Gair Rhydd - Issue 1117 - 30th of April 2018

gair rhydd Cardiff Uni’s student paper | est . 1972

gair rhydd | free word Cardiff’s student weekly newspaper Papur wythnosol myfyrwyr Caerdydd Issue 1117 | Rhifyn 1117 30th April 2018 | 30ain o Ebrill 2018

Dream double for Cardiff as they lift Cup and Shield Varsity Pullout Inside

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EDITORIAL Gair Rhydd Coordinator Elaine Morgan Editor-in-Chief Liam Ketcher Deputy Editor George Cook News George Watkins Emma Videan Rimante Bivainyte Comment George Cook Jessica Warren Meg Sharma Politics Hannah Woodward Rhys Thomas

the free word Final Welsh Varsity

Sucsess for Cardiff Sport and Cardiff Student Media

Science Harry Bligh Advice Lydia Caunce Accidental Advice Alice Dent Campus Life Laura Price Taf-od Elen Davies Osian Wyn Morgan Aled Huw Russell Sport Rich Jones Mark Wyatt Molly Ambler Reece Chambers Digital Media Editors Alice Dent Reece Chambers Cartoonist Lydia Caunce Five minute fun Michael Ash Copy Editors Molly May Jackson Keiran Manetta-Jones Write to the editor editor@gairrhydd.com

At Gair Rhydd we take seriously our responsibility to maintain the highest possible standards. Sometimes, because of deadline pressures, we may make some mistakes. 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 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.

Liam Ketcher

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arsity 2018 is over and the Student Media team have worked incredibly hard to produce 8 hours of radio broadcast, film coverage of multiple events and we here at Gair Rhydd have produced a 16 page pullout, reflecting on Cardiff ’s success at Sketty Lane and the Liberty Stadium.

On behalf of Student Media I’d like to thank everyone who contributed to our coverage and more importantly to our Sport Editors from Gair Rhydd Mark Wyatt, Reece Chambers, Rich Jones and Executives for Xpress Radio and CUTV Jack Cutler and Aditi Gupta, without whom none of it would be possible.

This year’s varsity will be my last as an undergraduate here at Cardiff and my memories of the three years have been great. I have been a proud supporter in

my Cardiff Red, and I can only congratulate all who participated.

Once again this year, the Gair Rhydd Sports Desk have failed to disappoint with their Varsity coverage. I am proud to present the Varsity pullout, located in the middle of this issue, including a timeline of the days events and a run down of what happened at the various sports. A full report of the main event attended by Reece Chambers and Mark Wyatt is also featured.

This issue also includes two double page spread interviews, one by George Cook with the Vice-Chancellor, Colin Riordan and the other b y Meg

Sharma who met with Ewan Moore, the manager and co-founder of the Save Womanby Street Campaign. Issue 1117 is jam packed with content and we hope that you enjoy.

Additionally this weekend we will be hosting the Cardiff Student Media Awards 2018, celebrating all things good about student media here in Cardiff. Many of you who have contributed this year may have entered and may be in with the chance of winning an award with any of the student media sections. I am looking forward to cel-

ebrating my friends’ achievements this year and most excited to present the Alice Byron Award for its second year. The awards will be held this Saturday evening at Y Stiwdio in the Students’ Union, with the after party moving upstairs to Juice. All of this comes shortly before everyone’s deadlines, and with only one issue left which will be published a week today, I am very much excited to celebrate with everyone. Hoping to see you all there!

Award winning student accommodation Arofan House IN THE OF THE CITY

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GAIR RHYDD MEETS: THE VICE-CHANCELLOR

Gair Rhydd meets: Colin Riordan Exclusive interview with the Vice-Chancellor

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his semester has been an extremely stressful one for both staff and students at Cardiff University. With disputes over pensions resulting in lecturers going on strike and concerns over the university’s response, there was a real sense of frustration at what was (or wasn’t) being done.

This culminated in students feeling more anxious than ever before and needing more support from services that many feel were under-funded and under-resourced. Therefore, it was essential more information was provided from the ViceChancellor, Colin Riordan, who has been in the position since 2012.

In an interview lasting half an hour, and with the presence of someone from Communications who interjected at certain points, we discussed the strikes, student support services, the salaries of Vice-Chancellor’s and LGBT+ issues.

The strikes When asked what was done in preparation for the strikes, such as a report with possible solutions, there was a real sense of hesitation in the way Professor Riordan attempted to answer the question. Without specifically saying whether any detailed reports were undertaken beforehand, he said ‘we did send out a lot of communications during the period’. Professor Riordan acknowledged it was ‘hard to predict what was going to happen and how many academic staff would be on strike.’ He was also concerned about ‘alarming people unnecessarily.’

As a possible solution to issues with communications, the Vice-Chancellor wasn’t keen on the idea of using Twitter or Facebook to personally inform the university community of any developments. After looking into the possibility of adopting such a strategy, he stated ‘apparently students are starting to turn against Facebook and turn against Twitter…and prefer email’, which is rather surprising.

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I wouldn’t ask people to do extra hours, but it’s a question of priorities, what order do you do your work in.

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Poll on Gair Rhydd Twitter

After issues with communications, which the university said they will look into, they are also looking at the possibility of rescheduling lectures that were missed, despite several lecturers being concerned about this. One member of the Cardiff UCU Strike Committee said, ‘you can take it from me that it would be widely resisted and would be interpreted as victimisation for having taken industrial action.’

In response Professor Riordan stated, ‘I wouldn’t expect people to do extra hours, but it’s a question of priorities, what order do you do your work in.’

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Staff Pensions: It’s not a question of fairness, it’s a question of what actually needs to be done.

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George Cook

In the statement released after the strike period ended, he wrote ‘we do not envisage a situation where staff are not paid for action short of a strike’. When questioned on the unclear wording of this and whether this definitely would not happen, he replied ‘it means what it says.’

Arguably, such a response will not ease the concerns of lecturers about their pay and any future deductions.

The strikes have strained staff relations with senior management, and in an attempt to improve relationships he hosted a meeting with staff on Thursday 19th April which he said was ‘more of a conversation.’

However, when asked if it was fair if staff had further pension cuts imposed he said, ‘it’s not a question of fairness, it’s a question of what actually needs to be done.’ This is despite receiving a £9,000 bonus last year and part of a pre-agreed £49,000 bonus in December, an amount he was not willing to disclose.

In general, staff and students were frustrated at the response from the university, both for communications and extra services (see below).

Mental health and student support services The strikes has meant more funding may be needed for student support. To help alleviate the increased anxiety and stress among students, the university have ‘communicated to students that student support is there and we do realise that there will be concerns.’ Whilst signposting

people in the right direction is obviously useful, many students want to see more concrete action being taken in the form of increased funding for mental health services. However, he said funding increases ‘may happen but it’s not always just about funding.’

Mr Riordan said: ‘Funding increases may happen, but it’s not always just about funding.’ This is despite funding not increasing at the same rate as the numbers using the service.

Between 2011 and 2016, the number of people applying for help from the mental health services here at Cardiff University more than doubled, whilst funding only increased by 26%.

There is an opportunity for this funding to rise if money saved from the strikes is ringfenced specifically for student support, but the ViceChancellor said this would ‘not necessarily’ be an avenue the university pursues.

The Vice-Chancellor advocated his support for mental health and student services, but as I was pushing him on the funding of these

services, there was an interruption from the person present from the Communications department.

As I asked again whether more funding would be allocated through money saved from the strikes, Professor Riordan stated ‘if there is a requirement to put some more support in place then we will certainly look at all of that.’

However, there is a big difference between ‘looking at things’ and actually making a commitment to increase funding.

Whilst he said the university looked at the situation before the strikes, Colin Riordan stated he ‘hadn’t had a catch-up with the Head of Student Support and Wellbeing recently.’

Furthermore, despite being informed there would be questions in this interview about academic and student services, Professor Riordan said ‘I haven’t got that detail in front of me.’

Alongside the funding of academic services themselves, the university has also increased the money being spent on buildings. After being given a £300 million bond for infrastructure, the university has invested heavily in refurbishing and reconstructing many of its premises.

But it is important that the services that reside within these new buildings are also invested in.

He stated ‘for the past couple of years now we have been looking at how we provide services. One of the key reasons for wanting to bring all of the services together in one building [The Centre for Student Life] is to make it easier for students, so they can see someone rapidly whatever their issue may be.’

With work already underway on the new building, it is due to be completed by 2020 costing an estimated £50 million. As well hosting support services, it will include a 550-seat lecture theatre.

However, students are concerned that this process is not happening quickly enough at the moment.

One student who is very active with campaigns for mental health and student support initiatives said ‘one of the biggest complaints is the waiting time for one-to-one counselling.’

This is not just a concern at Cardiff. According to a report by the Higher Education Policy Institute (The invisible problem? Improving students’ mental health) the average ratio for students to councillors is 1:5,000.

GAIR RHYDD YN CWRDD Â’R IS-GANGHELLOR

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Colin Riordan. Credit: Cardiff University

In the last academic year, Colin Riordan earned a total salary of £302,000. This is roughly the equivalent of one year’s tuition for 36 students. It also included a £9,000 bonus.

His expenses over a three-year period included a dinner with three people for £144.50.

Costs are going up every year, and if your income doesn’t go up every year you rapidly get a gap developing between income and expenditure.

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As a result, it is fair to say many students think it is imperative the resources and funding for student support services are improved.

This will then hopefully mean more councillors are hired so waiting times are reduced.

Although, it was still unclear whether the services would get extra funding before the completion of the Centre for Student Life and what the funding plans would be when finished to fully benefit students.

Students Tuition fees and finance issues are a big concern for many students. In the 2016-17 financial report, there is reference to how it has been a challenge that tuition fees have remained static.

On the possibility of fee increases for UK students, Professor Riordan said ‘we have to ensure the university is properly funded. The fees haven’t changed for the past six years now and if we’re not gonna get public funding you have to find some other way of doing it and the alternative is taking more and more students with bigger classes.’

He also linked the static fees to the issue of government funding stating, ‘it would be beneficial if the difference was supplied to us in public money to make up for them not rising... some way you need to have funding for universities.’

As well as the price of tuition, the cost of university halls and residences have risen at a faster rate than loans and grants have.

When I was in first year, the cost of Talybont South was about £4,200. This year it is over £4,700. Other halls and residences have increased by similar amounts.

He stated ‘finance is always a big problem for those going to university, and the best thing that we can do is advise the government about maintenance grants’, and the Vice-Chancellor was supportive of their reintroduction.

‘That’s when you need the money, when you’re actually studying’, he said. The reintroduction of maintenance grants will reduce

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The fees haven’t changed for the past six years now and if we’re not gonna get public funding you have to find some other way of doing it.

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debt for those who have the biggest loans.

That being said, the support available here is better than at other universities At Cardiff, those with a household income that is below £42,000 also receive a bursary of £1,000 in their first year, and £500 in the final two years.

Alongside undergraduate bursaries, there is also more funding available for those wanting to study for longer. He referred to the work of the Diamond View which now means students in Wales have the same benefits as a postgraduate as they would as an undergraduate.

For those wanting to continue their studies past postgraduate level and enter into academia, Riordan said ‘it’s up to them whether they want to become academics, but I would advise someone carry on with study if they are really passionate about their subject.’

He continued, ‘I really loved German so carried on with that.’ Before becoming ViceChancellor at Cardiff, Colin Riordan was the VC at Essex University. Prior to that he had spells lecturing at Swansea University and Newcastle University.

Alongside our degress, the work of the Students’ Union is also important. Whilst the university itself is a separate entity to the Students’ Union, he was keen to praise the excellent services within it.

Professor Riordan said the values it brings the University as a whole are ‘partnership working, representing the interests of the students and focusing on the interests of students.’ He continued, ‘they provide a whole host of extremely valuable and important services.’

The role of a Vice-Chancellor There is often a lot of confusion about what being Vice-Chancellor actually entails. Riordan said his role as ‘Chief Executive of the University is mostly meetings, but I also chair the university executive board, I chair senate. It’s making key decisions and a lot of it is also external representation.’

As Vice-Chancellor, he has created new re-

search partnerships with universities in China and he said, ‘it’s important for us to have good partnerships in Europe but also around the world.’

Despite earning a total salary of £302,000, Riordan said ‘we have not gone down the excessive pay route in Wales.’

This may seem like a lot to many, frankly it is.

However, context is important and some ViceChancellors have earned in excess of £500,000.

As Vice-Chancellor he does lead the university, but he does not decide his own pay. When asked who is on the committee who governs and decides his pay he failed to name a single member apart from the Chair, Reverend Gareth Powell.

Moreover, he is also personally accountable to the UK Parliament and the Welsh Government, and the university itself is a charity. Professor Riordan says there ‘are all kinds of mechanisms to hold universities to account.’

LGBT+ issues After talking a lot about academia, the discussion progressed onto social issues. This included LGBT+ equality and diversity, something Professor Riordan has spoken about both in a personal and professional capacity.

Since becoming Vice-Chancellor in 2012, he

says he thinks there has been a lot of progress made in terms of improving attitudes towards LGBT+ issues.

‘The key factor of this has been the work of Karen [Cooke] through the Enfys Network who has just made such a huge difference personally and a lot of other people come in behind her to support all of that.’ Enfys is the LGBT+ staff network and means rainbow in Welsh.

In the 2018 Stonewall Employability Rankings, Cardiff University reached its highest position coming 14th in the index and was the highest placed UK university.

The Vice-Chancellor was proud of the work that has been done at Cardiff. He also stated how ‘social attitudes have changed. Even in the last 5-10 years those attitudes have changed’, and Riordan seemed very pleased with the way things have progressed across society.

Linking back to the university specifically, as a part of Enfys and its initiatives, the university invited Peter Tatchell to give a talk on his campaigns around many issues, namely LGBT+ equality, and the Vice-Chancellor was also present at this event in February.

One of the main points emanating from the talk was the progress that can still be made within society, and Mr Riordan said, ‘the biggest issue at the moment is trans acceptance.’ He continued, ‘it’s always been a mystery to me why anyone cares what other people do, its astonishing.’

This demonstrates how the Vice-Chancellor and Cardiff University overall are working hard to improve both diversity and equality.

What next?

The Vice-Chancellor is going to continue looking into the impact of the strikes and what the response from the university will be to them and Professor Riordan said, ‘he wants all students to be absolutely happy with that.’

This may include increased funding and resources for student support services, but he did not want to commit to this fully. It could also mean changes to assessments for both essays and exams.

Therefore, it is now up to us as students to ensure that we are satisfied with the response from the university, whether that be academically, financially or in terms of important services like student support.

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NEWS

news

#GRNews news@gairrhydd.com gairrhydd.com/category/news

IN CARDIFF

Problems? What problems?

Police report no significant incidents at Varsity

George Watkins

Pictured: Above: Varsity (Source: Mike Hall) Below: Acheivements of AGENDA in jars (Source: Cardiff University)

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he Welsh Varsity has passed without major event, according to South Wales Police. Chief Inspector Stephen Jones said from the force said: “Thanks to comprehensive planning with the University and key partners no significant incidents were reported. However, we did deal with a number of drunken disorderly and anti-social behaviour from students throughout the day.”

Last year, at least eight students were arrested in the Welsh capital, with police describing student behaviour as “leaving much to be desired”, with a huge cleanup operation needed to deal with leftover rubbish.

Instead, the event has been deemed a success by the relevant authorities, with many of the pre-game worries seeming like a dis-

tant memory.

There were complaints from students about congestion at Sketty Lane, as well as long queues for drinks and access to certain areas (see our cartoon this week for a pictoral representation). One student commented that in 20 minutes of waiting time, she only moved a few feet further along the queue.

The build-up had been marred by quite a few students opting to sell their tickets after issues with the perceived “overselling” of Sketty Lane tickets. However. a statement from the Students’ Union for last week’s Gair Rhydd was keen to stress that: “The package price relates to the combination of the Liberty Stadium ticket, other venue tickets, subject to capacity, transport

and an official Welsh Varsity t-shirt.”

Advertisements of the nature of ticket sales was said to be clearly available on the Union website during the selling period.

Cardiff managed to win both the Welsh Varsity Shield and the Varsity Cup, winning 23-15 in the rugby. This brought some solace after the Shield was stripped in controversial circumstances, after a member of a Cardiff martial arts team fielded an ineligible player last year.

Cardiff won 26-16 overall, winning at 16:15, after a 2-2 draw in the women’s football, so they knew that a win was not required to secure the Shield. However, with the Cup on the line, the men’s rugby team upped their game to secure a comfortable victory, after conceding a try in the first 10

minutes of play.

The Students’ Union were well-prepared for an influx of students to the club night afterwards. Many were excited at the opening of WH Smith on the first floor to accommodate extra bodies, with one student commenting that it felt “surreal”.

Students were mostly positive about the day, one mentioning that “It was hard to get in, and the queues for drinks were busy, but I enjoyed the rugby.”

A local sports journalist commented on the day’s events: “It was a fantastic day. The weather held up all day, and we were treated to a packed festival of sport. from a Cardiff perspective, the Shield victory was great, but the winning of the Cup was the icing on the cake.”

IN CARDIFF

University Professor nominated for Celebrating Impact Award 2018 Rimante Bivainyte

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It means so much to have collaborative feminist practices recognised and celebrated

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rofessor Emma Renold of the University’s School of Social Sciences has been selected in the category of Outstanding Impact on Society for the Economic and Social Research Council’s (ESRC) Celebrating Impact Prize 2018.

Throughout six years, this prize has been an opportunity to recognise and reward scholars and academics whose work have contributed to the Society, making a difference in research and collaborations.

Professor Renold, throughout her years in academics, pioneered research regarding gender, sexuality, childhood and youth by using creative methods to listen and engage young people in change on sensitive and difficult issues.

In 2016, Renold launched a project called AGENDA, a young people’s guide to making positive relationships matter.

AGENDA, which was co-created by Renold and over 50 young people is a toolkit

that seeks to help young people raise awareness of gender and sexual violence in schools, online platforms and various other communities.

This initiative has been acknowledged and consolidated in practice by Welsh Government-funded organizations that overtake Sex and Relationships Education.

In a 12-month period, AGENDA reached over 3,000 people including young people, youth workers, police officers, teachers and academics.

Moreover, the project saw an expansion to the USA in November 2017 as part of the United Nations’ International Day of the Girl 2017 - 11 Days of Action.

Furthermore, the professor was actively involved in the creation of the Welsh Government’s #THISISME campaign which aims to challenge detrimental gender stereotypes in order to address the cause and outcomes of violence against women, do-

mestic abuse and sexual violence. Professor Renold said: ‘I am thoroughly delighted to be nominated for this award. It means so much to have collaborative feminist

practices recognised and celebrated.’

The winners of the award will be announced at an awards ceremony at the Royal Society on the 20th of June.

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NEWYDDION

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IN CARDIFF

Student Union votes to recognise the state of Palestine Senate also vetoed any backing for UCU strikers The View: Why is this significant?

George Watkins

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Pictured: Temple Mount (Source: Etienne Valois Via: Flickr

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ast week, Cardiff University Students’ Union took a step towards world peace as they recognised the state of Palestine. This will involve a published statement that “condemn[s] the current inhumane situation in Gaza”, as well as recognising Palestine with a dedicated webpage on CUSU website.

This will also involve lobbying Cardiff University’s international office to enlist Palestine among endorsed international countries, as a way of acknowledgement to its alumni, current and prospective Palestinian students.

This comes as a response to

the motion being lapsed from the AGM in 2014. Despite a concern as to whether the union should be taking a stance on such issues, it was put forward so that students from Palestine can have their state recognised instead of saying they’re from ‘occupied areas’ in official forms.

Whilst some senators expressed their concern with CUSU taking a political stance in International Affairs, this was influenced by the 274 MPs of the British Parliament and 193 member states of the United Nations voting to recognise the state of Palestine alongside the state of Israel.

Also discussed at senate was whether the Students’ Union should support UCU’s industrial strike action now and in the future. This was voted against by 12 members of senate, and the motion fell.

Arguments against the motion included the consideration that Cardiff University Students’ Union should protect the interests of their students. With the strike action directly affecting students, characterised by an increase in students seeking advice and help to manage their assignments when lacking in academic assistance. It was felt that supporting the UCU industrial strike action, would

IN CARDIFF

New mural of Welsh legends stands 50ft tall in Central Cardiff Emma Videan

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The mural celebrates Welsh legends that date back to the Middle Ages.

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new 50ft high mural has been painted in between Cardiff Central station and the Principality Stadium. The mural celebrates Welsh legends and was painted on a Grade II listed water tower.

The mural will make up the beginning and end of commuters’ journeys to and from Cardiff Central station every day. Pete Fowler illustrated the mural to show the history of Wales.

The Mabinogion was the inspiration behind it, which are the ancient oral stories about Wales that were written in the Middle Ages.

Literature Wales, with the conservation body Cadw, unveiled the mural as part of ‘Weird and Wonderful Wales’, which is a tour of the country that draws on some of the stories that can be found of the Land of Legends website. The mural will remain there throughout 2018.

The mural contains images of the giant Bendigeidfran (Blessed Crow), the maiden Blodeuwedd, the goddess Rhi-

go against the interests of students.

Last week also saw discussion about altering the way in which senate operates. This will be voted upon during next senate and may involve students being able to upvote and downvote motions in order for them to reach a vote at by your student senators.

This will alter the way that motions reach a vote at senate, and is hoped to encourage wider student engagement.

If there is anything you wish to take to senate in the form of a motion, this is your last chance of the academic year, so contact democracy@cardiff.ac.uk.

NATIONAL

annon and the stag slain by the ghost of Lord of Annwn (the Otherworld). The concept was first discussed in 2012 and was finally completed in April 2018.

Notorious Cardiff murderer has been on the run for over a year Rimante Bivainyte

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The man accused of the most notorious Cardiff murders escaped Indian police in April 2017.

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Jess Warren

t’s a decision that is unlikely to go down in the annals of the history of the Israel- Palestine conflict, but the step for the Students’ Union to recognise Palestine as a state reflects a controversial step in student politics.

As a charitable organisation, the Union is obliged to not take a political stance, a concern which was recognised by some members of the Senate.

Also, it remains to be seen whether this will lead to fractured relationships with Jewish students, who have previously raised concerns about a lack of representation.

A key example was the November 2017 AGM, where a representative for Jewish Society spoke against a motion to provide extra services for Muslim students, arguing that it was difficult to know where to draw the line, and whether other faiths could feel undervalued as a result.

Realistically, the move is unlikely to be anything more than symbolic, a sign of good faith for the growing number of students backing a Two-State solution, driven by ethical considerations than grounded, progressive policy measures.

The motion had already been active for years, without the majority of students noticing, so it would be reasonable to expect more of the same.

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man who has been accused of one of Cardiff ’s most notorious murders has been on the run for a year.

It is known that Mohammed Ali Ege escaped the custody of Indian police by removing the window grills of a railway station toilet in New Delhi on April 12, 2017.

He is accused of ordering drug addicts Ben Hope and Jason Richards to kill a rival over money. However, they targeted the wrong house and instead killed 17-year-old Aamir Siddiqi.

At the time, Aamir was waiting for his Koran teacher at his family home on Ninian Road in the Roath area when he was brutally stabbed to death by Hope and Richards.

This shocking story received attention on a national level with appeals for information that could lead to Ege’s arrest.

Nevertheless, Ege fled the UK to

France on a cross-Channel ferry wearing a wig to cover his shaven head. Indian media informed the British police about Ege fleeing to Spain, Morocco, Senegal, Nepal and Bahrain.

Ege is also facing four different charges in India. He had been taken from prison to Patiala House courts in Delhi on April 12 this year, yet here he escaped.

Mohammed Ali Ege previously lived in the Riverside area of Cardiff and maintains strong relations and links to the city.

South Wales Police said that they “believe that somebody in this country knows something about Mohammed Ege’s whereabouts and urges such people to contact us” due to his financial support provided by somebody.

If you have any information about the alleged incident, please contact the police.

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COMMENT

comment

#GRComment comment@gairrhydd.com gairrhydd.com/category/comment

Is alcohol a problem at university?

Meg Sharma

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Drinking is not just massively ingrained in university culture in the UK but also youth culture, the idea of being young wild and free and anyone who doesn’t live that way at this age being boring

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o one can deny that alcohol is a part of university life. Whether you’re participating or just observing, its difficult to escape alcohol in any context. With the week of summer, varsity and exam stress recently, I had to think seriously about how much I, my friends and those around me were drinking.

After coming home from easter where most my friends have stopped drinking, I was hearing phrases like ‘I just want a drink’ more often than usual, and found myself in the pub most days of the first week of lectures.

It was not a lifestyle I could continue financially, but it also made me consider how much I was drinking, and whether I was relying on alcohol in anyway.

already and it’s such a normalised thing for our age group, when it should be treated just as seriously as older adults’ which was one of the more worrying comments. I’ve heard many others

sive drinking through student-only deals’. The SU is a collection of venues and a nightclub, as well as being the Students Union, but there should be more visible support

would, due to health reasons, money and mental health. One person commented ‘One thing I don’t like dealing with is the reactions when people find out you don’t like drinking, they often get quite patronising and treat you like you’re whining like a kid – and this is where the problem lies.

Drinking is not just massively ingrained in university culture in the UK but also youth culture, the idea of being young wild and free and anyone who doesn’t live that way at this age being boring’.

What struck me most, was the mix in opinions of whether drinking is a part of the university experience.

Many said it was, with some believing it should be a part of the experience

In a survey Gair Rhydd conducted, 81.3% of respondents said that they drink alcohol, and 33% of respondents said they feel as if they drink too much alcohol, raising the questions as to if students do drink too much, never mind how our perceptions affect this view. Those who felt like they did drink too much based their opinions on the recommended units given by the NHS, how unwell alcohol makes them feel and how it affects their mental and physical health. For those who said they did not think they drank too much alcohol, many felt as if they knew their limits, and chose to drink what they like when they like.

(and have myself been called) an alcoholic in a mixture of an insult and a joke. Despite the seriousness of the issue, people don’t seem to be worried when calling their peers alcoholics.

One thing I have recently noticed is how the SU promotes alcohol. With cheap deals on pints on Sundays, Mondays and Tuesdays, and adverts for VKs everywhere, many felt as there was not enough to discourage unhealthy drinking.

Anyone can walk past the venues office and see the revenue goals for nightclubs and gig nights on the wall.

One person commented ‘by making the SU club nights earlier, I feel pres-

and awareness regarding binge drinking and alcoholism.

One person commented that ‘lad and lass culture’ is the problem, and associated drinking alcohol with antisocial behaviour such as ‘catcalling members of the opposite sex, looking for fights, damaging property etc’ suggesting that a respect campaign might be needed.

Recently many of my friends have been taking a break from alcohol, reducing how much they drink, or stopping completely. It’s something I have considered but never seen as a measure I have needed to take. Some were met with encouragement, while others have told me their friends would be supportive at first, then encourage them to have ‘just one’.

Gair Rhydd asked ‘Would you ever consider stopping drinking at university?’ to which 57.8% said they

and others meeting this with disdain.

Others saw it as a choice, pointing out that the Union and societies have sober socials and events throughout the year. Others felt as if these were portrayed a ‘naff ’ and ‘lame’.

CUSU provides ‘alcohol free spaces’ within the union which are open 24 hours, but these are primarily study space rather than a social space. Some people expressed that it is difficult to attend socials with alcohol involved and still enjoy themselves if they choose to be sober due to the surrounding pressures of alcohol.

It’s important to self reflect on how much, how often and how we view drinking. In the university bubble it’s easy to get caught up in hidden pressures, and how other people perceive you.

In my own self reflection, I think that as long as I am carefully consider-

Pictured: Do we really need to drink as much as we do?

Source : bridgesward (Via Pixabay)

Surveyed: The survey shows results of 98 respondents.

Many commented saying that they are young and at university, so if there is a time and place to drink excessively, now was the time. One even said ‘So many students are probably alcoholics

sured to get drunk quicker and get to the SU! The drinks are too expensive to buy there’ another said ‘there are several other student bars, especially around cathays, that encourage exces-

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SYLWADAU

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Bi the way...

H

ey, nice to meet you, my name’s Jess and I’m bisexual.

That certainly isn’t how I introduce myself to people, but part of me wonders whether I should start greeting people in that way. Coming to University, and I had my mind set on being as authentically me as possible. Whether that’s joining the societies I want, to dressing and behaving in a certain way. I even chose Cardiff because of how liberal and LGBT+ friendly the University is.

Bisexuality is often erased, even within the LGBT+ community. Since coming out to some friends, I’ve had people joke about me being selfish and unable to ‘pick’ between who to date. Whilst mostly said in a joking context, I often feel the need to justify and defend my sexuality.

Almost two years have gone by, and when I look at the friends I have now, not all of them know that I am bisexual. I don’t shout it out from the rooftop, nor do I shy away from the facts when asked. However, I still find myself continuously coming out to the friends around me. Am I not dressing ‘gay’ enough? Do not act in a ‘gay’ enough way? If not, then why do people automatically assume I’m straight?

The reality of this assumption means that I have never been a victim of homophobia or an LBGT+ hate crime. In that sense, I am one of the lucky ones. I slip under the radar, and for that I am fortunate, in a weird kind of way. However, I am not entirely lucky, as LGBT+ stu-

dents are more likely to experience mental health problems, which was certainly the case as I found myself bouncing between counsellors at school and university. So, it was important that two weeks ago, our LGBT+ campaign officers at CUSU, Taz Jones and Josh Lewis ran a week-

students.”

“With recent figures on trans suicide rates released by Stonewall, and that LGBT+ people are at a higher risk of suffering from mental health problems, it is vital that everyone across campus knows about the facilities that Cardiff University and

long “Stand with LGBT+ campaign”.

When speaking to Josh Lewis, he said “The Stand With LGBT+” campaign was fantastic, we managed to contact thousands of students across campus through our videos and from meeting them face to face.

We were really proud that so many people came to support us and take a wristband throughout the week!

The campaign was vital for LGBT+

the Students’ Union provide for students to help support them. The campaign was a way of showing that mental health is not something that we should be afraid to talk about, and that there is support for anyone who needs it at Cardiff. It was not only important for the LGBT+ community, but for everyone. Our team managed to make a huge contribution to the University and I am so

glad they took the time to help students however they identify!”

With this in campaign in mind, I would question whether across the UK, universities and schools are doing enough to support and represent our LGBT+ students. I have never felt lacking in support whilst studying, perhaps that’s because Cardiff University scored top marks for being a “gay-friendly” institution by Stonewall, and ranked 14th out of 100 employers in the Stonewall Workplace Equality Index 2018.

Yet there are many other universities that failed to achieve any points within the Stonewall rankings.

These include the Glasgow School of Art, the Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts, the Royal Academy of Music and the Royal College of Music. Evidently, there is a need for consistent support for LGBT+ students across the UK. Whilst I feel supported, the surprise that comes to my friends when they learn of my sexuality, demonstrates the continued need for representation. We live in a society that automatically assumes you’re heterosexual unless told otherwise.

Whilst this will never change overnight, with continued representation (even coming from the Vice-Chancellor here at Cardiff, who recently also came out as bisexual) we can tackle the assumption that everyone’s straight unless told otherwise.

Why don’t you take a look at the Kinsey scale and see how straight you really are…

Pictured: Being LGBT+ at Uni... Source: rosefirerising (Via Flickr)

‘‘

I still find myself continuously coming out to the friends around me

‘‘

Jess Warren

Reflecting on ‘Stand with LGBT+’ Week

Journalists think for themselves, you know

A

fter a week of journalists talking about journalists, I’m going to carry on the conversation.

A couple of weeks ago, Owen Jones wrote on Twitter about how all journalists think the same and are elitist.

Chaos subsequently ensued as journalists argued for days about what they thought of his comments, instead of maybe talking about other more important issues.

Whilst there is some truth in his arguments about the demographics of journalism, to say they all think the same is an over-simplification of the many different viewpoints present even within the mainstream media.

Owen’s problem with ‘group-think’ in journalism is that many of them disagree with Corbyn for perfectly valid reasons.

He even thinks the BBC is anti-Corbyn. However, Jones forgets that the BBC regularly have him on to offer his opinions, and employed Paul Mason in a high-profile position who later went on to work at Channel 4.

This demonstrates the range of dif-

ferent opinions purported on a variety of different news stations. The BBC, Channel 4 and Sky all have presenters who challenge those of all political persuasions.

However, I think this highlights the way those who embody similar opinions to Jones are too dismissive of any form of critique that comes their way.

Instead of acknowledging some of the points people make, they often further insulate themselves from any kind of challenge to the way they think.

Furthermore, Owen Jones is also employed by one of the biggest newspapers in the country as a columnist which has helped him garner a massive following on social media. This following sometimes also attacks those who have any kind of viewpoint that is different to their own, ‘trolling’ journalists such as Isabel Hardman who has since reduced her social media usage.

Moreover, social media has enabled new forms of media to be developed and become popular. Sites such as Evolve Politics are very sympathetic to

Pictured: It’s not so black and white.

Source: NS Newsflash (Via Flickr).

the left-wing viewpoint, and to Corbyn himself and have had stories and Tweets go viral.

Despite not technically being mainstream, they are still journalists and therefore don’t think the same as Dan Hodges or Julia Hartley-Brewer.

However, Jones does make some good points. Journalism is well-known as being one of the most middle and upper-class professions in Britain today. You are more likely to get work experience or find employment if you know someone in the industry already, especially if they are a family member.

Many journalists all come from a similar background, so it is easy to see where Owen Jones is coming from.

Although, they all have different opinions. They all focus on things that affect working class people and the poorest within society.

Without journalists, we wouldn’t know about the Windrush scandal, the Presidents’ Club Dinner, the FIFA Scandal and many more.

And all of these things are so readily adopted and employed in the rhetoric of people like Owen Jones for their own benefit.

‘‘

Without journalists, we wouldn’t know about so many important issues

‘‘

George Cook

In defense of the media

COMMENT

10

“Get off your phone, kid!”

New legislation to protect children from harmful exposure to the internet

Silvia Martelli

‘‘

1 in 3 children experience cyberbullying... furthermore, cyberbullying victims are 2 to 9 times more likely to contemplate suicide.

O

n April 22, health secretary Jeremy Hunt wrote a letter to leading internet companies, such as Facebook and Google, accusing them of “collectively turning a blind eye to a whole generation of children exposed prematurely to the harmful emotional side effects of social media”. To address the critical situation, he claimed that the government will impose legislation to protect young people online if companies fail to outline action on cutting harmful exposure to the internet before the end of April.

Mr. Hunt already met major internet companies six months ago, asking them to cooperate in order to improve the wellbeing of young people. “There have been a lot of warm words [...]”, he recently claimed, “but the overall response to my challenge has been extremely limited, leaving me to conclude that a voluntary, joint approach has not been sufficient”.

Mr. Hunt’s worries are simply the honest acknowledgment of an in-

creasingly digitized era that tends to swallow up defenseless children more and more.

This same reality seems to be largely ignored by most internet companies, which, following the secretary’s ultimatum, now have to act on screen-time limits, reduction of cyber-bullying and abuse, and improvement of age verification to prevent underage exposure to websites.

The American Academy of Pediatrics (APP) defines screen time as the “time spent using digital media for entertainment purposes” - whether that is gaming, using social media or watching Youtube videos. In the case of children, screen time has substantial negative effects, such as attention problems, school problems, sleep disorders and obesity. It is therefore crucial for parents to successfully monitor and reduce kids’ exposure to the internet, stimulating ‘productive time’ instead.

In the 21st century, this seems an impossible task, and yet it could be

achieved through some basic steps: replacing ipads during meals by constructive conversations, privileging physical activities over videogames, and fostering in-persons relationships over social media toxic interactions. A legislation in favor of reducing screen time could be only helpful for parents left with this difficult task, making their job a little easier.

Cyber-bullying (bullying that takes place over digital mediums) is another key reason behind the necessity of imposing children protection laws. Recent statistics show that 1 in 3 children experience cyberbullying, 1 in 4 had it happen more than once, and only 1 in 10 will inform a parent or trusted adult of the abuse.

Furthermore, cyberbullying victims are 2 to 9 times more likely to contemplate suicide. Given these statistics, it is extremely irresponsible and morally corrupt for companies to ignore this critical situation, allowing cyber-bullying to badly impact young lives by generating depression,

anxiety and addiction to social media themselves (an inquiry set up Tory MP Alex Chalk, The Children’s Society and YoungMinds shows indeed that victims of cyberbullying check their news feeds much more often than non-victims).

It is therefore imperative that action is taken towards healthy behaviors on social media.

If companies fail to outline a plan to protect children, then hopefully a new legislation will manage to tackle the issues. Surely, parents are children’s main role models, and as such it is crucial that they truly commit to changes that promote healthy digital media habits, such as leaving technology out of the bedroom at night.

Yet, they should not be left alone with the tough decision of whether to allow their children to use “platforms they are too young to access”, or to exclude them “from social interaction that often the majority of their peers are engaging in”, in Mr. Hunt’s words.

Pictured: Children are becoming victims of too much screen time. Source: Jaimi Lammers (Via Flickr).

‘‘

£5k for what? Cardiff halls weighed up L

Celia Tend

‘‘

With peeling walls, damp corners and housemates who refuse to wash their plates, it can be a shock to the system

iving in student accommodation is, for most people, part and parcel of university life. In my case, I am currently coming to the end of my second year living in halls, and feel more than qualified to discuss the benefits and pitfalls. Overall, my experience has been positive, although living in shared accommodation undoubtedly has its highs and lows. With peeling walls, damp corners and housemates who refuse to wash their plates, it can be a shock to the system when you work out much money you are actually paying to live there.

But are halls worth the money, and how expensive are Cardiff’s offerings?

According to the Natwest Student Living Index 2016, Cardiff is one of the cheapest areas in the country to rent student accommodation. However, I’ve lived in both Senghennydd Court and Talybont North in the past two years, and can safely say I feel that the amount that I have paid didn’t match up to the quality of accommodation I received. Firstly, the amount of square footage that you get for your money is embarrassing. I’m sure inmates in Her

Majesty’s Prison have more space to lay their head compared to that of the Talybont North room I was presented with in September 2014. Their version of an “en-suite” was, in reality, just a showerhead attached to the ceiling with a toilet and sink placed directly underneath.

As well as my own disappointment, I couldn’t help but feel sorry for my Malaysian housemate who had travelled 10,576 kilometres to get there.

Facing my second year in student accommodation, I hoped for better than Talybont North. What I was presented with was Senghennydd Court, a cheaper alternative that was equally as constrained for space. Although it was without an en-suite, I considered it better value for money due to the bigger bedroom. The kitchen was smaller than that in Taly Bont, but only slightly. Out of the two halls I lived in, Senghennydd was probably my favourite - only because of the extra space. However, other residence options appear to be a little more encouraging. Talybont Gate has a reputation for being luxury student living, including a 3/4 bed, shared kitchen,

dining and lounge area with Freeview TV (and TV licence paid). However, for the price of £5,262.12 a year, you should certainly expect all of those things.

It’s important to remember that there aren’t just rental costs that you need to consider. There are always extra hidden charges along the way, no matter where you choose to live. Leaving bins out, insufficiently cleaning the flat and even putting posters up on the walls can mean you may have to cough up. While I can understand there needs to be certain deterrents and penalties in place, the accumulating bill is quite shocking.

Not to mention that it may not have

even been you who caused the damage in the first place.

So, what is the answer? The truth is that sharing a kitchen the size of a small car can mean that you’re forced to bond with the people around you, and most people will meet their best friends in halls. In comparison to the rest of the country, Cardiff has relatively cheap accommodation, and while the choices are mainly low in quality, you’ll often have the best year of your life spent there. Student halls are an interesting experience; they’re largely grotty, claustrophobic and outdated. However, in my experience, the price you pay is worth it.

Pictured: Talybont halls are the best of the bunch.

Source: Cardiff University

‘‘

12

SAVE WOMANBY STREET

‘Every city has a Womanby Street and those communities save lives’

Gair Rhydd Meets: Manager and co-founder of Save Womanby Street

E

wan Moore is the manager and co-founder of Save Womanby Street (SWS), a campaign which began last year to protect the live music venues in Cardiff after planning applications threatened their status. One year on from the march, we discussed with Ewan what the campaign has achieved thus far, and what their plans are for the future.

For many, the SWS campaign started this time last year, after seeing social media posts regarding a petition, and the march that would take place on 29th of April, 2017. It was one that took Cardiff by storm, and I was in awe of how the community came together to tackle the cause.

For Ewan the campaign came from more personal ground. He told me ‘We launched the campaign March last year and it came about as I was working on Womanby Street - I still work there - at the City Arms Pub, and we saw the application that The Gatekeeper [Wetherspoons] put up to build some hotel rooms above the pub. We knew that could be a potential threat due to noise complaints that could threaten the livelihood of all the venues and the cities music, but we also saw the petition that was flying around and hitting around five thousand signatures. It was aiming at Welsh Assembly who don’t have any control over local applications so we knew it was something people were angry about but it wasn’t being directed, there didn’t seem to be any structural focus.’

Noticing these problems, himself and Alex

‘‘

The closure of The Moon did drive that home to people. We could lose this; you can’t design something like Womanby Street

‘‘

Owens formed three goals, ‘which were to designate Womanby Street an area of cultural significance (which is something [they] made up), and secondly to change the local planning of Cardiff to protect not just the venues on the street but all the venues across Cardiff, and finally to bring in something called ‘The Agent of Change’ across Wales’.

They decided these after talking to the ven-

Pictured: Nightlife on the street (Via SWS Facebook)

Pictured: Community members on the march to City Hall from Womanby Street ( Via SWS Facebook) ues’ owners. Ewan commented ‘So many people, and random groups were popping up but no one was talking to the actual venue owners, and surely they’re the place to start? So that’s what we did. We walked up to random guys who had no idea who we were, sat down and made it very clear of our experience; I was previously a community organiser, Alex was a local councillor for our town so he knew the workings of local government and how to get things done in terms of campaigns.’ Ewan took a pause. ‘We had no idea what was going to happen after that.’

At the time, the planning application for the hotel was only the tip of the iceberg. Suddenly, a noise abatement order was given to Fuel Rock Club, and the proposal for the derelict building next to Clwb Ifor Bach to be turned into flats came in. Everything came to its peak when The Full Moon Club was forced to close.

‘From there it snowballed and did feel as if we were being attacked on all sides,’ Ewan explained ‘It was like everything that could have gone wrong on the street happened at the same time, especially with the closure of The Moon, it did drive that home to people. We could lose this; you can’t design something like Womanby Street, the communities that are all together, the incredible musical pedigree and once that’s gone, its gone. So that’s where it started, from anger and defiance - where all good campaigns should.’

The day of march was a significant moment for Moore. ‘The night before I had a stress nightmare where I was standing alone in the rain, in the street, with a limp SWS sign.’ The weeks before had been spent lobbying local councillors and candidates for the election at the time, with over 300 candidates contacted by the end of it.

Ewan highlighted the importance of creating something real people could be apart of. ‘I support ‘Save the Rainforest’ but I don’t do anything, it’s very easy to support with words, but action is far more important. We realised there

had to be something more, a firmer idea where people could be part of something much bigger and that’s what the march was.’

The march was a moment in local history, with over 800 people attending, and over 1500 people showing interest online. They marched from Womanby Street to City Hall, in an attempt to save the street from the threats around it. Ewan recalled ‘It was an endless sea of people, we couldn’t grasp how many people were there. During the march we were lead by an incredible Samba band. It really hit home when we reached City Hall, turned around and saw a sea of people. It showed how important it was for people, how much they cared about it and how much they were willing to do something. That day things really changed.’

Anyone who lives in Cardiff, will know Womanby Street and its value as a culture.

Those who love music, live gigs and nightlife will understand the community created on the street. Ewan described it as ‘like an almost cauldron of different identities, different music, different people, and you start seeing past stereotypes and particular music taste or anything life that’ For many people, it isn’t just a street. ‘Every city has a Womanby Street and those communities which save lives, they support people and you have to fight for it, because once its gone, its gone’ Ewan explained. A physical manifestation of this is the Head Above the Waves boutique in Castle Emporium, at the front of Womanby Street. They are an not-for-profit organisation which raises awareness of depression and suicide by ‘promoting positive and creative ways to deal with bad days’. In his own experience, Ewan described how the Womanby Street community had ‘saved [his] life and supported [him] through very difficult times’.

‘I was working in a retail shop about six years ago. I had taken off two weeks due to depression. When I came back my manager Katie, who had trained me up from a sales assistant to an assistant manager and was someone

I greatly respected, took me upstairs into the stockroom and said ‘Ewan it’s fantastic to have you back we’re so pleased. However I think you should hand your notice in, I think you should leave Cardiff, and you should also leave your partner of eight years.’

I would love to be able to say I stood up and was defiant and told her to sod off, but I didn’t.

I nodded and thanked her for looking out for me. I wandered off home and was about to write my resignation and that’s when I realised what she had said. She’d told me to give up and run away and that was the very first time that I got angry and wanted to do something and change something.’

Ewan Moore described that as the moment that still encourages him in campaigning today.

‘When I saw the developers trying to attack a community that saved my life and supported me through very difficult times, I saw another Katie, another bully who felt they were unaccountable and could do whatever they liked.’ In campaigning he explained that you need something that makes you angry in order to push you through moments of doubt and to motivate you further, or the worry can ‘paralyse and cripple an individual and entire campaign’.

For him, it is his hatred of bullies, and those who feel like they can do anything and not be held responsible. He said ‘you need to remind yourself what makes you angry, it’s not always enough to do it just because it’s the right thing to do’ he explained ‘there’s lots of right things to do so thats not going to be enough to push you through.’ ‘The main moments I had doubts?

Everyday. But you have to be angry and push through it.’

‘‘

When I saw the developers trying to attack a community that saved my life and supported me through difficult times I saw another Katie, another bully who felt they were unaccountable and could do whatever they

‘‘

Meg Sharma

ACHUB STRYD WOMANBY

The campaign didn’t just come with hardships and anger. Over the summer, a SWS cherry pale ale was released to celebrate the campaign. This was done in collaboration with Rhys Watkins and Adam Edinborough, the owners of local brewery Crafty Devils. I asked if it was the taste of Womanby Street, to which he replied with a laugh ‘We described it as ‘the bitterness of the tears of failed developers’.

Ewan told me ‘We designed it with them.

Adam, the head brewer is astonishing at what he does; he loves throwing all the hops imaginable into the beers. We tried a few beers with them and it was a really special day, especially getting the activists down to try it and endlessly asking questions about beer. It was wonderful to see it in all the venues as well, particularly at Hub Fest.’ Ewan also explained that in any area, it’s not just the music that makes the music scene, but ‘a madrid of other things that support and enable a wonderful thriving community and its important to recognise and support that.’

While one might assume that Ewan and Adam were experts when they launched the campaign, he told me ‘We are slowly learning about the scene because we didn’t know anything when we started, which was actually advantageous as we could look at the bigger picture rather than focusing on one thing. It’s absolutely astonishing the amount of work that goes into putting on live shows. A lot of the heroes of the music scene go completely unsung.

Anyone who has worked in a venue or put on anything will be able to tell you the hundreds of people that make it happen.’

Thankfully the campaign was a success, with the street being protected regarding planning application, but Ewan clarified that there are always vulnerabilities. The Agent of Change policy is being worked on and will be finalised on the 18th of May, and is also being looked at for the entire UK. ‘It was very odd to see us being referred to in the House of Commons, slightly unreal’ Moore reflects, ‘We’re working with Welsh Government and Music Venues Trust, and Musicians Union to make sure that it is fit for purpose.

That will affect not just Womanby Street not just Cardiff but the whole of Wales and we’ll be the first country in the UK to do it. So yeah!

Suck on that England.’ he says with a laugh.

The Agent of Change principle is a ‘common sense law’ stating that those looking into building or developing next to a music venue or nightclub need to put measures in place such as soundproofing, and works both ways, with those who want to build a new venue or nightclub being responsible for making sure they do not negatively affect the community. Ewan expressed ‘All of us could name at least five venues of the top of your head that have been closed because of unsuitable residential developments.

We’re not against development, we’re not against progress it just cannot be at the price of our soul and our culture.’

The campaign is a huge contribution to Cardiff becoming the UK’s first Music City. When Ewan explained they expected to be campaigning for two to three years I was shocked. Within a year they had achieved an incredible amount and received such a prestigious title along the

Pictured: Save Womanby Street cherry pale ale by Crafty Devils (Via SWS Facebook) way. For the campaigners, it was another opportunity they had to take, explaining that ‘we could ask for the council leader to write a music strategy and get it, so we’re going to ask for more. We asked for Sound Diplomacy, who are one of the world’s leading consultancies on developing music strategies in music cities.

They work all over the world, currently doing some work in Berlin, San Francisco and Vancouver, and we saw a real opportunity as Cardiff is a small city, and it would be easier to make Cardiff a precedent not just for the UK but for Europe. I take my hat to them, they were really receptive and they’ve completely gone for it whole hog.’

However, there is no time for rest, ‘Its fantastic and it’s wonderful but that cannot call for complacency, because administration changes, leadership changes. In a couple of years we

‘‘

We’re not against development, we’re not against progress. It just cannot be at the price of our soul and our culture.

‘‘

Pictured: The street shown on Minty’s Gig Guide to Cardiff, a free map available around the city

13

mayend up with a council who do not view music as a vital aspect of our city, so we can’t stop and say everything’s done, hands dusted.’

On a more personal level, Ewan told me how he struggles to pause and recognise what he has achieved, saying ‘I’m afraid I’m a bit relentless when it comes to this sort of thing. I find it re-

ally difficult to stop and celebrate. Our activists do. We did have a party on the street with the SWS reprobates as they call themselves.’

The next stage of the campaign is to look past one street and focus on the entire city. The campaign started with talking to the venue owners and seeing what they wanted, so Ewan and Adam only saw it fit to talk to everyone within the community to see what they want from the campaign. A problem that often arises in campaigning is that ‘few people decide what that community wants and that is what they’ll fight for, and they end up surprised when it fails.’ In the past two months they have released a survey in collaboration with Sound Diplomacy to make sure their next steps serve and help as many community members as possible.

In reflection, Ewan said ‘we were and still are the underdogs. It terms of how we timed it and the opportunities we just grasped everything we could, because loads popped out of nowhere. There are things we would do differently, such as recruiting more activists on a day to day level and I might have less grey hair if I did that.

We hada very good strategy, we were flexible, and we were determined as well, which was key to our success.’ The campaign was awarded outstanding contribution at the Cardiff Music Awards which Ewan attributes to ‘the activists as there is so many people involved, not just one or two people, it’s down to the efforts of literally hundreds, if not thousands.’

If you would like to get involved with the Save Womanby Street Campaign, you can find them on twitter and facebook. You can read the full interview online.

Pictured: Founders and supporters march (Via SWS Facebook)

14 POLITICS

politics

#GRPolitics politics@gairrhydd.com gairrhydd.com/category/poltics

WALES

When the going gets tough, Carwyn gets going

Hannah Woodward

‘‘

The decision

by Jones is arguably no surprise given the inquiry over allegations of bullying at a senior level of the Welsh government

T

he ‘Welsh Labour Conference’ last Saturday held at Llandudno sparked the resignation from the Welsh First Minister Carwyn Jones, who outlined that he is set to resign later this Autumn. The conference reacted in shock as it became clear Mr Jones was announcing his resignation, stating: “In any normal political career, you expect to be put through the ringer, and even have your integrity challenged.

The decision to resign from his nine-year tenure took many of his colleagues and opponents by surprise, attributing him as the “giant of Welsh politics”, and Jeremy Corbyn praised Carwyn Jones for his “tireless commitment”.

However for some, the resignation was greeted with much gratitude, with AM Dai Lloyd expressing “ There should be no long goodbye from Carwyn Jones. He should go sooner rather than later, he was already a lame duck, and the lame duckedness goes on”.

The decision by Jones is arguably no surprise given that Jones referred himself to an independent inquiry over allegations of bullying at a senior level of the Welsh government three years ago, following the death of assembly member Carl Sargeant

in November. Former minister Leighton Andrews stated that Carl Sargeant, who is believed to have taken his own life four days after being removed from his role as cabinet secretary for communities and children while facing allegations of inappropriate behaviour, was “unquestionably the target” of some of the behaviour and “toxic” atmosphere within Welsh labour.

The First Minister had previously expressed to labour assembly

members that any issues brought to his attention at that time were dealt with. Andrew RT Davies, leader of the Welsh conservatives suggested that Jones “misled assembly members” over his knowledge of bullying within the Welsh government.

This dark period of Welsh labour was acknowledged by Jones as being “the darkest of times”, and thanked his children and wife Lisa – who he said had been seriously ill in the run-up to the conference – for their

support.

The current Secretary for Finance and Local Government announced on Tuesday 24th April that he is standing to replace Carwyn Jones outlining that he wanted to continue with the Welsh Government’s “radical” tradition, and already secured backing from senior Labour AM Jane Hutt, as well as Mike Hedges and Mick Antoniw. Drakeford who has been a professor of social policy at Cardiff University is on the left of the party and has been the Labour assembly group’s most high profile supporter of Jeremy Corbyn.

Meanwhile, AM Dawn Bowden has called for a woman candidate to be on the ballot paper, as despite not expressing support for any one candidate she said there was a “huge amount of talent in the group” and all of those named so far were “very strong potential candidates”.

Male or female there is set to be a new Welsh labour leader that will succeed the long reign of Carwyn Jones.

Labour dominate the Welsh political sphere, and with recent bullying scandals, Brexit and further devolved powers, Welsh Labour are most definitely in their most challenging period.

Pictured: Carwyn Jones Source: The National Assembly (via Flickr)

‘‘

EUROPE

Fears over UK citizenship for EU nationals Windrush scandal has raised concerns for EU nationals post-Brexit

Silvia Martelli

‘‘

Protection of the European court of justice runs out in 2028, leaving cases after that at the mercy of the Home Office.

T

he Windrush scandal has raised concerns about the Government’s ability to deal fairly with people who have the right to be in the UK. Immigration experts have warned that EU citizens who fail to get their paperwork in order after Brexit,may face the same harassment caused to the generation of Caribbean-born UK citizens.

The Government’s immigration policies and its administrative frailties have long been a cause for worries among EU officials. The recent Windrush affair has only heightened concerns among the three million EU citizens living in the UK, who now fear a replica of the Windrush scandal on a larger scale. In the likelihood of the event, the elderly, computer illiterate and those with mental health issues will face the highest risk of failing to register for “settled status”.

This would determine falling foul of the UK “hostile environment” approach, which obliges employers to demand proofs of the right to residence.

The approach was introduced when Theresa May was the home secretary in 2014, causing serious issues to 50,000 Windrush immigrants who have been living in the UK for decades, yet failing to obtain formal residency documents

that meet tightened immigration policy.

As a consequence, many have been refused urgent healthcare, lost their jobs and become homeless; if not threatened with deportation or sent to immigration removal centres. Guy Verhofstadt, European Parliament’s ‘Brexit’ coordinator and supporter of EU citizens living in the UK, said he expected the British Government to reassure that a similar

scandal would not be repeated. The Home Office insisted that it was acting to ensure the application process will be as simple as possible, and minor technicalities will not determine refusals.

“EU citizens will have plenty of time to make an application,” the Department said. “We have also been clear that we will exercise discretion if there are good reasons why someone has not been able

to make an application before the June 2021 deadline.” EU citizens whose applications are rejected will be able to appeal against the ruling. However, protection of the European Court of Justice runs out in 2028, leaving cases after that at the mercy of the Home Office.

Madeleine Sumption, director of the Migration Observatory at the University of Oxford, expressed her doubts that the government will manage to get all EU citizens resident in the UK registerd for “settled status”. The absence of ID cards in the UK makes the situation particularly difficult, with spread concerns over how the state’s use of schools, landlords, employers, tax and social benefits offices to crack down on people the system rejects, even when through error.

Next week, officials from the Home Office will be quizzed on the application process at a hearing at the European parliament’s civil liberties committee.

Roberto Gualtieri, the socialist group’s member of the European Parliament’s Brexit steering committee, said: “We will fight to ensure that Brexit agreement on citizens rights is watertight, with clear oversight from an independent body.”

Pictured: Theresa May Source: dprezat (via Flickr)

‘‘

GWLEIDYDDIAETH

15

British benefits from US-China trade war?

Potential for lucrative trade deals after Brexit

George Willougby

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Whilst economic giants America and China continue their dispute, the United Kingdom is progressing with Brexit talks

T

he ongoing trade dispute between the United States and China has exacerbated with President Trump threatening a further $100billion worth of tariffs on Chinese imported goods.

The American president has outlined his intentions of protecting domestic industries, as billions of separate duties have already been placed on Chinese goods such as motor vehicles and home appliances.

Unsurprisingly, China has responded with potential further trade protectionist measures being implemented against American imports.

The agricultural sector seems to be an area of vulnerability for the U.S. given that China is the second largest market for agricultural exports.

Latest figures in 2017, show that America exports a total of $26.51billion worth of Oilseed, oleagic fruits, grain, seed and fruits. In particular, it is soybeans that could be seriously affected if China are to retaliate with import tariffs themselves.

Haiyan Wang, professor at ‘INSEAD’ states that “half of U.S. soybean exports go to China”. American farmers will definitely suffer, which ultimately is the perfect way for China to hit back and America to escalate the current trade war even further.

Whilst economic giants America and China continue their dispute, the United Kingdom is progressing with Brexit talks, with trade being one of the focal points in the latest discussions with the European Union.

The question is, could the United Kingdom secretly benefit from the United States and China trade war?

Securing new and productive trade deals will be imperative for the United Kingdom to flourish outside of the European Union. It is equally as important to try and secure ties with countries outside of the EU, as well as trying to maintain healthy trading relationships with nations remaining in the EU. What better way for the United Kingdom to take advantage of the conflict between China and America by showcasing itself as the next best trading alternative. Prices of imported goods between the two coun-

tries will continue to rise, as long as both countries continue to use trade protection measures which looks inevitable. According to the ‘Office of the United States Trade Representative’, the current value of American goods and services imported to China amounted to $478.8billion. With rising tariffs, the expected outcome is for Chinese imports into America to decrease significantly, questioning as to whether domestic industries can match the levels of demand by American businesses, which is being supplemented by Chinese goods and services.

Given the scale of how much the U.S. trade with China, it is more than likely that domestic outlets have the capability to combat the impact of losing trade with China. This is where the United Kingdom has chance to appeal as a cheaper, more beneficial option for both countries. Granted, the United Kingdom does not have the resources available to match the production levels of China, but there is a real opportunity for the United Kingdom to secure large-scale deals with the likes of America.

Arguably, one of the main economic benefits of leaving the European Union is the freedom to strike better deals with countries outside of it. The EU implement their own

trade protectionist measures, which restricts countries within the Union to act freely and within the countries best interests.

Without a doubt, in order to trade with America and China, it has to be mutually beneficial and a productive trade deal may not necessarily be a free one. But, it’s the ability to negotiate, which the United Kingdom will have once it leaves the European Union.

It goes without saying that the United Kingdom is heavily dependent on the European Union for the bulk of its trade, but, it’s also worth noting the importance of the United Kingdom and the trading partners in the EU. As mentioned earlier, agriculture is a significant sector across the globe, specifically from an economic perspective. For the United Kingdom, the agricultural industry could benefit greatly from leaving the European Union despite being labelled as a sector that will be significantly worse off.

According to Development Economics, in their final report of ‘Contributions of UK agriculture’, “agriculture contributed around £24 billion of revenues in 2015… and provided around 475,000 jobs”. There is already a platform for the United Kingdom to expand and prosper from trading with countries outside of the Euro-

pean Union. America and China are going to need new trade deals to help supply the domestic demand for foreign imports.

How is this achievable? Well, the United Kingdom as a member of the European Union has had international trade agreements completed on their own behalf with important non-EU trading partners. After the United Kingdom leaves, then replacement deals will have to put in place with these nations. The trade predicament between America and China is a great opportunity to strike new and lucrative trade deals as these two global giants seek trade elsewhere.

A lot of focus has been placed upon how much the United Kingdom’s agricultural industry will be affected, and it is true, there will be monumental changes. The agricultural policy framework has stood between the United Kingdom and the European Union since the early 1970s, and this will have to change.

However, there should be more consideration regarding how the European Union could potentially suffer from the United Kingdom’s departure. The EU is the destination for around 72% of the United Kingdom’s agricultural exports, whilst at the same time, the United Kingdom is also a heavy importer of agricultural goods from the EU. A balanced trade deal is mutually beneficial, given how reliant each other are on their trade. But, there is enhanced pressure on the EU to negotiate a new deal because of the trading ties the United Kingdom could establish with other nations.

The overall trading potential between countries like America and China is monumental, and it is surely something the EU will be acknowledge as trade talks continue.

The uncertainty of Brexit is something that the United Kingdom will have to endure for the foreseeable future. However, the possibility of becoming even more prevalent with America and China from a trading perspective, is something potentially very exciting as the United Kingdom prepares for life outside of the European Union.

Pictured: Donald Trump and Xi Jinping in Germany last year.

Source: The White House (Via Wikipedia)

Pictured: Brexit and the US-China trade war could prove opportunities for the UK. Source: Chris Chabot (via Flickr)

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Providing a range of certified courses aimed at building your confidence and increasing your employability potential.

sport for all at cardiff university At Cardiff University everyone is welcome, all students should be able to play sport regardless of sexuality, gender identity or ability. In the Athletic Union our sports clubs wear rainbow laces to show their support for LGBT+ students playing sport. Support inclusivity and equality in sport by wearing these laces yourself. Playing sport has so many benefits including: improved health & fitness, building new friendships and excelling academically.

SCIENCE

18

science

#GRScience science@gairrhydd.com gairrhydd.com/category/science

Imroved anti-cancer drug delivery

Cardiff University research looks at new treatment for brain tumours Danny Brown

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The research and development of PEG nanotubes are taking the researchers into new and “unchartered territory”.

R

esearchers at Cardiff University’s School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, recently published a paper on a new non-toxic medicine delivery method.

The method uses a technology that you might have heard of: nanotubes, these are tubular structures on a DNA size scale. The nanotubes that are generally better known are carbon nanotubes (CNTs), which are famous for having unusual properties that make them useful in the fields of optics, electronics and technology. However, the ones used in this research are made from a non-toxic material called Polyethylene Glycol (PEG). Lead researcher, Dr Ben Newland studied carbon nanotubes as part of his master’s degree research, but his realisation of using PEG as a material for nanotubes in place of carbon came later, when he was working on his PhD. Initially, there was the idea that because CNTs are composed of carbon which is what we, humans, are made up of, and that because of their structure, they could be used to deliver drugs to very specific regions inside the body without affecting anywhere else. However, where CNTs fail is

where PEG nanotubes succeed. CNTs often affect the body in a very similar way to asbestos, as they are very rigid and stick like. Whereas, PEG nano-

“The findings show a reduction in the spreading of cancer, and the rate of tumour growth through the new PEG nanotube treatment.” tubes are flexible, malleable and most importantly, biocompatible. There aren’t many, if any, health risks with using PEG as a material, although some people may be allergic to them, it’s a very uncommon case and the FDA are investigating the possible effects of PEG for children.

In an interview with Dr Newland, he said that PEG nanotubes are produced by essentially pouring a PEG mixture over a sheet of “moulds”.

When the tubes are formed, the drugs – in liquid form – are poured over the tubes, and after leaving the nanotubes in the drug solution for a couple days, the medicine will have inserted itself into the tubes through capillary action. The drugs in the nanotubes are then administered by injecting them

into a specific part of the body, meaning the rest of the body is left mostly unaffected by the drugs.

Newland’s research was specific to the application of PEG nanotubes to carry medicine to treat breast cancer.

The study compared the results from the nanotube trials to the same dose of the same drug injected into the bloodstream. The findings showed a reduction in the spreading of cancer, and the rate of tumour growth through the new PEG nanotube treatment. This

success has given the research team hope that this development in nanotube technology could end up in more effective cancer treatments.

With this great success, the research and development of PEG nanotubes are taking the researchers into new and “unchartered territory”. The following trials of the nanotubes include treating brain tumours (glioblastomas), Dr Newland seemed confident that the success of the new technology will continue.

Pictured: PEG Nanotubes Source: Cardiff University (cardiff.ac.uk)

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GWYDDONIAETH

19

Atlas of the human genome

Opens up new potential for studying and treating cancer Will Ballard

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The new research gives scientists the tool to analyse the roles of genes responsible for all heredity disorders in early human development and growth.

T

hree days ago, on the 23rd April, scientists at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem generated an atlas of the human genome using state-of-the-art gene editing technology and human embryonic stem cells.

Their findings were reported in the Nature Cell Biology journal. Providing us with a tool to map the functions of all genes present in humans, the atlas allows researchers to better comprehend which genes are responsible for what in the human body. The study conducted attempted to analyse the entire collection of genes in the human genome.

To do this, researchers generated more than 180,000 distinct mutations by combining CRISPR-Cas9 screening, a gene editing technology first used in 1987 (although at this time it wasn’t named CRISPR), with embryonic stem cells of a new type recently isolated by researchers. The unique feature of this type of stem cell was that it accommodated one single copy of the human genome as opposed to two copies from the father and mother. This meant that researchers only had to mutate one copy of each gene, making the process of analysis much easier to conduct. Some of their findings from the study completely contradict the popular consensus and therefore open doors of better understanding in the field of genetic research.

The key example of this is the re-

search showing that only 9% of the genes in the human genome are necessary for the survival and growth of human embryonic stem cells, and that as much as 5% of the genes in the human genome limit the growth of embryonic stem cells, an unexpected finding for the researchers.

The Director of the Azrieli Center for Stem Cells and Genetic Research Professor Nissim Benvenisty, MD, PhD, who is also the Herbert Cohn Chair in Cancer Research at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, was the senior author of the study. “This gene atlas enables a new functional view on how we study the human genome and provides a tool that will change the fashion by which we analyse and treat cancer and genetic disorders,” he stated in an article from ScienceDaily.

From this claim, many in the scientific community who are desperately researching methods and treatments for genetic conditions and/or cancer are incredibly excited by this development.

The benefits for the genetic disorder community could prove to be revolutionary. The new research gives scientists the tool to analyse the roles of genes responsible for all heredity disorders in early human development and growth, allowing them to identify which genes are most significant in the causes of genetic illnesses and therefore giving researchers the information they require to better treat and potentially cure life-altering

genetic illnesses such as Huntington’s Disease, Cystic Fibrosis and Sickle Cell Anaemia.

The opportunities this research gives scientists to fight cancer is also potentially a huge revolution in public health, with their studies displaying how cancer-causing genes could affect the growth of the human embryo.

One final glimmer of research potential gained from this study was the discovery and identification of a small group of genes essential for the survival of human embryonic stem cells, but not for other cell types interestingly. Researchers believe that the

primary function of these genes is to maintain the identity of embryonic stem cells whilst preventing them from becoming cancerous or turning into adult cell types. If this were true, it would reveal a hidden opportunity for the curing of cancer and for the development of more extensive and, ultimately, life-saving research into the incredible potential of genes that can prevent the development of embryonic stem cells into adult or cancerous cells, effectively retaining their ability to turn into any adult cell that researchers could manipulate through scientific experiments.

Pictured: Stem cells Source: Skeeze (Via Pixabay)

Scientists who selfie

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Hashtag hopes for better representation in science

Pictured: Selfie Takers Source: Pasja 1000 (Via Flickr)

W

omen and girls within STEM subjects often face additional hurdles. Whether in school, university, academia or industry, female representation has been historically low.

Scientists and policy makers have used many methods of outreach and inspiration to increase diversity and female participation in these subject areas.

Most recently, #scicomm (the science communication community on Instagram and Twitter) has been using social media platforms to reach out to members of the public, and those traditionally less likely to work in STEM fields.

The goal? To inspire, inform and start discussions about what being a scientist really looks like.

Female scientists are using the platforms to directly target the gender diversity problem. Posting regularly about their daily lives as professionals has led to the beginning of the movement, #ScientistsWhoSelfie, showing young women the interests and passions of others beyond any labels society wishes to place on them.

An article was recently published in the popular journal, Science, titled ‘Instagram won’t solve inequality’, ques-

tioning the validity of these posts and suggesting whether policy changes at institutional and governmental levels are more suited to create substantial and lasting changes for women in STEM. This misses the point. It isn’t a question of either/or as all efforts to increase diversity in STEM, however small or traditionally ‘superficial’, are significant steps towards structural reform within the field. The women within the #scicomm community are breaking down walls for those that follow. Not only as women working in STEM but also as role models for women and girls wishing to go into the field. These women are giving an insight into what it takes to be a scientist but also, more importantly, showing that they love what they do.

These are significant steps in the right direction, although, further steps need to be taken to ensure greater diversity and inclusion within the scientific community.

Visibility of the LGBT+ and disabled communities are still low, and young people within these groups have few people within popular culture to look up to for inspiration.

Not only does the growing #sci-

comm community support those thinking of entering science, but it also supports those already in it with opportunities for networking internationally and exploring career options. Most academic outreach is done by women and those in underrepresented groups and should not be undermined on whatever platform is happens to be on.

The stories that these scientists are telling are reaching audiences that have been historically difficult to target and giving those underrepresented groups a voice is vitally important in the development of scientific policy and research.

Although unlikely that an individual,

or a single post, will change the world, these ideas beamed internationally across the internet are having cumulative effects around the world. Scientific research will only benefit from a greater diversity in its researchers, allowing the field to become more inclusive with more individuals producing quality and interesting results.

Women, and those in underrepresented groups, are making their voices heard at the top tables of the scientific community but perhaps more importantly, are increasingly creating their own tables to support, nurture and inform their own communities.

‘‘

#scicomm has been using social media platforms to reach out to members of the public, and those traditionally less likely to work in STEM fields.

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Nia Jones

20

ADVICE

advice

#GRAdvice advice@gairrhydd.com gairrhydd.com/category/advice

How to get involved in Student Media and why you should...

Ashley Boyle

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I get involved with 3 of the 4 platforms avaliable through CSM, and next year want to try them all.

A

s a first year, there is so much to get to grips with and so much to do, endless amounts of societies and socials, that it can be very overwhelming. Some sink their teeth into every opportunity, making the most of them, but for others like myself, it seemed very daunting to try and join a well-oiled community such as Cardiff Student Media. Now as a second year, I have found my feet and get involved with 3 of the 4 platforms available through CSM, and next year I want to try them all. So how do you get involved?

Well, it couldn’t be easier to get involved with Cardiff ’s student newspaper, Gair Rhydd. There is no membership fee to pay, you just simply join their Facebook group ‘Gair Rhydd Contributors 2017/18’ to contribute to the magazine. As you probably already know, the newspaper is distributed every Monday, and editors post articles available to members of the

group. You find one you’re interested in, write about it, send it and just like that, your work is published and ready to read online and on paper. It’s such an easy and rewarding section to take part in if you love newsgathering or expressing your opinion.

You can also contribute to Quench, Cardiff ’s student magazine, in the same way. Quench release 5 issues over the two semesters but also publish content online throughout the year. There’s opportunities to give advice, recommendations and opinions as well as the chance to review shows, gigs and restaurants (all for free!) so there’s something for everyone. For those of you who are familiar with Photoshop and InDesign, perhaps you would prefer to design the pages for Quench? Even if you haven’t got experience with this software, the team at Quench are happy to help.

I hadn’t used InDesign once before my 2nd year, but now with thanks

to the Design Editor, I design several pages each issue. Being able to see your work pieced together with everyone else’s contributions is such an achievement.

Cardiff Union TV also have a lot of great opportunities whether you’re experienced or not. You can help out with presenting, filming or editing and like with Quench, the team are eager to welcome new members and show them how to use the different software and equipment. They regularly post projects that require help from members on their Facebook group also. There’s also the opportunity to get exclusive access to specific events with CUTV. Just last week I was working with a great team of CUTV members at the Welsh Varsity in Swansea. It was such a great experience being given the chance to record and interview the players throughout the day. At the Liberty Stadium, the team were able to re-

cord in the stadium’s own TV studio alongside Swansea University’s team and get exclusive interviews with the players on the pitch right after the game!

Xpress Radio, like all of the other stations, has a large community of contributors. Again, they have their own dedicated Facebook Group to keep members posted. Members can propose their own show ideas to the coordinators and be part of the weekly radio schedule, interview different music acts and create their own podcasts all in the recording studio in the CSM Office. They also attended the Varsity in Swansea, keeping students updated with live scores and providing interviews with those involved.

So there you have it! Join the groups and get involved! And make sure you do as soon as you can, because university flies by and Cardiff Student Media is just too good of an opportunity to miss!

Pictured: CSM via Cardiff Student Media

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How to balance a part-time job and university

W

ork can be a fine supplement to your university lifestyle, regardless of whether the work you land is pertinent to your degree or your career ambitions. It will undoubtedly foster growth on a personal level at the very least. Of course having money affords you the liberty to disregard sensibility and live a little (or invest in your future, if you’re one of those people), but objects in the rear view mirror are closer than they appear. Indeed, many inherit the extra burden before realising its gravity. It doesn’t have to be that way; you need only to take the proper precautions.

You are no different to the virtual denizens of The Sims. Like them, you have needs and limitations. But unlike The Sims, there is no interface quantifying these needs, nor how additional pressures will disrupt your equilibrium.

I did some bar work out of financial desperation. The primary earner of my family had just been made redundant, and my maintenance loan scarcely covered my modest living costs. Despite the circumstances, I made a conscious assessment of whether I could spare the days to work without compromising other areas of my life. But unlike time, there is no way to assess whether the emotional and physical consequences of working are viable until you introduce these new dynamics.

When I worked in a bar I was berated, punched, scratched, by customers, both male and female. At one point during a fourteen hour shift, I took a bathroom break to address a bleeding cut on my arm, but I could not even make it to a cubicle before being physically and verbally abused by customers in the toilets.

It was easy for me to sit back and say that

the fourteen hours, whilst inconvenient, were expendable. But it was not easy for me to anticipate how experiences like this would burn me out in subsequent days, nor how quickly this lethargy would spiral into missed lectures and seminars, and even more suffocating deadlines.

Not all work is the same; one would be unlikely to face this kind of altercation working as a barista or a sandwich artist. But whilst intensity differs between jobs, all are inherently stressful.

Even my tediously dull work as a content writer for a shoe company was a draining and intense affair, if you can believe that. The fact is that there is no universal formula to strike a perfect balance between work and university for everyone. For some, work may even be a cathartic experience - it may even give them purpose, a productive outlet - and

it has been for me too, at times. But as with all delicate measures, you can hardly expect to strike a perfect balance on your first go. My advice for balancing university and work is simply to focus on stabilising your existing responsibilities as best you can, and then experiment with new ones during less testing times.

Perhaps start a job during the holidays to acclimate to your challenging new environment without having to worry about the snowball effect.

The most important thing to remember is to be kind to yourself. Sometimes our pursuits are not conducive to our success. If a venture doesn’t work out, do not tell yourself that you are weak or incompetent. You’re merely still perfecting the balance between your duties and your limits. It’s an individual conquest, one guaranteed to have missteps, but not one destined to fail.

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Focus on establishing your existing tasks as best you can

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Mike O’Brien

CYNGOR

21

Being safe online

Are you protected from scammers?

Steph Rowe

A

ccording to The Telegraph, the average young person spends over 27 hours online a week. I’m sure we can all say that at one point or another we have found ourselves glued to our phone screens, and have become consumed into the huge online world. Like in real life however, we need to know the proper ways to stay safe online.

When using social media the first thing you have to do when making an account is to create a password.

Try to make sure all your passwords are different, and hard to guess. That means no first names, and make sure it includes at least a few numbers or symbols. If you have as bad a memory as me, make sure they are all written down somewhere where you’ll be able to find them, and preferably somewhere other than your phone because if you lose that you’re in big trouble!! Having multiple unique passwords will ensure that your personal and financial information is kept safe, and it also makes your Facebook profile harder for your friends to hack!!

Additionally, it is important to boost your network security. To do this, you should use a wifi router in your home that has a password and encrypts your data. This ensures that a hacker can’t access your device information and online activity.

It is also vital to keep your software up to date, on both your phone and computer in order for your technology to have the most recent security patches. Using comprehensive security software and backing up your data on a regular basis can save you a lot of stress.

When on social media you should check your profile settings in order to monitor who can see your information. If you share personal data anywhere on the Internet, such as your location, your school etc. you ought to make sure strangers can’t see your profile. This means that if you share a lot on Instagram or Facebook you should increase your privacy settings to tailor how much you share.

If your information falls into the wrong hands, your identity could be impersonated or your location could be found. Speaking of strangers, if you arrange to meet anyone from the Internet in real life, keep your wits about you and preferably take someone you trust with you! Meet in a public place like a restaurant or a café, and have a friend come with you (or at the very least know where you’re meeting them) to make sure that the person you are meeting is who you think it is.

When putting your bank details anywhere online, including shopping websites or online banking, keep an

eye out for spelling mistakes in the web address as there are lots of copycat websites. Also, make sure that the web address starts with ‘https’ rather than ‘http’ and has a padlock icon in the URL field. This ensures that the website uses encryption to scramble your data and can’t be accessed by others. Also, when using a public computer ensure that your card details are not saved to the device so that other people who use it may be able to access your bank information and use your card.

Be careful where you click! If you

get any suspicious emails or direct messages from people you don’t know, that offer you free deals, clickbait or quizzes and gives you a link to click on. This is a way for hackers to get you to click on dangerous links or entice you to give up important information. Always be cautious when clicking online and don’t give away information to websites you don’t entirely trust.

If you follow these rules and keep your wits about you online, you should stay safe! Just don’t get too click happy!

Pictured: Keeping your online presence safe via salcapolupo (Via Pixabay)

Still friends with them?

Lydia Caunce

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Friends that try to turn your other friends against you, arent your friends

I

Don’t you know that they’re toxic?

t’s sometimes hard to realise that the people you associate yourself with aren’t necessarily a good influence, or make you the best person that you can be. Friendships are never the easiest to let go of but sometimes you need to put yourself first, and remove these toxic friends from your life. It may be hard to realise at first that these friends don’t have your best intentions at heart.

However, there are a few signs that you should look out for if you’ve started to get the feeling that these people may not be the best to hang around with.

Friends that constantly put you down and make you feel like crap aren’t worth

your time. If you start to notice little passive aggressive comments like ‘‘I didn’t expect you to go to the gym’’ or talking down to you in order to embarass you in front of your other friends, you should start to question whether this is the sort of friend you necessarily want in your life. If these comments start to get more malicious, or even just start to have an affect on you as they are constantly dropped into conversation, then this is definitely a sign of a toxic friend.

Friends that try to turn your other friends against you, aren’t your friends.

Anyone that goes out with the inten-

tion to hurt you and make you lose friends, isn’t somebody that cares about you in the long run. Whilst this is something that you won’t always know is happening, or be able to avoid if it is behind your back, it is something to be wary of with friends that you’re already slightly suspicious of. If you hear of this happening by more than one credible source, it shouldn’t be something you take lightly as somebody who acts nice to your face, but talks about you behind your back isn’t a good friend.

An easy way to decide if somebody is worth your time and effort is by looking back on your time together and asking yourself does this person make me sad more than they make me happy? It is something to seriously think about, as the little things that they do might not seem like a big deal when they are said, but if you look back at it over time you may realise that their friendship does more bad than good for your wellbeing.

Once you’ve realised that you have a toxic friend, then comes the hard part.

Cutting them out. The best thing you can do is firstly talk to them as this may be something that they don’t realise they’re doing. Addressing it and calling them out isn’t always easy, however

it’s better than continuing to deal with somebody who isn’t good for you. Also, you have to think that by addressing it with them, before consulting with your other friends about it or starting to make funny comments back, stops you from stooping to their level and becoming as bad as them. It’s never going to be an easy or fun conversation, as usually people like this or quite manipulative and know how to make you feel like you’re almost the one in the wrong, but stay strong. One difficult conversation is better than dealing with more months of manipulation from a toxic friend.

It’s at this point I’d recommend blocking them. It may seem drastic as they were once your friend and you may still care about them, but it’s for the best. Seeing them on social media, and giving them the ability to contact you, is just not a good way to move on with your life. It’s hard at first to go cold turkey on people that you once cared about and shared a friendship with, but prioritising your own wellbeing is sometimes more important as you need to put yourself first. Uni is already stressful and a struggle, you don’t need those in your social life to become a problem too.

Pictured: Hiss hiss Source: Wikilmages (Via Pixabay)

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22

ACCIDENTAL ADVICE

column

#AccidentalAdvice @xxalice gairrhydd.com/category/advicecolumn

University is a marathon, and I can finally see the finishing line Alice Dent

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The finish line is in sight, but I wish more than anything that I could turn back around and run it all over again.

I

can safely say without a hint of reservation that I am not an esteemed runner. The peak of my illustrious running career was probably a morning in 2012, when myself and a couple of friends met at around 5:30am for a ‘gentle jog’ around Roath Park lake. All too surprisingly, it turned out to be less of a gentle jog, and more of a slow and painful shuffle. I hung up my running shoes, grabbed my asthma pump and told myself never again would I attempt to run. Last year, after watching my mum and boyfriend complete the Cardiff Half Marathon (I actually saw them for 10 seconds and then went back to the Woodville to track them on an app), I told myself ‘maybe I can do this?’. I bought a running arm strap for my mobile phone, put it in my bedside drawer, and that is where it has been ever since. Unfortunately, this is not a transformation story where I tell you the steps I took to become a fitness fanatic. Maybe that’s something I’ll do next year…

Although I certainly don’t relish the thought of hitting the running track, there is something almost exhilarating about watching other people do so. Many of you will have seen the coverage of the 2018 London Marathon on television and social media. The joy, elation and excruciating pain on the faces of the runners was plain to see, and their reactions after they had finished actually made me a little emotional. Whilst I can’t even comprehend the thought of a lap around Roath Park, these people have dedicated months and years to their training programmes, and have learnt how to push past the pain and make it to the end. Many of them will go on to complete more marathons, catching the “running bug” and forgetting about the moments

along the route where they were flagging in energy. They’ll revel in sheer joy at the finish line. In some ways, this is exactly what university is like for most of us. We often forget the moments of self-doubt that we have experienced throughout the course of our degrees, and will be filled with pride and fond memories when we graduate. We learn to grow from our various failures – whether that be sleeping with a housemate or doing particularly badly in an exam. While a runner can change up their training programme and find the most efficient ways to reach their goal, university teaches you how you work most effectively, and by the time the three years are almost up, you will have hopefully learnt a lot about yourself.

Personally, I believe I have grown a great deal since I began university in 2014. I suppose everyone changes between the ages of 18 and 22 regardless of whether they go to university or not, but there’s something so endearingly nostalgic about comparing the third year you to the person who stepped into halls in first year. I’m not saying I’m perfect; I still buy a meal deal almost every day and could probably count on my hands the amount of 9am lectures I’ve attended. I’ve eaten way too many Mama’s kebabs and spent more money in Sainsbury’s on Woodville Road than I care to think about. But I’ve also experienced crucial life lessons and worked to become a better version of myself. I’ve developed a host of lifelong friendships and made memories that I will never forget.

I’ve become more confident in my own abilities, and pushed myself to grab opportunities when they come my way. However, the end is now in sight, and it’s come as a bit of a shock

to the system. Exam season is upon us, and while I’m apprehensive about all the work I have to do in such a small period of time, I’m also really sad that this is the final push. The final mile in the marathon. The finish line is in sight, but I wish more than anything that I could turn back around and run it all over again.

If you’re in first or second year, there are things I would recommend that you do in order to make the following years go as smoothly as possible. Firstly, if you get ahead of the game and try as hard as you can from the offset, it will take the pressure off you in your final year. Obviously, third year is weighted the most and is therefore the most crucial time to get your head down, but if you know that you’ve secured a good 2.1 in your second year it can make you feel a whole lot better when it’s crunch time. Going to university means developing various skills, and if you’re not making the most out of them throughout your degree, it’s very unlikely you’ll get the best grade possible at the end. Try and go to as many lectures and seminars as you can and put effort into all of your assignments, even in your first year. Try out new ideas and push the boundaries with your writing, see what works and what doesn’t. If you make mistakes, that’s fine! That is what first year is for. Just like a marathon, university is long and there are so many different obstacles that will stand in your way. While you wouldn’t be able to run 26 miles without any training, it’s unlikely that you’ll reach your potential if you stick your head in the sand for two and half years and then frantically try and pull it together in the last couple of months. Make life easier for yourself and put the work in from the beginning.

Although academic success should be a priority, you shouldn’t neglect the social opportunities that university brings. You meet people from all walks of life from far-flung corners of the earth over the course of your degree, and you should make the effort to get to know them. While I’m not saying you need to say yes to every single social event so it then becomes detrimental to your degree, it’s so important to know when to give yourself a break. If you know you’re going to be going out on a Wednesday night, make sure you get your seminar work done in the day so you’re not putting yourself at a disadvantage later in the week. I know so many people who have juggled manic social lives and continually exceed expectations in their university work, so they’re not mutually exclusive. However, make sure you work out a balance of work and play that suits you.

Truthfully, university gives you what you put into it. There is a wealth of opportunities to be found, and new friends to meet at every stage.

If you’re at the end of the journey like I am, don’t give up just yet. Force yourself to maintain your momentum and get yourself over the finish line. If you’ve made mistakes along the way, that’s fine – don’t look back!

Just focus on the road ahead of you, work to the best of your ability until the very last step, and when you’re done, be proud of your achievements. While we’re not all the most capable of runners, not all of us will come out of university with a First.

However, if you prepare for the long run, take your degree at a steady pace and get yourself to the end, you should be proud of yourself regardless of the outcome. We can’t all be professional athletes, after all.

Pictured: London Marathon Source: Paul Hudson (via Flickr)

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CAMPUS LIFE

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Heath Park Special

Shwmae!

What are the Sabbs Saying?

Kirsty Hepburn

Over the last 8 months the Heath has had a mass of events, campaigns and sporting achievements! First of all, we will start way back in September with biggest Heath Freshers’ Fayre to date and the greatest number of students attending. This is down to the amazing input from students who made their stands as inviting as possible and helped to welcome our new students to the Heath!

October saw the first of four Student Family Day events. These were set up to encourage anyone with children studying at Cardiff to have an opportunity to meet others in the same position, they have been very well received and hope to be continued into 2018/19. The end of October was our first ever Academic Rep Conference, again, the feedback for the event was amazing with an appetite for more from our amazing Student Reps.

November took on a host of campaigns including House Advice Fortnight; This Cardiff Girl Can aiming to encourage everyone to get involved in sports; Student Lead Services week, which includes Cardiff Nightline, SHAG (Sexual Health Awareness Group) and Student Minds.

December brought us Medics Varsity, where we regained the winning title and took home the Shield from a fourth time when competing in seven sporting events against Bristol Medicals. A huge shout out to all of those involved, to all of the players and the spectators for making it such a successful day.

January found the Elected Officer team around campus in libraries giving out hot drinks, snacks and stress busting colour packs to all of the students busy revising. The It’s No Joke campaign was also launched in January where the aim was to raise awareness and promote a positive campus culture around inclusivity and safety.

In February came the Student Union elections for next years Elected Officer Team. There is a full team of Sabbatical and Campaign officers for 2018/19 so we all wish them all the best of luck and congratulations! As well as this was Speak Week where more cards than ever before were collected from the Heath Park site, these comments are now feeding into the Student Written Submission which is a document sent into the University about the students views. The first ever Heath Inter-professional Yoga ran at the end of February as well!

The month of March was taken over by Cardiff Fringe Festival which is a weeklong celebration of our amazing societies! Some highlights included Variety Performances and Go Global! On the 26th of March we welcomed in the latest intake of nursing students with a welcome week including club nights, treasure hunts, GIAG events and quizzes.

At the Heath there have been some student wins with new bike racks being installed, 24/7 new kitchen facilities in the main hospital and the redesign of the IV Lounge.

I hope you’ve had as great a year as I have so far! Good luck to everyone with their exams.

Healthcare Basketball

(Left) Medics’ Revision Society (Right) Harriet Arscott Pictured: (Above) Heath Park Source: Cardiff University website

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edics’ Revision Society (MRS) provides teaching from students to students throughout medical school, from first year anatomy and physiology to specialty teaching.

This year we have re-run our successful informal ISCE prep. course and will be re-running more sessions in the near future (details to follow on the society Facebook page).

Reviews have been very good with students enjoying the chance to pick up tips-and-tricks from years above, and being able to ask those ‘silly questions’ that no-one teaches you the answer to on

placement but somehow expects you to know.

Follow ing on from our well-attended session on demystifying the second year ISCE, a new and exciting full mock second year ISCE is also being planned. This will involve students from years 3-5 acting as examiners and patients to allow the second-years to practice before their big exam in June.

This will most likely be run over several days to allow as many second years a chance to have a practice as possible; it also means we can provide a teaching opportunity to many of the years above, who are generally quite keen and get a certificate for their portfolios.

Membership is only £2 and allows access to any of our teaching from students who have already passed the exams that they are teaching.

The team took part in the first ever Ladies NAMS in Sheffield, qualifying for the final in London next month! Off the court, the club has connected with a grassroots project alongside Butetown dragons, aimed at encouraging participation in basketball within an all-female environment to promote inclusion of all personal and religious beliefs.

Medics rugby The boys continued to dominate their fixtures this year, completing ‘The Treble’. The 1s finished unbeaten in their BUCS league AND retained their NAMS (National Association of Medical Schools) competition title AND beat the United Hospitals London team (all 6 London med schools combined).

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BYWYD CAMPWS

Medics’ Hockey Club

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MLHC is a hockey club which caters for the busy timetable of healthcare students, although being incredibly welcoming we do have a couple of engineers and geographers.

The 2017-2018 season has been one of the most successful seasons yet for our club! With the addition of a fourth team for our ever-expanding members, we can cater for all abilities. We have teams in both BUCS and local Saturday leagues, meaning there are multiple matches a week for many of our players.

(Above) CMLHC (Right) Medics’ Football Club

Pictured: (Above)Medics’ Logo Source: CUSU Website (Right) Medics’ Football Source: Alex Fisher

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ardiff Wilderness and Expedition Medicine Society (WEMS) provides students with a unique opportunity to learn medicine outside the environment of the hospital. A

Incredible season with a double promotion for both the 1s and 2s, the 1s winning their league with a goal difference of +70!

Our 1st XI, captained by 2nd year dental student Jessica Bateman, have recently won their Saturday league with 2 games to spare and are being promoted into the South Wales Premier 1 league!

The 2nd XI, captained by 3rd year medical student Caitlin Atkins, has also had a successful season in both their BUCS and Saturday league. They are currently training for the final of the Welsh Challenge Cup. Our 3rd XI and development squad allows many of our new players to improve their skills and also confidence in friendly’s against local teams and have all thoroughly enjoyed their season.

Aside from playing actual hockey, we are a com-

mitted club with a large social presence, headed up by Social Secs Sacha Bell and Lauren Murphy.

This allows the whole club to interact between the teams and helps enormously with welcoming in new members, often whilst being in fancy dress!

This season has seen many charity triumphs including the Cardiff Half Marathon and our annual cheese and wine night organised by Charity sec Issy Mahoney. This is to support our chosen charity of Mind.

Some outstanding members of committee have put in a lot of work over the past season, particularly our 2nd XI vice captain Ayako Niina and our umpire secretary Sioned Davies.

Medics’ Football Club

he Medics Football Club have had yet another fantastic year, full of great results and hopefully a trophy by the end of the year!

Our first team, fresh from their title win the year before found themselves promoted to the league above, featuring teams such as Gloucester 1s, Hartpury 2s, Uni of Bath 2s and of course, Cardiff Uni 2s. We were expecting a huge step up in quality and maybe the prospect of fighting a little above our weight. Yet the end result couldn’t have been any different! After some incredible efforts we extended our unbeaten run at Llanrumney into its FOURTH calendar year with victories including a 9-3 win vs Gloucester, 2-1 vs Hartpury 2s and two convincing victories against Cardiff Uni 4-2 and 2-0. Sadly, our unbeaten run came to an end with a 2-1 loss

(Left) WEMS (Right) Harriet Arscott

Men’s hockey

highlight of our calendar is ‘Brecon Weekend’ where we teach basic pre-hospital management of emergency scenarios in the beautiful setting of the Brecon Beacons National Park.

Participants put their skills to the test with simulated scenarios that can happen at any time during the weekend. Forget the textbooks, this weekend

to Bath 2s who went on to win the league.

We finished 2nd, a huge achievement we are very proud and look to improve on next year as welcome relegated Cardiff Uni 1s into our league.We also compete in the National Association of Medical Schools Cup and have successfully fended off competition from Birmingham, Swansea, Exeter and Bristol to reach the final, due to be held in the upcoming weeks, as we look to confirm our place as the best medical football team in the UK. The Meds also came out victorious in Medics Varsity putting a confident 5-0 victory in against Bristol Medics.We are very proud to have a highly competitive 2nd team who came just short of promotion, achieving 2nd place in their league for the second year running and they will look to achieve their goal third time lucky!

is all about getting stuck in!We host guest speakers throughout the year, including Dr Helen Jones, a doctor with the British Antarctic Survey who entertained us with her experiences of medicine at sea.

We combined the evening with several workshops on ‘Medicine at the Extremes’ A tour through extreme environments, the injuries you might face and how to treat them. But it’s not all about medicine.... We love taking on different challenges and have previously completed the Welsh 3 Peaks, the Cotswold Way and most recently the South Wales 3 Peaks!

A group of 25 people walked for 10hrs between 3 peaks of the Black Mountains covering over 21 miles. It’s a fantastic chance to meet other members of the

In a Meds first, we have also introduced a 3rd team who compete in the Cardiff University Intra-Mural league at Bute Park every Wednesday, meaning that all of our 100 member strong club have the opportunity to play competitively as well as train twice a week.

society and raise money for charity. We are currently in training for the National 3 Peaks in June.

The busy year ends on a high with the annual Summer trip. We have conquered the highest peak in the Czech Republic, rafted down French rivers, been over the Atlas Mountains, conquered the Alps and made fantastic friends along the way!

The society is open to all Healthcare professionals and you can join our Facebook group (Cardiff WEMS), follow us on instagram (@cardiffWEMS) for more information.

Medics netball 17/18 saw one of the best seasons in Medic netball history! With an injection of fresh talent and our fantastic Cardiff met student coaches, the quality of netball played across the club improved massively (and Met proved to be useful for something). 1s finished 3rd in their league so will be ranked as Uni 2s next year, the 2s also finished 3rd in an ever-challenging league, and both IMG teams were promoted to the IMG Superleague.

For the future..

Cardiff uni tennis are looking to start a Medics team within the club, aiming to provide an amazing opportunity to play at any level and attend great socials with medics and other uni students – look out for their upcoming Give it a Go session!

Pictured: (Left) Wilderness ExpeditionSource: WEMS

ENNILLWYR NEWYDDIADURAETH IAITH GYMRAEG GORAU YNG NGHYMRU 2017

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TAF-OD

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@cmccaerdydd | #GRTafod tafod@gairrhydd.com gairrhydd.com/category/tafod

NEWYDDION Yn y llun: Kizzy Crawford yn perfformio yn Xpresstival (Tarddiad: Peter Leslie)

Yn y llun: Deunydd hyrwyddo y Comisynydd (Tarddiad: Comisiynydd y Gymraeg)

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Jacob Morris

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“Dyma’r genhedlaeth gyntaf erioed o fyfyrwyr i gael hawliau cyfreithiol i ddefnyddio’r Gymraeg,” Meri Huws, Comisynydd y Gymraeg

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rs Ebrill y cyntaf mae gan fyfyrwyr Cymraeg eu hiaith hawliau newydd i ddefnyddio’r Gymraeg yn swyddogol â’u prifysgolion. Bellach mae yna safiad cyfreithiol sy’n galluogi i fyfyrwyr fynnu Tiwtor Personol Cymraeg, Gwasanaeth Cwnsela a derbyn gohebiaeth oll drwy gyfrwng y Gymraeg.

Golygir y safonau newydd fod prifysgolion Cymru yn rhan o’r 100 sefydliad sy’n dod o dan Safonau Comisiynydd y Gymraeg gan gynnwys cynghorau sir, yr heddlu ac amryw o sefydliadau cyhoeddus eraill. Fe ddywedodd Meri Huws, Comisiynydd y Gymraeg: ‘Dyma’r genhedlaeth gyntaf erioed o fyfyrwyr i gael hawliau cyfreithiol i ddefnyddio’r Gymraeg,’ ac fe ddisgrifodd ei bod hi’n ‘braf gweld ein bod yn dathlu’r garreg filltir bwysig yma – ym mhrofiad y myfyrwyr eu hunain ac yn hanes datblygiad yr iaith Gymraeg.’

Ond beth felly yw’r heriau? Cydnabod yr her o weithredu’r safonau ar draws y colegau wnaeth Meri Huws; ‘Does neb yn bychanu’r sialens i’r sefydliadau addysg bellach.’ Er hyn, mae’r Comisiynydd wedi amlinellu fod y newid yn hynod llesol i’r Gymraeg yn gyffredinol drwy sicrhau hawliau pellach i’r Cymry Cymraeg.

Ond beth felly yw barn y myfyrwyr? Fe ddywedodd Nest Jenkins ‘Dyma hawlaiu hir-ddisgwyliedig ond yn hynod bwysig i ni fel myfyrwyr Cymraeg. Fel Llysgennad i’r Coleg Cymraeg, mae’n gŵyn cyson nad oes tiwtoriaid personol ar gael yn ein mamiaith, ond bellach gallwn gyfeirio at yr hawliau hyn i wella profiad prifysgol i nifer. Diolch i’r

rhai a fu’n ymgyrchu.’ Canmol y Safonau wnaeth Meleri Williams, sydd hefyd yn Llysgennad i’r Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol gan ddisgrifio’r newid fel ’cyfle wych i allu byw fy mywyd fle myfyrwraig Cymraeg gan deimlo’n hapus a chartrefol drwy gyfrwng fy mamiaith’.

Fu Undeb Myfyrwyr Cymraeg Caerdydd yn croesawu’r newid gan annog i fyfyrwyr cysylltu gyda’r Undeb am unrhyw gwyn sydd ganddynt.

Dywed ar gyfrif trydar yr Undeb ei bod yn ‘fwy na pharod i ddelio gydag unrhyw gwynion ar eich rhan, felly mae croeso ichi gysylltu â ni gyda chwyn pe tasai hynny’n well gennych!’ Cafodd rhai myfyrwyr y cyfle i leisio barn mewn cyfweliad ar BBC Cymru Fyw. Rhoddodd Osian Morgan, cyn Swyddog Cymraeg Undeb Myfyrwyr Caerdydd bwyslais penodol ar bwysigrwydd hyrwyddo Safonau fel bod myfyrwyr yn ymwybodol o’r hawliau sydd bellach ganddynt: ‘drwy hyn fydd y pethau bychain yn adio i fyny ac bydd y Gymraeg yn dod yn rhan naturiol o fywyd yn y brifysgol.’

Ceir ymdeimlad cyson fod y Gymraeg o hyd yn rhan o frwydr barhaus.

Wythnos wedi’r safonau cael eu cyhoeddi bu’r brfiysgol ynghlwm mewn helynt ieithyddol arall. Y tro hwn ynghylch amserlenni arholiadau yn tarfu ar rai myfwyr rhag cystaldu yn Eisteddfod yr Urdd, sy’n peri gofid fod yn y frwydr yn parhau i fyfyrwyr Cymraeg eu hiaith. Amser a ddengys felly i weld os yw’r brifysgol wedi ymrwymo at gadw at y Safonau Iaith, ond sicr mae’r cam hwn yn un i’w dathlu â’i defnyddio.

Xpresstival dwyieithog cyntaf erioed yn lwyddiant aruthrol

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edi mudo Buffalo eleni, profodd Xpresstival, gŵyl flynyddol gorsaf radio Undeb Myfyrwyr Caerdydd Xpress Radio, i fod yn llwyddiant aruthrol unwaith eto wrth iddynt bron iawn werthu allan yn llwyr. Ar ôl peth pryder ynglŷn â gwerthiant tocynnau, gwerthodd 78 tocyn allan o 80 diolch i werthiant cryf ar y drws.

Dywedodd Rheolwr Gorsaf Xpress Radio, Emma McGuigan: ‘O beth ddechreuodd fel gwerthiad araf, pigodd fyny yn sylweddol a dwi mor hapus ein bod ni wedi dod mor agos i werthu allan. Roedd yn ddiwrnod fythgofiadwy, diolch o galon i bawb a fynychodd, a diolch hefyd i’r tîm Xpress, dwi mor falch ohonynt.’

Wedi ei guddio i fyny grisiau yn y clwb oedd y llwyfan a oedd wedi ei addurno yn biws, lliw gorsaf radio’r Brifysgol. Cafodd gwylwyr wledd o gerddoriaeth byw trwy’r dydd, gyda David ac Ethan o’r Gymdeithas Cerddoriaeth Byw, Milo and Friends a Midnight Ahead yn cicio’r ŵyl i ffwrdd cyn i’r prif artistiaid ddod ymlaen.

Roedd eleni yn ŵyl hanesyddol gyda hanner y leinyp sef papur wal, Kizzy

Crawford a Mellt, yn artistiaid iaith Gymraeg, leinyp a oedd hefyd yn cynnwys Hoult, The Pitchforks a SPINN. Yn gyntaf ymlaen oedd Hoult, band gitâr o Gaerdydd, gyda The Pitchforks o’r Cymoedd yn eu dilyn hwy.

Y cyntaf o’r garfan ddwyiaethog oedd papur wal, y band ‘slacker rock’ o ochrau Gaernarfon a ffurfiwyd wrth astudio ym Mhrifysgol Caerdydd.

Roedd wedyn symudiad trawiadol ar ran arddull gyda Kizzy Crawford yn swyno’r dorf hefo steil sydd yn cymysgu cerddoriaeth draddodiadol gwerin gydag arddull ‘neo soul’. Un o’r artistiaid mwyaf adnabyddus ar y leinyp oedd Mellt, y triawd o Aberystwyth. Eu sain yw cymysg o alawon gitâr ddanheddog a bachog, gyda blas punk. Gyda set llawn cyffro ar gefn lansiad eu halbwm newydd ‘Mae’n Hawdd Pan Ti’n Ifanc’ ar Ddydd Iau, chwaraewyd hen ffefrynnau yn ogystal â digonedd o gerddoriaeth newydd. Yn cau’r ŵyl oedd SPINN, yr unig artist a oedd yn deillio o ochr arall Clawdd Offa. Yn bygwth Mellt fel perfformiad gorau’r noson, boddiodd y pedwarawd o Lerpwl y dorf gyda’u harddull ‘dream pop’.

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Ydych chi’n gwybod eich hawliau?

Roedd yn ddiwrnod fythgofiadwy, diolch o galon i bawb a fynychodd, a diolch hefyd i’r tîm Xpress, dwi mor falch ohonynt Emma McGuigan, Cydrheolwr Xpress Radio

Aled Huw Russell

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TAF-OD

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ENNILLWYR NEWYDDIADURAETH IAITH GYMRAEG GORAU YNG NGHYMRU 2017

GWLEIDYDDIAETH

Carwyn yn camu o’r neilltu

Tomos Evans

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Mae’r chwe mis diwethaf ers marwolaeth yr AC Carl Sargeant, heb os, wedi cael effaith ddirfawr ar Jones.

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dydd Sadwrn Mawrth 21. Toc wedi tri o’r gloch y prynhawn.

Daeth yr awr a daeth y cyhoeddiad. Disgwyliedig efallai, i rai, oedd y newyddion fod Carwyn Jones yn bwriadu camu o’r neilltu fel arweinydd Llafur Cymru ac, o ganlyniad, fel Prif Weinidog Cymru yn yr Hydref.

Mae’r chwe mis diwethaf ers marwolaeth yr AC Carl Sargeant, heb os, wedi cael effaith ddirfawr ar Jones, yn broffesiynol ac efallai yn bersonol hefyd. Efallai fod y digwyddiadau yn ystod dyddiau tywyll Tachwedd diwethaf wedi ei sbarduno i gwtogi ychydig ar ei gyfnod fel Prif Weinidog.

Yn ystod naw mlynedd wrth y llyw, yn arwain Cymru drwy gyfnod o ansicrwydd gwleidyddol, mae Carwyn Jones wedi profi ei hun fel arweinydd

cryf a chadarn. Mae Jones wedi cynrychioli ei wlad mewn nifer o ddigwyddiadau ym mhresenoldeb arweinwyr o ledled y byd, megis Barack Obama, sydd, yn ôl rhai, wedi codi ymwybyddiaeth o Gymru fel gwlad.

Roedd Jones hefyd yn arwain ei wlad drwy effeithiau’r dirwasgiad ariannol.

Er mwyn cynnig cyfnod o sicrwydd i’r Cynulliad, gwnaeth Carwyn Jones barhau gyda thuedd Rhodri Morgan i gydweithio gyda phleidiau eraill drwy glymbleidiau. I ddechrau, bu Jones yn cydweithio gyda Phlaid Cymru ac yn ddiweddarach gwnaeth gydweithio gyda’r Democratiaid Rhyddfrydol, a Dafydd Êl wrth gwrs. Er byddai rhai yn gweld hyn fel ymdrech gan Jones a’r Blaid Lafur i gadw eu gafael mewn grym.

Mae Carwyn Jones hefyd wedi bod

yn barod i ymladd cornel Cymru gan amddiffyn ei wlad yn ystod y trafodaethau Brexit. Gwnaeth gydweithio gyda Nicola Sturgeon, Prif Weinidog yr Alban, rhywun sydd yn meddu ar dueddiadau gwleidyddol cwbl wahanol iddo, er mwyn sicrhau fod pwerau ynghylch materion datganoledig yn dychwelyd i Gaerdydd ac nid i San Steffan. Wedi dweud hynny, gellir dadlau fod datblygiau diweddar wedi cwestiynu hyn.

Roedd llywodraeth Carwyn Jones hefyd yn gyfrifol am gyflwyno’r targed o gyrraedd miliwn o siaradwyr Cymraeg erbyn 2050. Mae nifer yn dadlau nad yw’r argymhellion yma wedi eu gosod ar sail digon cryf a’i bod hi, o ganlyniad, yn anodd gweld sut y cânt eu gwireddu. Serch hynny, mae eraill yn dadlau fod Carwyn

Jones yn dangos ymrwymiad i’w iaith yma drwy gyflwyno targed uchelgeisiol o’r fath.

Yn 2013 gwnaeth llywodraeth Carwyn Jones brynu Maes Awyr Caerdydd am £52 miliwn. Ar y pryd, roedd nifer yn beirniadu’r penderfyniad gan ddweud ei fod yn wastraff arian.

Ers hynny, mae’r maes awyr bellach wedi tyfu llawer gyda’r cyhoeddiad yn dod y llynedd y byddai hediadau o Gaerdydd i brif ddinas Qatar, Doha, o fis Mai eleni ymlaen. O ganlyniad i’r cytundeb newydd yma gyda Qatar Airways, mae cefnogwyr o Jones yn siŵr y bydd buddiannau’r buddsoddiad gwreiddiol hwnnw’n cael eu profi yn ystod y blynyddoedd i ddod.

Yn sicr, prif flaenoriaeth Carwyn Jones yn ystod ei gyfnod wrth y llyw oedd materion cyfansoddiadol ynghylch datganoli. Wedi ymgyrch lwyddiannus yn ystod refferendwm 2011, gwnaeth Carwyn Jones sicrhau mwy o bwerau i Senedd Cymru i gyflwyno deddfau mewn nifer o feysydd ychwanegol. Byddai nifer yn dadlau fod y ffaith i ymgyrch Jones lwyddo gyda 63.49% o’r bleidlais yn y refferendwm yn destament i’w ymroddiad i’w wlad.

O dan arweinyddiaeth Alun Michael a Rhodri Morgan, gwelsom las ddyddiau’r Cynulliad ond o dan arweinyddiaeth Carwyn Jones wnaeth y Cynulliad ffynnu. Heb os, mae Carwyn Jones yn gadael y Senedd dan gwmwl yn sgìl marwolaeth Carl Sargeant, ac mae’n anodd darogan sut y bydd hanes yn dehongli ei arweinyddiaeth.

O ran ei olynydd, mae nifer yn galw am wleidydd llai llwydaidd i gamu i’r adwy. Ond, beth bynnag fo’ch lliwiau gwleidyddol, mae’n rhaid cydnabod llwyddiannau Carwyn Jones, a’i ym-

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Beth bynnag fo’ch lliwiau gwleidyddol, mae’n rhaid cydnabod llwyddiannau Carwyn Jones, a’i ymrwymiad i’r Cynulliad Cenedlaethol.

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Barn y bobl: Ymddiswyddiad Carwyn Jones Ar ôl 9 mlynedd fel Prif Weinidog, yng nghynhadledd y Blaid Lafur yng Nghymru yr wythnos diwethaf, cyhoeddodd Carwyn Jones y byddai’n gadael ei swydd fel Prif Weinidog cyn diwedd y flwyddyn hon. Beth yw barn rhai o fyfyrwyr y Brifysgol am

Gobeithio fydd ymadawiad Carwyn o’r swydd yn dod a syniadau newydd i’r llywodraeth. Ond fel mae’n sefyll mae’r llywodraeth Lafur wedi sicrhau bod Cymru mewn llawer gwaeth sefyllfa o rhan ein gwasanaeth iechyd a tlodi ymysg pethau eraill, a Carwyn fel Prif Wenidog sydd i’w feio am hynny.

Harri Hughes - Myfyriwr trydydd flwyddyn

Cyhoeddiad hir-ddisgwyliedig oedd ymddiswyddiad Carwyn Jones a dweud y gwir. Gan ystyried ei fod agosáu at ddegawd wrth y llyw mae’n hen bryd gweld gwaed newydd yn arwain y Blaid Lafur a Chymru ar lawr y siambr. Er, heb os fu helynt Carl Sargent y llynedd yn gatalydd i’w wthio i erchwyn y dibyn. ‘Sgwn i pwy fydd yn camu i’r adwy mis Hydref? Er sai’n gweld lot o gystadleuaeth!

Jacob Morris - Myfyriwr flwyddyn gyntaf

Yn gyntaf, rhaid dweud diolch i unrhyw un sydd wedi rhoi amser mor hir o’r fywyd i wasanaeth cyhoeddus. Roedd o’n yr amser iawn i Carwyn sefyll lawr oherwydd mae’r llywodraeth wedi bod yn rhedeg allan o syniadau newydd a gweledigaeth i Gymru ers tipyn. Er hyn, er mwyn sicrhau’r newid radical sydd angen ar ein gwlad, newid mewn llywodraeth sydd ei angen, nid newid mewn Prif Weinidog.

Wiliam Jac Rees - Myfyriwr flwyddyn gyntaf

Gyda phob parch i ddyn sydd wedi rhoi gymaint o’i amser a’i ymdrech i wasanaethu Cymru, teimlaf nad oedd ei Lywodraeth yn ddigon dewr i wneud newidiadau y byddai wedi gallu cael dylanwad mawr ar Gymru, gan benderfynu yn lle i chwarae gwleidyddiaeth saff a dibynnu ar bleidleisiau saff y Cymoedd.

Mae hyn yn gyfle euraidd i’r Blaid Lafur brofi eu bod yn blaid sy’n barod i gymryd Llywodraethu Cymru o ddifri.

Osian Morgan - Myfyriwr trydydd flwyddyn

‘‘

Yn y llun: Carwyn Jones (Tarddiad: British High Commission, Ottawa)

ENNILLWYR NEWYDDIADURAETH IAITH GYMRAEG GORAU YNG NGHYMRU 2017

TAF-OD

27

CHWARAEON

Y Sgarlets: Y rhanbarth gorau yng Nghymru Eirian Jones

Yn y llun: Cerflun Ray Gravell tu allan i Parc y Scarlets (Tarddiad: Les Haines drwy Flickr)

Y

n dilyn llwyddiant ysgubol y Sgarlets yn ennill cystadleuaeth y Pro12 fis Mai diwethaf, roedd cyffro mawr ymysg cefnogwyr tref y Sosban am y tymor hwn. Yn y gynghrair, dechreuodd y Sgarlets ar dân gydag wyth buddugoliaeth yn eu naw gêm gyntaf. Ond, cafwyd siom fawr yng nghystadleuaeth y pencampwyr wrth i’r Sgarlets golli o bwynt yn Toulon, ac wrth golli yn erbyn Bath yng nglaw Parc y Sgarlets.

Serch hyn, sylwodd Warren a’i griw ar berfformiadau bechgyn y Sgarlets, gyda nifer o’r pymtheg cychwynnol yn cael eu galw i fyny i’r garfan genedlaethol. Gorfodwyd i Wayne Pivac i roi cyfle i nifer o chwaraewyr ifanc i ddangos eu doniau gan gynnwys Ioan Nicholas a Ryan Conbeer, dros y tymor.

Braf oedd gweld Mike Phillips yn dychwelyd i’r Sgarlets ar gytundeb tymor byr, i lenwi safle’r mewnwr yn dilyn anafiadau. Yn ystod gemau rhyngwladol yr Hydref, cynhaliwyd momentwm y Sgarlets yn y gynghrair. Ond, trwy gydol y tymor, cynyddwyd rhestr anafiadau’r Sgarlets, gyda Jonathan Davies yn cael ei anafu yn ystod gemau rhyngwladol yr Hydref. Roedd hyn yn golled enfawr, yn enwedig wrth feddwl am safon ei berfformiadau dros yr Haf gyda’r Llewod.

Erbyn dechrau mis Rhagfyr, roedd y sêr rhyngwladol wedi dychwelyd yn barod i wynebu her Cwpan Pencampwyr Ewrop. Yn dilyn braw ym Mharc y Sgarlets yn erbyn Treviso cododd y tîm safon eu perfformiadau a llwyddwyd i ennill gweddill eu gemau yn y grŵp, gan gynnwys buddugoliaeth benigamp yn y Rec yng Nghaerfaddon, gyda Rhys Patchell yn

serennu; a buddugoliaeth glos yn erbyn Toulon yn Llanelli. Gorffennodd y Sgarlets ar frig ei grŵp, gan hawlio eu lle yng nghwarteri Cwpan Pencampwyr Ewrop am y tro cyntaf ers un ar ddeg mlynedd. La Rochelle fyddai ei gwrthwynebwyr yn y rownd go gyn derfynol.

Defnyddiwyd y Cwpan EinglGymreig fel modd i gynnig cyfle i chwaraewyr ifanc o’r academi i chwarae yn erbyn rhai o gewri Lloegr. Erbyn mis Ionawr doedd dim modd posib y gallai’r Sgarlets gyrraedd y rowndiau olaf ond rhoddodd gyfle i Pivac a’i griw, i feithrin y genhedlaeth nesaf.

Ond unwaith yn rhagor, wrth i’r Chwe Gwlad ddyfod, diflannodd nifer o chwaraewyr y Sgarlets i gynrychioli eu gwlad, ac ychwanegwyd enw Alun Wyn Jones i’r rhestr o anafiadau. Yn dilyn colled siomedig yn Treviso, roedd rhaid i’r tîm a oedd wedi gwanhau i wynebu Leinster dwywaith, adref ac ioddi gartref. Roedd Leinster yn chwarae rygbi arbennig ar frig cynghrair y Sgarlets ac yn anffodus, collwyd y gêm yn yr RDS, a gwelwyd gêm gyfartal yn Llanelli, gyda’r Sgarlets yn croesi’r gwyngalch yn y funud olaf.

Gyda lwc, dychwelodd y chwaraewyr rhyngwladol yn barod i wynebu La Rochelle. Gorfodwyd i’r Sgarlets i ychwanegu 500 o seddi ychwanegol a llenwyd Parc y Sgarlets wrth i’r Ffrancwyr ddyfod i Sir Gâr. Roedd y gêm yn un agored iawn gyda’r Sgarlets yn ennill yn gyfforddus yn y pendraw. Leinster byddai’r gelyn unwaith yn rhagor yn y rownd go gyn derfynol, ar ‘gae niwtral’ sef stadiwm yr Aviva yn Nulyn, prin dafliad carreg o’r RDS. Roedd tref Llanelli ar bigai’r

drain ar gyfer y gêm fawr, gyda deng mil o gefnogwyr yn teithio i Ddulyn. Roedd Dulyn dan ei sang gyda chrysau sgarlet i’w gweld ym mhob cwr o’r ddinas. Clywyd Calon Lân a Sosban Fach bob yn ail ar hyd strydoedd prif ddinas Iwerddon. Yn anffodus, roedd safon canu’r cefnogwyr llawer yn well na safon y rygbi ar gae’r Aviva. Gorfodwyd i ddechrau Patchell fel cefnwr, yn sgil anafiadau i Asquith a McNicoll, gyda Dan Jones yn llenwi’r bwlch yn safle’r maswr.

Yn anffodus, perfformiad hynod o siomedig a welwyd, gyda Leinster yn chwarae rygbi gwefreiddiol, ac yn cadw’r bêl o afael tîm y sosban, wrth roi crasfa i’r Sgarlets o 3816. Sgoriodd Taidgh Beirne gais i gysuro’r cefnogwyr yn y funud olaf, ond perfformiad torcalonnus a welwyd. Serch hyn, ar ôl un Guinness yn ormod cododd calonnau’r cefnogwyr, wrth ganu Sosban Fach, a phob emyn yng Nghaneuon Ffydd mewn tair rhan.

Roedd y perfformiad yn hynod o siomedig, ond rhaid edrych i ddiwedd y tymor yn awr. Yn realistig, nid yw’r Sgarlets yn mynd i ddal Leinster, sydd ar frig eu cynghrair felly rhaid edrych ymlaen at chwarteri’r Pro14. Pe byddai’r Sgarlets yn aros yn yr ail safle, gêm gartref yn erbyn y Cheetahs bydd i ddod. Ond, mae Caeredin, dan arweiniad Richard Cockerill dim ond pwynt y tu ôl i dîm Wayne Pivac. Petai Caeredin yn gorffen uwchben y Sgarlets, bydd rhaid i’r tîm deithio i Cork i wynebu Munster.

Felly, mae cefnogwyr y Sgarlets yn parhau i fod yn obeithiol, wrth edrych ymlaen at gêm derfynol y Pro14. Tybed os byddant yn cipio’r tlws unwaith yn rhagor?

Yn Trafod yr wythnos hon...

Gwenno Griffiths

1. Pwy wyt ti a pha flwyddyn Prifysgol?

Ci, i allu byw bywyd di-ffws!

Gwenno Griffiths, blwyddyn gyntaf

7. Te neu goffi?

2.Beth wyt ti’n astudio?

Coffi

Deintyddiaeth

8. Pwy fyddet ti’n ei wahodd i dy bryd fwyd delfrydol?

3. I’m a Celeb neu Love Island?

Merched yn mynd i’r gym i gymryd llunie yn y drych!

12. Pa ddigwyddiad gododd y fwyaf o embaras arnat ti erioed?

Rhyw wleidydd i neud newidiadau mawr

Carîoci Heol Eglwys y Ffair, pob tro

Cynta’- cyw iâr “southern”, prif - byrger a sglodion, pwdin - sundae

13. ‘Sgidie neu bagie?

17.Cwrs cyntaf, prif gwrs a phwdin beth fyddai’r dewis?

Alex Turner o’r Arctic Monkeys

‘Sgidie

18.Beth yw’r noson orau i ti ei chael erioed?

4.Beth yw dy hoff siocled?

9. Pe byddet ti’n ennill y loteri, beth fyddai’r peth cyntaf i ti brynu?

14. Gwin neu Prosecco?

Ocean Beach Ibiza

Galaxy

Tŷ neu car

Prosecco

19. Ar dy ddiwrnod olaf ar y blaned, beth fyddet ti’n ei wneud?

5. Beth yw’r ffilm orau i ti weld erioed?

10. Pa air wyt ti’n ei ddefnyddio amlaf?

Love Island

Grease 6. Pe byddet ti’n anifail, pa anifail fyddet ti a pham?

Naill a’i ‘lol’ neu ‘random’ 11. Beth sy’n mynd dan dy groen di?

15.Pe byddet ti ar ynys ac yn cael mynd a thri pheth yn unig, beth fydden nhw?

Ffôn, fy nghi, bwyd 16.Pe byddet ti’n cael bod yn rhywun arall am ddiwrnod, pwy fyddai ef/hi?

Teithio 20. Pwy fydd yn Trafod gyda’r Taf-od Wythnos nesaf?

Gwenno Acciaioli!

Hidato

Sudoku

28 FIVE MINUTE FUN

easy / hawdd

medium / canolig

Fill in the blanks with consecutive numbers.

Circles mark the start and end of the path.

The path must be continuous.

hard / anodd

We have a Kakuro for you this week!

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.

Answers online @gairrhydd on Twitter in the #FMF moment!

Hitori is a simple puzzle! Eliminate numbers so that there are no duplicates in any row or column. No eliminated numbers can be touching adjacently and the white squares must be contiguous.

Kakuro

Hitori

Word Wheel

Quick Maths

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: Booted up

Here are a couple of brainteasers to give your maths mind a little run-out.

Can you solve them?

START

4

START 24

x8

HALF IT

รท4

DOUBLE IT

3/8

x3

DOUBLE IT

+2

OF

+32 รท4

SQUARE IT

รท8 +44 รท3

3/4 OF

+5

-7

HALF IT

Answers will be posted on Twitter @gairrhydd. Keep your eye out for the #FMF moments! Tweet us to let us know if you have got it all right!

Got a type of puzzle you want to hear in Gair Rhydd next week? Let us know!

We are always keen to try new ideas.

WELSH WORD OF THE WEEK

PENCAMPWYR

CHAMPIONS

35

FIVE MINUTE FUN

PUM MUNUD O HWYL

29

Battleships

The numbers at the side dictate how many ship segments are contained with the corresponding row and column.

No ship may touch another ship, either adjacently or diagonally.

Each number in the grid indicates the number of mines in its adjacent squares. No mine can appear in the same square as a number.

Minesweeper

Fill in the grids with the ships listed below.

R

Can you find all the mines? We’ve given you one to get started.

Dingbats These little puzzlers are the pictorial form of common words or phrases.

X-Sudoku

Can you solve them? Look out for the Twitter moment @gairrhydd for the answers!

The normal Sudoku rules apply to the X-Sudoku, but the highlighted diagonals must also contain only the numbers 1-9!

Spot The Ball

With Varsity still fresh in the mind, it’s time to launch Spot the Ball! The ball has been surgically removed from the photo, can you guess from which location?

Seriously, it’s as simple as it looks!

Let us know your guess on Twitter with the hashtag #FMFSpot!

Photo: Mike Hall

Hobo Johnson & The Lovemakers

The Sherlocks

Jungle

May/Mai Treatment Presents: Hannah Wants 04/05/18, £25 ADV Jungle 05/05/18, £22 ADV

July/Gorffennaf Hobo Johnson & The Lovemakers 31/07/18, £13.50 ADV

October/Hydref

The Rend Collective 10/05/18, £18 ADV

Super Hans 04/10/18, £16 ADV

Machine Head 14/05/18, £27.50 ADV

The Sherlocks 11/10/18, £13.50 ADV

SPORT

31

Feature: CURFC ejected from Welsh Bowl final in heartbreaking fashion

The club notified about the decision by being tagged in a tweet one week before their big day Mark Wyatt

‘‘

To have your last run out for the university at the home of Welsh rugby would have been brilliant, but it seems it just wasn’t to be.

Joel Williams

F

or most rugby-playing students the chances of representing your university in a cup final in a 75,000-seater stadium are slimmer than slim.

For Cardiff University though this dream became a reality after their semifinal victory over Pembroke RFC in the Welsh Bowl, a WRU-headed competition.

It was a chance to impress on a national stage in the home of Welsh rugby but just one week before the showpiece final in the capital, the rugby club were tagged in a tweet letting them know that they had been replaced in the final due to fielding ineligible players.

Unbeknownst to the club, Pembroke had lodged an appeal after one of their players saw a Cardiff player making an appearance for a team higher up in the WRU’s National Leagues.

After the first appeal failed, Pembroke lodged a second complaint and Cardiff were soon notified that they, along with all other universities in Wales, had been removed from the competition with immediate effect and banned from taking part in the competition indefinitely.

Cardiff, who have taken place in the competition since 1972, were understandably horrified at the decision and were adamant that they had been afforded special dispensation from the WRU which allowed them to play any of their students.

“We could have easily played our first team in this competition, but we thought, no, let’s not do that,” said Cardiff University head of rugby Alun Wyn Davies.

“We’ve been keeping in contact with them [the WRU] since 2015 just for clari-

fication and we keep being told that as long as the players are students then they can play.

“In every round of the competition we actively made sure that we put student numbers next to every player’s name on the team sheets just to tick the boxes on our end.

“By their own ruling we could’ve played our entire 1st team without batting an eyelid regardless of where they play on the weekend because that is what is written in the dispensation we received.”

The news hit the club hard, who had played seven matches off their own backs to get to the final.

Hooker Joel Williams, a final year Politics student at Cardiff, featured in all of the matches and was devastated at the WRU’s decision.

“We travelled upwards of 5 hours on Easter Saturday for the semi-final and have been going around the country playing all year.

“If the WRU had a problem with our team being in the competition, then why did they wait until we reached the final to kick us out?

“On a personal note it would have been a great send-off [the final] for all of the 3rd and 4th year students leaving the club.

“To have your last run out for the university at the home of Welsh rugby would have been brilliant, but it seems it just wasn’t to be.”

The club’s chairman Callum Hindle echoed the words of his club-mate and expressed his anger at the decision being informed via Twitter.

“We only found out about the decision on Saturday morning when we were tagged in a tweet by the official WRU page.

“It soon become apparent that our director of rugby [Wyn-Davies] had only been told an hour before but he was busy working towards Varsity, so he wasn’t aware until I spoke to him.

“They boys are obviously distraught, they’ve all worked so hard throughout the year to achieve great things on and off the field.

“The players deserved this, a chance to be rewarded for such hard work but this has been taken from underneath them bwwecause of false accusations surrounding players.

“We are being punished by a lack of organisation from the WRU and they seem to be backtracking on their earlier correspondence to the club now.”

Since news broke of the decision to remove Cardiff from the final, the club have received a number of messages online from people calling the club ‘cheats’.

It’s something which the club are taking very seriously and a topic which Hindle was keen to set straight.

“As the largest rugby establishment in Wales with 22 senior teams it hurts us massively to be mislabelled as cheats when in fact we were following the letter of the law set out by the WRU to us.”

Following the decision Cardiff decided to take things into their own hands and contacted a team of lawyers to try and rectify the situation.

By Friday, two days before the planned

final, Cardiff were informed that if they were to go ahead with their legal action that they would most likely be able to cancel the final due to their strong case.

But a decision was made not to take this action, the club instead deciding to invite the WRU heads to meet with the university.

“We have sought legal advice and we’ve been told that we would be successful in seeking an injunction to prevent the final taking place on Sunday to enable further dialogue.” Said Stuart Vanstone, head of Cardiff University Head of Sport.

“We have taken the view that we do not wish to be drawn into a long-standing dispute with the WRU and this course of action would not be in anyone’s best interests.

“In addition, we welcome an invitation to meet with WRU Group CEO Martyn Phillips, WRU Head of Rugby Operations Julie Paterson and Head of Rugby Participation Ryan Jones to discuss the failings in WRU competition management that has led to this situation.

“We wish to ensure that it does not happen again in the future to us or any other member club.”

Cardiff were hoping an appearance in the Bowl final would top off the perfect week for the club, after they’re electric 2315 over Swansea in the Welsh Varsity.

But the decision to reject them from the Bowl final has put a sour taste on an otherwise brilliant year.

Gair Rhydd Sport contacted the Welsh Rugby Union for comment, but they declined.

‘‘

Pictured: CURFC line-up against Swansea in the Welsh Varsity 2018 (via Mike Hall)

A

s this is the penultimate column

Keiran Manettathis year I will save the season celJones ebrations for next week, however Cardiff Blues I will start with some European talk this Columnist week.

Cardiff Blues have had an amazing run of form since January. Their Challenge Cup semi-final against Pau in the Cardiff Arms Park took their total wins to 10 in all league and European matches this year before ‘Judgement day’ after holding on for a 16-10 win.

Danny Wilson will be proud of his squad during this year as the only two losses were against rivals Ospreys and Cheetahs in Bloemfontein, both of which

went down to the wire.

The final game on the Blues’ calendar is a Challenge Cup final in Bilbao against Gloucester, a team they have played before in this tournament and have a 50%win record against.

The match will take place on the 11th May 21:00GMT and will be a match every Cardiff Blues fan will be eagerly awaiting.

After the news that John Mulvihill will be leading the Blues in the Champions Cup campaign next season, Danny Wilson will be hoping to end the season with some European silver wear.

The road to the final has seen the

Challenge Cup this season become a very successful tournament for the Blues and reaching the final obviously displays how consistently they have performed throughout the tournament.

Besides one small blip against Sale Sharks in December, the Blues have managed to pull out a win in every match including double wins over the French giants Lyon and Toulouse home and away in Pool 2.

After qualifying for the quarter-finals the Blues prepared to head to BT Murrayfield to face an in-form Edinburgh.

Despite the Scots digging deep in the second half, the welsh capital region

managed to pull out a 6-20 win. Heading into the Semi-final against Pau with a home advantage did nothing but encourage a confident performance which saw the Blues cruising to a reasonably comfortable victory despite the close score line.

So, onto the final of the 2nd tier European competition which is not somewhere we would have expected to be at the beginning of this season.

Gloucester always start strong in big games but hopefully a strong defence and creative attack can neutralise their star players and see Cardiff Blues lifting the trophy in a few weeks’ time.