweithle. Roedd rhai o staff Ffatri Pullmaflex a oedd yn defnyddio’r Gymraeg yn arferol “yn eu dagrau” oherwydd y newid yma i’r polisi, yn ôl BBC Cymru Fyw. Fe gwynodd dau o weithwyr Pullmaflex gan fynd a’u pryderon at Gomisiynydd y Gymraeg. Penderfynodd y Comisiynydd, Aled Roberts a gafodd ei benodi ym mis Mawrth eleni, i ymchwilio i’r polisi honedig. Yn ymateb i’r ymchwiliad, dywedodd rheolwr y ffatri – James Handyman, mae am reolau iechyd a diogelwch oedd y rheswm gwreiddiol dros gyflwyno’r “cais” i’r gweithwyr beidio â defnyddio’r Gymraeg yn ystod eu horiau gweithio. Dywedodd wrth BBC Cymru Fyw; “Roeddem ni’n parchu hawl pobl i siarad eu hieithoedd eu hunain yn ystod cyfnodau o seibiant neu yn y maes parcio.” “Roedd y cais yma yn ymwneud yn bennaf ag iechyd a diogelwch, ac yn ymwneud yn bennaf â gweithwyr o ddwyrain Ewrop. “Doedden ni ddim wedi ystyried y byddai wedi pechu ein gweithwyr Cymraeg eu hiaith. Pan ddaeth hynny i’r amlwg, fe wnaethom ni ymddiheuro.” Mae Mr Handyman wedi nodi bod hawl gan y gweithwyr i ddefnyddio’r iaith bellach. Mae’r hawl gan Gomisiynydd y Gymraeg i roi dirwy i gwmnïau cyhoeddus yng Nghymru er mwyn eu cosbi am beidio â chydnabod statws yr iaith a hawl gweithwyr i ddefnyddio’r iaith. Nid oes modd gorfodi dirwy ar gwmni preifat ond mae modd cynnig awgrymiadau i wella’r sefyllfa. Yn ystod ei ymchwiliad daeth Aled Roberts i’r casgliad bod y cyfarwyddyd wedi “achosi gofid a dicter i aelodau staff”. Gwnaeth y sefyllfa yn ôl Mr Roberts “i rai siaradwyr Cymraeg grïo gan fod y Gymraeg wedi cael ei siarad ar y safle ers dros 30 o flynyddoedd”. “Roedd rhai siaradwyr Pwyleg, oedd wedi defnyddio’r iaith wrth eu gwaith ers dros dair blynedd, yr un mor ofidus,” meddai. Nid oedd Mr Roberts wedi’i fodloni gyda’r rhesymeg “iechyd a diogelwch” a gynigodd y cwmni. Barn y Comisiynydd oedd mai’r gwir reswm amdano oedd i “hwyluso ymchwiliadau ffurfiol” o fewn i Pullmaflex. Daeth y Comisiynydd hefyd i’r casgliad bod y cwmni wedi cyfeirio, ar fwy nac un achlysur, at y Gymraeg mewn “termau digon negyddol”. Cynigodd dri gwelliant. Yn gyntaf, tynnu’r cyfarwyddyd i ddefnyddio’r Saesneg yn unig yn ôl ac ymddiheuro i’r gweithwyr. Yn ail, cydnabod statws swyddogol y Gymraeg yn llawn; ac yn olaf, cyhoeddi mewn dogfen bolisi na fydd yn ymyrryd â rhyddid unigolion i ddefnyddio’r Gymraeg. Mae’r cwmni wedi derbyn y gwelliannau

taf od

Pryd o Daf-od

TAF-OD 9 Dim hawl i staff i siarad Cymraeg mewn ffatri’n Rhydaman

TAF-OD

Cymraeg Ramsey yn codi calon

CHWARAEON

Calon, cymeriad a champwaith cenedl Cymru yn cyrraedd Ewro 2020

Aled Biston Golygydd Taf-od

ewyddion sydd wedi synnu fi, (a llawer eraill dwi’n siŵr) mae Aaron Ramsey wedi cynnal cyfweliad trwy’r Gymraeg. Mae’r cyfweliad wedi cael ei drafod lot ar wefannau cymdeithasol, gyda nifer o bobl yn datgan eu cefnogaeth i Ramsey wrth iddo siarad Cymraeg am y tro cyntaf mewn blynyddoedd. Cafodd y cyfweliad ei wneud gyda Chymdeithas Bêl-droed Cymru cyn y gemau rhagbrofol yn erbyn Azerbaijan a Hwngari. Yn ei gyfweliad, mae Ramsey yn trafod bod nôl yng ngharfan Cymru, ei fywyd newydd yn Turin gyda Juventus, y gemau yn erbyn Azerbaijan a Hwngari, Ewro 2016. Roedd yn bleser gweld Rasmey yn siarad Cymraeg, ac mae’n dangos pwysigrwydd defnyddio’r Gymraeg o fewn chwaraeon. Mae nifer o enwogion byd chwaraeon Cymru yn gwneud neu wedi gwneud cyfarfodydd trwy’r Gymraeg. Ym mhêl-droed, mae Joe Allen a Ben Davies yn aml yn gwneud cyfweliadau gyda Sgorio a Chymdeithas Bêldroed Cymru trwy’r Gymraeg. Ac yn y byd rygbi mae chwaraewyr megis Ken Owens a Scott Williams yn gwneud yr un peth. Rhoddwyd statws i’r Gymraeg wrth iddi gael ei siarad ymysg timoedd rhyngwladol ein gwlad. Mae pobl ar draws y byd yn gweld y cyfweliadau, er efallai nad ydynt yn ei ddeall, ac o ganlyniad mae’r Gymraeg yn ennill statws. Mae’n bwysig defnyddio’r Gymraeg achos ein hiaith ni yw hi, mae defnyddio’r Gymraeg ar ac oddi ar y cae yn arfer ein hawl o ddefnyddio’r iaith pryd a ble i ni eisiau. Mae Cymdeithas Bêl-droed Cymru wedi dweud ei hun bod nhw am ymrwymo i’r Gymraeg, enwedig o fewn hyfforddi. Mewn datganiad, dywedodd Cymdeithas “We will be aiming to improve all bilingual interaction with coaches through social media platforms and we will deploy bilingual champions and role models to promote the use of Welsh in football.” Mae cyfweliad Ramsey wedi gadael gwên ar wyneb pawb, ac rydym ond gallu gobeithio bod hyn yn annog mwy o chwaraewyr sydd ddim yn hyderus yn eu allu i siarad Cymraeg, i wneud cyfweliadau a defnyddio’r Gymraeg mwy yn y byd chwaraeon.

Caru’r Gymraeg: Aaron Ramsey yn ysbrydoli wedi cyfweliad Cymraeg. Tarddiad: FAW

Cymeriad y Cymry: Dathlu buddugoliaeth hanesyddol. Tarddiad: FAW

Llion Carbis Pennaeth y Gymraeg

id yw Cymru yn cwblhau unrhyw dasg, boed hynny’n wleidyddol neu yn faes chwaraeon, yn hawdd. Nid oes gan y Cymry ymagwedd hynod optimistaidd chwaith. Ac yn gyd-destun hanes pêldroed ein gwald, hanes o fethiant ydyw, gyda sawl breuddwyd yn cwympo yn y cymal olaf. Yr Alban 1977, Rwmania 1993, Rwsia 2003 a Gweriniaeth yr Iwerddon 2017; hawdd ydyw i ddeall gofidion a phesimistiaeth y Wal Goch. Wedi casglu ond tri phwynt ar ôl y tair gêm ragbrofol gyntaf yr ymgyrch hon, a

gyda record wael yn erbyn timau safonol o dan arweiniad Giggs; nid oedd nifer o gefnogwyr yn ffyddiog am obeithion Cymru o gyrraedd pencampwriaeth yr Ewros am yr ail dro yn ein hanes. Ond, dyna’n union mae’r tîm wedi llwyddo eu cyflawni a mawr yw ein diolch iddynt, i’r tîm hyfforddi a Ryan Giggs am gynhyrchu cyfres ardderchog o ganlyniadau. Ers i Gymru golli yn Hwngari ym mis Mehefin llynedd, nid yw’r tîm cenedlaethol wedi colli gêm. Mewn amgylchiadau heriol gyda phwysau disgwylgar cenedl yn pwyso’n drwm ar ysgwyddau Ryan Giggs a’i garfan; cafodd cefnogwyr ffyddlon y Wal Goch ymgyrch a noson bydd neb yn anghofio. Wedi buddugoliaeth weithgar yn

erbyn Azerbaijan yn Stadiwm Dinas Caerdydd ym mis Medi, roedd gemau cyfartal olynol yn erbyn Slofacia a Hwngari yn ddigon i gadw’r freuddwyd o gyrraedd yr Ewros yn fyw. Serch hynny, roedd rhaid i Gymru ennill ei dwy gêm olaf ac mae pob un ohonom yn ymwybodol o hanes ofnadwy’r tîm cenedlaethol o ennill gemau rhagbrofol hollbwysig. Er hynny, a fel sonniais yn y rifyn diwethaf, roeddwn i’n llawn hyder am obeithion Cymru o gyrraedd Ewro 2020. Am y tro gyntaf yn cyfnod Ryan Giggs fel hyfforddwr y tîm cenedlaehol, gwelsom arddull chwarae pendant a chanfyddadwy yn y gemau yn erbyn Slofacia a Chroatia. Gyda presenoldeb Kieffer Moore, rydym wedi ffurfio hunaniaeth glir; un sy’n blaenoriaethu cyfleoedd i sgorio dros meddiant. Heb os, mae’r meddylfryd uniongyrchol hwn wedi profi ffrwyth. Roedd y gêm dyngedfennol yn erbyn Hwngari yn Stadiwm Dinas Caerdydd yn noson sbebsial. Roedd gobaith heintus yn yr awyr, ac ar borth cyrraedd pencamwpraeith arall, gwelsom cryfder a phwyisgrwydd aelodau mwyaf profaiadol y garfan. Er mawr canmoliaeth, mae Giggs

wedi arddangos agwedd blaengar a chadarnhaol tuag at chwaraewyr ifanc Cymru; gan rhoi toreth o gyfeloedd iddynt i ddisgleirio. Mae chwraewyr megis Dan James, Chris Mepham, Ethan Ampdau i enwi ond ychydig, wedi bod yn ganolog i lwyddiant diweddar y garfan. Ar yr un pryd, rhaid cydnabod pa mor ardderchog roedd Bale, Ramsey, Hennessey, Davies ac Allen yn erbyn Hwngari. Dyna oedd y tro gyntaf i Bale a Ramsey dechrau i Gymru gyda’i gilydd mewn dros flwyddyn, ac am gyfnod amserol ydoedd i gynhyrchu perfformiad o’r radd flaenaf. Ni all unrhyw un cwestiynu eu statws fel rhai o chwaraewyr gorau a mwyaf arwyddocaol yn ein hanes. Mae’r fath llwyddiant yn cynnig cyfle i adlewyrchu, ac er roedd penodiad Ryan Giggs fel hyfforddwr y tîm cenedlaethol yn un hynod ddadleuol, rhaid ei ganmol am ail hanner wyrthiol i’r ymgyrch rhagbrofol. Rhaid hefyd i ni estyn y ganmoliaeth i bob un chwaraewr a gyfrannodd at yr ymgyrch hon. Roedd pob un ohonynt wedi ymdrechu’n ddiflino ac wedi cymell gan gefnogaeth heb ei ail y Wal Goch. Nawr, gyfeillion, mae gennym haf prysur o’m blaenau a chyfle i ail-sgwennu pennod euraidd hanes pêl-droed Cymru. Bant â ni!

Neil Harris yn cael ei benodi’n reolwr Caerdydd Mae Harris yn cymryd awennau’r garfan gan Neil Warnock

Gwern Ab Arwel Cyfrannydd

n dilyn ymadawiad Neil Warnock yr wythnos ddiwethaf, mae Caerdydd yn mynd o un Neil i un arall wrth i gynreolwr Millwall, Neil Harris, ddod i’r llyw. Dechreuodd Harris y tymor gyda’r clwb o Lundain, ond gadawodd ei swydd yn gynnar fis Hydref. Roedd Millwall yn ddeunawfed yn nhabl y bencampwriaeth pan rhoddodd y gorau i’w rheoli, ac ni lwyddodd i ennill gêm gyda nhw y tymor hwn. Mae’n cyrraedd Caerdydd er hynny, yn reolwr ifanc sydd wedi dangos digon o botensial yn ystod ei yrfa gynnar, ond mae ymateb rhai cefnogwyr i’w benodiad wedi bod yn chwyrn er hynny. Yn sicr, roedd pêl-droed Neil Harris o dan Millwall yn achosi tipyn o grafu pen i rai cefnogwyr, a’n cael ei weld yn negyddol. Yn ôl Opta, torrodd Fulham ddwy record yn yr ail adran yn erbyn Millwall ym mis Awst, gan feddiannu’r bêl am 84.5% o’r gêm a chwblhau 934 o basiau. Gan ystyried bod gan Millwall ddigon o gryfder yng nghanol cae, roedd perfformiad o’r fath yn bownd o godi cwestiynau am allu’r rheolwr. Un o’r beirniadaethau sy’n codi fwyaf am reolwr newydd Caerdydd yw ei fod yn rhy debyg i Warnock yn ei arddull chwarae. Gyda Caerdydd yn disgyn lawr o’r uwchgynghrair llynedd, roedd disgwyl y byddai’r clwb yn penodi rheolwr i chwarae pêl-droed mwy ymosodol, yn hytrach na dibynnu ar wrthymosodiadau. Ond mae Harris eisoes wedi nodi y byddai’n esblygu tactegau Warnock a

Cyfnod newydd: Mae cyfnod newydd wedi dechrau yng Nghaerdydd wedi penodiad Neil Harris. Tarddiad: Reece Chambers gododd Caerdydd i’r lefel uchaf ddau nhw ar hyn o bryd, a rhaid dweud mai wyr Caerdydd ar hyn o bryd, ydi dymor yn ôl, gan bwysleisio nad eu brwydr i osgoi syrthio adran sydd yn gweld eu gelynion pennaf yn y safhefelychu’n llwyr oedd ei fwriad. fwy tebygol iddyn nhw a nid cyfle i leoedd ail-gyfle, a’n chwarae pêlWrth ystyried y cyflymder sydd ddyrchafu. Mae dyddiau’r uwchgyn- droed llachar. Drwyddi draw, nid oes gan Gaerdydd ar yr esgyll, megis Josh ghrair er mor agos yn ôl, yn amherth- gan Caerdydd y safon i chwarae’n rhy Murphy, Nathaniel Mendez-Laing nasol ar hyn o bryd. Felly mae’n rhaid agored, ac efallai mai chwarae’n una Gavin Whyte, rhaid cwestiynu’r ystyried cymwysterau Neil Harris yn iongyrchol sydd orau. Ond un peth angen i chwarae’n amddiffynnol. hynny o beth, wedi iddo gymryd Mill- mae Neil Harris yn ei addo ydi ei fod Mae angen hefyd edrych ar un o’u wall i’r wythfed safle yn 2018, ac eu yn awyddus i chwarae i gryfderau ei chwaraewyr gorau eleni, Joe Ralls; ac cadw yn yr adran yn 2019. Mae gan- ymosodwyr maes o law, ac i reolwr oes modd iddo gael rôl mwy creadigol ddo eisoes brofiad hefyd o Gaerdydd sydd ond yn 42 oed, mae ganddo’r yn eistedd y tu ôl i’r prif ymosodwr? wedi iddo chwarae yno ar fenthyg yn amser i ddatblygu. Pwy a ŵyr - efallai Ar ddiwedd y dydd, rhaid i Gaerdy- 2004. fydd gan y Neil yma wyrth i’w gynnig dd ymateb i’r sefyllfa sydd o’u blaenau Efallai mai’r peth anoddaf i gefnog- hefyd?

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GWLEIDYDDIAETH

What is devolution and how does it affect lawmaking in the UK? An introduction to which powers are devolved from Westminster to Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland

Hallum Cowell Politics Editor

evolution in the UK is the process of giving the other member nations of the Union - Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland - more power to govern their own respective nations outside of the decisions of Westminster. So far Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland all have their own parliaments with varying levels of power and responsibility. The Scottish Parliament was established in 1997 which has powers over education, health, agriculture and justice. The Welsh Assembly has fewer powers than the Scottish Parliament but still has control over health services, housing, culture and 17 other areas. Northern Ireland also has its own parliament which has control over similar areas such as agriculture, the economy and infrastructure. Further devolution has been a constant issue in the home nations for many years now. Parties like Plaid Cymru, the SNP and Sinn Fein campaign for the independence of Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland respectively. However, each nation has shown different levels of support for these ideas. In Scotland, indepdendence

is a mainstream political idea and the referendum on the issue in 2014 yielded a result of 45% in favour of Scotland leaving the United Kingdom. In recent history Northern Ireland was fraught with social unrest as paramilitary forces of both Unionists and Republicans fought in a civil conflict. Wales however is a little different. In 1979 Wales was given its first referendum on whether it wanted an assembly similar to that of Scotland and Northern Ireland, but it was voted against by 79.74% of the Welsh electorate with a 59% turnout. Another referendum in 1997 then gave Wales an assembly but by a narrow margain with a yes vote of 50.3%. Compare this to the Scottish vote of the same year which saw 74% of voters in favour of a Scottish parliment. It would seem that devolution was not an issue which drew large support in Wales. However, with the support for Scottish independence growing as a consequence of the EU referendum result and the SNP’s domination of Scottish politics, it may be more likely to see support for further devolution grow in Wales. In March 2011, another referendum was held in Wales on whether to give the assembly more power. The turnout was far lower than the other

votes at 36%, but those in favour of further devolution won with 63% of the vote. In the upcoming election, campaign parties like Plaid Cymru are hoping to galvanise the pro-EU population. A poll in September of this year showed that 24% of Welsh voters (from a sample size of 1,039) would back Welsh independence, and that if Welsh independence meant being a nation in the European Union that figure grew to 33%. However, this number is still sub-

stantually lower than Scotland’s 45% yes votes, and a recent YouGov poll puts Plaid Cymru on just 12% of the vote. This would mean the party would come in fourth behind Labour, Conservatives and The Brexit Party in an election. It would seem that an independent Wales is not as popular or mainstream among the Weslh population compared to other UK nations and that is unlikely to change in the near future if history is anything to go by.

Holyrood: The home of the Scottish Parliament. Source: Wikimedia Commons

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POLITICS

The two leaders debated each other for the first time last Thursday

Your politics desk Lowri Pitcher Hallum Cowell Tom-Henry Jones Maisie Marston

Tom-Henry Jones Politics Editor

he first televised debate between Jeremy Corbyn and Boris Johnson took place last week ahead of the general election on December 12. The debate was watched by an estimated 6.7 million people. The debate was closely contested, with a snap YouGov poll claiming Johnson won the debate by 51% to 49%. It is the first debate of seven to be televised during the campaign, but it’s the first of two debates just to feature Corbyn and Johnson. Both the Liberal Democrats and the SNP launched legal action against ITV for failing the include them in the debate. However, the High Court ruled against the claims and the parties failed in their legal action. Jo Swinson argued the Lib Dems pro-Remain stance should have been represented and she even accused her male political rivals of sexism for excluding her from the TV election debates. The debate lasted for 60 minutes with the first half focussing purely on Brexit and the second half concentrating on other domestic issues,

regarding the NHS, the economy and even the monarchy. The debate was conducted in front of a studio audience who posed questions to the leaders throughout. Political TV debates now appear like a customary tradition in a general election campaign, but the first televised debate in the UK only began in 2010 and ever since it has had a complicated history. The first debate took place between David Cameron, Nick Clegg and Gordon Brown and was famous for the performance of Clegg, helping him to gain public attention for the first time. In the United States, however, the first televised debate happened way back in the 1960 Presidential Election between John F Kennedy and Richard Nixon. Nixon came into that debate ahead in the polls but Kennedy’s smooth, charismatic performance acted as a turning point in the campaign, helping him to secure the Presidency that year. From then on, debates have played an integral part of the US campaigns. Watched by millions, it is both an

opportunity for the candidates to boost their profiles and policies, or either fail to impress. It is the high stakes involved with the debates that make them so significant to the candidate’s future success or failure in the election. The high stakes, however, mean politicians tend to duck or avoid the debates, eliminating the risk that they might falter. This tactic was used by Theresa May in 2017, as she refused to debate Jeremy Corbyn for fear of denting her large lead in the polls. Instead, it backfired, adding to the narrative that she was avoiding scrutiny. However, there is no rule or obligation forcing the candidates to attend the debates but avoiding them can form a bad image in the eyes of the electorate. Critics of the debates claim them to be too Americanised in their style, yet their popularity is reflected in the viewing figures. The scheduled debates ahead therefore can feature important turning points in the campaign. Historically it has proved the case and it may do so again this time around.

Leaders: Corbyn and Johnson went head to head for the first time. Source: Wikimedia Commons

GWLEIDYDDIAETH 13

Weekly general election round up

TV debates, manifesto launches and tuition fees promises, the election campaign continues... Lowri Pitcher Head of Politics

TV Debates

Green Party Manifesto On November 19, The Green Party became one of the first parties to release their election manifesto. The party has pledged to spend £100 billion in order to halt emissions of greenhouse gasses by 2030. Other environmental policies proposed by the party include banning singleuse plastics, building 100,000 zerocarbon houses, planting 700 million trees by 2030, phasing out petrol and diesel cars by 2030 and increasing taxes on frequent flyers. One of the Party’s more radical manifesto pledges is to reform the UK’s welfare system and replace it with a Universal Basic Income of £89 a week, paid to all UK residents regardless of employment status. In addition, they will move away from using consumption and GDP as measures of success, opting instead to measure human and ecological wellbeing. Unsurprisingly, some of the Green Party’s key pledges are on the topic of Brexit and the NHS. The party consolidated its stance on Brexit, noting that it is seeking a People’s Vote during which it would campaign to remain a member state of the EU. On the subject of health, the Greens vow to provide an additional £4.5 billion annually to fund free social care to individuals over 65 years old who need support in their homes. This would come alongside an additional £6 billion each year

Maisie Marston Politics Editor

ith television debates, manifesto launches and daily door-knocking, the general election is getting into full swing. As the campaign enters its third week we’re taking a look back and dissecting some of the most notable events which took place last week.

While in 2017 Conservative Party leader Theresa May’s refusal to participate in TV debates caused controversy, in 2019 the controversy lies around political leaders being denied a spot on such platforms On Monday, November 18, Liberal Democrat leader Jo Swinson and SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon lost a bid in the high court in London which sought to ensure that they were invited to the Boris Johnson vs Jeremy Corbyn debate on ITV on Tuesday night. However, as had been previously arranged, Swinson is expected to participate in a debate with Corbyn and Johnson on November 28. Sturgeon and Swinson are also expected to appear for a debate between representatives of the seven main parties held in Cardiff on November 29.

One in three young people have not yet registered to vote

Brexit Election: Despite having a general election, Brexit still dominates the campaign. Source: Wikiemedia Commons devoted to the NHS until 2030.

Liberal Democrat Manifesto

The Liberal Democrats released their manifesto on Wednesday, November 20. As has been previously announced by the party, the Liberal Democrats have vowed to immediately revoke Article 50 and consequently cancel Brexit should they get into power. Also acknowledging the need to improve funding for the NHS, the Liberal Democrats announced that they would devote a penny in the pound extra on income tax to be ring-fenced for the NHS and social care. This would amount to approximately £7bn a year. It should be noted that when discussing topics concerning the NHS, the measures would apply only in England as the Welsh and Scottish health care governance are devolved to their national parliaments. One of the most discussed policies by the Liberal Democrats includes their vow to legalise cannabis should Jo Swinson become resident of Number 10 in December. The party hopes this would help “break the grip” of the criminal gangs that profit from trading illegal drugs, however, there have been various arguments over the veracity of this belief.

Labour Party Manifesto

The third manifesto launch was that of the Labour Party which was released on Thursday, November 21. The party has proposed a set of radical policies regarding the economy, including the nationalisa-

tion of rail, mail, water and energy companies, as well as bringing the broadband-relevant parts of BT into public ownership. The party also proposes the introduction of a Real Living Wage of at least £10 per hour for all workers alongside the abolition of zero-hour contracts. Aside from their economic and social policies, the Labour Party has been receiving a lot of attention over its Brexit policy. Their policy was confirmed in their manifesto: the party would negotiate a new Brexit deal and put that to the public alongside ‘remain’ in a second referendum. They vow to we “get Brexit sorted in six months.”

English students, the Brexit Party in Wales has called on Welsh universities to ensure that Welsh students are compensated for the disruption caused by strike action taking place this month. Brexit Party leader in the Welsh Assembly, Mark Reckless AM said: “While disputes may be taking place between universities and the UCU (University College Union), it is not fair that students lose out financially. Any other institution would be expected to offer a refund to their clients or customers if there was disruption like this to their services. Why should universities be any different?”

Tuition Fee Promises

Conclusion

When the Labour Party announced that it planned to scrap student tuition fees during the 2017 election campaign, it proved popular among students and increased the party’s support among the student body. Parties across the political spectrum seem to have acknowledged the importance of attracting young voters. Namely, the Green Party has announced that it would be scrapping tuition fees for undergraduates and write off debt for former students. As promised in the 2017 manifesto, Labour has once again vowed to abolish tuition fees and bring back maintenance grants. However, it is estimated that writing off the existing debt for English students would cost £33bn, in addition to the cost of covering a single undergraduate year group during their whole time at university is estimated at £9bn. While the Green Party and the Labour Party’s pledges would apply to

Full versions of Labour, the Liberal Democrat and Green Party’s manifestos can be found on their website. Plaid Cymru and Conservative Party’s manifestos are expected to be released this week. Meanwhile, the Brexit Party has announced that it will not be releasing a manifesto and instead will publish a “contract with the British people” outlining the party’s proposals. As the campaign continues and polling day draws ever closer you can expect to see more manifesto pledges, more television debates and even more controversy regarding each part’s key pledges which could dramatically influence the UK’s future direction for years to come. In order to ensure that your voice is heard in this election, it is integral to make sure that you are registered to vote. If you aren’t already registered, you have until midnight on November 26 to do so.

nitially, when the election was announced, reports boasted a significant surge in the number of young people registering to vote. In statistics released by the Electoral Commission, however, it came to light that one in three young people have still not registered. In comparison, only 6% of pensioners have not yet registered. Many dubbed the 2017 election as a “youthquake” due to its unexpected result, supposedly as a result of a surge in youth engagement. For example, Cardiff University’s Professor Laura McAllister told BBC Radio Wales that Jeremy Corbyn had been able to attract 18 to 25-year-olds. That was why many academics and politicians believed the party had done better than they were expected to. However, it later came to light there was not a surge in youth turnout, and the change was very small between the 2015 and 2017 election. Younger people were still much less likely to vote than older people. To put this into perspective, according to YouGov the turnout among 18 and 19-yearolds was 57%, whereas the turnout for over 70s was 84%. Whilst there was not a significant change in turnout in 2017 it was clear that Labour was the party of choice for many young people. Those in older age groups were instead more likely to pledge their votes to the Conservative Party after many decided not to vote UKIP — a trend which we may see again in December after the announcement of The Brexit Party standing down in 317 seats to make way for the Conservatives. Crucially, what these statistics and trends point to is a possibility for young people to change the makeup of parliament at the next election. According to YouGov, age is “the new dividing line in British politics”, with Labour 47 percentage points ahead amongst first time voters (voters aged 18 and 19), and the Conservatives 50 percentage points ahead in the 70+ age category. YouGov concluded that for every 10 years older a voter is, the likelihood that they will vote Conservative increases around nine points. Considering these statistics with the fact that young people are less likely to be registered and turnout than their parents and grandparents, if the trend changed, the makeup of parliament would look significantly different. This does not, of course, account for the dispersal of the vote we may see as a consequence of the Unite to Remain pact, which many young people may opt for if they are Remain supporters. To vote in the upcoming general election, you need to register to vote by Tuesday, November 26 at https://www.gov.uk/register-to-vote. You will also be able to find instructions on how to register to vote by post or arrange a proxy vote on this website. If you have moved into a new house this academic year, you will need to re-register at your new address.

14 POLITICS In other Leak reveals Chinese Government abuse news... Human rights in China again under question after leaked documents reveal the extent of the abuse to minorties

Tom-Henry Jones Politics Editor

The Nigerian opposition leader has returned to jail after returning from exile in France where he had been receiving medical treatment. Hama Amadou was detained in 2016 on charges of baby trafficking however he was allowed to leave prison in Nigeria to travel to Europe for medical treatment.

hina’s President, Xi Jinping has come under intense international scrutiny after leaked documents revealed details of China’s Xinjiang detention camps. The 400 pages of leaked Chinese government files reveal the extent of China’s mass detention of Uighurs and other minorities. The documents show direct orders from the President to “show absolutely no mercy” in the “struggle

against terrorism, infiltration and separatism”. Beijing has repeatedly denied the claims of its crackdown in the predominantly Muslim region. More than one million Uighurs, Kazakhs and other minorities have been sent to the camps. China describes the camps as voluntary “vocational training centres” intended to provide “students with job skills”. The Government has even organised tours of the camps, in order to aid the defence of their actions. The documents were leaked by an

On Tuesday 19 November, Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani stated that the country’s security forces had “obliterated” Islamic State (IS) militants in Afghanistan. Officials said that air strikes, a lack of funds and low morale caused the group to surrender with more than 600 IS fighters and their families presenting themselves to the government over the last few weeks.

Xinjiang: Region of China home to one millon Uighurs Source: Wikimedia Commons Officials from the Greek government announced that the government would sell billions of euros of social security contributions owed to its pension fund to get cash upfront and facilitate recovering other receivables. The government which came to power in July is reportedly eager to boost investment and fix the bad loans in the banking sector.

The Ukranian military confirmed that Russia is returning three Ukranian naval ships that had been captured in the Kerch Strait in November 2018. Ukraine requested the ships be handed back as a gesture of good will from Russia. This comes in anticipation of a fourway peace summit on eastern Ukraine this December in Paris.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government wants to collect 17% more in direct taxes this year. Critics say that the demands represent the confusion surrounding the government’s economic strategy and that his decisions have contributed to a slowdown in growth.

anonymous official of the Chinese Government in an attempt to help prevent the leaders of the government from escaping responsibility and scrutiny. The leak is the first big challenge to the Government’s stance on the issue and has generated large international publicity to an area that was previously relatively unknown. According to the leak, Xi Jinping first called for the crackdown in the region in a series of private speeches given to officials in 2014. The President did not explicitly order the creation of a network of camps. The documents highlight the extent of the abuse suffered in the camps. In the most telling aspects of the leak, documents show the protocol of “punishing” children. Officials were instructed to meet students as soon as they returned home after the camps and explain that their loved ones had been exposed to religious extremism and were receiving “concentrated education” to eradicate them of “violent terrorist thoughts”. The leak adds to the international concern for what is being described as the most pressing human rights issue of our age. Satellite images taken in 2018 first showed the extent of the camps, highlighting that a massive highly secure compound had materialised enclosed with a 2km-long exterior wall protected by 16 guard towers. State propaganda by the Chinese Government has attempted to change the perspective of the “edu-

cation camps”. The state-run TV has shown students learning in clean modern classrooms.

Show absolutely no mercy in the struggle against terrorism, infiltration and separatism Xi Jingping President of China

The Xinjiang region is home to more than 10 million Uighurs. They speak a Turkic language and resemble the peoples of Central Asia far more than the people of Beijing. It is geographically closer to Baghdad and also feels culturally closer to them too. The region has a history of rebellion and resistance to the Chinese rule, the relationship with Beijing has often been fraught. The documents add to the narrative of the ever-growing totalitarian state of the Communist Chinese Government. As international pressure grows as a result of the dramatically revealing leaked documents, the Chinese Government now faces serious charges of persecuting the Muslim minorities within its country.

France’s Gilets Jaunes one year on

Protests were staged in Paris to mark the movement’s first anniversary Laura Dazon Contributor

aturday, November 17 marked the first anniversary of the Gilets Jaunes movement in France. From an online petition calling for lower gas prices to hundreds of demonstrations across the country, this movement has definitely shaped the French political and social landscape over the past year. 52 Saturdays of protests, thousands of wounded and hundreds of prison sentences, the Yellow Vests have been described as one of the most violent protest movements to have occurred in France over the last few decades and

material damages amount to millions of euros. Despite the intensity of the movement decreasing progressively during the year and gathering fewer and fewer people each Saturday, November 17 showed that the protesters still had important messages and wanted to be heard with protesters often claiming: “Un an, on lâche rien”: “One year, we hold up.” In Paris, violence quickly escalated, particularly on the Place d’Italie where the demonstration was supposed to start. Pacifist demonstrators were joined by rioters who started to attack the police. The police retaliated with

Yellow Vests: Initially the movement was formed to protest a sharp incresase in diesel taxes. Source: Patrice Calatayu (via Flickr).

teargas and were forced to disperse the crowd. Most protests in other parts of the country were peaceful, and people felt connected by the cause that drives them: financial and social fairness. Prof Yves Sintomer, political scientist at l’Université de Paris eight, talks about a “political fracture” between the nation and the politics, and says “there’s a danger in France of reducing democracy to a small political game, where only those who want to be elected are playing, and the people are watching.” The “people” here is a strong term worth emphasising, as protestors will often refer ironically to themselves as the “small people”. There is a growing resentment of politicians from the French working class, who feel like they are not being listened to. Anger has been one of the reasons demonstrations were so violent but also, to some extent, one of the reasons the government has finally listened. In an interview with TF1 in November 2018 before the first Yellow Vests demonstration, President Emmanuel Macron stated: “I did not manage to reconcile French people with their political leaders. I do hear anger, and I think it is a fundamental right in our society to be able to express it.” In order to calm tensions, he accepted the measures called for in the petition that had started it all. These

I did not manage to reconcile French people with their political leaders. I do hear anger, and I think it is a fundamental right in our society to be able to express it.

Emmanuel Macron French Prime Minister

included cancelling the fuel tax rises as well as proposing a rise in the minimum wage. According to Michel Wieviorka, French sociologist and expert in conflicts, “Violence has paid, and violence can be legitimate.” However, most protestors feel like this is not enough, and can’t help but notice that reforms against their best interests are still planned by the Government currently in place. Indeed, if the taxes have been suspended, it is not a definite measure. This topic is still subject to numerous debates in France. There are those who think nothing can justify violence and think that this movement is a nuisance to those who wish to remain neutral, but there are also those who think the real violence is the one imposed financially by the government on the working class and those fighting still claim that there is still a long way to go.

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Your comment desk Adam Clarke Harry Clarke-Ezzidio Kat Smith Tehreem Sultan Columnist Indigo Jones

Should students back the staff university strikes?

Adam Clarke Comment Editor

t can feel like a Catch-22, but how should students react to the staff strikes next week? 74% of the members of the University and Colleges Union (UCU) have voted in favour of taking strike action for eight days starting from Monday 25 November at as many as 60 UK universities, including Cardiff. In addition to the cancelled lectures, classes and seminars, there will also be members of the union not responding to any university emails, while also not publishing learning materials online, for fear of undermining the purpose of the strike. This purpose is said to be the improvement of working conditions, the wellbeing of the staff, as well as a pay rise. All this comes in response to further changes to the Universities Superannuation Scheme which have already left some members of university staff up to £240,000 worse off in retirement since 2011’s round of changes. Being students our initial reactions to any industrial action normally consists of rolling our eyes, internal sighs and thinking how inconvenient it is for us personally. It is completely understandable, when you consider the astronomical sums of money we pay towards our tuition fees to have it affected by industrial action. However, if we take a step back from our own student-centric

point of view, we find that the proposed ends of the strike more than ever justifies its’ means. The initial motivation for the strike was indeed the proposed changes to the pension scheme and this comes as no surprise when you consider that UK university staff have seen their pay devalue by approximately 20% since 2009. University staff voted to strike due to pay and pensions issues as recently as 2018 and with universities arguably having reneged on promises made in the resolution of that strike, the present action became somewhat inevitable.

Industrial action is a last resort in order to force the universities into action. Keeping aside the pension issue, gender equality is also a massive factor in the strike taking place next week. The starkness of the situation cannot be overstated, with women being paid at an hourly rate 21% lower than that of their male colleagues at Cardiff University. Furthermore, women occupy just 39% of the top paying jobs yet they have 67% of the lowest paid at the university. When you consider that Cardiff University currently has well over 200 mem-

Strikes: The strikes are taking place in several universities across the UK. Source: LornaMCampbell (via Wikimedia Commons) bers of staff on six-figure salaries, and that Vice-Chancellor Colin Riordan is earning over a quarter of a million pounds a year, this clear pay gap suggests a real need for serious action. However, Cardiff is not alone and indeed the other 59 universities also taking part in the strike have their own issues with pay inequality on the basis of gender and race; the strikers have made it clear that industrial action is a last resort in order to force the universities into action. I know it can be inconvenient, and

I’m aware that it can seem unfair to have your expensive university education affected by a strike. What is important though, is that we as students stand in support of our lecturers and tutors who are not striking out of a desire for a week off and they certainly aren’t striking in order to disrupt our studies (that is an unfortunate by-product); they are striking to stand up for their rights as employees of a multi-million pound business who have had enough of everything.

Has self-identification gone too far?

Many feel angry as UCU rule that anyone can pick their own race Sarah Harris Contributor

he University and College Union has recently stated that students should be allowed to ‘identify’ as black regardless of the colour of their skin or their background. Unsurprisingly, this decision sparked a controversial debate amongst the public and brought into question whether this would fall in to cultural appropriation. Stating in their ruling, ‘our rules commit us to ending all forms of discrimination, bigotry and stereotyping.’ This isn’t the first time this topic has been under scrutiny. In 2015, Rachel Dolezal, the former president of the National Association for the Advancement of Coloured People (NAACP) was called out by her own parents for falsely passing as a black woman when she had been born to white parents. Dolezal resigned from her role and was dismissed from her position as a lecturer in Africana Studies at Eastern Washington University. Although Dolezal acknowledged that she had no black ancestry, she maintained that she identified as black. She went on to release a memoir in 2017 based on her journey of racial identity titled Full Colour: Finding My Place in a Black and White World. Dolezal claims race is a social construction as do many of her sup-

porters, but to what extent does this allow us to engage in acts deemed as cultural appropriation. If we’re allowed to ‘identify’ as black, should we also be allowed to darken our skin, wear bindis to festivals or have braids? At what point are we supposed to call out blatant racism?

We live in a rapidly advancing society where gender and race are both as fluid as ever, but it’s important to know where to draw the line. In 2017, a paper was published by feminist philosophy journal, Hypatia, that suggested there were similarities between transracial and transgender identities. This subject, explored by many a sociologist since, suggests that if individuals are allowed to identify with a gender they were not born with, surely, they should be allowed to do the same with race. Exploring this topic in his book, UCLA professor, Rogers Brubaker argues that although this phenomenon is offensive to many, it is psychologically real to many people. Praise Lubangu, masters student at the School of Chemistry said, ‘I’m

not against people getting braids and locks. Really, I quite like that; I appreciate people asking me stupid questions about my hair because how else are they supposed to learn? But saying you’re black when you’re not? Please stop.’ Skin lightening cream and bleaches are so easily accessible and even promoted in some cultures. Ironically, recent ‘trends’ in Western society includes lip fillers, butt enhancers and deep tanning. Isn’t it strange how each ethnicity

idealises the other without thinking about to what extent they’re engaging in the appropriation of a culture? It’s true, we live in a rapidly advancing society where gender and race are both as fluid as ever, but it’s important to know where to draw the line. The UCU clearly didn’t mean any offence by the alteration of their rulings, but truly, this somewhat encourages cultural appropriation which is just as much an issue as discrimination, bigotry and stereotyping.

Outspoken: Campaigner Rachel Dolezal has suggested that race is a socal construction. Source: Aaron Robert Kathman (via Wikipedia)

The Christmas ad-vent

SYLWADAU

Are Christmas adverts just a bit of festive fun? Rebecca Astill Contributor

orget the premature stocking of Christmas products in supermarkets and the Christmas light turn ons. Everyone knows the most hotly anticipated event and the true mark of the beginning of the Christmas period each year is the release of the John Lewis Christmas advert. In typical fashion, this year’s Christmas advert centres around animals and children in a transparent, yet successful attempt to tug at the heartstrings of people across the nation. ‘Excitable Edgar’ the dragon, who keeps accidentally ruining the snow and Christmas decorations with his fire, joins the long list of lovable animated characters to have stolen the hearts of John Lewis’ audience throughout the years. Sadly, every year, without fail, the stories are overshadowed by cynics who sit on their pedestals and rant about the commercialisation of Christmas and the capitalist underbellies of the seemingly innocent adverts. It is true that the base purpose of Christmas adverts is to encourage consumerism. According to The Guardian, advertisers will spend a record £5.6 billion on Christmas adverts this year. Craig Inglis, Customer Director at John Lewis & Part-

ners and Chairman of the Marketing Society has even said: “We make just over £8 [profit] for every pound we spend so the Christmas ad campaigns are hugely profitable.” With statistics like this, it may be hard to ignore the capitalist intentions. However, he went on to say that: “People at Christmas want to be engaged in stories.”

Christmas ads: What do they add? Source: JESHOOTS.COM (via Unsplash) So why is it so hard to ignore the cynics inside of us and simply accept the Christmas adverts for what they should be – a bit of fun? This year’s John Lewis advert teaches us that there is a place for everyone in the world, even ‘Excitable Edgar’ who melts snowmen and burns down Christmas trees; his job is to light the Christmas pudding with his fire, a job which I’m sure everyone can agree provides a challenge each year! In danger of sounding terribly cliché, Christmas is a time of giving and happiness, not for nit-picking and over-analysing. Adverts run all

year round with minimal criticism, so Christmas adverts, which are the only actually interesting adverts, should be treated the same. As soon as the John Lewis advert came out it was the main topic of conversation – in my family group chat, with my housemates, and I even heard people talking about it in my lectures. The reason for this is simply that people enjoyed it and wanted to share the happiness it made them feel with others. So this Christmas, let’s put our festive pessimism aside and embrace the magic which comes from stories and giving.

Have telethons had their day?

With so many fundraising events, are telethons still needed? Harry Clarke-Ezzidio Comment Editor

s another year of ‘Children in Need’ passes - where celebrities and everyday folk come together to raise money for those in need - some have suggested that the format is out of date, and its best days are behind it. After a recording-breaking total of £50.6m was raised last year, Pudsey and co. managed to raise £47.9m, a 5% fall. In light of a proliferation of charitable causes such as Movember amongst others, are more traditional ways of fundraising such as Children in Need surviving on borrowed time? Before I fully get into the debate, I think it’s important to highlight the brilliant work the charity has done. Since launching in 1980, the BBC’s annual charity extravaganza has raised over £1 billion for disadvantaged children and young people across the UK. However, not everyone is happy about the nature of the show. In what he calls the “BBC’s annual orgy of self-congratulation”, journalist James Moore, writing in The Independent, acknowledges the benefits the money raised has done, but he also feels that the programme frames whose in need as nothing more than ‘pity porn’. Many criticisms of Children

in Need, as well charity appeals in general is that they provide a skewed perception of reality and add to the societal stigma of those they are trying to help, by presenting them as weak or inferior. Things aren’t looking too rosy for Children in Need’s younger brother, Comic Relief, where on top of facing similar criticisms, they came into a ‘white saviour’ row with Stacey Dooley and MP David Lammy at the epicentre of the debate. Lammy said that a film made in Africa which Dooley featured in was part of a ‘white saviour’ complex left over from a ‘colonial era’. These types of films have been a cornerstone of TV telethons for decades, and have brought tears to the eyes of many across the nation, but are they wrong? It’s a bit of a catch-22 really, though these films do a lot to show the stark realities those who are disadvantaged are facing, but it can contribute to unfair stereotypes to places and a group of people. Without trying to sound ‘red pill’ – since I studied this type of stuff for my degree – but those in charge of producing these films and the entire event use all the little tricks in the book to emotionally manipulate you into contributing to the cause. The sad music, the close-ups of people crying are all deliberately designed to tug at the heartstrings. On top of that, a much-loved celebrity bond-

I’m an animal with feelings get me out of here... Kat Smith Comment Editor

Why is it so hard to ignore the cynics inside of us and simply accept the Christmas adverts for what they should The Christmas adverts rarely directly advertise their own products. Instead, they leave you with a warm, tingly feeling and anticipation for the festive season, even seven weeks before Christmas when the adverts first premiere. My highlight from last year’s Christmas adverts was the Sainsbury’s nativity scene, in which one child was dressed as a plug, and had to run and jump into a wall in order to switch all of the Christmas lights on. It didn’t make me want to immediately get up and go and buy everything festive which Sainsburys had to offer, but it did make me chuckle and feel warm inside each time I watched it.

ing with and experiencing the sadness of their surroundings contributes to a feeling of guilt. Another thing I have noticed is that when in a film there are children featured with a disability, and how they need funds for schemes to help them, it is framed in a manner to make viewers donate because they ‘feel sorry’ for the kids. It’s not really about feeling sorry for these kids, most of these kids are extremely happy and are living contentedly as most kids do. It’s about proving the funding to provide programmes to help these kids to live a happy life in spite of their disability. Even if, through the power of editing of a certain narrative that isn’t entirely reflective of reality is pushed, it emotionally manipulates you in wanting to donate. And if you don’t, as Moore (somewhat exaggeratingly) jokes, your moral conscience (or people with too much time on their hands) scream: “Have you got your Children in Need fundraising pack? If not why not, you rotten, miserable, mean old Grinch? People like you are worse than Hitler”. Although dramatic. Moore has a point. But at the same time, as much as those behind the films may over dramatise the films, the reality is that if they weren’t as dramatic as they currently are, they wouldn’t generate as much donations as they do. There’s a reason why every ap-

peal film looks the same and has the same features - it’s successfully tried and tested. And as much as it at times may be sensationalised, the people featured in those themes are in difficult circumstances and genuinely deserve or attention and support. Whether their need for attention and donations outweighs or justifies the way in which they’ve been portrayed in adverts and telethons such as Children in Need is up for you to decide. But personally, it doesn’t irk me too much, I acknowledge its disingenuous nature, but at the end of the day, the money generated from it goes to a good cause, and not some big media conglomerate. And, for some reason, I still have hope in humanity and hope the average person can see through all the TV ‘stuff ’ and not let the images of those suffering from a particular part of the world, or suffering from disabilities naively form their judgement on those groups of people, just because you saw a sad film on Children in Need. But the answer to this whole debate is no, TV telethons aren’t dead, they still generate tons of money each year for very noble causes. Yes, the show themselves might’ve become a bit stale, and the tricks of TV they use are somewhat disingenuous, but they do a lot more harm than good. Pudsey and co. have done alright.

t 18-years-old, I’m a Celeb needs to come of age. If you belong to Generation Z, chances are you have heard the phrase ‘I’m a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here’ before you took your first steps. Starting in 2002, ITV’s reality show is in its’ 18th series, and has become a household name. But then Chris Packham, who actually cares about things, ruined everything. Even after the show said it would stop including live animals in eating trials, he penned an open letter to condemn the show for its treatment of animals: “Once again, we call on ITV to rethink this part of their show and replace it with trials which strike fear into willing human contestants and not the animals who unfortunately have no say.” It’s a powerful call to arms, yet was met with a pretty unsatisfying response from an ITV spokesperson, who told Packham that he had no leg to stand on. Any backlash to this reasonable request from Packham is quite frankly absurd. It’s safe to say that ‘ok boomer’ should have been created for those complaining that they’ll never see another soap-star eat a live spider ever again. The absence of that is hard enough, but imagine also having to live without seeing a politician’s parent wear a helmet with some maggots inside either? It’s a really tough life. Apparently, some people just really want to see animals in extreme distress, cause distress to us too! It’s easy to dismiss the rage against animal abuse as ‘typical vegans’ or ‘classic snowflakes’, but the exploitation of animals is too excessive when it comes to I’m a Celeb. I hardly expect campmates to start eating quinoa and kale as their lucky break from rice and beans (that would hardly be in the spirit of jungle life). But, the so-called ‘bushtucker trials’ can easily been done without distressing live animals by placing them in a confined space with a hysterical celebrity. It doesn’t seem like a good time for anyone involved - I’m sure there are plenty of other places the animals would rather be than on top of Harry Redknapp. Setting the creepy crawlies and reptiles free from the Aussie studio will surely not kill the joy of what’s a pretty iconic show. In fact it could even give it a new lease of life. Firstly, a greater majority of animal rights activists would actually watch it – I’d like to think that comprises a fair few people. Secondly, it’ll allow the producers to add more creativity to the trials rather than each meeting being full of ‘D-list stars screaming at a cockroach about a 1000th of their size!’ pitches. And finally, the interesting parts of the show will no longer be overshadowed. There is so much more substance to I’m a Celeb than the animals: the tension, the camaraderie amongst those who were once strangers and the terrible, terrible puns. Essentially, I’m a Celeb needs a cruelty-free makeover. Surely, we all can agree on the fact that distressing and demonising animals is no longer chic, ITV. If it’s going to involve animals, bring in some cute therapy dogs for the campmates. I’d rather see that any day of the week.

COLUMN 18

Indigo Jones

COLUMN ROAD

The changing face of looks and likes I

Without likes will users feel less pressure?: Instagram is one step closer to becoming “the safest place on the internet” Source: Georgia de Lotz (via Unsplash)

nstagram could arguably be described as the social media network that has the biggest effect on body image issues. Through people’s constant need to upload stories or images of what they look like, what they are eating and where they are on their holiday, the pressure to upload endless selfies has only increased over the years with the rise of everyday users of the app. According to Instagram themselves, in 2018 they reached one billion monthly active users, and 500 million daily users. 2019 statistics show that “14 percent of global active Instagram users were women between the ages of 18 and 24 years old” (Statistica). Perhaps this is the usership most impacted by body image issues as there is a consistent pressure on women to look good. Statistica also state that, “More than half of the global Instagram population worldwide is aged 34 years or younger”; this then includes children and teenagers who use the app, demonstrating the young demographic Instagram targets. The body image issues that come from the likes of Instagram began from the use of filters over their images; these filters have now developed to ones where you can change your facial features to reflect the look of plastic surgery e.g. bigger lips, fuller cheeks and a slimmer nose. In a bid to become the safest place on the internet Instagram have decided to remove these filters, thus discouraging their

young users from feeling a need to change their body image through the use of filters or plastic surgery.

Teens report feeling more confident, popular, and better about themselves when using social media. Statistica

You could argue that these filters and plastic surgery filters didn’t have an influence on the body image issues of those who use the app but instead boost their confidence, as they finally have the ability to hide imperfections. Statistica stated that “Teens report feeling more confident, popular, and better about themselves when using social media, and less lonely, depressed and anxious”. This decrease in social media related anxiety perhaps stems from their ability to hide certain blemishes or deformities. Instagram likes to also make their users feel confident as they feel like they have accomplished something by gaining hundreds of likes, although obviously this also has a negative impact on the pressure on users to gain a certain number of likes. Instagram has also made the decision to get rid of their usual liking

system; they have begun testing this feature in the US now. This would see a decrease in social media influencers who rely on likes and ensure young people who feel less of a pressure to have hundreds of likes on their images. As a result of not being able to see the likes on images many people would feel less competition to get more likes than others, whilst also feeling less of a need to constantly checking how many likes they have. Instagram will be in turn ridding the population of users of the need for approval through likes, and hopefully make a start in decreasing the amount of people who suffer body image issues as a result of social media. Although it does beg the question, will this alone improve the confidence and body image issues its users face, or are there other factors that lead to such issues? Brands have voiced their outrage over the fact that Instagram likes will be removed as it could potentially have an effect on their business and promotions. Adam Mosseri, the head of Instagram said to Wired that in regards to brands being affected by the change in the liking system that, “It means we’re going to put a 15-year-old kid’s interests before a public speaker’s interest”. This demonstrates Instagram’s dedication to changing how social media affects young people, having their wellbeing at heart. It’s valuable to know that they are considering their young and influential audience whilst mak-

ing changes to the app, especially since 20% of adolescents may experience a mental health problem in any given year (World Heath Organisation).

It means we’re going to put a 15-year-old kid’s interests before a public speaker’s interest. Adam Mosseri ( Instagram CEO)

Personally, I believe that social media influencers are one of the leading factors in body image issues, through their promotion of a no pain no gain lifestyle filled with plastic surgery and day long visits to the gym. This negative influence on young people is only increased by the influencers that promote unhealthy eating habits and meal replacements. Rather than regulation on filters, perhaps there should be further regulation on what these influencers promote and advertise. Instagram have recently begun regulating advertisements that influencers do on the app, through making them declare that they are advertising through #ad or #gifted, although is this enough to stop influencers encouraging certain brands and products to their followers? In a bid to stop bullying they have also created stickers to put on stories

that promote taking a stand against online bullying, appealing that users “Help […] keep Instagram a safe place by using this sticker to stand up to bullying, support a friend or spread positivity on Instagram”. A huge step in Instagram’s campaign to change the number of harmful images seen online was to rid graphic images of suicide and self-harm from their app, as they stated that “the tragic reality is that some young people are influenced in a negative way by what they see online, and as a result they might hurt themselves”. After implementing this motion, they were able to find and remove 77% of these images before they were reported, thus deterring those who are vulnerable from seeing negative and graphic content, hopefully as a result keeping users safe from potential harm. Social media networks, especially Instagram, need to consider the fact that ridding the app of likes and filters alone will not solve the body image issues that users suffer with. Instead they should consider further changes to make a difference to this type of problem. Maybe it is worth considering that users feel pressure from follower counts or images they may have suggested on explore pages. These are the types of things they should think about next when making updates. Perhaps then they will be one step closer to becoming the “Safest place on the internet”.

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CYNGOR

What to do when university is not living up to expectations

For some, it’s not always the “best years of your life” Katie Waits Contributor

hances are before you arrived at university, somebody told you that your university years would be the ‘best years of your life’. Family members, friends, even teachers may have fondly recalled memories of their time at university. Anecdotes of nights out, university friendships, the freedom... They can all paint a picture of an ideal university experience. While these stories may be fun to listen to, it can create high expectations of what university ‘should’ be like. You may expect to make friends quickly, that you’ll be free to do what you want and that your course will be perfect. There’s nothing wrong with having these high expectations. Everyone has a certain expectation of what university will be like. However, the pressure to have the time of your life at university can sometimes get too much. Not all students have a fantastic time at university for a wide range of reasons. Homesickness, a stressful course, difficulty making friends, feeling left out – these can each make or break your time as a student. You’re going to be at university for the next three years, at least, you have plenty of time to settle in and find your feet in the university environment. There’s no rush at all! Everyone’s experiences are

Columnist Satwik Shivoham

different and unique. Comparing your experiences to someone else’s is not a healthy thing to do. Personally, I found it very difficult to settle into university life in first year. I thought I’d get top grades and that I’d be able to get through loads and loads of readings. I also expected that I’d feel at home in my accommodation. When none of these happened I felt disappointed, like I was letting everyone down. It took until the end of the first year/ the beginning of second year to feel more comfortable at university. It can take a while, and there is noth-

ing wrong with that. To improve your own university experience, you could join a society. Societies are a brilliant way to make friends with like-minded people. They can also be a very good excuse to get out of the house if you’re feeling overwhelmed with studying. Alternatively, immersing yourself in work can also be a good way to get to grips with university. Not only will it help you keep on top of everything, you may learn something new and interesting, thus provoking more of an appreciation for your course.

Don’t hesitate to reach out if you’re finding your time at university difficult. You will feel much better when being open about your worries and stress. Cardiff Univeristy has a range of options if you’re in need of support don’t hesistate to reach out if you’re finding your time at university difficult.

It pushes you out of your comfort zone but is a great summer break

Molly Govus Rhiannon James

Pressure to have fun: Take your time to settle in to university; there is no rush. Source: Sharon McCutcheon (via Unsplash)

Volunteering in Fiji gave me “life long friends” Georgia Smith Contributor

Your advice desk

It is very important to find a balance between university, your social life and home. If you’re paying more attention to going out and neglecting your work, or if you’re not visiting home often, things can get very stressful. To avoid this, make sure that your work is done before you socialise, but don’t overwork yourself. Write a list of what you need to do and prioritise important readings and assignments. If you’re homesick, set a weekend aside to go back home or visit friends if you can. Finally, talk to the people around you if you’re stressed or not enjoying university.

eciding what to do in your summer break can be daunting, there is the pressure to gain work experience, earn money and also enjoy. Global Opportunities offer a once in a lifetime volunteering experience in Fiji where you can gain valuable life skills. Additionally, the experience of volunteering is valuable to your CV, whilst also having an amazing time abroad. Having been a volunteer myself this past summer, I can consider the positive and negative aspects of the experience to offer an insight into what is involved. During my time in Fiji I had many wonderful experiences, I particularly loved meeting my Fijian family and playing sports with my brothers and sisters every day. Another highlight was being so deeply involved in the village life. This sense of community came from attending church on a Sunday, eating with your family and drinking cava with the villagers, these instances enable you to gain a deep insight into Fijian culture. Teaching maths and English in school during the week allows you to create a bond with the children whilst also watching them develop their learning,

which was incredibly rewarding. Living with my Fijian family was the peak of my trip. The Fijian families completely take you in as one of their own. You get to bond with them on such a personal level, which is truly an experience that you cannot gain any other way. The experience does come with some negative aspects which should definitely be considered before signing up. Firstly, when you arrive in the village it can be quite a culture shock for many reasons, including lack of hygiene and electricity which can seem daunting in the beginning. Life in the village does push you out of your comfort zone, the food you eat and the lack of home comforts, although these are part of the experience and my advice would be to embrace the cultural differences and throw yourself in to village life. In my experience, the positives strongly outweigh the negatives. During the week, the volunteering itself involves teaching maths and English every morning, then sports and house cup in the afternoon, this is when you get to uncover the personalities of the children and create an everlasting bond with them. The evenings generally consist of group activities with your Think Pacific team which often in-

volve the families and other villagers such as playing cards, watching films or learning skills which allows ‘down time’. On Saturdays, you will leave the village to go on an excursion with your teammates. These excursions will typically involve hiking or going to the beach, a much needed break from village life and time to be with your friends. Sunday is the family day which was always my favourite. It consists

of attending church, “eating big” and spending time with your family, which gives you a chance to relax and recharge for the upcoming week. The Global Opportunities volunteering in Fiji programme is unforgettable and truly a once in a lifetime experience which I could not encourage enough. You will feel like a part of a family, make lifelong friends and learn skills which will take you through life.

Village life: As well as teaching. you have ‘down time’ to bond with the locals. Source: Georgia Smith

Tips for managing anxiety

CYNGOR

Finding the perfect Never forget the importance of putting your own well-being first student house Muskan Arora Contributor

ince the advent of social media, it seems like more people are dealing feelings of anxiety than they perhaps used to. Anxiety comes in many forms. For example, it can be when someone is worried or increasingly stressed about unforeseen events of the future; it could be somebody not wanting to leave the house; but for me anxiety, comes in the form of people waiting for me to trip up and laugh at me. I feel anxious taking every step forward. Some people build themselves up and fight against their fears, and up until a certain limit, we all feel capable of controlling our worries and anxieties. However, sometimes anxieties impede on our ability to live our everyday lives and it is at this point one may need to consider whether they are suffering from a mental illness which needs to be acknowledged and treated. You know that feeling when you’re rocking on the back legs of your chair and suddenly for just a split second you think you’re about to fall; that feeling in your chest? Imagine that split-second feeling being frozen in time and lodged in your chest for minutes, hours, days, and imagine with it that sense of impending doom and dread stick-

ing around too, but sometimes you don’t even know why. That is what anxiety can be like for some. However, it is important to remember that there is nothing in this world which can’t be treated or helped. One of my friends told me to see five things, touch three things and speak one thing out loud when suffering from extreme anxiety, and from my personal experience I can say that it works very well to calm oneself down. For those looking to deal with their anxiety independently, there are a number of possible remedies. YouTube can be a very helpful platform, offering a wide range of comedy and motivational videos which may lighten one’s mood and TED talks can be a wonderful way to feel inspired and motivated when you need a distraction or when you feel down. YouTube has videos to cater to everyone’s interests and can be a great distraction. For some, going out and enjoying the nature and fresh air can also be helpful. For me, one of the things that has become a part of my routine to keep me calm since I have come to Cardiff is enjoying the fresh air in Bute Park. It is so close to the University, it would be a waste not to enjoy the beautiful sights. What’s more, if writing helps you like it helps me, try keeping a diary or just write pointers about your

Rhiannon James Advice Editor

Put your wellbeing first: Don’t be ashamed to get professional help and never ignore your anxieties. Source: Tim Goedhart (via Unsplash) day. This can be a good practice for self-reflection and a big improvement to your general wellbeing. However, distractions are not always the answer and you should never rule out the possibility that you may benefit from seeking professional help and guidence. Never be afraid to talk to friends and family about how you’re feeling and consider consulting a professional if your anxiety is preventing you from carrying out daily activities and living your life to the fullest. Sometimes, we tend to ignore our anxieties and end up feeling helpless

and anxious which is not a nice feeling. Trust in yourself and others to help you through your worries. If you feel you would benefit from seeking professional help, Cardiff University offers some free student support and wellbeing on their Cathays and Heath Park campuses, and the Students’ Union Advice department also provides a range of free services to students, too. More information can be found on both the University’s and the Students’ Union’s websites.

The plus-side of plus-size

Being positive in your own skin after adjusting to university life Indigo Jones Comment Columnist

s students, we come to university excited yet scared at what it has to offer. Within the first few weeks it is easy to distinguish between those who can cook and those who could burn a pot noodle. This inability to cook means you either live off minimal food or have the consistent urge to order takeaways or go to meals. Personally, I have the ability to cook, but the overwhelming urge to order things off Deliveroo or Just Eat meant that whilst in university, I have inevitably gained weight. It’s not obvious to those around me although through comparison pictures but I can’t help but see small changes here and there, whether that is an extra chin or maybe a few extra inches on my waist. I have tried my best to lose weight whilst at university through dieting and joining the gym, but because stress eating away my deadlines and days baking in my student house, I found it increasingly difficult. With the struggle to lose weight comes a need to accept yourself. This probably sounds more difficult that the actual ability to lose weight, although, trust

me, sometimes it is possible. Don’t get me wrong, everyone has their bad days where they feel low or selfconscious about their appearance, and that is only natural whether you are plus-size or not. If you are struggling with confidence, some easy ways to knock bad habits would be to perhaps delete takeaways apps, and instead download healthy eating apps. It may be difficult at first (I know), but not only would you feel better physically but also mentally. Learning how to make healthy meals would also be beneficial and in the long run would also save money. One of the worst habits would definitely be judging yourself, whether this is through judging the numbers on a scale or the numbers on your clothing size. It isn’t easy to stop doing that, but numbers don’t matter, as we should feel comfortable in ourselves and the way we are. This is why we should also not compare ourselves, because other people sometimes lack confidence too and feel the same, maybe they are comparing themselves to you. Everyone is different, that’s what makes us humans of all different shapes and sizes. The rise of plus-size representation and influence in the media is

something to be proud of and celebrate, so we should celebrate ourselves as well as them. It is slowly becoming widely understood that there is no ‘perfect’ body shape. Think of Marilyn Monroe in the 1950’s; the hourglass figure was seen as ideal. In ancient times, the bigger was often seen as better due to a sign of fertility and confidence. Of course, there is no size ‘better’ than the other, but it’s wonderful to see that size inclusivity is growing. I would say the main thing to consider when looking at your weight would be happiness. A friend of mine struggled with mental health and lost a lot of weight; depsite their figure appearing more skinny and ‘on-brand’ with societal norms, they weren’t happy. Looking at them now, although they accepts they haven’t got the same figure as before, their happiness has increased. It’s important to consider whether you’re happy and if the choices you’re making don’t make you happy, then you have the capacity for change. If you’re happy within yourself, there really is no problem and you shouldn’t feel like there is one. I myself have days where I lack confidence or feel disappointed when I look in the mirror. But learn-

Loving yourself: You are worth more than numbers on a scale. Source: Jennifer Burke (via Unsplash)

ing to be comfortable in yourself and your body is so worthwhile, whether you have gained weight or not. Gaining weight can’t be all that bad if I am currently eating a brownie whilst writing this article. So, if you’re happy, love yourself and buy some brownies.

tudent houses have a bad reputation, but your student house doesn’t have to be dirty and dingy. In this article, I will outline how to secure your perfect student house. Deciding on a monthly budget is important. Cardiff is one of the most affordable places for students to live, therefore it is possible to get a decent house within your budget. Incorporating the added cost of bills to your budget is also a good idea to save you money stress further down the line. Respecting that everyone’s financial situations are different is crucial when deciding on a budget with your future housemates.

Narrow down your priorities in order to make your decision easier. Be clear with the letting agency about what your budget is. They can then cherry-pick some of their houses that fit your budget. House viewings are a great way to find out what your priorities are, too. They could be having large bedrooms, modern bathrooms or maybe an open plan kitchen and living room to fit your social life. There will be an array of houses with all different lay outs and designs so view as many as you can and you will find the one for you. Whilst viewing houses, I recommend looking out for these issues: damp, mould and/or pest problems. If you do notice any of these in a potential house choice, bare them in mind when deciding because these aren’t problems you want to be dealing with when you move in. Asking the current tenants what they think of the house could also be useful as letting agencies are always going to present the rose-tinted version. The current tenants can provide you with first-hand advice on that particular house. Additionally, location and security are also import factors to consider when deciding on a house. For some students, being close to lecture buildings or the Students’ Union is a priority when deciding on a house. Feeling safe in your surroundings is essential; your home is your safe haven. For some people, sleeping in the front of the house and on the bottom floor can be unnerving, therefore if there are worries about this, maybe a top floor flat is the best option for you and your housemates. You will be living in the house you choose for approximately one to two years, therefore you want it to be as comfortable as possible. Having a list of priorities in terms of location, lay-out and budget will narrow down your options and make it easier to decide. Good luck with the house hunting.

COLOFN

SATWIK Speaks

Satwik Shivoham

Do you know yourself? Find the answers to these three questions. Header: Jon Candy (via Flickr), Left: Guy Dugas (via Pixabay), Right: freeimage4life (via Flickr)

always say that self-reflection is a very powerful thing. Our best intuitions, decisions and actions arise from well thought-out, sincere reflection. In our daily lives, we reflect for the little things a lot. We ask ourselves what coffee we feel like having today, or what we want for dinner. We think over why we’re feeling low, why we couldn’t sleep and often come up with answers. These are all superficial levels of self-reflection, in my opinion. This does matter, but there are other things we forget to reflect upon, and when a third-person, outside our “area of comfort” asks us about those things, we feel lost. We fail to come up with answers and we feel directionless. I, for one, hate having that feeling. Every few months I have a “mini-think” about these things. Read this carefully and try answering this in your head: Do you know yourself? “What a vague, cliché question”, you’re probably thinking. Try to expand upon it- Do you know your biggest fear? Or your most valuable strength? Or your most distinct trait? Very often, these are questions which you face in scheduled interviews or casual conversations on reunions with long-lost friends, so we

don’t pay too much heed to these. We always find time to prepare for these, come up with decent answers (thanks to Quora and Google), and that’s it. We may ace the interview, but we still don’t discover anything true about ourselves. There are three questions you must be able to answer anytime, anywhere, to anyone. First: How would you introduce yourself? Second: What are your strengths and weaknesses? Third: Where do you want to be in life? These three daunting questions will keep coming our way, and even if nobody else asks us these, we must keep asking ourselves from time to time to know who we are, how we have changed, and what we want from our lives. The only reason we feel “lost” and “clueless about what to do in life” is because we haven’t thought about it enough. It seems too tedious. Such questions send a chill down our spines and we avoid them for later circumstances where we really need to answer them and we have too much to lose, i.e. interviews. Conversely, think about how much insight you’d gain if you were to start asking yourself these questions from time to time. Nobody likes to be judged, questioned or confronted like that and

when a stranger asks us these questions in interviews, it feels intimidating to answer these. The truth is, nobody wants to “expose” us when asking these questions. More often than not, they want to discover us.

We feel “lost” about our lives only because we haven’t thought of it enough. People who ask us this wish to see what our “building blocks” are (how we’ve built our personality over the years) and how we see ourselves. This is true for parents, recruiters, peers and everybody else who asks about your lives, and if we haven’t discovered ourselves, how would they? I’m a firm believer that everybody has a lot of untapped potential in them, everybody has talent. Nobody is any more gifted than another, but success often comes to only those who know that potential and exploit it- they dig deep to uncover it and feel confident in showing it to the world. None of that can happen if you don’t understand yourself, and that can only happen in isolation, with reflection. What’s the whole point of

having “me time” in our lives? Why do you think people say, “I just feel like being alone right now”? It is because they have a burning question in their mind they want to tackle. They may be upset, but they realize nobody else can answer those questions for them, so they seek isolation. The only unfortunate thing is that this rarely becomes a habit for us. We don’t wish to become self-actualized unless we absolutely have to. We only think hard and deep when our backs are against the wall, when there’s a sword of burden hanging above our heads. Call it laziness, call is escapism, it does us more harm than good. To answer, “How would you introduce yourself?”, think from a third person’s perspective, and answer what you are essentially. Yes, you may be a student at Cardiff University, but let them know you’re a passionate, committed one. Yes, you may be an applicant for so-and-so companies but let them know you’re going to be an asset to them. To answer, “What are your strengths and weaknesses?”, don’t give answers Google would. Yes, you may have leadership qualities but do incompetent teammates frustrate you at times? Yes, you may have excellent IT skills, but do you prefer not to

stick your eyes to a computer all day? Be honest about yourself and understand that your weaknesses can be interpreted as strengths. To answer, “Where do you want to be in life?”, answer with your heart’s desire. Most of us go with “Managers, CEOs”, but show that there is more to your life than designations. Express yourself right- say you want to “be financially independent” and “never have to worry about money again”. Again, there is nothing wrong with wanting money or being prosperous- it’s okay to be human and feel your needs, and more importantly, to express them.

If we don’ t inform ourselves of these things, then who does? So, ask yourselves, if we don’t inform ourselves of these things then who does? Who must we count on to tell us about our lives at present, and that’s how it’s meant to be? I doubt anybody can come up with an answer, because we all like to govern our own lives. Listen to yourself so you can. Reflection in key.

Tuesday 19th November

Film night: The Perks of Being a Wallflower 18:30, The Lounge

Monday 25th November

Student Led Services Fair 10:00-16:00, Y Stiwdio, 1st floor

Wednesday 27th November

Suicide Prevention Workshop hosted by Studentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Union Staff, 12:30-16:30 John Percival building P/1.19

Thursday 28th November

The Taf Quiz takeover on male mental health 20:00, The Taf

GWYDDONIAETH

To contact our science desk, drop us an email at science@gairrhydd.com

SCIENCE

For more content, head to gairrhydd.com/science

Your science desk Liv Davies Hollly Giles

Children at risk of developing myopia could receive earlier intervention Cardiff and Bristol University combine to develop a genetic test for short sightedness

Krista Charles Contributor

esearchers from Cardiff and Bristol Universities are developing a genetic test that could determine the likelihood of developing myopia, a common eye disease where distant objects appear blurry. The degree of a person’s myopia determines how far away they are able to see. It is possible for the condition to worsen with age. While the progression of this condition cannot be halted, it can be slowed down. Cathy Williams, a paediatric ophthalmologist from Bristol University’s Medical School, who co-led the study, said: “A genetic test can be carried out at any age, so a test like this - for a high risk of myopia - could give children who are likely to become very short-sighted a head start if carried out when they are young and if there are effective suitable treatments.” Myopia, more commonly known as short-sightedness, typically occurs when the eye grows too long, causing light rays to focus in front of the light sensitive retina instead of on it. This vision disorder is usually corrected through the use of eyeglasses or contact lenses; however, it is as-

sociated with more degenerative eye conditions including glaucoma, cataracts, and retinal detachment which could lead to blindness. Professor Jeremy Guggenheim, from Cardiff University’s School of Optometry and Vision Sciences, who co-led the study, said their team could now identify one in 10 individuals who were six times more likely than average to develop severe short-sightedness by the time they reached adulthood. The development of myopia usually occurs in childhood and has been linked to activities such as reading or computer use that require focusing on nearby objects. Marielle Montero, 26, who is myopic and has been wearing glasses since childhood said in response to the possibility of genetic testing: “An early indication of your chances of being near-sighted would make you more aware of your technology use. Either way people are still going to use devices that will affect your eyes anyway so is it even worth knowing earlier than later?” However, Cardiff University’s Professor Jeremy Guggenheim, emphasised the significance of these findings in his statement: “Treatments

Optic Testing: New genetic test from Cardiff and Bristol Universities will put condition in plain sight. Source: Ken Teegardin (via Flickr) are available for slowing down the progression of short-sightedness. Knowing a child is at high risk would help parents and clinicians decide if treatment should be started.” Data

from over 500,000 people was used in this study but further investigations, such as analysing a larger scale genetic sample, would be needed to make the test a reality.

Parkinson’s symptoms may be reduced via faecal transplants Novel approach to treating Parkinson’s disease may provide new hope to patients worldwide

Liv Davies Science Editor

esearchers have demonstrated that faecal transplants into the gut may be able to help people with Parkinson’s disease. Parkinson’s disease, a devastating disease for many older people, and is the second most common age-related nerve degenerating disease after Alzheimer’s. This disease of the brain reduces the amount of the neurotransmitter dopamine. Dopamine regulates movement in the body, amongst other functions. The lack of this neurotransmitter causes symptoms such as involuntary shaking and stiff muscles, as well as more unheard of symptoms such as constipation. The gut contains bacteria that allow the absorption of nutrients into the body. The microbiome is com-

posed of different bacteria within a certain area, and can impact the delivery of nutrients and toxins to the brain and other parts of the body. Faecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) can change the microbiome within the gut and can therefore influence the body. Changes in the gut microbiota has been recently shown to precede Parkinson’s disease, and also determine its severity. For example, one study showed a negative correlation between the numbers of a particular bacteria called Prevotella in the gut and the severity of Parkinson’s symptoms. Therefore scientists have been studying whether fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) can reduce the symptoms of Parkinsons. In FMT, liquid filtrate faeces from individuals are screened for infectious diseases and transferred to pa-

tients either by a nasal tube, or by an enema. FMT from healthy individuals aims to replace unbalanced bacteria with types of bacteria that are balanced, in order to reduce Parkinson’s symptoms. However, scientists have only completed research on mice models that have been developed to mimic both the genetic and physical presentation of parkinsons. Scientists have not yet pinned down the process by which bacteria change levels of dopamine. However it is thought that a microbiota imbalance causes a reduction of correct nutrients that are delivered to the brain, and allows toxins to accumulate. Therefore changing patients microbiota might be beneficial to improve their symptoms. Reduction of Parkinson’s symptoms including both the motor

symptoms and gut symptoms such as constipation, were improved in mice models that had undergone FMT in order to rebalance their microbiota. A reduction in symptoms such as constipation, are coherent with general knowledge of gut function, however the link between gut function and diseases like Parkinson’s are surprising. Since patients already using FMT for other diseases display minimal side effects, it seems a viable and cheap option for clinicians to treat Parkinsons. Scientists must first ensure that it is safe and effective for use in humans, so more clinical trials are warranted. However, FMT does seem to offer great promise for Parkinson’s patients, especially as the world undertakes the problem of an aging population.

Word of the week: Microbiome

Micro = small or microscopic Biome = a large natural community occupying a major habitat The human microbiome is all the genes of your microbiota (the bacteria, viruses and fungi found within your gut). It has extensive functions such as the development of the immune system, defending against pathogens, producing short-chain fatty acids needed for energy, the synthesis of vitamins and fat storage. Alongside this is the newly discovered influence of our gut microbiome on human behaviour.

GWYDDONIAETH 25

Playing white noise improves hearing precision

Researchers discover the impact of white noise on the auditory performance of mice

Liv Davies Science Editor

he precision to which we can hear sound is crucial to our communication, and how we perceive the world around us. You may assume that the noisier the background, the worse the accuracy and precision of our hearing is. This seems logical, as sitting in a noisy bar makes its hard to hear a friend! However, researchers at the University of Basel, have uncovered that

a specific type of noise, white noise, can effectively increase the precision of a person’s hearing. Researchers compared peoples hearing from a quiet environment to that of a subject that was also listening to white noise. White noise is a type of sound that combines tones of all different frequencies together. They found the brain was able to distinguish more subtle differences in the frequency of sounds when white noise was played. This phenomena was noticed in the specific

hearing section, the auditory cortex, of a mice’s brain. Neuroscientists noticed that when white noise was played, inhibition of nerve cells in this region was shown. Inhibition of these particular nerve cells is known to contribute to increased distinction in the differences of the tones played. Since precision of hearing can be defined by the accuracy that one can distinguish between different tones, the researchers concluded that white noise may increase the precision of

hearing within these mice. These findings have huge impacts on people who are hard of hearing. Professor Tania Barkat at the University of Basal who lead the experimental research, noted that cochlear implants could be modified to include white noise in order to increase the auditory acuity of patients with these types of implants. This could lead to patients with hearing impairements having a better quality of life, showing the vital importance of these findings.

Mental sluggishness explained by inflammation in new study

The University of Birmingham and University of Amsterdam partnered in new project to find cause of mental lethargy crisis Holly Giles Science Editor

ver 12 million UK citizens have chronic medical conditions, of which a side effect is ‘mental sluggishness’. This sluggishness is defined as a feeling of mental fatigue or lethargy meaning it can be difficult to process commands, interpret information and process cues affecting everyday life and a general feeling of wellness.

These results show quite clearly that there’s a very specific part of the brain network that’s affected by inflammation... this could explain brain fog.

lished in NeuroImage, scientists from the University of Birmingham and the University of Amsterdam, have been able to prove there is a neurophysiological link between inflammation and mental lethargy. Work was conducted by both teams under the supervision of PhD student Leonie Balter. The study recruited 20 young men who received an injection and were then subjected to various mental processing tasks while their brain activity was monitored and recorded via an EEG. This injection was varied between a placebo of of water that had no effect and a substance known to cause temporary inflammation in the brain. The tests were designed to study three different processes of the brain: alerting which involves maintaining an alert state of mind, ori-

entiating which is the process of prioritising incoming sensory information; and executive control which decides what stimuli to pay attention to. Despite completing the same tests on both occasions the results showed that inflammation directly affects brain activity. Balter concluded this with the statement “inflammation caused significant alterations to task-related brain activity. Specifically, inflammation produced greater cue-induced suppression of alpha power in the alerting aspect of attention and individual variation in the inflammatory response was significantly correlated with the degree of alpha power suppression”. The success of the study was seconded by Dr Mazaheri who said “these results show quite clearly

that there’s a very specific part of the brain network that’s affected by inflammation” and that “this could explain brain fog”. These results are significant not only for increasing our understanding of the reasoning behind the mystery of mental sluggishness but also for potential treatments of inflammatory diseases. The next step for researchers is to look at the effect of inflammation on working memory with hopes to transfer this knowledge to clinical cases, such as those of Alzheimers and dementia. Balter explained that she hopes this research could eventually help patients with conditions of chronic-inflammation, such as obesity, kidney disease and Alzheimer’s through anti-inflammatory drugs to improve and preserve cognitive function. Investagtions are ongoing.

Dr Mazaheri Brimingham University

Despite affecting so many people it is not known what causes mental sluggishness, explains Dr Mazaheri from Birmingham University’s Centre for Human Brain Health; “Scientists have long suspected a link between inflammation and cognition, but it is difficult to be clear about the cause and effect. For example, people living with a medical condition… might complain of cognitive impairment, but it’s hard to tell if that’s due to the inflammation associated with these conditions or if there are other reasons”. However, in a recent paper pub-

Mental sluggishness: Defined as a feeling of mental lethargy or fatigue, mental sluggishness affects the daily lives of over 12 million UK residents. Source: Daniel Lombraña González (via Flickr)

Germany takes action to protect insects from fatal leaf blowers Holly Giles Science Editor

he German Government has issued a statement, after encourgement from a Green MP to ban the products, that leaf blowers should only be used when completely necessary explaining that they can be ‘fatal to insects in the foliage. There is a risk that small animals are absorbed or blown and thereby damaged” explained the German environment ministry. This came after a report into the German insect population, termed by many as the ‘Insect Armageddon’, that highlighted a 75% decline in flying insects across the country. This was seconded by a UK ecologist who predicted that insects are going extinct at a rate eight times faster than larger animals, of which we are far more conscious and aware. Germany’s response to these reports was a shift in attitude where they are moving away from leaf blowers to a more ‘natural’ look across cities; environmental scientist, Dr Turner, explained this further saying “I think that leaf blowers fall into the category of being ‘too tidy’ and this can be very bad for insects. Generally if we were to cut our road verges and open grass areas less frequently, let some weeds grow along our pavements, and leave some leaves to decompose more, I think it would benefit insects a lot. We should limit our use of herbicides and insecticides to an absolute minimum… Basically, I think we just need to be a little less tidy and a little more tolerant of weeds and I think insects and therefore lots of other species would benefit.” It is good to see that Germany are not only making these claims of importance but also providing financial backing to them; in September the German government announced an £85m project to protect insects, limit pesticide use and boost environmental regulation across the country. A key part of this action plan is the banning of the weed killer glyphosate by 2023. It is important to appreciate that this issue is not only prevalent in Germany but across the world. This was confirmed by Wiltshire Wildlife Trust’s, Professor Dave Goulson, in his statement; “If insect declines are not halted, terrestrial and freshwater ecosystems will collapse, with profound consequences for human wellbeing”. Germany clearly recognises the significance of these findings and has taken action to prevent them. This scheme from Germany has to be commended and it can only be hoped that other countries will soon follow suit in a bid to save their flying friends.

@CAERDYDD

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Welsh Writers

The brilliance of Welsh literature and the writers from Cardiff Tirion Davies @Caerdydd Editor

Catrin Dafydd: Source: Llywelyn2000 (via Wikimedia Commons) But what about the writers from Cardiff? Catrin Dafydd, a Welsh author, scriptwriter and poet (who won the Crown at the National Eisteddfod in Cardiff in 2018) wrote a collection of poems on the theme Olion

Events - November 2019 Les Miserables: November 26 until January 4 2020 Cariad a Gwybodaeth: November 27 - November 29

Tirion Davies Natalie Graham

the Coron at the Abergavenny Eisteddfod for Coelbren y Beirdd (the National Eisteddfod of Wales’ first official event wasn’t held until 1861, prior to this there were regional Eisteddfodau). Did you know Ivor Novello was Welsh? Born at home on Cowbridge Road East in 1893, Novello earned notoriety for his musical talents, and later turned to film and stage, starring in silent films directed by Alfred Hitchock in the late 1920s. The Ivor Novello Awards were named after him in 1955, and his legacy has remained in Cardiff. In 2009, the statue of Novello was unveiled outside of the Wales Millennium Centre in Cardiff Bay, with plaques detailing some of his best-known songs and dedications to Novello. According to Grove’s Dictionary of Music and Musicians Novello was, “until the advent of Andrew Lloyd Webber, the 20th-century’s most consistently successful composer of British musicals”. But who could forget amongst these famous writers that one of the world’s most successful children’s authors, Roald Dahl was born and raised in Llandaff? Dahl was baptised in Cardiff Bay’s Norwegian Church, and was educated at The Cathedral School, which now has a Roald Dahl

Chapter Arts Centre Cardiff:

Cardiff Events:

DEPOT Cardiff:

Bear Trap Theatre: Messiah: Wednesday December 4, 8:00pm

Movember Pub Quiz at Pontcanna Inn: November 25, 7:00pm

Pick & Mix: November 30, 10:00pm

Clwb Ifor Bach:

John Robbins: St David's Hall November 26, 7:00pm

Tramshed Cardiff:

Soeur: Tuesday November 26, 7:00pm

Dealer's Choice: Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama November 27, 7:15pm

ales is known for its culture – between the traditions which date back centuries, to our music and film, and our literature. Unsurprisingly, Wales has produced incredible writers. Welsh authors are easy to find (the list from Cardiff itself is long) and now, finding books with a Welsh backdrop is pretty easy, too. It’s a great country! Between the likes of Dylan Thomas and authors like Saunders Lewis and T. H. Parry Williams, Wales has an abundance of talent available in literature. And from some of the earliest Welsh literature being the Mabinogion, it’s as though a talent for writing has grown through Welsh soil. The Mabinogion, a collection of stories thought to be produced in the Middle Ages (although most scholars believe the origins of the Mabinogion are far more likely to date back to the dawn of Celtic civilization) are a strong part of Welsh culture, and the stories will remain a part of Welsh history forever. With the beauty of storytelling being so prevalent in the Mabinogion, it’s not hard to see why many Welsh authors have since produced an array of incredible stories.

Wales Millennium Centre:

Your @Caerdydd desk

(Traces) which explored being Welsh in Cardiff ’s Grangetown. Another notable writer who hails from Cardiff is Andrew Lewis, the screenwriter behind successes such as House of Cards (the 1990 version) and adaptations of Vanity Fair, Pride and Prejudice, Middlemarch and the BBC’s 2016 adaptation of War & Peace. The writer became a BAFTA Fellow in 2002, and with credits including a collaboration on the Bridget Jones films and an Emmy win for outstanding writing in a miniseries for his adaptation of Little Dorrit, it’s not hard to see why. The screenwriter for the miniseries Les Miserables and Sanditon, this Rhiwbina-born writer continues to go from strength to strength in 2019. The poet R.S. Thomas hails from Cardiff; the Anglican priest and poet learnt Welsh at 30 years old and despite originally saying he learned Welsh too late to be able to write in it, Thomas wrote Neb (Nobody), a Welsh autobiography written in the third person, in addition to Blwyddyn yn Llŷn (A Year in Llŷn). Another Welsh writer from Cardiff was Taliesin Williams, the son of Iolo Morgannwg. By 1834, Williams had won the Cadair at the Cardiff Eisteddfod for his awdl, Y Derwyddon (The Druids), and in 1838 he won

Studio for drama students in Dahl’s honour. In 1983, Dahl received the World Fantasy Award for Life Achievement and Dahl encouraged his own children and the readers of his books to allow their imaginations to flow. As one of the most famous British authors of all-time, with Hollywood adaptations of his books The Witches, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, The BFG, Matilda, Fantastic Mr Fox and James and the Giant Peach (he also wrote the script for Chitty Chitty Bang Bang) it’s no wonder Cardiff holds a sense of pride for having Dahl as part of our city’s success. Cardiff continues to show support for its writers in any way it can, from young to old. The National Eisteddfod was held in Cardiff in 2018, and it’s under-25 companion, Eisteddfod Genedlaethol yr Urdd 2019 returned to Cardiff Bay earlier this year. Both years showed the talent of Welsh writers and encouraged Cardiff writers to involve themselves. If you’re looking for support on your own writing, the Cardiff Writer’s Circle meet weekly on Mondays at YMCA Plasnewydd Centre, off City Road. They help to provide constructive assistance to members who are hoping to expand their audience and hope to gain publication. Most meetings are ‘Open Manuscripts’ in which members read and receive feedback. Wales Millennium Centre have started a similar project, where they have an ‘Open Office’ with opportunities for artists and writers to meet with members of the Wales Millennium Centre’s production team once a month between 1pm until 4pm in the Sony Room. You can book your slot on the Wales Millennium Centre’s website, and you have the option to send a short message to the team to outline who you are, to discuss your work and whether you have any acces requirements. To learn more about Cardiff Writer’s Circle, visit their website: https://www.literaturewales.org/ writer-group/cardiff-writers-circle/ To learn more about Wales Millennium Centre’s ‘Open Office’, visit their website: https://www.wmc.org. uk/en/whats-on/2019/open-office/

Lovecraft (not Les Miserables. the sex shop in Source: Imagine Cardiff ): Communications (via Performances Flickr) on November 28 and 29 performed in English, performance on November 30 in Welsh.

Ivor Novello: The Ivor Novello statue was unveiled in 2009 outside the Wales Millennium Centre in Cardiff Bay. Source: Colin Smith (via Geograph)

Everyman Theatre; The Government Inspector: November 26 until November 30

Badflower: Monday November 25, 7:30pm

Ben Oftewell: Wednesday November 27, 7:30pm Violet Skies: Saturday November 30, 7:00pm

Love Actually: Live Concert with Full Orchestra at St David's Hall: November 25, 7:30pm

Museum of the Moon: Wales Millennium Centre November until January 2020

DEPOT Christmas Market: Decmber 1, 11:00pm

Walkabout:

Foreverland Cardiff: Psychedelic Carnival: November 29 and 30, 9:00pm Jason Byrne: Wrecked Out Ready: Foreverland Festival. Sunday Decem- Source: Jacob Avanber 1, 7:30pm zato (via Flickr)

Let’s waste some more of the day with a healthy selection of puzzles -just what the doctor ordered! Now that’ll be £20 for a sick note, please... Place the numbers 1 to 9 in the empty squares so that each row, column and 3x3 box contains the same number only once.

easy / hawdd

Fill in the blanks with consecutive numbers. Circles mark the start and end of the path. The path must be continuous.

Hidato

Sudoku

Yawn... Has the mumps plague ended? It seems we’ve woken up from our hibernation a wee bit early... or maybe we just overslept? Classic students...

Word Wheel

Kakuro

Using the central letter, find as many 4+ letter words as you can. Each letter can be used only once. Can you find the 9-letter conundrum? Clue: It’s so obvious.

Quick Maths 6

+58

÷8

HALF IT

CUBE ROOT

+33

HALF TREBLE IT IT

÷4

DOUBLE IT

+13

+32 ÷4

3/4

-9

TREBLE IT

-9

2/5

-7

HALF IT

÷8 +54 ÷3

FIVE MINUTE FUN

PUM MUNUD HWYL 27

Here are a few quick brainteasers to give your maths mind a little run out. Can you solve them?

Fill in the grid using the numbers 1-9, each number can only be used once per sum. The numbers in grey are the total that the sum of the numbers in the white cells in the adjacent row or column add up to.

Codeword We’ve got a lovely bunch of codewords (diddlee-dee) in the bank and here’s one for you this week!

Make sure you check last week’s answers at www.gairrhydd.com

These are tricksy puzzles which were first used during WWII to communicate information undetected. That was a complete lie - I have absolutely no idea if they were used for real codes, but one can dream and you probably believed me anyway... Fill in the grid with the letters A-Z. Each number corresponds to one letter. I’ve decoded a few letters to get you started! Get involved on Twitter with #FMF and share your pictures with the puzzle page around the University!

T L

Most audacious photo wins the grand prize of one gallon of fresh Cathays air. Mmm, delicious! Keep your best suggestions for Freshers to do flowing in to @gairrhydd too!

WELSH WORD OF THE WEEK

GLAW

RAIN

Your puzzle master Michael Ash

To contact our sport desk, drop us an email at sport@gairrhydd.com

SPORT

For more content, head to gairrhydd.com/sport

CHWARAEON

Your sport desk Reece Chambers George Willoughby Ella Fenwick Luke Wakeling Olly Allen

For more content, head to gairrhydd.com/sport

Lewis Hamilton: the greatest Formula One driver of all time? The Brit secured his sixth World Championship earlier this month

Alex Hall Contributor

fter Lewis Hamilton’s secondplace finish in Austin last week, he has now overtaken Argentine legend, Juan Manuel Fangio, on the all-time leader board. This becomes his third consecutive title and puts him one world championship behind the record of seven set by Michael Schumacher. But has Lewis Hamilton already proven himself as the best F1 driver of all time? In my opinion, when it comes to the question of whether Hamilton is the best F1 driver of all time, his only credible challengers can be Schumacher and Senna, with domination in their respective eras. Synonymous with Hamilton, is his noticeably clear record when it comes to fair racing and I believe this is what puts him at the top, along with the greats of the sport. Even though there are arguments to suggest Lewis’ previous world championship wins are his best, the 2019 season has enabled him to prove he is a great champion as nobody could consistently match him over the season in qualifying or the race. He had to show patience in the early stages of the season with the opening four victories shared evenly with his Mercedes teammate, Valtteri Bottas.

But, then he dominated, winning the next four races as other teams came back into the fold. The team challenges that he faced this season from the likes of Red Bull and Ferrari were strong and winning 10 of the 19 races this year has gone a long way in showing how good he has been. Hamilton is quite simply the complete package. His blistering pace around the track and one lap qualifying technique has resulted in the most pole positions in history (87). From these pole positions, he has managed to win 18 of these, leading from the first lap to the last, and this extraordinary figure puts him one behind the record of Ayrton Senna. When Hamilton is in the lead at the start, we know he will win. This was most prevalent during the 2019 season and whilst on the one hand, it’s not that exciting, it goes to show just how high a level he’s operating at. It hasn’t been a smooth ride all the way for Hamilton either. Battling performances in Bahrain and Canada where he pushed Vettel to make mistakes and in Budapest where he passed Verstappen in the closing stages after race-long pressure. When anyone else leads a race, you know it isn’t over until Hamilton is out of contention. The only real factor that detracts from Hamilton’s success has been his lack of any real rival in recent years.

All smiles: Hamilton has raced for McLaren and Mercedes in his career. Source: Jen_ross83 (via Flickr) Vettel and Leclerc of Ferrari have not come close to the Mercedes team this year and even though Bottas has had a successful season personally, Lewis was still able to wrap up the title with races to go. The argument for this is simple. He’s beaten off the competition in such a commanding manner that it appears that he is in a league of his own. In an interview after his victory, he emphasised that he is working on his masterpiece which is alarming for his rivals

as he shows no sign of relenting. He will line up again next year once a new contract is agreed as he aims at chasing down Michael Schumacher’s record and proving his doubters wrong. Entering his 13th season at the pinnacle of motor racing, Britain’s greatest driver has inscribed his name among the immortals of all sport as a six-time Formula One world champion and I think there is still much more to come from him in the near future.

Welsh Rugby Union to receive significant investment boost

CVC Capital Partners have agreed a new £120 million deal with the Pro14 and Cardiff Blues will benefit from the boost in funding Jack Vavasour Contributor

ecently, most of the news coming out of the Rugby World Cup has been money related following Saracens’ points deduction for going over the salary cap. Now, there is some positive news in relation to financials. Private equity firm CVC Capital Partners have agreed to buy a 27% stake in the Pro 14. This will result in a £120 million influx of cash towards the competition. This will mean that the Welsh Rugby Union will receive £35 million and be able to invest that back into the regions. This will not, however, affect how the competition is run as the Pro 14 will still own 73%. This will mean that CVC will mainly take over the areas of sponsorship and broadcasting. CVC have also invested in the

Gallagher Premiership and are looking to buy a stake in the Six Nations. These deals will all be very similar and should improve all competitions with a huge influx of cash which is often not seen within rugby competitions. This is especially important in Wales as the funding of the regions is often poor and not as substantial as the other sides in the tournament and, furthermore, considerably less than those of English and French teams. Those sides have huge amounts of wealth, whereas the Welsh regions have been mismanaged for years since they came into existence with the creation of the Pro 12. This was evident as many Welsh players left their regions in search of greener pastures abroad. Some of the biggest and most important players have played abroad at some point. This is still trying to be resolved

but has been stemmed slightly with the introduction of central contracts. Central contracts brought some important players back and this season alone has seen the return of Josh Adams.

The increased funding will give the Pro14 a much needed finanial boost to help the future of domestic rugby. Unfortunately, due to ‘Gatland’s law’, it is easier for younger players to play abroad before they are capped. This has resulted in Rhys Carre moving to Saracens this season. Gatland’s law doesn’t work as effectively as England’s selection policy as there are numerous loopholes, with the

only important player to miss out on selection being Rhys Webb when he moved to Toulon. This new investment has come in the same week as Cardiff Blues announced their losses which fell by £1 million as the benefactors of the club wrote off the debts. The regions turnover increased by 36% to £13 million. The week can be seen as a complete win then for the Blues as their finances are looking up and they will also be receiving a huge investment. The only way is up for the Blues, who are having a poor season. Unfortunately for the Blues, all clubs will receive the same investment and will therefore have the same effect on all clubs. Nevertheless, this points towards a bright future for domestic rugby in Wales. With English domestic rugby thriving, this news is much welcomed.

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Can Stefanos Tsitsipas become a tennis great? The young Greek tennis player has announced himself fully on the world stage after winning the ATP Finals

Luke Wakeling Sport Editor

or over a decade now, the ‘Big Three’ (or Big Four depending on your opinion of Sir Andy Murray) of Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic have dominated men’s tennis. 2019 did not upset that trend, as Nadal and Djokovic each won two out of the four Grand Slams. Indeed, there have been 52 Grand Slams since 2006; the Big Four have won all but five of them, with Marin Čilić (1), Juan Martín del Potro (1) and Stan Wawrinka (3) providing the anomalies. It is quite a remarkable record, unparalleled in tennis and arguably sport as a whole. This reign is starting to crack though with the inevitable onset of age. Federer is incredibly still competing at 38 but is already missing key tournaments to prolong his career; surely even the great Swiss cannot defeat the constraints of time. Nadal is currently world no.1 and has come back from many injuries to become a force in tennis again. But, due to the more physical style of play the Spaniard has compared to Federer, you would not expect him to match the Swiss’ longevity. Djokovic is 32 and would hope to have at least

three more years in him but again this is all injury dependent. Therefore, many fans will be questioning who is next to dominate world tennis? There have been many challenges for the title over the years. Grigor Dimitrov was promising after winning the 2017 ATP finals but has since fallen off. Alexander Zverev is an exciting prospect and won the ATP finals last year but has not yet made it past the quarters of a Grand Slam which poses questions about his consistency. Nick Kyrgios is immensely talented but has a questionable attitude – none of these as of yet have been able to encroach on the Big Three’s supremacy. On November 17 at a raucous O2 arena, the Big Three were shaken by yet another challenge. Except this time, many believe this challenge will surmount to an upheaval. Stefanos Tsitsipas won the ATP Finals, a tournament that included the Big Three and the other five best players in the world, beating Dominic Thiem 6-7 (6-8) 6-2 7-6 (7-4). It is the biggest achievement in the short career of the 21-year-old. However, it is not the achievement that has excited the tennis world as Dimitrov and Zverev have won the same title. It is the style of play and composure Tsitsipas shows, well beyond his years, that convinces so

Gaining momentum: Stefanos Tsitsipas in action. Source: JC (Via: Flickr)

many that he is the next ‘big thing’. The long-haired Greek has a very versatile and attacking style, with a thunderous forehand and a beautiful backhand. He is not afraid to approach the net and take the ball early, as Federer has complimented. Tim Henman suggested in the semi-final between the two that “Tsitsipas beat Federer at his own game”, a statement which was not an exaggeration; it was as if Federer was facing a younger and more energetic version of himself. It was an unsettling sight for Federer fans to see him so outplayed, but they should also consider themselves

lucky to witness the pinnacle of an excellent break-through year for Tsitsipas. After only winning his first ATP match in 2017, Tsitsipas won the junior version of the ATP Finals last year and then reached the semi-final of the Australian Open in January. He ascended to no.5 in the world in August and believes he is “really close” to winning his first Grand Slam to make a serious blow to the perpetual wall of the Big Three. Few would suggest otherwise. The dynasty is crumbling and Tsitsipas is yielding the hammer; only time will tell how far away it is from total collapse.

Gerwyn Price retains Grand Slam of Darts title The Iceman comfortably defeated Peter Wright 16-6 in the final

George Willoughby Deputy Head of Sport

erwyn Price retained his Grand Slam of Darts title last week after emphatically beating Peter Wright 16-6 in the final. Price, who won last year’s competition, made it back-to-back tournament victories with an impressive 107.86 average. The Iceman came into the event having been beaten by Michael van Gerwen in the semi-final of the Champions League of Darts last month. It was a thrilling encounter, but Price was not going to let the disappointment of that defeat impede upon his title defence. He topped Group C at the Grand Slam after getting the better of Robert Thornton, Dimitri Van den Bergh and Mikuru Suzuki. Price did not have an average of over 100 in any of the three group matches, yet he only dropped nine legs in the process of qualifying for the knockout rounds. This is when the Iceman started to find the form that had him described

as one of the favourites. A dominant 10-1 win over Darren Webster set up an intriguing tie with Gary Anderson in the quarter-final. Anderson and Price faced each other in last year’s final, and once again, the Welshman came out victorious. Without a doubt, Gerwyn Price had one of the toughest runs into the final as his next opponent was Mighty Mike himself, Michael van Gerwen.

The consistency that Price is now showing means he is becoming one of the best players on the circuit The Dutchman and world number one was the clear front-runner for not only this match but the tournament. A defiant and ruthless Price rose to the challenge and produced one of the best performances of his career. To beat van Gerwen, having a

ton-plus average is a given, and the 34-year-old did just that. To say it was clinical would be an understatement, and he ended up closing the match in relatively comfortable fashion with an ending score of 16-12 in his favour. Throughout his short career in the PDC, Gerwyn Price has always shown glimpses of world-class darts. Consistency across the whole tournament has plagued his progression, but this time around the Iceman saved the best showing until last. He ran out a 16-6 victor in the final over Peter Wright. Price’s magnificent 107.9 average was the highest he shot out of every game in the build-up to the final. He spoke after the match about his performance. “Halfway through that game I just could not miss,” said Price. “I felt that every treble was going in and I even felt a couple of times I could have hit that nine-darter.” “I have been playing well and I think it breeds confidence and I have been confident in every tournament in the last six months.” What is noticeable about Price is

his poise at the oche. In the early stages of his professional career, he was well known for his flamboyant celebrations which bordered on the lines of gamesmanship.

Another good showing in the World Championships and he will be very close to the number one ranking Now, his darts do the talking and he is quickly cementing himself as one the world’s best darts players. Moving up the rankings to third, the pressure will be on for him to be reaching many more finals in the near future. Next up for the Iceman is the Players Championship. This is shortly followed by the World Championships which will be a huge test for Gerwyn Price if he is to convince the darting world once and for all that he is the future of the PDC.

Kaepernick set for an NFL return? George Willoughby Deputy Head of Sport

he story of Colin Kaepernick is a turbulent one. From his performances on the pitch to his political activism, the 32-year-old has been no stranger to the headlines. Now, it looks like he might be close to an NFL return after hosting a public throwing workout at which representatives from a number of teams were in attendance. Kaepernick has not played a game since opting out of his contract in 2017. The timetable of events for the quarterback really is quite astounding. Going back to 2012, Colin Kaepernick was able to get his first start for the San Francisco 49ers. Kaepernick was drafted in the second round and was previously the backup for Alex Smith. Kaepernick took full advantage of the starting opportunity, showcasing his athleticism which warranted the early draft investment. Leading his team into the playoffs, the Nevada product continued to impress. In his first postseason start, Kapernick set the single-game record for rushing yards by a quarterback with 181. He also threw for two passing touchdowns in a magnificent winning performance against the Green Bay Packers. The quarterback pioneered a playoff run that would see his team with a chance to win the Superbowl in New Orleans. Unfortunately, the Baltimore Ravens came away victorious in a tightly contested game, but nonetheless, Colin Kaepernick had introduced himself as one of the NFL’s most exciting talents. The following season Kaepernick maintained his production and San Francisco made the postseason once again. Two-straight years of Colin Kaepernick performing at an elite level meant a new six-year contract extension was agreed with the 49’ers. Heading into the 2016 season, Kaepernick had the task of proving himself to a new head coach, as well as having to deal with multiple surgeries. More importantly, it would be the year where Colin Kaepernick would kneel for the first time during the American national anthem. A decision he took in response to what he saw as oppression against black people in his country. He was not alone either. Teammate Eric Reid stood in solidarity with Kaepernick. The 32-year-old found himself under increased scrutiny for his actions when Donald Trump was elected into office. The President made it clear that any player kneeling should be ‘fired’ and Kaepernick subsequently opted-out of his contract in 2017. The talk of his return to action has been discussed, but last week he seemed to make a conscious effort to publicly showcase his desire to play. He held an open throwing session at a high-school in Atlanta watched by NFL scouts. Kaepernick made sure to get his voice heard by conducting an interview after his session. He stated: “I have been ready for three years. I have been denied for three years.” Colin Kaepernick is ready to step out onto the field once again, but is the NFL?

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What can Cardiff City fans expect from Neil Harris?

Liza Burgess announced as first female WRU board member

The new Bluebirds boss wants to create a pathway for academy graduates

Reece Chambers Head of Sport

ast week, the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) made a historic announcement at the WRU’s Annual General Meeting. Chairman Gareth Davies delivered the news that Liza Burgess is to become the first female Board member. The momentous announcement signifies an iconic change for Welsh rugby and points towards a future of equality. Burgess, who made a record 87 appearances for Wales over a period of 20 years, joins the Welsh Rugby Union Board with the aim of creating further diversity within Welsh rugby. WRU chairman, Gareth Davies, has backed the appointment of Burgess on the Board. “This is a truly historic moment for the good governance of our game,” said Davies. “It is a moment we have worked towards and one which we must continue to work towards recreating, again and again, as we strive to increase and diversify the pool of talent which represents our great clubs at Board level.” Having previously coached the Wales Women Under-20s and Barbarians Women, Burgess has an illustrious record in rugby. Such involvement in the game contributed to the 55-year-old being inducted in the World Rugby Hall of Fame. Joining the likes of Shane Williams and Gareth Edwards, Burgess became the first ever Welsh woman to be inducted in the Hame of Fame. As with many former rugby players, Burgess entered teaching and coaching after retirement from the game in 2006. Having taught PE at the Castle School in South Gloucestershire, Burgess never expected to enter in Welsh Rugby Union Board. “It’s a really exciting opportunity and I’m really looking forward to take on the role. “It wasn’t something I even thought about all those years ago,” said Burgess. “It just goes to show what great opportunities exist, not only for myself but for women in sport to show that it can happen. “And we’ve got these role models now that young girls can look up to and think there is an opportunity for me within Welsh rugby.” As Davies emphasised upon the announcement of Burgess’s appointment, this first female appointment on the Board is the first of many. This looks to be the first of many female appointments to the Board and that can only be a good thing for encouraging the involvement of more women and diversifying the overall outlook of the WRU.

Reece Chambers Head of Sport

fter Neil Warnock left Cardiff City by mutual consent following a home defeat to Bristol City, all eyes shifted towards the announcement of his successor. As with any managerial change, Warnock’s potential replacement changed by the hour and fans kept a close eye on betting odds and local journalists. Despite big names such as Chris Hughton and Mark Hughes in the rumour mill, the Bluebirds appointed former Millwall boss Neil Harris. The appointment of Harris, whose managerial portfolio only contains Millwall, had a mixed reaction from fans who would have preferred a more ambitious appointment. Nevertheless, Cardiff City fans will now have to get behind the 42-year-old who will almost certainly need to make a great start to silence the critics. At his first press conference as Cardiff City boss, Neil Harris was acutely aware of some disappointment from fans over his appointment. “I know that’s football. I’m a football fan myself and everyone wants a big name... I understand that,” said

Harris. However, Harris outlined that he is looking forward to the challenge of getting the fans on his side by winning matches. “I have to win people over and I’m prepared to do that. What won’t change is my mentality, work ethic and the fact that I’ll always do what’s best for Cardiff City. “I’m certainly looking forward to the challenge of working at this great club.” Having managed at Millwall for four years, Harris’s move to Cardiff City is his first job outside of a familiar environment. As a player, he became Millwall’s all-time leading goalscorer with 138 goals in 432 appearances for the club. Therefore, managing Cardiff City presents a new challenge for Harris who returns to the Welsh capital after a loan spell of just three games was cut short. Amongst fans, there is naturally a sense of uncertainty over Harris returning to the club after such a short period in 2004. Despite that, Harris is eager to make this a more successful spell in Wales. “I left here a long time ago and knew I’d have unfinished business coming back here one day.

“I like to win and that was a big draw for me coming. I know this is a squad of players that can compete and be successful over a period of time, I want to be part of that.’’ “It’s certainly a privilege and honour to manage at this Football Club.” Following in the footsteps of the iconic Neil Warnock, Harris was keen to stress that he isn’t going to be ‘Neil Warnock mark two.’ Perhaps one key factor in that differentiation will be his focus on the academy system. “We want to show a pathway to

the young players... there’s that opportunity for them to come through if they’re good enough.” With that in mind, it could be a case of long-term strategy rather than, as Harris labels it, ‘revolution overnight.’ If that is the case, Bluebirds fans may have to curb their expectations and look to create an environment that allows players to improve. “It’s not revolution overnight... we have to build these things. [I want] to work with the players I’ve got and bring my own stamp on it.”

Bluebirds: Cardiff City is the 42-year-old’s second managerial job.

Lord’s biggest challenge so far in Cardiff Siôn Ford Contributor

t’s one of sport’s biggest cliches, but it’s no understatement to say this season for the Cardiff Devils has been a mixed bag. A period of inconsistency following their most successful European campaign to date has left head coach Andrew Lord with his greatest challenge yet. After having notched some historic victories over pedigree European teams in this season’s Champions Hockey League, the return to domestic action has proven tricky for the Devils. At the time of writing they stand second in the table, with two games in hand over the leaders, the Glasgow Clan, but it’s a sign of how far the Welsh side have come that plenty of fans are feeling frustrated by this season. The team this year has seen a new

raft of recruits added – Mike MacNamee and Masi Marjamäki proving themselves to be immediate fan favourites. Others have taken more time to bed in, with the likes of Sam Jardine still finding their feet in the EIHL. The returning core group of stalwarts Matthew Myers, Mark Richardson, Joey Martin and Ben Bowns were crucial retentions as well, but at times the boys from the Bay just haven’t quite clicked as you would hope. Fans will by now be feeling the seasickness of inconsistent home and away performances. Big wins have been swiftly followed by gut-wrenchingly disappointing losses have added to the general feeling or nervousness around the squad. While the introduction of a standing block in the Viola Arena has added another level to home games, there’s still been plenty of occasions where a win has felt desperately

needed. Things have been a bit tense off the ice this season as well, with a mid-season interview from head coach Andrew Lord revealing some of his blunt frustrations. Perhaps it’s a Welsh thing – we can be fanatically tribal and frustratingly pessimistic – but there are signs that the weight of expectation and doomsayers amongst the fanbase is weighing on the Canadian’s experience in Cardiff.

The Devils will hope to steady their inconsistent start to the season That vocal minority would do well to remember how the Devils’ fortunes were faring before the arrival of Lord, and general manager Todd Kelman. Four wins in their seven last games

isn’t championship-winning form. It won’t get any easier either, with the team facing the Belfast Giants twice at home, Sheffield Steelers away and then Glasgow again at home. This daunting run will seriously test the Devil’s will to win the league, but this squad knows what it takes to win the long-game and a few rounds with some of their title-contending rivals will do them good. The arrival of former NHL player Shaone Morrison will give the team a bit of a boost, as well. The 36-year old veteran brings with him a wealth of experience, having played consistently at the highest levels of the game; sometimes it only takes something small like that to turn things around. The Devils will hope that Morrison can provide the spark of belief that the players can grab hold of and use to generate that all-important and unquantifiable momentum. The title would then be a lot closer in reach.

BUCS Highlights

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A round-up of Cardiff University’s sporting action from the latest BUCS Wednesday of the season Bristol 4s 2- 4 Cardiff 3s Southampton 1s 2-1 Cardiff 1s Men’s Tennis Ladies’ Hockey Rebecca Astill Contributor Cardiff ’s men’s third team stormed a 6-0 clean sweep of matches against Bristol’s fourth team away in a Western 3B top of the table clash. Neither teams had lost a match yet, and therefore the comprehensiveness of Cardiff ’s win bodes well for promotion into the second Western divisions at the end of the season. First-year players Seth Price and Paul Grbl won the first doubles convincingly in 6-2 6-3, while the second doubles ended up going to three sets. Second-year Brad Smith and first-year Ollie Rock managed to clinch the win in a 6-1 4-6 (10-7) match, retaining the clean sheet in a nail-biting three-setter. With a strong start in the doubles, Cardiff went into the singles matches feeling confident – a feeling which was evident in the scores.

Seth Price played at number one and only dropped a game, winning 6-0 6-1. Paul Grbl, at number two, followed suit with a clinical 6-2 6-1 win. Brad Smith and Ollie Rock at number three and four landed symmetrical wins of 6-1 6-1, topping off an incredible day for the third team. Following this win, Cardiff men’s third team will stand at the top of the table with five wins and one draw, including their impressive 4-2 cup win over Varsity rivals Swansea. Overall, the Cardiff tennis teams are all achieving highly this season, with Cardiff men’s second and third team sitting at the top of their respective tables, as well as Cardiff women’s second at the top of theirs. The whole squad are aiming for a few promotions at the end of this year. As we reach the half-way point in the BUCS season, things will really be heating up as the gaps in points at the top narrow.

Erin Larmour Contributor

ardiff ’s Hockey 1XI team travelled to Southampton for a BUCS Women’s Premier League hockey match against the University of Southampton’s first team. The team started strong in the first half, maintaining possession for the majority of the 35 minutes. The defenders moved the ball well between themselves and this, coupled with some individual passages of play in midfield and up front, led to some great chances in the circle. The first goal came from Beth Young, who tapped in a very well placed pass from Katie Mulroy on the back post. In the second half, the girls continued fighting hard and increased the score line to 2-0. This time, it was Fiona Edge who got the

UWE 1s 62-53 Cardiff 1s

Catrin Powney Contributor

Ladies’ Netball

C Away day at Bristol: The third team after they secured a win. Source: CUTC

Birmingham 3-1 Cardiff Ladies’ Volleyball

Costanza Tinari Contributor

t was the first trophy match of the year, and the volleyball game in Birmingham was a direct elimination tournament: BUCS have arranged matches that are external to the first round of the tournament to allow teams to play against squads they wouldn’t play against otherwise. The Cardiff University Volleyball Women’s first team drove up to Birmingham to play a best-of-five-sets game against the Unversity’s first team. A team of eight players set off on the coach, going over the main aspects to focus on for the match. Having arrived in Birmingham, the warm up began on time and the teams were ready to start the game. The match started off well for Cardiff, after scoring some great points. The passes were precise and allowed the setter to make smart choices, setting the ball to the spikers and han-

dling the situation well. The outside hitter was going through with some amazing spikes and the middle blockers did a great job protecting the net, with the libero covering the back. The team lost some points during the second set because of imprecise passes and mistakes. The set was a close one but was lost to the hosting team. At 1-1, Cardiff could still pick up the game and win. Unfortunately, the third and fourth set were lost and the game ended 3-1, but it was a really good match and the players weren’t demoralized by the result. This is only an extra incentive to work hard! The team are looking forward to competing in the future and are busy preparing for their next match against Southampton’s first team. Unfortunately, there was disappointment for the men’s team as their fixture was forfeited by opponents LSE. However their next match is against the Bournemouth Men’s second team.

better of the goalkeeper after a wellconstructed opportunity lead to a scramble in front of the goal. Towards the end of the second half, the opposition came back into the game, winning a series of short corners which were well defended by both the players and keeper, Maddie James. However, Southampton continued applying pressure and managed to get a goal back from a very well taken shot in the dying minutes of the game. This finished the game with a 2-1 score line, which perhaps did not reflect the run of play. Nonetheless, a win for the girls, who look to keep up their winning streak against Bristol University next week! The men’s first hockey team also brought home a win of 4-1 after an away match against the Plymouth first team. Their next match is due to be at home against Imerial men’s first, where they can hopefully secure another win.

ardiff’s first team faced off against Universty of West of England’s first team at an away match, in the second round of the cup. The girls came out guns blazing, with the team giving it their all, to face a strong UWE team. There was some strong defensive work from captain Bella Boothright, in the circle lead to have multiple turnovers, but the UWE team stepped up the pressure to keep the score even. Shooter Elly Parnell sunk some great shots after

some skillful passes from the attack, but UWE still had the upper hand going into the fourth quarter. Cardiff kept their heads up and managed to pull the score back to equalise 47-47 as the final whistle was blown. However, as a cup game, it was not yet over as a winner had to be decided, and so the game went into extra time – two halves of seven minutes. Some tenacious play from Cardiff looked promising, but UWE refused to give up and pulled away, with the game finishing 62-53. An unfortunate end to a great battle for the first team as they exit the cup for this year.

Cardiff 15-5 Cambridge Verity Butt Contributor

Ladies’ Rugby

ardiff Ladies’ first team faced Cambridge first team in an intense match. From the blow of the whistle Cambridge dominated the patch with clear slick set plays and enthusiasm that echoed throughout all Llanrumney. 18 minutes in a clear break from the wingers shed a little hope for Cardiff, proving not all was lost, the same five minutes later yet both attempts were shut down by their faultless 15. Star performances were seen by the two centres Thomas and Peters who time and time again performed potent chop tackles which slowly diminished the enthusiasm and energy levels of Cambridge. Half time with a new 10 in place, Price saw an opportunity ten metres from the try line integrating a set play. This was executed by Butt who dived for the line giving Cardiff

a 5-point lead. This was shortly followed by Thomas, breaking through Cambridge’s dismantled line of defence, beating several defenders with her deadly step and pace leading to a glory basked try. Unfortunately, this would not end with a successful conversion leaving the score 10-0. This would lead to a penalty where Cardiff were put on the edge, they slipped through the defensive line with several mistakes apparent leading to a 10-5 score. Thankfully, Podpadec utilised her national experience and knowledge to block the conversion, allowing Cardiff to maintain a 5 point lead. With 10 minutes to go, the pressure was on. Cardiff worked their way up the pitch with Revill making many break throughs with high speed and power. This led to a replica of the set up of the first try, however this time a pick and go system from the forwards led to a last try from Jenkins. With the final score 15-5 in favour of Cardiff.

Getting to know...

Amy Dyer Surfing

or this week’s “Getting to Know” segment, Head of Sport Reece Chambers spoke to Amy Dyer from Cardiff University’s Surf Sports. After Amy’s recent success at BUCS surf, the first year student has hit the ground running since arriving at Cardiff University in September. “I first got involved with the Cardiff surf team at BUCS this year, I’m a fresher so it’s the first opportunity I have had to be part of the team,” said Dyer. As a keen surfer from a young age, Amy recalls getting into surfing to channel her competitive edge. “My earliest memories of surfing would be my dad pushing me into whitewater with all my siblings one summer evening. “It took me a long time to get proper into it, and I started surfing properly when I was 12 and my cousin was really into it, being my competitive self, I got into it to try and beat him.” As a highly competitive surfer, Amy’s success earlier this year was obviously a highlight of her time at Cardiff University so far. However, she noted that the best moment of her time so far was seeing her team after the heats. “A personal highlight of competing for Cardiff was seeing everyone and high fiving all of the team members after my heats, surfing is generally an individual sport so it was so nice to know everyone was supporting me to get the best result I could.” As with most university athletes, Amy faces the task of balancing studies and sport. With surfing being a sport heavily dependent on environment, the travelling between venues can be time-consuming. “The balance between my degree and surfing is a tricky one, I do physiotherapy which is obviously a very full on course so I struggle to find time to surf during the week. “But I enjoy going out to the beach or even the man-made wave in Bristol occasionally because it’s a great stress reliever.” On top of that, Amy also outlined that she thinks taking part in sport helps her academically. “It gives me the chance to switch off from any of the stresses I have received throughout the week, meaning I can work better when I get back into it. “On top of this, being part of a sporting society has meant I’ve met so many more lovely people,” Dyer added. Although Amy is a fresher herself, she reiterates that all freshers should do their best to enjoy first year before an increase in workload. “My main piece of advice to freshers would be not to stress out about work and just enjoy yourself. “This is the first year so you may as well have a great time and join as many societies as you can to get the most out of your uni experience whilst you still have free time.” Gair Rhydd Sport wishes Amy and Surf Sports all the best throughout the year in their competitions.

To contact our sport desk, drop us an email at sport@gairrhydd.com

sport

BUCS Highlights Tennis, netball and more Page 31

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Pro 14 windfall Blues set for boosted finances Page 28

Cardiff Devils Mixed start for the Devils Page 30

What can Cardiff City fans expect from Neil Harris? Reece Chambers Head of Sport

ith the departure of Neil Warnock two weeks ago, Gair Rhydd Sport looks ahead to Neil Harris’ dynasty as Cardiff City boss. Head of Sport, Reece Chambers, attended Harris’ first press conference as Cardiff City boss at Hensol Castle last week. With widespread discontent of the 42-year-old’s appointment, Harris is determined to build a relationship with the fans by winning games from the get-go. As a relatively young boss, Harris outlined his plans to improve the state of the club’s use of youth players. 30

Gerwyn Price wins Grand Slam of Darts

Wales. Giggs. Euros. Aaron Ramsey bagged a brace in last week’s winner-takes-all match in Cardiff. Source: FAW

George Willoughby Deputy Head of Sport

Euro 2020: Ramsey sends G Wales on European adventure Reece Chambers Head of Sport

wo goals from Aaron Ramsey sealed Wales’s place at next summer’s European Championships after beating Hungary 2-0 last Tuesday. Qualification for Euro 2020 is the second consecutive time Wales have qualified for the tournament, but becomes just the third time the Red Dragons have qualified for a major tournament - the other coming in 1958 at the World Cup. Whilst qualification may now seem like a normality for younger fans, it is important to reiterate just how significant this is for Ryan Giggs’ side. As a member of the famous Euro 2016 side who reached the semi-finals in France, defender Ben Davies reiterated the significance of quali-

fying post-match. “To do it once [in 2016] was special, but to do it twice is phenomenal,” said Davies. “This was a fight [compared to 2016]. We probably thought it was going to be tough after the summer games but we’ve turned a massive corner and we were good again tonight.” One key factor in Wales’s qualifying campaign was the recent return of Aaron Ramsey. Now at Juventus, the Welsh midfielder appears to be getting even better. His two crucial goals against Hungary ultimately confirmed Wales’s place at EURO 2020 and Davies commented on his team-mate’s quality. “I thought he was class for us tonight… he was top, top drawer. “It makes you wonder what we were doing for the rest of the campaign without him.” As well as being a coming-of-age

result for Wales’s young squad, Giggs described it as one of the best nights of his life. “It’s a fantastic achievement. With the amount of players that I’ve used, they’ve all bought into the way we play... As a squad, we can improve because we’ll have to,” said Giggs. The former Manchester United player had many critics when he came into the job. However, despite qualifying for only Wales’s third ever tournament, has Giggs silenced those who question him? “Hopefully it’s gone a long way [to silencing critics]... this is just the beginning, we’ve seen a lot of young players and they can get better.” Within Giggs’ starting line-up from last Tuesday, there was an excellent balance of established international quality and promising young players. The mix of players such as Gareth Bale, Dan James and Chris Mepham means that Giggs

deserves great credit for creating a well-balanced side. The last time Wales played Hungary before last Tuesday’s decisive win was a 1-0 defeat in Budapest. That defeat left Wales on three points from three games and desperately needing a turnaround in fortunes. To qualify from such a precarious position in a competitive group portrays an element of determination and belief that Giggs has installed in this group of players. The draw for EURO 2020 takes place this Saturday with Wales placed all the way down in pot four. A tough group could await Giggs and his men next summer, but nothing will faze this group of players. For now, though, the players, coaching staff and the nation can get excited for another memorable summer. Pack your bags, Wales are off on a European adventure.

erwyn Price retained his Grand Slam of Darts title after beating Peter Wright in the final. This victory came after a frustrating semi-final defeat to Michael van Gerwen in the Champions League just last month. The title has moved the Iceman up to third in the world rankings. The 34-year-old has made a huge impact in his very short career in professional darts, and he is quickly becoming one of the best players on the circuit. Read more on page 29 about how the man from Markham added another televised PDC 29 event to his collection.

Lewis Hamilton: F1’s greatest? Alex Hall Contributor

ormula One has played host to some of the most iconic names in world sport. With billions of pounds invested in the modern state of the sport, debate around the greatest ever F1 driver is a serious debate to be had. Contributor, Alex Hall, argues that Lewis Hamilton is one of the greatest drivers of all time. Head to page 28 to read his reasons behind backing Hamilton. 28