Issue 1161 - Monday 30 November

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rhifyn 1161 issue 1161

30 Tachwedd 2020 30 November 2020

gair rhydd Cardiff University’s student paper | Established 1972

Inside: The long-term impact of domestic abuse on university students (page 6)

UK-wide COVID-19 regulations announced for Christmas 2020 Tirion Davies

Editor-in-Chief

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eaders from each of the four UK nations have agreed upon a UK-wide list of rules for dealing with Christmas 2020 amidst the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Since the UK first went into lockdown in March, questions have been widely circulating in regards to whether, of all the holidays, the UK would experience a normal Christmas. Although the R-rate of positive COVID-19 tests in Wales saw a steady decrease over the summer, once restrictions were eased, the positive test rate began to rise once again.

Wales has seen multiple local lockdowns since September, and recently came out of a ‘firebreak’ lockdown, which was an attempt by the Welsh Government to combat the harsh rise in cases.

Last week, it was announced by all four UK Governments that they had reached a UK-wide agreement of rules and regulations British residents must follow this Christmas.

It is one of the few instances since the March lockdown where we have seen all four nations of the UK issue the same, or similar rulings at the same time.

There is a belief this is in order to combat any confusion and attempt to stop the rise in cases over the festive period.

Restrictions will be eased this Christmas, to allow families to mix with a slightly wider circle of family and friends.

Across the UK, Governments have told that people will be able to form “bubbles” of three households over a five-day period. Your bubble is dependent on your UK nation England and Wales will not have a limit on the amount of people you can have in your bubble, but the Scottish Government has stated there should be no more than eight people in a bubble, although children under 12 will not count as part of this eight.

A ‘bubble’ is able to meet in

homes, places of worship and outdoor spaces. Bubbles will be fixed, meaning you are unable to mix with two households on Christmas Day, but later mix with another two households on Boxing Day. Households within your Christmas bubble are also unable to bubble with other households, and you are unable to form any kind of bubble if you are self-isolating.

Travel restrictions will be lifted across the UK to allow people to visit their families anywhere in the UK, however, there will be no additional public transport, and you must travel in and out of other areas between 23 and 27 December.

Britons will be unable to meet their Christmas bubble in hospitality settings and entertainment venues. Though it is possible to meet a bubble, it must be outside the home and in line with the tier rules of the area in which you are staying. These places include beaches, parks, open countryside, public gardens, allotments and playgrounds.

Welsh First Minister Mark Drakeford has confirmed that Wales will likely see tougher restrictions put in place ahead of Christmas, including a potential tier system, similar to that in England and Scotland.

Mr Drakeford noted the aim of this tiering system would be to combat a rise in cases, to allow the new Christmas regulations to go ahead.

There has been concern that the "bubble" regulations over Christmas will add to increasing numbers of COVID-19 cases in Wales.

The Welsh Government cabinet is set to discuss the matter of a tiering system across Wales this week.

There has been no confirmation as of yet whether these regulations will extend to New Year’s Eve across the UK, although Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has expressed the rules will not continue to New Year’s Eve in Scotland.

As planned fireworks displays in Edinburgh and London are cancelled, it is likely the Christmas regulations will cease ahead of New Year's Eve to stop mass-gatherings and a rise in cases.

Guglielmo Marconi: Marconi (right) pictured here with with Dr. W. R. Whitney and Dr. Irving Langmuir.

Source: Bain News Service (via Library of Congress)

The pioneer in the development of radio technology Jack Robert Stacey Technology Editor

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uglielmo Marconi was a pioneer in the development of radio wave technology, and as a result, is still regarded as one of the most famous inventors in human history.

In commemoration for his work in wireless communication, Marconi became the first invento to win a Nobel

UK Government spending review Hallum Cowell Head of Politics

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he UK government have unveiled their spending review for the next year.

Chancellor Rishi Sunak laid out a number of cuts and commitments for an economy with is struggling with COVID-19 and Brexit.

Among these was the announcement that the UK economy is projected to shrink 11.3% this year and government borrowing will reach its highest level of any peace time government.

To read more about all the recent announcements, check out the full information from Gair Rhydd's Politics section on page 10.

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Prize.

Although it has been almost 125 years since the development of the first instrument capable of sending a long-distance radio transmission, for Dr. Saptarshi Bandyopadhyay, a Robotics Technologist operating at NASA, the pioneering work of Marconi and other key figures in the scientific community remains to be a fundamental part of his modern-day research.

Sain Ffagan yn dylanwadu ar ffasiwn Catrin Lewis

In our modern, hyper-connected world, radio has become an integral part of worldwide forms of communication and, due in part to Guglielmo Marconi and other key scientific figures, the technology continues to see development for future use.

Turn to page 25 to read more about Marconi, his work, and how his groundbreaking inventions have set the stage for modern scientific discovery.

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Oxford vaccine 'highly effective' Luthien Evans

Golygydd Taf-od

News Editor

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n ystod wythnos ffasiwn Baris fis Mawrth bu cymysgedd o ddelweddau Cymreig ar y llwyfan. Ond beth oedd yr ysbrydoliaeth y tu ôl i’r dyluniadau Cymreigaidd yma?

Mae nifer o'r tai ffasiwn fwyaf yn y byd wedi ymweld a'r atyniad treftadaeth fwyaf poblogaidd Cymru, Sain Ffagan, a wedi cael eu dylanwadu i greu dillad sy'n seiliedig ar y patrymau sydd i'w gael yn dillad traddodiadol Cymreig.

Mae Catrin yn ymchwilio yn fwy i ddylanwad Sain Ffagan ar ffasiwn.

I ddarllen yn fwy am ddylanwad Sain Ffagan yn hanes ffasiwn y byd, trowch i dudalen 8.

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F

ollowing the recent findings of the Pfizer vaccine stating 95% effectiveness, Oxford University have now declared a 70.4% effectiveness rate of their own .

The vaccine, created by Oxford University and AstraZeneca, uses different technology than the Pfizer vaccine causing different results. Scientists have warned against comparisons due to Oxford’s vaccine accounting for mild illnesses, whereas the Pfizer vaccine did not take account for this To read about the new Oxford University vaccine and its details, turn to page 3.

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EDITORIAL

At Gair Rhydd we take seriously our responsibility to maintain the highest possible standards.

We may occasionally make mistakes, however if you believe we have fallen below the standards we seek to uphold, please email editor@gairrhydd.com.

Opinions expressed in editorials and opinion pieces are not reflective of Cardiff Student Media, who act as the publisher of Gair Rhydd in legal terms, and should not be considered official communications or the organisation’s stance.

Gair Rhydd is a Post Office registered newspaper.

THE TEAM Coordinator

Elaine Morgan

Editor-in-Chief Tirion Davies

Deputy Editors

Hallum Cowell Holly Giles Molly Govus

Head of Digital Media Tom Leaman

Head of Design

Lottie Draycott

Video Editors

Sophia Grace Scarlett Griffith Ellis Lloyd-Jones Daniel O’Callaghan

Graphics Editor

Ellie Hutchings

Copy Editors

Megan Newberry Amy Saunders Elle Speer

IN THIS ISSUE

A NOTE FROM THE EDITOR Should we have to learn our history through The Crown?

T

he fourth series of the hit Netflix show The Crown recently began streaming, offering the world a small glimpse of what life would have been like amongst the royal family during the 1980s.

Although many aspects of the show are fictionalised – to have been a fly on the wall during some of those conversations; wouldn’t that have been fun? – the show also depicts real, historical events in which we saw the reactions from the royal family.

For many in Wales, The Crown made headlines during its third series for showing an event few were outside were aware of – the Aberfan disaster.

The 1966 incident, which saw 144 deaths, including the deaths of 116 children as a result of a colliery spoil tip near Merthyr, was shown on the programme, as a key incident in which the reaction of the royal family was heavily scrutinised by many for their delayed response.

This year marked 54 years since the catastrophic disaster which left South Wales shaking. In Wales, it is an incident which will never be forgotten, but for many, the history is still fairly new.

But is it concerning that we’re learning more about Welsh and British history from television shows than many of us are learning in our schools?

It’s odd to think that many were taught about their nation’s history

through film and television, as opposed to classrooms and lecture halls. Although yes, film and television can be educational – it is not their sole purpose. They are there to entertain and, in terms of The Crown’s episode on Aberfan, rouse emotion.

The Crown is one of the only television programmes – and particularly the most famous and world-renowned – to show the events of that horrendous October day in 1966.

But shouldn’t we be doing more to educate the youth of today on their history?

It’s baffling that so few are familiar with key figures and events shown in film and television. Although the Aberfan disaster’s portrayal in The Crown is just one example, many admitted that before The Imitation Game’s 2014 release, they had no idea who Alan Turing was. For some, Dunkirk was an education into an incident they admitted they were fairly unfamiliar with.

Film and television should always have the power to incite intrigue and offer a voice or alternate view on historical events and figures, but perhaps it shouldn’t be the main way we learn about our history.

Perhaps more should be done to encourage more of an education on various events, including those involving minorities and incidents which are often overlooked.

Oes rhaid i ni dysgu ein hanes o’r rhaglen The Crown?

NEWS

Stabbing incident occurs in Cardiff city centre (p.3)

D

TAF-OD

Ysgolion Aberteifi’n cau oherwydd COVID-19 (t.8)

POLITICS

Abolish the Senedd Party leadership debate continues (p.12)

COMMENT

Toxic masculinity and Harry Styles’ Vogue cover (p.14)

ADVICE

How to stop comparing yourself to others (p.18)

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

Cardiff computers found helpful during COVID-19 (p.21)

@CAERDYDD

My Discombobulated Brain: Jack Seargant (p.24)

SPORT

Lewis Hamilton: Britain’s most successful sportsman? (p.27)

Aberfan: Wnaeth trydydd cyfres The Crown dangos trychineb 1966 Aberfan, ac oedd y tro cyntaf i nifer clywed am y ddigwyddiad.

Tarddiad: Stephen McKay (drwy Geograph)

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Aberfan: Series 3 of The Crown depicted the 1966 Aberfan disaster, and for many it was the first time they had heard of the incident.

Source: Stephen McKay (via Geograph)

echreuodd cyfres newydd The Crown dechrau chwarae ar Netflix yn ddiweddar, yn dangos elfen fach o fywydau’r teulu brenhinol dros gyfnod yr 80au a’r 90au.

Er bod nifer o elfennau’r rhaglen yn ffuglennol, mae’r rhaglen hefyd yn dangos digwyddiadau hanesyddol go iawn, lle gwelwyd ymateb y teulu brenhinol.

I nifer yng Nghymru, llwyddodd The Crown i gyrraedd y papurau newydd yn y trydedd gyfres gan dangos digwyddiad nad oedd nifer tu fas i Gymru’n ymwybodol ohono – trychineb Aberfan.

Roedd y digwyddiad, lle gwelwyd marwolaeth 116 plentyn o ganlyniad i lithrad glo ger Merthyr, wedi’i ddangos ar y rhaglen, fel un o’r prif ddigwyddiadau yn hanes Prydain lle’r oedd ymateb y teulu brenhinol wedi’i beirniadu am fod yn araf.

Bu eleni yn cyfri 54 blynedd ers y digwyddiad erchyll.

Yng Nghymru, hanes bythgofiadwy yw hi, ond i rai tu fas i’r wlad hon, y mae’n hanes weddol newydd.

Sonnir nifer ledled y byd bod portread trychineb Aberfan ar The Crown oedd y tro cyntaf iddynt glywed amdano.

I nifer, yr oedd marwolaeth Louis Mountbatten yn 1979 gan yr IRA wedi derbyn ymateb tebyg wrth iddo cael ei ddangos ar y rhaglen yn y gyfres newydd y flwyddyn hon.

Ond a yw hi’n broblem ein bod yn dysgu mwy am hanes Cymru a Phrydain gan raglenni teledu nag y mae nifer ohonom yn ei ddysgu o fewn ein hysgolion?

Ceir sôn gan nifer eu bod wedi poeni am bortread Aberfan yn y rhaglen, gan oeddynt yn sôn bod y rhaglen yn rhoi fwy o bwyslais ar y Frenhines, yn hytrach nag ar y teuluoedd a wnaeth dioddef o ganlyniad i’r trychineb.

Er hyn, The Crown yw un o’r unig raglenni – a’r unig raglen ryngwladol – i ddangos y diwrnod hynny ym mis Hydref 1966.

Ond na ddylai ni wneud yn fwy i addysgu ieuenctid heddiw am ei hanes?

Sonnir nifer eu bod wedi dysgu am hanes Prydeinig o ffilmiau megis The Imitation Game a Dunkirk, yn hytrach nag yn ysgolion ar ddraws Prydain.

Mae’n od bod cyn lleied o bobl yn anymwybodol o drychineb Aberfan a digwyddiadau eraill yn hanes.

Er dylai bod gan deledu a ffilm y pŵer i ddangos safbwynt newydd ar ddigwyddiadau hanesyddol, neu gynnig llais i bobl wahanol, mae’n bosib ni ddylai hyn fod y brif ffordd ein bod yn dysgu ein hanes.

Efallai dylai bod mwy yn cael ei wneud i addysgu pawb am ddigwyddiadau pwysig yn hanes Cymru a Phrydain, yn enwedig hanes a lleisiau’r lleiafrifoedd na fydd yn derbyn llais fel arfer.

NODYN GAN Y GOLYGYDD

NEWS

Violent incident on Cardiff Queen Street

Seven arrested and six hospitalised after city centre disturbance

vember. Since restrictions were lifted, the city centre has become notably busier, inevitably coinciding with a rise in crime.

Sam Portillo News Editor

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ust before 10pm on Saturday night, police and ambulance crews arrived at Queen Street in Cardiff city centre after reports of a “large disturbance” involving stabbings.

South Wales Police arrested seven male teenagers between the ages of 16 and 17 on suspicion of violent disorder and used a Taser to detain another, who is not believed to have been involved in the violence but was obstructing officers from their work.

The seven teenagers have since been released on bail, pending investigation and further enquiries.

Three people who are thought to have been stabbed were taken for treatment at the University Hospital of Wales, while another two suffering head injuries were taken to Llandough hospital in Penarth. A police spokesperson reported that no injuries appear to be life-threatening.

Groups of teenagers coming from Grangetown - near the city centre and Rumney in East Cardiff, clashed at the east end of Queen Street, close to the Capitol Shopping Centre and Queen Street train station. Owing to

Large disturbance: Seven teenagers arrested after violence on Cardiff Queen Street. Source: Sionk (via Wikimedia Commons) the time of the incident, most shop- the public that we will be relentless pers had left the location, but other in identifying and arresting all those bystanders, including those return- involved,” he said. ing from restaurants and bars, were He also urged parents and people on the scene. with knowledge of the violent inciFrom the time of the incident until dent to come forward with inforTuesday morning, officers were giv- mation, reaffirming the importance en powers to force individuals and of tackling knife crime. “[It] is the groups whose behaviour had, or was responsibility of us all and any parlikely to contribute to the ‘disorder ents who have suspicions about their and distress’ to leave the city centre. children being involved are not proSuperintendent Esyr Jones has tecting them by remaining quiet.” confirmed that a dedicated team

By Tuesday, three of the six peoof twenty detectives are investigat- ple hospitalised had returned home, ing the incident and expect to make while the others remain in care with more arrests once they are able to non-life threatening injuries. identify suspects through correLockdown rules meant that shops, sponding CCTV footage and eye- restaurants and other non-essential witness accounts. “I want to reassure businesses were closed until 9 No-

I want to reassure the public that we will be relentless in identifying and arresting all those involved.

News Editor

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ollowing the recent findings of the Pfizer vaccine stating 95% effectiveness, Oxford University have now declared a 70.4% effectiveness rate of their own.

This result follows a large-scale trial of 20,000 people worldwide, leading to an average efficiency rate. Two separate trials took place, one averaging a 90% efficiency rate, with the other at 62%.

Reports have shown that when participants receive a half dose than normal, it is then 90% effective.

The vaccine, created by Oxford University and AstraZeneca, uses different technology than the Pfizer vaccine causing different results. However, scientists have warned against comparisons due

to Oxford’s vaccine accounting for mild illnesses, whereas the Pfizer vaccine did not take account for this.

The Oxford vaccine is cheaper and easier to store than other vaccine choices, making it the easy choice for the UK government to choose.

The Government has pre-ordered 100 million doses, with 4 million doses already produced.

These will not be able to be used until the vaccine has been licensed by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency.

The UK has also ordered 40 million doses of the Pfizer vaccine, the turnover for licensing will most likely be quicker for this vaccine, reports have shown.

The Oxford vaccine also has orders from Australia totaling at 33.8 million doses. The US has also made a deal to purchase 300 million doses for $1.2 billion. Ox-

In another incident, on Wednesday, a 17 year old was taken to hospital after being stabbed in the Canton area of Cardiff with non-life threatening injuries, with a 15 year old being arrested on suspicion of carrying out the attack. Currently, police believe that the incident is linked to the earlier brawl between two groups in Queen Street. South Wales Police has issued a Section 60 notice to allow officers to ‘stop and search’ individuals in the Canton and Grangetown areas, with the aim of squashing this recent spike in knife crime.

News Editor

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ince April 1987, Cardiff Council have set out to regenerate 1,100 hectares of derelict docklands of Cardiff and Penarth.

Over the last 30 years, Cardiff council have had an ambition to establish Cardiff bay as a premier UK visitor destination. The regeneration of the Bay has aimed to attract more visitors to Cardiff and to provide jobs. With the recent delivery of a 15,000-capacity indoor arena, the bay continues to expand.

Following this news, Cardiff Council have plans to transform two historic buildings that have been neglected for a decade. The council plans to buy the merchant place building and Cory’s buildings situated on the corner of Bute

Place and Bute street. If the plans for the next phase of regeneration go ahead, the council will seek grant support for cost of refurbishment of the heritage sites.

Cardiff Council has already been approached by a number of potential development partners and are confident of being able to fully recover the initial outlay of acquiring the buildings.

Cabinet Member for Investment and Development, Cllr Russell Goodway, said: ‘‘Our intention is to market the opportunity as soon as possible to attract a developer to inject pace into the completion of the project. We’ve seen both of these important buildings lying empty for far too long now. They stand at the gateway to the inner harbour area opposite one of Wales’ most iconic buildings the Wales Millennium Centre.’’

The regeneration project set out

Zoe Kramer

Luthien Evans

Sam Portillo World wide: Oxford are looking to prepare billions of doses of the vaccine worldwide. Source: Christian Emmer (via Caerphilly Observer) ford have stated that they hope to quickly using infrastructure alsupply 3 billion doses of the vac- ready available. This was a criticine worldwide. cism of the previous US vaccines The Oxford vaccine differs from as they were harder to store, rethe other vaccines that have been quiring temperatures of -70 deannounced. The vaccine can be grees and new equipment needed produced cheaply coming in at £3 to store. per dose. It also can be stored at Once it has been regulated, Oxfridge temperature as well as be- ford have stated that the ‘bulk of ing able to be deployed easily and the rollout will be in the new year’.

The next step in regenerating Cardiff Bay Dominic Williams

YOUR NEWS DESK

Superintendent Esyr Jones

Oxford Vaccine branded ‘highly effective’ after tests Luthien Evans

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Our intention is to market the opportunity as soon as possible to attract a developer to inject pace into the completion of the project.

several aims. These being to reunite the city with its waterfront, to promote development, achieve the highest standards of design and quality in all types of investment. Furthermore, to create a wide range of opportunities that reflect the hopes and aspirations of communities in the area. Cardiff Council also aim to reunite the

community with its waterfront, while simulating residential development which provides homes for a cross section of the population.

Dominic Williams news@gairrhydd.com The council also aims to establish the area as a recognised centre of excellence and innovation in urban regeneration.

Cardiff Bay: Cardiff council have chosen two historic buildings to be restored.

Source: Kate Bee (via Geograph)

4 NEWS Snoopy Trail Remembering the R-rate for the festive period coming to Dominic Williams News Editor Cardiff Zoe Kramer

Head of News

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he Dogs Trust in partnership with Wild in Art and Peanuts has announced a trail of Snoopy sculptures which will be unleashed around Cardiff in autumn of 2021.

The art trail will guide participants through the best dog walking routes in the city. The aim of the project is to raise awareness and funds for the Dogs Trust, which will also be opening a new dog shelter in Cardiff.

The trail will last for 10 weeks, and aims to generate a social, wellbeing and financial boost for the local community.

Founded in 1891, The Dogs Trust is the UK’s largest dog welfare charity.

Their mission is “to bring about the day when all dogs can enjoy a happy life, free from the threat of unnecessary destruction.”

Peanuts, written and illustrated by the late Charles M. Schultz, owns the beloved character of Snoopy. The beagle and his human friends have entertained families since 1950.

The trail is similar to the Snowdogs trail of 2017, which raised support for Ty Hafan Children’s Hospice. The Snowdogs trail was the biggest art trail to come to Wales.

Owen Sharp, chief executive of Dogs Trust, said: “A Dog’s Trail with Snoopy is an exciting new adventure for Dogs Trust. I can’t wait to see the iconic Snoopy brought to life, bringing colour and fun to the streets of Cardiff.

“We’ve been helping dogs in Wales for more than 50 years through our presence in Bridgend but we’re especially excited to open our 21st re-homing centre in Cardiff in 2021 which will allow us to care for an additional 1,000 dogs in Wales each year and provide jobs and volunteering opportunities within the community.”

According to the Dogs Trust, “For 10 weeks the city’s streets, Cardiff bay and park spaces will become home to a series of intricately decorated Snoopy sculptures, each designed by local, regional and national artists, designers and illustrators – both well-known favourites and newly emerging talent.

“Each sculpture will be sponsored by a business or individual and have its own tale to tell, many showcasing Cardiff’s wealth of artistic talent whilst celebrating the vibrance, culture and creativity that the city has to offer.”

The event is currently seeking out artists to create unique designs for each sculpture. New and established artists are welcome, and participants are encouraged to use a variety of media, which could include fine art, graffiti, illustration, or mosaics. School groups are encouraged to design their own Snoopy as well. The 50+ artists chosen will be provided with a £900 commission fee.

Charlie Langhorne, Managing Director and Co-founder of Wild in Art, said: “We are delighted to be returning to Cardiff and working with Dogs Trust and Peanuts to create A Dog’s Trail with Snoopy – our first ever dog-friendly art trail.

“Our events are designed to bring the enjoyment of public art to everyone while offering new ways for people to explore their local area, but we need the support of local businesses to make it happen.

“Sponsorship of a Snoopy sculpture is a fabulous opportunity and there are many exciting ways to benefit from a collaboration with us whilst supporting Dogs Trust’s amazing work.”

At the end of the event, the sculptures will be auctioned off to support The Dogs Trust.

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s the second wave of coronavirus hit the UK, all four nations went about the Handelman in different ways to lower the R rate.

Wales, Northern Ireland, Scotland and England all had varied approaches on how to tackle the pandemic. With much discussion on which way was the right method to lower the R-rate, each nation has seen different impacts from their guidelines. The R-rate is vital in the fight against coronavirus, as it shows us how many people are likely to get infected from a person who is ill with coronavirus.

Following First Minster, Mark Drakeford’s decision to only enter a twoweek firebreeaker in order to prevent the spread of coronavirus. After the two-week lockdown ended, Health Minister Vaughan Gething, claimed that the rate would need to drop below 1 for case numbers to fall.

Therefore, after the end of the 17-day firebreak lockdown the Welsh Government’s scientific advisory group published its latest data on the R rate. The most recent estimate has the figure between 0.9 and 1.2, down from 1 and 1.3.

It is vital that this R is decreased as families look to reunite over the Christmas period, and business owners are open-

ing their doors to Christmas shopping.

While England are in the midst of a national lockdown which is set to end December 2nd Boris Johnson has recently announced his guidelines for the Christmas period.

The three-tiered regional measures will return from the 2nd and will be reviewed every 14 days. Johnson also spoke that the regional approach will last until March.

Again, a key factor in the tough restrictions is the R rate, reproduction rates and projected pressure on the NHS. For the first time since COVID-19 hit the UK, spectators will be allowed to return to some sporting events with a maximum of 4000 people being allowed.

The three-level tier system has different dependents on household mixing.

In tier one a maximum of six people can meet indoors or outdoors; in tier two, no households can mix indoors with a maximum of six meeting outdoors. Finally, in tier three household mixing is banned, with most outdoor mixing being banned.

Although in Scotland, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has said that if the Rrate rose in Scotland to over half of the Scottish population, the nation will go back into lockdown.

The First Minister confirmed that East Lothian will drop to level 2 curbs, which would allow bars and restaurants

Christmas lockdown rules: All four U.K nations have outlined COVID-19 rules for the festive period. Source: David Dixon (via Geograph) to start selling alcohol again, however also said that no major changes will take place to Tier 3 lockdowns across the country.

However, over in Northern Ireland who have seen a rise in COVID-19 deaths, the Stormont executive has imposed new restrictions which are due to take effect from Friday 27 November.

Some of the key details are people from different households are still not allowed to mix indoors, with some exemptions with ‘’bubbling’’ allowed with one other household. Furthermore, from 27 November all non-essential retail will close. Also, the health guidance has been updated to say that “no unnecessary travel” should be undertaken.

Due to the devolved administrations

,each U.K nation has dealt with the pandemic in different ways, however following an emergency COBRA meeting each nation has come to a collective agreement on COVID-19 rules for Christmas.

Households across the UK will be able to form a ‘’Christmas bubble’’ with two other households during a five-day window over the festive period. These restrictions will last between 23 to 27 December with travel restrictions also being lifted across the whole of the U.K. All the governments have agreed that a balance needed to be struct, between protecting public health and allowing people to see their loved ones.

Although Christmas is set to look at lot different this year, all four U.K nations have come together in order to provide some structure over this period.

Winter Wonderland replaced by Christmas at the Castle Zoe Kramer

Head of News

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n light of the COVID-19 pandemic, several changes have been made to the way Christmas will be celebrated in Cardiff this year, in order to ensure the maximum safety possible. Instead of the usual Winter Wonderland celebrations, Cardiff residents can instead attend Christmas by the Castle, a smaller, socially distanced holiday gathering.

Christmas by the Castle will run from Thursday, November 12 to Sunday, January 3. Masks are required to be worn throughout, except for at seated dining locations. Online bookings for the Ice Walk will allow guests to be track and traced, and paths have been widened for social distancing purposes.

Each attraction must be paid for individually. Food is available through app-based ordering to offer an additional level of COVID-19 safety.

Attractions include the aforemen-

Christmas in Cardiff: While it may not look like past Christmases (pictured), festive spirits survive. Source: Colin Smith (via Wikimedia Commons) tioned ice walk as well as fairground rides, as well as Alpine resort themed dining areas and a fire pit for roasting marshmallows. There is also a 33m big wheel which has reportedly not been put up yet as organisers are still trying to find a suitable location.

Fairground rides have been reduced in number this year, with the

two rides available being Santa’s Sleigh Ride and the Santa Express.

There appears to be no ice skating this year, despite it being a part of the original plans.

Norman George Sayers of Sayers Events said: “Obviously we’re not able to bring the usual scale of Winter Wonderland to Cardiff this year but

we were determined to give the city a smile at Christmas so we’ve worked closely with Cardiff council and environmental health to gather a collection of outdoor attractions in and around the castle.

“Families have had a lot to bear in 2020 so they can be reassured that we are working tirelessly to make Christmas at the Castle as safe and enjoyable as possible. We hope this will also encourage people back into the city centre where they can get all their Christmas shopping and enjoy the traditional Christmas market.”

Food options include Yorkshire pudding wraps, fudge, donuts, and other treats. Visitors should be advised that you are required to have a table in order to purchase food, so wait times can be lengthy. It is recommended to be aware of the peak hours of business and to come during less busy hours. Attractions are open from noon to 9 PM on weekdays and from noon to 10 PM on Fridays and Saturdays.

Archaeolgists discover preserved remains from Pompeii Luthien Evans News Editor

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he remains of two men dating from the volcanic eruption of Pompeii from nearly 2000 years ago, have been discovered. The officials at the archaeological site have stated that one of the men is likely to have been a slave, with the other suggested to be a man of high status.

The officials furthered their comments stating that the wealthy man was between 30 and 40 years old. The high-class claim is due to ‘traces of a warm woolen cloak’ being found beneath his neck.

The other man, presumably a slave of the wealthy man, was said to be aged between 18 and 23 years old. They used a crushed vertebrae as a way to identify that he did manual labour, presumably

Deserted: The town of Pompeii used to be a bustling hub for socialites until the eruption. Source: ElfQrin (via Wikimedia Commons) as a slave. From the impressions that the bodies have made in the solid ash, casts were formed.

The officials at the site stated

that the cause of death was ‘thermal shock’, which was also demonstrated by ‘their clenched feet and hands’.

The discovery came after an excavation of a large villa located on the outskirts of the city. Work is continuing at the archaeological site, but tourists have been barred for coronavirus measures.

What happened at Pompeii?

The town of Pompeii was located around five miles away from Mount Vesuvius. Many of Rome’s rich citizens flocked to Pompeii filling elegant houses and villas.

The town was filled with small factories, shops, taverns and brothels. Marketplaces were great social spaces, and a 20,000-seat arena was available. 12,000 people lived here.

In 79 AD. Mount Vesuvius erupted and buried the ancient city of Pompeii under a thick blanket of volcanic ash. Two thousand people died and the city was left abandoned until 1748.

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

6

FEATURES

FEATURE BY

Domestic abuse in the UK Gair Rhydd examines the issue of domestic abuse across the UK Disclaimer: This article covers domestic abuse and subjects which some reads may find disturbing.

If you have been affected by any of the topics in this article please don’t hesitate to contact student support on studentconnect@cardiff.ac.uk

I

n this month’s Feature, Gair Rhydd looks into domestic abuse in the UK and the devastating impact it has on its victims.

Shedding light on this pressing issue, which has been further overlooked due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Emerging evidence demonstrates that there is a worrying increase in cases being reported.

The impact of abuse and violence has an everlasting impact while affecting the victims’ mental health.

Gair Rhydd spoke to a student at university, who shared their account to help raise awareness of the

Tehreem Sultan

Tom Kingsbury features@gairrhydd.com

Domestic Abuse in the UK

Females 70%

struggles and the personal issues faced while trying to complete their studies, as a victim of domestic abuse.

According to a report by Universities UK, the majority of high-risk victims are university age, and those under 24 are most likely to suffer interpersonal violence.

There is a need to reach out to students, staff and communities to raise awareness and identify victims in the UK. The process of reporting cases of abuse is often difficult, with questions inevitably raised throughout the process which often feel like a judgement or accusation of the victims of these crimes.

Whilst there can be a legal basis for handling cases in certain ways, often handling of abuse cases can leave the victims further distressed, and when a case is mishandled it can have a devastating impact on the victims.

Mental health: There are often severe and long-lasting effects on victims’ mental health. Source: Pixnio

Facts and figures: Domestic abuse statistics in the UK • The figures from the Crime Survey for England and Wales revealed that there has been little change in the prevalence of domestic abuse in recent years.

• In 2019, an estimated 2.4 million adults aged 16 to 70 experienced domestic abuse in the last year (1.6 million women and 786,000 men).

• The police recorded 746,219 domestic abuse-related crimes in the year ending March 2019, an increase of 24% from the previous year.

Males 30%

Flora’s story: University, domestic violence, and the impact of victim blaming

Disclaimer: This page covers domestic abuse. The names and details in this article have been changed to maintain privacy.

If you have been affected by any of the topics in this article please don’t hesitate to contact student support on studentconnect@cardiff.ac.uk

G

air Rhydd learnt about the experience of Flora, and how it has impacted her.

In early 2019, Flora was on a night out with her friends. It was her flatmate’s birthday, and they went into town to celebrate. After leaving, Flora realised she did not have her keys, and

Leaving the city: ‘Flora’ left Cardiff following her sexual assault, feeling it was no longer safe. Source: Jon Candy (via.

Wikimedia Commons)

her flatmate was still out. She called her boyfriend, who recommended she ask a trusted friend of hers if she could stay at his for a few hours.

Flora recounted that she felt his house was “a safe space”. He said she could come over, which she did, and they went to go to sleep; he told her he had to be up early the next day. He messaged her boyfriend and flatmate, telling them Flora was safe.

He was sober, she was not. In the early hours of the morning, Flora was sexually assaulted.

Traumatised and full of fear, Flora knew she had to leave. She was able to stay calm, and she removed herself from his home.

She recalled her conflicting emotions following the assault: “I was emotionally shattered, embarrassed, and ashamed of what had happened.”

Flora had just experienced something awful, which nobody should have to experience. But in the coming weeks she would have to remain strong, as she was interviewed, examined, doubted, pitied, judged, and undermined.

The traumatic experience was, in Flora’s eyes, exacerbated by the handling of her case by officials.

Reporting her sexual assault to the police, she says she was interviewed twice within one hour, despite having

been told she would not be asked to do so.

“Everything was incredibly rushed, and I felt like they were just trying to get my interview over with.”

She was also told she should give a spoken recount, though she had wanted to write it out, as it was “incredibly hard” to speak about such a traumatic experience.

Flora recounts that during her interview, she felt she was at blame, as she had not voiced the word ‘no’, and as she was questioned over how much she’d had to drink. She felt she was shamed for what she did despite being a victim of a crime.

The treatment she experienced by the police, Flora said, “made me blame myself for my assault, feel guilty for reporting, and has made me leave Cardiff behind, because I do not feel safe or protected any longer.”

She also felt that her case was poorly handled by her university when she reported the perpetrator; a fellow student.

To Flora, her experience was not fully acknowledged, and a delay over a period of months with few updates left her feeling ignored.

Flora said this of her experience reporting her sexual assault: “Throughout these investigations, both criminal and at the University

level, questions have come up about my behaviour and why I went to his house and bedroom that night. I was even blamed for what happened in this situation by a Cardiff detective when I reported this crime to the police.”

“A person cannot consent when they have been drinking, and if we keep letting students get away with this kind of behaviour, no one is going to feel that reporting crime is worth the agony of the process.”

The assault affected Flora physically and emotionally, but it also took its toll on her financially, and was a detriment to her mental health.

Flora left Cardiff, feeling unsafe and far from home. This left her paying for accommodation she was not using, on top of the cost of her travel home.

She had medical costs too, and, unable to complete her degree, is still without the qualification she had been working towards.

Flora suffers from PTSD and Panic Disorder, a result of the assault as well as the painful experience of “continually having to recount my trauma, not being believed, and not being able to move on with my life.”

Flora has been receiving support, including psychotherapy, as she tries to recover.

She says she has “found some sense of peace over the last year or so”.

Got questions about Academic We Issues? visited Student Advice cardiffstudents.com/advice

8

TAF-OD

taf od

Barn y Bobol

Mae penodiad pivac fel hyfforddwr Rygbi cenedlaethol cymru wedi hollti barn.

Nid yw ei berfformiadau wedi cyrraedd y safon disgwyleidig, ond yw disgwyl iddo gwneud yn gam rhy bell ar hyn o bryd? Wrth feddwl am hyn, beth yw disgwyliadau pobl am Bencampwriaeth y chwe Gwlad?

Dyma farn Tom, Owain a Gruffudd

Tom Moore

Myfyriwr y drydydd flwyddyn, Fferylliaeth Yn dilyn cyfnod ansefydlog wedi gemau’r chwe gwlad mewn i’r autumn nation league, mae rhai yn son ‘a ddylai cyfnod Pivac fel hyfforddwr ddod i ben?’ Yn fy marn i dyle’r WRU cadw ei ffydd yn Pivac am weddill yr autumn nations cup ac am y gemau chwe gwlad. Mae angen i unrhyw hyfforddwr cael yr amser i weithio ei dactegau. Mae angen i’r Cymry cofio bod Pivac yn eithriad i’r tueddediadau o hyffoddwyr newydd, oherwydd yn lle dod mewn i’r swydd pryd mae’r carfan yn ddarnau, mae Pivac wedi dod mewn wedi cyfnod gorau yn hanes rygbi Cymru. Mae rhaid i ni fel cefnogwyr cadw ffydd a rhoi’r amser iddo wneud beth wnaeth ef efo’r Scarlets.

Owain ap Myrddin Myfyriwr y drydydd flwyddyn, y Gymraeg

Mae’n anodd i unrhyw gefnogwr o’r tîm cenedlaethol i ddadlau nad yw perfformiadau diweddar Cymru wedi bod yn siomedig. Er hyn mae gobaith am y dyfodol wrth i chwaraewyr ifanc megis Callum Sheedy, Shane Lewis-Hughes a Louis Rees-Zammit berfformio’n addawol iawn yn eu gemau cyntaf dros eu gwlad. Nid yw’r Chwe Gwlad yn mynd i fod yn hawdd i Gymru eleni, ond fy ngobaith yw gweld mwy o’r chwaraewyr ifanc talentog sydd gan Gymru yn perfformio dros eu gwlad gan roi balchder yn ôl yn y crys coch.

Gruffudd Edwards Myfyriwr y flwyddyn gyntaf, Daearyddiaeth

Yn ddilyn dwy gem o’r ‘nations cup’, tydi chwarewyr Wayne Pivac ddim yn edrych yr un a’r tîm dan reolaeth Gatland, flwyddyn yn ol. Ac felly, wrth i’r 6 gwlad agosau, anodd yw dadlau na fuodd y perfformiadau yn erbyn Iwerddon a Georgia yn galonogol, yn dilyn colled i’r Gwyddelod, a buddogoliaeth drwy berfformiad siomedig yn erbyn tîm gwan Georgia. Er hyn, mae’r garfan yr cynnwys yr un talent a phan oedd Cymru ymysg goreuon y byd, felly, petai Pivac yn cael gwell strwythur a threfn ar y tîm hwn, mae gobaith dal i fod wrth edrych ymlaen at Bencampwriaeth y 6 gwlad.

Pêl-droed: Cymru yn cael ei dyrchafu i gynghrair A (tudalen 10)

NEWYDDION

Coronafeirws yn taro ardal Aberteifi Cynnydd sylweddol mewn achosion yn gorfodi’r cyngor i gau ysgolion Alaw Fflur Jones Golygydd Taf-od

C

afodd Sir Ceredigion ei chydnabod a’i chanmol am lefelau isel iawn o achosion COVID-19 nol yn yr haf. Ond, yn ddiweddar mae nifer fawr o achosion wedi cael eu cadarnhau yn ardaloedd Aberteifi ac Aberporth yng Ngheredigion. Ar ddydd Sul, 22 Tachwedd, nodwyd mewn cyfnod o saith diwrnod bod 202 ymhob 100,000 yn bositif yn ardaloedd Aberteifi ac Aberporth. Yn dilyn y cynnydd mawr mewn achosion, mae’r cyngor wedi gorfod gweithredu ar frys drwy gau ysgolion yr ardal am bythefnos.

Mae sawl busnes lleol hefyd wedi dewis cau eu busnesau er mwyn gwarchod y cyhoedd rhag y feirws.

Cau ysgolion Mae’r cyngor wedi penderfynu cau ysgolion yn nalgylch Aberteifi am gyfnod o bythefnos.

Ymhlith yr ysgolion fydd ar gau o ddydd Llun 23 Tachwedd tan 7 Rhagfyr mae Ysgol Uwchradd Aberteifi, Ysgol Gynradd Aberteifi, Ysgol Gynradd Penparc, Ysgol Gynradd Aberporth, Ysgol Gynradd T. Llew Jones, Ysgol Gynradd Llechryd ac Ysgol Gynradd Cenarth. Bydd Meithrinfeydd Dechrau’n Deg yn Aberteifi ac Aberporth ar gau tan 7 Rhagfyr. Bydd Llyfrgell Aberteifi hefyd ar gau tan ddydd 7 Rhagfyr gyda system clicio a chasglu

yn unig.

Yn dilyn achosion COVID-19 yng Ngheredigion, mae ysgolion tu hwnt i Aberteifi wedi gorfod cau. Bydd dosbarth derbyn Ysgol Bro Pedr, Llanbedr Pont Steffan yn gorfod hunan-ynysu am bythefnos ar ôl i’r ysgol gael cadarnhad o achos o Covid-19 yn yr ysgol dydd Llun, yn ogystal â nifer fach o ddisgyblion yn Ysgol Gyfun Penglais, Aberystwyth, yn dilyn achos pellach yno. Mae Coleg Ceredigion hefyd wedi cyhoeddi bydd addysg y coleg yn digwydd ar-lein am y pythefnos nesaf.

A chadarnhaodd Cyngor Sir Penfro y bydd Ysgol y Preseli, Ysgol y Frenni, Ysgol Eglwyswrw, Ysgol Llandudoch, Ysgol Cilgerran ac Ysgol Clydau ar gau ddydd Llun hefyd, ond does dim cadarnhad tan bryd.

Pryderon Er gwaethaf y cyfnod clo byr yng Nghymru, mae sefyllfa’r coronafeirws wedi gwaethygu yn ardal Aberteifi.

Esboniodd Clive Davies, maer Aberteifi, “yr ardal yn wynebu cyfnod pryderus a thrist ond ry’n ni gyd yn tynnu gyda’n gilydd er mwyn gwella pethau erbyn y Nadolig”.

Mae honiadau wedi bod mai partïon a digwyddiadau cymdeithasol ydy ‘craidd’ y cynnydd sydyn mewn heintusrwydd yn yr ardal. Yn ôl Ellen ap Gwynn, arweinydd Cyngor Ceredigion, “Ar ôl i’r clo bach ddod i ben dwi’n credu o’dd pawb yn meddwl, ‘o hwre,

Distaw: Mae rhaid i ysgolion cau am bythefnos. Tarddiad: Jaggery (trwy geograph) ‘da ni’n rhydd,’ ac mae yna ambell barti wedi cael eu cynnal, mae yna ambell drais o amgylch tafarnau wedi bod.”

Mae Ellen fel pawb arall yn bryderus iawn am lefelau’r feirws yn Aberteifi gyda’r beryg iddo ledu yn gyflym iawn o amgylch yr ardal a gweddill Ceredigion.

Yn ôl Bethan Eynon-Stobbs, myfyrwraig sy’n byw yn nalgylch Aberteifi, “dwi’n bryderus iawn nawr bod yr haint ar gynnydd a hynny wrth ymyl fy stepen drws!’

“Dwi methu mynychu fy narlithioedd yng Nghaerfyrddin ar hyn o bryd gan fy mod yn byw yn ardal Aberteifi, ac dwi’n parchu hynny. Mae gofyn i bawb feddwl am ei gilydd a dilyn y canllawiau er mwyn cadw pawb yn saff.”

Cynghori i ddilyn canllawiau Er mwyn lleihau lledaenu’r feirws a gwarchod trigolion yr ardal. Mae’r cyngor lleol yn erfyn ar drigolion Aberteifi a’r cyffiniau i gydymffurfio at ganllawiau COVID-19 gosodwyd gan Llywodraeth Cymru.

Dylanwad Sain Ffagan ar y byd ffasiwn rhyngwladol Catrin Lewis

Golygydd Taf-od

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ewn blwyddyn sydd wedi bod llawn pethau annisgwyl, dyma rhywbeth ychwanegol i adio i’r rhestr.

Byddech chi byth yn meddwl bod amgueddfa werin yng Nghymru gallu cael dylanwad ar ffasiwn enwocaf y byd, ond dyma ni.

Yn ystod wythnos ffasiwn Baris fis Mawrth bu cymysgedd o ddelweddau Cymreig ar y llwyfan. Ond beth oedd yr ysbrydoliaeth y tu ôl i’r dyluniadau Cymreigaidd yma?

Cychwynnodd y cyfan yn ystod mis Rhagfyr 2019 pan dderbyniodd Elen Phillips, curadur gwisgoedd a

thecstilau’r Amgueddfa, e-bost gan y tŷ ffasiwn Alexander Mc Queen. Nododd yr e-bost bod dau gynlluniwr o’r cwmni’n dod i Gymru i wneud gwaith ymchwil a’u bod nhw’n bwriadu ymweld â’r Amgueddfa Sain Ffagan yn ystod y daith.

Sain Ffagan yw atyniad treftadaeth fwyaf poblogaidd Cymru ac un o brif amgueddfeydd awyr agored Ewrop.

Agorwyd yr amgueddfa yn 1948 ac ers hynny mae wedi denu miloedd o ymwelwyr sydd â diddordeb yn hanes a threftadaeth Cymru bob blwyddyn.

Pan gyrhaeddodd y dylunwyr bu Elen yn brysur yn dangos eitemau megis llwyau pren a chwiltiau iddynt heb wybod yn sicr bedd fyddai canlyniad yr ymweliad. Daeth hyd yn oed fwy o

Sain Ffasiwn: Yn ystod wythnos ffasiwn Baris, roedd dylanwad Sain Ffagan yn amlwg Tarddiad: Nic Dafis (trwy Flickr)

gynllunwyr yn fuan yn 2020 er mwyn cael blas o beth sydd gan yr amgueddfa i’w gynnig. Roedd deunaw o ddylunwyr i gyd gan gynnwys Sarah Burton.

Sarah Burton yw Cyfarwyddwr Creadigol Alexander McQueen a chymerodd yr awenau yn 2010 yn dilyn marwolaeth sylfaenydd y cwmni. Yn ystod ei gyrfa fel Cyfarwyddwr Creadigol mae hi wedi bod yn rhan o brosiectau anferthol megis dylunio ffrog briodas Kate Middleton yn 2011.

Yn ddiweddarach yn y flwyddyn, pan gyrhaeddodd wythnos ffasiwn Baris, roedd dylanwad Sain Ffagan ar y dylunwyr yn gwbl amlwg trwy’r cymysgedd o liwiau, symbolau a gweadau.

Ymysg y casgliad roedd yno siwt a chot clytwaith wedi eu hysbrydoli gan Gwilt Teiliwr Wrecsam a llawer o galonnau wedi eu embroidio ar y dillad - dylanwad amlwg y llwy garu bren.

Roedd y lliw coch hefyd wedi derbyn rôl flaenllaw yn y sioe ac roedd hynny’n gynrychioliad o ffermdy Kennixton gafodd ei ailgodi yn Sain Ffagan yn 1955.

Fodd bynnag, nid sêr y byd ffasiwn yn unig sydd wedi cael eu gweld yn gwisgo’r dyluniadau. Ar flaen rhifyn Rhagfyr 2020 British Vogue mae’r gantores pop Beyoncé yn gwisgo yn o siacedi Alexander McQueen sydd wedi ei hysbrydoli gan lwyau garu Sain Ffagan.

Mae’r ysbrydoliaeth Gymreig y tu ôl i’r dyluniad hefyd yn cael ei gydnabod yn y rhifyn.

Wrth esbonio ei rhesymau tu ôl dew-

is Cymru fel ysbrydoliaeth dywedodd Sarah Burton “Roeddwn i eisiau mynd i rywle â sail iawn a fyddai’n gwneud i’r menywod deimlo’n arwrol,” “Yn yr amseroedd hyn, mae’n rhaid i ni fod yn ddewr a chryf - droson ni ein hunain, ein tîm, ein ffrindiau, ein teulu. Roeddwn i’n arfer mynd i Gymru fel plentyn ar wyliau ac mae wir yn cynrychioli’r ddaear.”

Yn ogystal, mewn datganiad i’r wasg ar gyfer y casgliad roedd ganddi’r canlynol i ddweud, “Mae’r casgliad yn llythyr caru at ferched ac at deuluoedd, cydweithwyr a ffrindiau. Aethon ni i Gymru a chawsom ein hysbrydoli gan gynhesrwydd ei threftadaeth artistig a barddonol, gan ei llên gwerin ac enaid ei grefft ...

Mae yna ymdeimlad o amddiffyniad yn y dillad, o ddiogelwch a chysur, sy’n cael ei ennyn trwy gwiltio a blancedi.

Mae’r calonnau’n symbol o undod, o fod yno i eraill”.

Nid oes amheuaeth bod Cymru’n wlad sy’n gyfoethog mewn hanes a diwylliant ac felly’r gobaith yw bydd dylanwadau Cymreig yn parhau i ymddangos yn y celfyddydau, boed hynny yn y byd ffasiwn, cerddoriaeth neu ffilm.

Mae’n debygol nad hyn yw’r tro cyntaf nac olaf y bydden yn gweld dylanwadau Cymru yng ngwaith mawrion y byd ffasiwn gan fod cymaint o ysbrydoliaeth i’w gael yma.

TAF-OD

EICH TÎM TAF-OD

Pryd o Daf-od: Megan Hunter Myfyrwraig yn ei ail flwyddyn, Megan Angharad Hunter sydd yn Pryd o Daf-od wythnos yma.

Er ei fod hi ond yn ei ail flwyddyn ym Mhrifysgol Caerdydd, mae Megan Hunter wedi ysgriennu a rhyddhau ei nofel cyntaf ‘tu ôl i’r awyr’. Mae’r nofel wedi derbyn llawer o glod, gan gynnwys yr awdures Manon Steffan Ros, sydd wedi ei disgrifio fel ‘y nofel orau, fwyaf pwerus i mi ei ddarllen ers blynyddoedd’, clod mawr i Megan yn sicr. Mae Megan yn trafod ei nofel newydd, y cymeriadau a hefyd ei phrofiadau ysgrifennu yn Pryd o Daf-od wytnos hon.

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ae’r nofel yn dilyn dau berson ifanc yn y Chweched Dosbarth sy’n ceisio ymdopi ag anhwylderau iechyd meddwl, a’r cyfeillgarwch sy’n ffurfio rhyngthyn nhw dros gyfnod o flwyddyn. Dwi ddim yn meddwl fod ‘na unrhyw beth penodol wedi ysbrydoli’r nofel, ond dwi’n gwybod mai’r cymeriadau a ddaeth yn gyntaf, ac wrth iddyn nhw ddatblygu, daeth eu stori’n amlwg. Ond mae cerddoriaeth yn rhan hanfodol o’r broses o ‘sgwennu i fi hefyd; mae naws caneuon penodol rhywsut yn esgor ar gymeriadau a golygfeydd penodol.

‘Pam ti’n ‘sgwennu?’ Dwi’n meddwl am y cwestiwn yma’n aml achos mae’n anodd iawn cael ateb iddo; o ran y nofel hon, roedd yn

rhaid i mi ‘sgwennu achos roedd y cymeriadau’n teimlo mor fyw, ac felly roedd ‘sgwennu’r nofel yn allfa angenrheidiol. Ro’n i hefyd eisiau bod yn hollol onest; gonestrwydd oedd y peth pwysicaf i mi wrth sgwennu tu ôl i’r awyr. Ond dwi hefyd yn meddwl fod ‘swegnnu unrhyw fath o greu a chelfyddyd, mewn gwirionedd - yn bwysig achos mae’n bosib cyfleu pob emosiwn a theimlad trwy gelf, hyd yn oed rhai emosiynau nad yda ni’n eu deall eto.

Mae themâu’r nofel yn ddwys iawn ond dwi’n trio peidio dal yn ôl rhag trafod pob emosiwn, hyd yn oed y rhai sy’n ennyn cywilydd a’n meddyliau mwyaf bregus ac amrwd.

Dwi’n meddwl fod gonestrwydd ynghylch ein hemosiynau a’n teimladau ni’n ofnadwy o bwysig; wrth roi llwyfan i’r emosiynau bregus a brawychus yma sy’n codi cywilydd arnom ni, dwi’n gobeithio eu bod nhw’n cael eu normaleiddio a’u trafod yn ehangach. Er mwyn pwysleisio hyn, ychwanegais restr o rifau ffôn a gwefannau sy’n ymwneud â iechyd meddwl yng nghefn y nofel; mae ystod eang iawn o sefydliadau ac elusenau wedi’u henwi, gan gynnwys meddwl.org, Diverse Cymru, National Self Harm Network a MindOut. Dwi hefyd wedi trio cyfleu gonestrwydd drwy iaith y nofel. Mae llais un o’r cymeriadau’n llafar iawn ac yn ymgais i adlewyrchu tafodiaith

Ogleddol pobl ifanc, gan gynnwys byrfoddau tecst, bratiaith a geiriau Saesneg. Does dim prif lythrennau nac atalnodi chwaith. Roedd y penderfyniad o ddewis yr arddull hwn yn un hawdd gan yr oeddwn i eisiau cyfleu iaith ardal fy magwraeth heb lastwreiddio dim ohono. Ond mae lleisiau’r cymeriadau - a’r cymeriadau ei hunain - yn gwbl ffuglenol; un o’r pethau sy’n fy nghyffroi am ‘sgwennu ydi creu cymeriadau sy’n wahanol i fi achos dwi’n meddwl fod o’n bosib dysgu mwy am bobl drwyddyn nhw.

Y prif beth yr hoffwn i unrhyw un sy’n darllen y nofel ei deall ydi fod pob teimlad ac emosiwn yn ddilys.

Dydi siarad am deimladau - beth bynnag eich cefndir, rhyw, hil, rhywioldeb, crefydd neu allu - ddim yn arwydd o wendid, ond i’r gwrthwyneb: mae’n dangos cryfder eithriadol.

Os ydych chi eisiau mynd i brynu nofel Megan, mae ar gael mewn nifer o siopau lyfrau gwahanol gan gynnwys: Y Lolfa Amazon Google books Siop y Pethe Siop Cant a mil WhSmiths Browns Books Book hype; a llawer mwy o siopau eraill hefyd.

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

Steffan Jones

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

Prosecco, achos wrth gwrs, s’dim digon o arian da fi am champagne yn y brifysgol.

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

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

Wnaeth fy llais torri unwaith pan yn siarad mewn gwasanaeth ysgol.

Embaras fwya’!

Diwrnod Cymru 3-1 Gwlad Belg yn yr EWROS.

Fy nghas beth yw gweld Lloegr yn ennill.

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

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

Gorwedd Gyda’i Nerth- CPJ. Classic.

Noson fewn, takeaway a ffilm.

Chicken Tikka Masala.

6. Pwy oeddet ti’n ffansio pan oeddet ti’n iau?

David Luiz.

7. Pwy yw dy hoff fand/artist?

Dwi’n meddwl Gwilym, ond mae band arall, Y Chwilod, yn ail agos iawn (chwiliwch ar YouTube os nad ydych yn gyfarwydd).

Annell Dyfri Clawr y Nofel newydd: Dyma clawr nofel newydd Megan. Tarddiad: Megan Hunter.

Trafod gyda’r

taf-od

Alaw Fflur Jones

Catrin Lewis

10. Beth yw dy gas beth?

Tinky Winky.

5. Beth fyddet ti’n ei archebu o’r bwyty Indiaidd lleol?

Aled Biston

8. Prosecco neu champagne?

Fy enw i yw Steffan Jones a rwy’n astudio Mathemateg.

3. Beth oedd dy air cyntaf?

9

12. Pe taset ti’n gallu bod yn unrhyw anifail am ddiwrnod, pa un fyddet ti’n ei ddewis, a pham?

13. Disgrifia dy hun mewn 3 gair.

3 gair i ddisgrifio fi? Ginger neu frown?

Joio mas draw: Mae Steffan yn mwynhau bywyd yn y brifddinas.

Tarddiad: Steffan Jones

14. Pwy fydd yn trafod ‘da’r Taf-od wythnos nesaf?

Deio Owen.

taf od Nel Richards

Sloth, er mwyn cael cysgu am ran fwyaf o’r dydd.

tafod@gairrhydd.com www.gairrhydd.com/tafod

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TAF-OD

CHWARAEON Mudiad Dyfodol i’r Iaith Dychwelyd nôl i’r pwll nofio un wrth un eisiau troi dyMae’r pandemig wedi effeithio’n fawr ar nofwyr proffesiynol head yn realiti Annell Dyfri Pwysleisiodd fod y sefyllfa wedi gwella Siwan Mason Cyfrannwr Taf-od

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ydag etholiad Mai 2021 ar y gweill, cwestiwn sy’n codi ymysg ymgyrchwyr dros y Gymraeg yw sut caiff y nod o greu miliwn o siaradwyr yr iaith erbyn 2050 ei gyflawni?

Ar yr 23ain o Dachwedd, lansiodd Dyfodol i’r Iaith, mudiad pwyso a lobio defnydd yr iaith Gymraeg ddogfen eu maniffesto ‘Troi’r Dyhead yn Realiti’ i Senedd Cymru ar gyfer 20212026.

Bwriad y cynllun yw gofyn i Lywodraeth Cymru am fuddsoddiad economaidd ar gyfer ardaloedd fwyaf Cymreig Cymru, yn ogystal â chryfhau defnydd o’r iaith o fewn y gweithle ac o fewn sefydliadau addysg.

Deilliai enw’r adroddiad gan Cynog Dafis a Heini Gruffudd o bolisi Cymraeg 2050: Miliwn o siaradwyr.

Gyda’r targed uchelgeisiol o gyrraedd miliwn o siaradwyr mewn 30 mlynedd wedi ei alw’n ‘ddatganiad chwyldroadol’ gan Dyfodol yr Iaith, mae’r maniffesto yn cynnig syniadau ynglŷn a sut y gallai Senedd Cymru ddatblygu defnydd y Gymraeg bob dydd ymysg y boblogaeth.

Yn ôl llefarydd o’r mudiad; “Mae’r ddogfen yn nodi dulliau ymarferol y gall gwleidyddion eu meithrin er mwyn troi y dyhead o gael miliwn o siaradwyr Cymraeg erbyn 2050 yn realiti”.

‘Cychwyn proses o adfer y Gymraeg yn iaith genedlaethol.’

Pwysleisiai Dyfodol yr Iaith bod angen ‘cynllunio cyfannol, strategaeth greadigol gynhwysfawr ar draws pob maes polisi’, yn y gobaith o weld ‘cynnydd cyson yn nifer y bobl a fyddai’n defnyddio’r iaith o ddydd i ddydd ym mhob agwedd ar eu bywydau.’

Ymhlith y syniadau sy’n cael eu crybwyll gan y mudiad yn y maniffesto mae: - Ehangu’r Gymraeg o fewn y sector addysg; gan gynnwys defnydd ar lafar, tŵf mewn addysg Gymraeg mewn ysgolion a chryfhau’r darpariaeth Gymraeg o fewn sefydliadau addysg uwch.

- Cyllid ar gyfer ‘Cymraeg i Oedolion’ er mwyn lledaenu’r profiad o ddysgu Cymraeg i rieni a gweithwyr.

- Datblygu ‘Cynllun Arfor’ ar gyfer ffynnu’r economi yn y Fro Gymraeg a datblygu cymunedau’r Gymraeg.

- Datblygu’r Gymraeg yn y gweithle, gyda sylw allweddol yn cael ei roi i’r trydydd sector a’r sector breifat.

- Sicrhau bod tai fforddiadwy ar gael i bobl leol, gan wneud y Gymraeg yn ‘ystyriaeth hanfodol mewn cynllunio’.

- Cynyddu darpariaeth a defnydd y Gymraeg o fewn y cyfryngau a diwylliant; llwyfannau dylanwadol iawn o fewn y gymdeithas.

Er mwyn cyflawni’r uchod rhaid inni gyd-weithio a chefnogi’r iaith ar bob cyfle posib.

Heb wneud hyn, ni fydd gynnydd i’r Gymraeg ym mhob un sector.

Golygydd Taf-od

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ae’r byd nofio’n dibynnu’n fawr ar ymroddiad hyfforddwyr, nofwyr a chefnogwyr fel ei gilydd. Y mae’n gamp sy’n dibynnu ar barodrwydd unigolion i dreulio oriau dirifedi yn ymarfer a hynny’n aml gyda thoriad gwawr a chyda’r hwyr.

Ond fel nifer o gampau eraill, mae’r coronafeirws wedi effeithio’n fawr ar y byd nofio gan arwain at gau pyllau nofio ac atal nofwyr rhag ymarfer.

Gyda drysau’r pyllau wedi cau a’r dŵr yn llonydd am wythnosau lawer, bu’n gyfnod rhwystredig i nofwyr o bob safon, o’r rheini sy’n nofio er mwyn cadw’n heini i’r rheini sydd â’u bryd ar gystadlu ar lefel ryngwladol.

Un o’r Cymry sydd wedi cyrraedd brig y gamp wrth fynychu’r Gemau Olympaidd a Gemau’r Gymanwlad yn ystod y cyfnod diweddar yw Georgia Davies. Yn wreiddiol o Abertawe ac wedi gosod ei marc ar lwyfan cenedlaethol, mae’n amlwg fod y cyfnod hwn wedi effeithio’n fawr arni.. Mewn cyfweliad arbennig, nododd mai’r ‘cyfnod clo oedd y cyfnod hiraf ifi beidio â bod yn nofio ers imi gychwyn nofio yn 11 oed, felly roedd yn gyfnod rhyfedd iawn’.

Gyda Georgia wedi bod yn ymarfer yn ddygn ac yn anelu at Gemau Olympaidd Tokyo 2020, ychwanegodd ‘gyda’r Gemau Olympaidd wedi’u gohirio a phyllau ar gau, bu’n anodd iawn ar adegau i deimlo cymhelliant’.

ychydig bellach wrth iddi gael mynediad yn ôl i’r pwll. ‘Yn lwcus, rydw i wedi gallu cychwyn ymarfer eto, a dw i wedi bod yn ymarfer ac yn byw mewn ‘swigen’ yn Budapest ar gyfer yr ISL’, meddai. Ychwanegodd ‘er yr holl heriau, dw i’n teimlo’n hynod o lwcus i fod ‘nôl yn cystadlu ac yn ymarfer er mwyn cael rhyw fath o normalrwydd’.

Nid y nofwyr yn unig sydd wedi’u heffeithio gan y coronafeirws. Yn gefn i bob tîm nofio gwerth chweil y mae arweinydd neu gyfarwyddydd. Alex Dallimore sydd wrth y llyw gyda thîm nofio Caerfyrddin. Gyda’r sefyllfa yn newid o wythnos i wythnos a Llywodraethau Cymru a San Steffan yn newid eu canllawiau’n rheolaidd, nododd fod hyn yn ‘rhoi pwysau mawr ar ochr fusnes o redeg clwb nofio’. Gyda hyfforddi ar ochr y pwll yn gamp yn ei hun cyn y pandemig, mae heriau eraill wedi amlygu eu hunain bellach.

Ychwanegodd fod ‘y gamp o hyfforddi y tu hwnt o heriol erbyn hyn. Gall ochr y pwll fod yn dwym ac yn swnllyd, ond eto rhaid gwisgo mwgwd sy’n ei gwneud hi’n anodd i gyfathrebu a dyw nofwyr, o reidrwydd, ddim yn datblygu mor gyflym gan nad ‘yn nhw’n deall yr hyn rwy’n gofyn iddyn nhw ei wneud.’

Er bod y nofwyr proffesiynol a’r clybiau yn dechrau dychwelyd at ryw fath o normalrwydd, does dim modd i ysgolion dysgu nofio gynnal sesiynau eto. Mae hyn, yn amlwg, yn fater o bryder i’r hyfforddwyr. ‘Mae miloedd

Neidio mewn: Mae pobl yn dechrau dychwelyd i’r pwll nofio yn araf bach. Tarddiad: Bilkent University (drwy Wikimedia Commons) o blant bellach sy ddim yn dysgu noNofio yw un o nifer chwaraeon sydd fio – un o sgiliau pwysicaf bywyd,’ wedi dioddef o ganlyniad i bandemig eglurodd Alex Dallimore. ‘Does dim COVID-19, a siom yw hi o ystyried ei gwersi nofio yn digwydd o fewn am- fudd-daliadau o ran iechyd. serlen ysgolion tra bod y cyfleon i’r Heb os, nofio yw un o’r campau cyhoedd ddysgu neu ymarfer nofio pwysicaf o ran cadw’n heini. Mae aryn brin iawn.’ Wrth edrych i’r dyfodol, benigwyr ym mhedwar ban byd yn mae effaith y cyfnod diweddar ar y byd cydnabod hynny. Ond, yn eironig nofio – ac ar ddyfodol clybiau nofio’n ddigon, nofio hefyd yw un o’r cambenodol – yn peri gofid. ‘Mae effaith pau sydd wedi dioddef fwyaf yn sgil y posibl Covid ar y gamp yn frawychus,’ coronafeirws. Gobeithio wir y gwelwn meddai Alex. ‘Ac o safbwynt hyfford- dro ar fyd yn fuan iawn gyda’n pyllau dwr, does dim hanner digon o nofwyr nofio eto’n llawn o blant ac oedolion newydd yn ymuno â chlybiau nofio ar yn dysgu nofio ac yn cystadlu eto fyth. hyn o bryd.’

Cymru yn cyrraedd brig pêl-droed rhyngwladol Aled Biston

Pennaeth Taf-od

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edi perfformiadau campus Cymru yn Gynghrair y Cenhedloedd UEFA eleni, mae tîm Ryan Giggs wedi ennill dyrchafiad i gynghrair A ar gyfer y gystadleuaeth blwyddyn nesaf. Golyga hyn bydd Cymru mewn cynghrair gyda thimoedd megis Yr Almaen, Sbaen, Portiwgal a Ffrainc, ac yn chwarae lefel uchaf posib yn nhermau pêl-droed rhyngwladol Ewrop. Yn ogystal, mae Cymru yn fwy na thebygol o gael safle yng ngemau ail-gyfle Cwpan y Byd 2022, ac os ydynt yn ennill, bydd lle iddynt yn Qatar ar gyfer cystadleuaeth fwyaf y byd.

Yn dilyn perfformiadau dawnus yn erbyn Gweriniaeth Iwerddon a’r Ffindir, gorffennodd Cymru ei ymgyrch Cynghrair y Cenhedloedd UEFA ar frig y grŵp, wedi ond ildio un gôl yn 4 gêm.

Yn y gemau yn erbyn Y Weriniaeth a’r Ffindir, sgoriodd Brooks, Wilson, James a Moore, mewn dau berfformiad oedd yn dangos bygythiad ymosodol Cymru.

Braf oedd gweld Brooks yn dychwelyd i’r garfan a sgorio, mae ei chwarae creadigol yn allweddol wrth ryddhau’r asgellwyr a Moore tu ôl yr amddiffyn.

Bydd cael ef yn ffit ar gyfer yr EWROS yn un opsiwn o nifer i chwarae tu ôl i’r ymosodwr.

Efallai’r ystadegyn mwyaf anhygoel am ymgyrch Cymru, oedd y perfformiadau amddiffynnol y garfan. Mae

Ailadrodd hanes: Gobeithio gall Cymru ailadrodd, efallai gwella ar ei perfformiadau yn EWRO 2016. Tarddiad: Steindy (drwy Wikimedia Commons)

ond ildio un gôl trwy gydol yr ymgyrch yn drawiadol, ond mae hyd yn oed yn fwy trawiadol pan chi’n cymryd i ystyriaeth bod amddiffyn Cymru yn amrywio yn y pedair gêm. Gwelwyd unarddeg chwaraewr gwahanol yn amddiffyn Cymru ar draws y gemau, a newid mewn ffurf y tîm. Fel arfer mae angen cysondeb mewn tîm er mwyn cael llechi glân yn barhaol, mae newid dynameg a threfn y tîm yn anodd cadw cysondeb a threfniant yn eu chwarae.

Os gall Cymru sicrhau bod ei mur amddiffynnol yn parhau i fod yn gadarn, does dim rheswm pam bod amddiffyn Cymru gallu fod yn un o’r gorau yn Ewrop.

Mae’r cyfnod yma yn un cyffrous i bêl-droed Cymru, mae ansawdd y perfformiadau a hyfforddi wedi gwella yn y pum mlynedd diwethaf, a gyda charfan cymharol ifanc sydd dal i ddysgu a datblygu gyda’u clybiau, mae’r dyfodol yn edrych yn ddisglair. Wrth ystyried safon chwarae Cymru o 2000 i tua 2012, roedd y safon yn warthus. Ar un adeg, roedd Cymru rhif 111 yn safle’r byd, o dan Ynysoedd Ffaroe a thimoedd oedd gyda lot llai o adnoddau y neu gymdeithas bêl-droed. Mae fel petai fod cefnogwyr Cymru yn gwylio gwlad cwbl wahanol yn y blynyddoedd diwethaf, a ni fydden nhw eisiau i’r cyfnod dod i ben.

Nid yw’r dyfodol wedi edrych yn fwy disglair i Gymru, ac mae hynny oherwydd y system a osodwyd gan y Gymdeithas Bêl-droed yng Nghymru.

Osian Roberts yw’r hyfforddwr sydd yn cael y mwyaf o sylw a chanmoliaeth am sefydlu a gweithredu’r system sydd wedi datgelu chwaraewyr fel Matt Smith, Daniel James ac Ethan Ampadu.

Mae’r chwaraewyr yma wedi dod trwyddo’r timoedd ieuenctid i sefydlu eu hunain yn y tîm cyntaf. Mae’r system yma ond wedi bod mewn lle ers cwpl o flynyddoedd hefyd, a hir iddi

barhau! Wrth ddod a chwaraewyr ifanc mewn trwy’r system, byddent yn dod yn gyfarwydd â’r system hyfforddi gosodwyd gan Gymru, ac yn nabod y steil o chwarae yn dda. Hyd at hyn mae’r system wedi cyflwyno yn union hynny.

Os i ni’n edrych ar safon a sefyllfa’r garfan ar hyn o bryd, gallwn weld bod y garfan yn addawol ar gyfer y dyfodol, a bydd cael y profiad o chwarae mewn twrnament rhyngwladol yn ymarfer rhyngwladol da iddynt, a phrofiad mae chwaraewyr Cymru’r gorffennol heb gael. Efallai dyna le mae’r diffyg profiad wedi bod yn y gorffennol, sydd wedi rhwystro Cymru rhag datblygu ar ddechrau’r degawd. Yn sicr, bydd profiad yr EWROS blwyddyn nesaf yn cynyddu profiad a hyder y chwaraewyr ar gyfer y dyfodol.

Wrth drafod hyder, yn bendant bydd y garfan yn hyderus ar hyn o bryd. 10 gêm heb golli, 7 llechan lân a hefyd sgorio llawer o goliau. Mae cyfnodau Speed, Coleman a Giggs wir wedi trawsnewid Cymru, nid yn unig y neu berfformiadau ond o ran athronydiaeth y tîm cenedlaethol.

Gary Speed oedd y cyntaf i uno’r garfan wir, gan osod seiliau athronyddol a steil chwarae. Fe wnaeth Coleman adeiladu ar hynny, a gwneud swydd wych trwy gymryd Cymru i’r EWROS am y tro cyntaf, ac mae Giggs wedi parhau gyda gwaith Coleman ers iddo adael.

Er nad ydynt gallu mynychu gemau ar hyn o bryd, mae pob un fricsen o’r Wal Goch yn gefnogol o’r chwaraewyr ar y cae. Nid ydym yn siŵr os bydd cefnogwyr gallu mynychu’r EWROS blwyddyn nesaf, ond bydd gweld y tôn o goch yn yr eisteddle yn gyfnerth enfawr i Gymru.

Bydd cefnogwyr Cymru i gyd yn croesi bysedd bydd golygfeydd tebyg i’r EWROS yn 2016 yn cael eu hailadrodd ar draws Ewrop yn haf 2022.

ADDYSG

COVID yn effeithio ar fyfyrwyr meddygaeth

Faint o effaith y mae wedi COVID-19 wedi cael ar y cwrs feddygaeth eleni?

Nel Richards

Golygydd Taf-od

Y

n ystod y misoedd diwethaf, bu tarfu ar addysgu, newidiadau i sesiynau clinigol a rhoi’r gorau i brosiectau ymchwil. Mewn ymateb, ail-luniwyd addysg feddygol i hwyluso parhad astudiaethau, megis cyflwyno deunydd cwrs ar-lein, archwiliadau digidol a gweithredu systemau cymorth lles. Ond a yw’r myfyrwyr yn teimlo fel eu bod wedi’u hesgeuluso?

Newydd ddechrau fel myfyriwr meddygaeth yw Sion Davies. Esbonia’r profiadau rhyfedd sy’n ei wynebu tra bod yn y flwyddyn gyntaf, yn enwedig wrth greu ffrindiau newydd ar y cwrs; “Mae wedi bod yn flwyddyn od iawn achos y profiad cyntaf o ddysgu ar lein.

Mae’n gallu bod yn anodd iawn cyfathrebu gyda chyd-fyfyrwyr a darlithwyr dros zoom, ond rwyf wedi dod yn gyfarwydd erbyn hyn.

Rwy’n mynd mewn un neu ddwy waith yr wythnos ar gyfer sgiliau clinigol neu pracs anatomeg, ond nid ydym yn cael cymryd rhan yn y ‘disection’ o’r corff. Yn ddiweddar, rwyf wedi mynd i mewn ar gyfer sesiynau prof-

Diffyg cymdeithasu: Mae COVID-19 wedi effeithio llawer ar fyfyrywr meddygaeth. Tarddiad: freeimages.co.uk fesiynoldeb gyda’r grŵp Cymraeg, felly roedd yn hyfryd cael trafod agweddau gwahanol drwy gyfrwng y Gymraeg a chwrdd â wynebau newydd.”

Elfen allweddol o hyfforddiant meddygol yw datblygu sgiliau rhyngbersonol ac ymarferol, rhywbeth a ddysgir trwy atodiadau clinigol ar y safle. Ond, o ganlyniad i’r cyfyngiadau felly, gellir dadlau nid yw dysgu digidol yn cym-

ryd lle digonol i gaffael y priodoleddau hyn sy’n sylfaenol i fod yn feddyg.

Un sydd heb gael cymaint o amharu ar ei chwrs feddygaeth ym mhrifysgol Caerdydd yw Megan Evans. Er ei bod hi yn ei thrydedd flwyddyn, dywed ei bod wedi bod yn ‘eithaf lwcus’ gan fod myfyrwyr yn gallu mynd ar leoliadau.

Dywed;“Yr unig beth wahanol ydi bod y darlithoedd yn y wythnosau cyn

dechrau lleoliad ac ar ddiwedd lleoliad ar lein.

Mae hyn yn gallu bod yn beth da os oes ddarlith am naw o’r gloch yn y bore a gallu rowlio allan o wely at fy nesg.”

Gan fod Megan ar leoliad mewn meddygfa deulu ar hyn o bryd, mae’r cynifer sy’n gallu dod i mewn i’r clinig wedi lleihau cryn dipyn. Er hyn, ceisia wneud y mwyaf o bob cyfle; “Yn y gorffennol mi fasen ni’n gweld llwyth o gleifion mewn diwrnod ond mae’r rhan fwyaf o ymgynghoriadau dros y ffôn ar hyn o bryd ond mae yno dal ambell i glaf sydd wedi dod i mewn er mwyn i mi allu archwilio nhw. Dwi hefyd wedi cael bod yn rhan o’r clinigau ffliw sydd yn brofiad gwych yn amddiffyn y bobl fregus yn ein cymuned.”

Cymdeithasu gyda’r Corona Nid ydyw’r clwb wedi gallu cwrdd yn y flwyddyn academaidd hon gan fod angen dilyn rheolau’r llywodraeth.

Er hyn, cynhaliwyd sesiynau adolygu a chwisys dros y cyfnod clo; “Mae’r sesiynau adolygu yma wedi bod yn grêt hefo adborth gwych yn nôl gan y stiwdants, mae’n wych bod ni hefyd yn cael recordio’r sesiynau yma os yw rhywun ddim wedi gallu mynychu.”

GWLEIDYDDIAETH

Neil McEvoy yn ail-enwi ei blaid newydd yn y Senedd Aled Biston

Pennaeth Taf-od

M

ae aelod o’r Senedd a chynaelod Plaid Cymru, Neil McEvoy wedi gwneud cais i ail-enwi ei blaid newydd yn dilyn her swyddogol gan Blaid Cymru. Penderfynodd y corff sy’n goruchwylio etholiadau yn gynharach eleni ailystyried a ddylid cofrestru’r enw ‘Plaid Genedlaethol Cymru’ yn swyddogol, gan ei fod yn debyg iawn i enw Plaid Cymru. O ganlyniad, mae Mr McEvoy yn obeithiol o ailgofrestru ei blaid o dan yr enw ‘Plaid Cenedl Cymru’ cyn etholiadau Senedd 2021.

Nid oes dyddiad penodol wedi ei benodi er mwyn gwblhau’r broses, felly mae ef wedi ailgofrestru’r blaid fel Plaid Cenedl Cymru. Ond, er ceisio ail-enwi’r blaid yn sgil her gan Blaid Cymru, mae BBC Cymru Fyw yn deall bod Plaid Cymru hefyd yn herio’r enw newydd mae Mr McEvoy wedi cynnig.

Dywedodd Mr McEvoy i BBC Cymru Fyw mai Plaid Cenedl Cymru oedd “enw dewisol” ei blaid, a bod “y gair ‘cenedl’ ynddo yn cael ei weld a’i deimlo

Wedi gwahardd: Mae Neil mcevoy wedi ei wahardd o gael ei law i’r Senedd.

Tarddiad: Wikimedia Commons i fod yn llawer mwy cynhwysol”.

Cred Mr McEvoy bod gwleidyddiaeth Gymru yn cael ei ddominyddu gan un blaid ar hyn o bryd, a dyna pam y byddai pobl yn pleidleisio dros ei blaid ef. Dywedodd ar raglen Politics Wales “(byddai pobl yn pleidleisio dros fy mhlaid i) Oherwydd ein bod ni’n byw mewn gwlad sydd wedi’i dominyddu gan un blaid wleidyddol”. “Plaid Cymru a’r Democratiaid Rhyddfrydol- y cyfan maen nhw wedi’i wneud ers 21 mlynedd yw cefnogi Llafur. Felly, os ydych chi’n pleidleisio dros y pleidiau hynny, rydych chi’n mynd i gael Llafur”.

Ar hyn o bryd, nid yw Neil McEvoy

yn cael ei alw i siarad yn y Senedd yn dilyn protest yn y siambr yn ystod dadl ar hiliaeth. Mae Llywydd y Senedd wedi gofyn iddo dynnu “sylwadau difenwol” yn ôl a dileu negeseuon cyfyngau cymdeithasol a waned yn ystod y ddadl lle roedd Mr McEvoy yn gwisgo tâp dros ei geg ac yn gafael mewn arwydd. Gwrthwynebodd ef y penderfyniad gan y Llywydd Elin Jones AS i wrthod ei welliannau i gynnig y ddadl.

Dywedodd Mr McEvoy wrth Politics Wales “Ni allaf ymddiheuro am rywbeth dwi’n teimlo’n gryf ynddo”. Roedd dadl McEvoy wedi cael ei dderbyn gan y swyddogion, ond tynnodd y Llywydd

gwelliannau McEvoy awr cyn i’r cyfarfod gychwyn.

Mae Llywydd y Senedd, Elin Jones AS, yn AS dros Blaid Cymru, y blaid cafodd Mr McEvoy ei wahardd ohoni.

Mae ef hefyd yn gynghorydd etholedig yng Nghaerdydd ond cafodd ei wahardd o’i rôl yn ddiweddar am bedwar mis ar ôl iddo gael ei ddyfarnu ei fod wedi bwlio gweithiwr cartref gofal. Nid dyma’r tro cyntaf iddo gael ei wahardd chwaith, mae wedi cael ei wahardd o’r cyngor ar sawl achlysur a chafodd ei ddiarddel o Blaid Cymru am 18 mis yn dilyn ymchwiliad plaid i’w ymddygiad. Yn ddiweddar gwelwyd jonothan Edwards AS yn cael ei wahardd o’r blaid, ond mae Plaid Cymru wedi cadw mewn cysylltiad agos gydag ef, gwahanol iawn i beth mae’r blaid wedi gwneud gyda Neil McEvoy.

Mae Mr McEvoy yn amlwg yn gymeriad dadleuol yng ngwleidyddiaeth Cymru, ac mae’n benderfynol o sefydlu ei blaid newydd o fewn gwleidyddiaeth ein gwlad. Edrychwn ymlaen at beth fydd enw newydd ei blaid, os ydy Plaid Cymru yn llwyddiannus yn ei her swyddogol yn erbyn yr enw ‘Plaid Cenedl Cymru’.

Trais yn digwydd yng nghanol dinas Caerdydd

Alaw Fflur Jones Golygydd Taf-od

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r nos Sadwrn, 21 Tachwedd, cafodd tri eu trywanu sgil digwyddiad treisgar ymysg bechgyn ifanc yng nghanol dinas Caerdydd.

Cafodd swyddogion Heddlu De Cymru a chriwiau ambiwlans eu galw i ardal Heol y Frenhines tua 21:50 nos Sadwrn. Bu rhaid i Heddlu De Cymru gau sawl stryd a oedd yn arwain at Heol y Frenhines er mwyn gwneud ymchwiliadau pellach o’r digwyddiad a chyn ei hail-agor.

Cafodd cyfanswm o chwech i’w danfon i’r ysbyty gydag anafiadau yn cyn-

nwys cael eu trywanu ac anafiadau i’r pen. Mae rhai yn parhau i dderbyn triniaeth, ond nid yw eu hanafiadau yn peryglu eu bywydau.

Mae cyfanswm o saith dyn ifanc 16-17 oed wedi cael eu harestio dan amheuaeth o achosi anrhefn dreisgar. Ond dywed yr heddlu eu bod yn disgwyl i’r nifer hynny gynyddu ymhellach. Mae’r saith bellach wedi cael eu rhyddhau a’r fechnïaeth tra bod ymchwiliadau’n parhau.

Dywed yr heddlu bod yr aflonyddwch yn ymwneud â grwpiau o ardaloedd Grangetown a Thredelerch.

Eglurodd y ditectif uwch arolygydd Esyr Jones: “Mae dau grŵp o bobl ifanc wedi dod

i ganol y ddinas, rhai gyda chyllyll, a’r canlyniad yw lefel annerbyniol o drais” “Rydym yn dal i edrych ar dystiolaeth camera cylch cyfyng ac yn siarad gyda thystion.”

Mae’r aflonyddwch wedi ysgwyd sawl myfyriwr gan wneud iddynt boeni am eu diogelwch yn y ddinas. Esboniodd Cerian Rees, myfyrwraig ym mhrifysgol Caerdydd, “dw i wastad ‘di teimlo’n saff yng Nghaerdydd tan nawr” “Ma’n anodd credu fod y math drais wedi cymryd lle mewn ardal dwi’n aml yn cerdded heibio ar nos Sadwrn pan fyddai allan” Bu’r anrhefn yn “sioc” mawr i fyfyrwraig arall ym mhrifysgol Caerdydd,

Sara Jones.

“Ond, rhaid cofio bod anrhefn fel hyn yn medru digwydd yn unrhyw le, hyd yn oed yng nghefn gwlad.”

“Felly, er gwaetha’r sioc, dwi ddim am i’r digwyddiad newid fy mhersbectif o fywyd yn y ddinas tra bydda i’n byw yma yng Nghaerdydd” Fel myfyrwyr, mae’r ddwy yn byw mewn gobaith na fydd anrhefn debyg yn digwydd eto ar hyd strydoedd Caerdydd. Maent yn “ddiolchgar” i’r heddlu am eu gwasanaeth wrth ddiogelu’r ddinas. Mae’r heddlu yn parhau i ymchwilio, ac yn apelio ar unrhyw un sydd gyda gwybodaeth am y digwyddiad i gysylltu gyda nhw drwy ffonio 101.

TAF-OD 11 ‘Bylchau mawr’ mewn adnoddau dysgu BAME Aled Biston

Pennaeth Taf-od

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ae adroddiad newydd wedi canfod bod yna ormod o ffocws ar gaethwasiaeth a hanes yr Ymerodraeth Brydeinig mewn adnoddau dysgu sy’n ymwneud â phrofiadau Pobl Dduon. Asiaidd a Lleiafrifoedd Ethnig. Yn ôl grŵp gafodd ei sefydlu gan Lywodraeth Cymru, mae yna ‘fylchau mawr’ o ran adnoddau. Mae’n crybwyll diffyg penodol mewn meysydd Iechyd a Lles, Mathemateg a Rhifedd, a Gwyddoniaeth a Thechnoleg.

Sefydlwyd y grŵp o dan gadeiryddiaeth yr Athro Charlotte Williams p Brifysgol Bangor i edrych ar sut y byddai cyfraniadau Pobl Dduon, Asiaidd a Lleiafrifoedd Ethnig (BAME) yn cael eu hadlewyrchu yn y cwricwlwm newydd yn 2022. Canolbwyntir yr adroddiad cyntaf ar yr adnoddau dysgu sydd ar gael ar hyn o bryd, cyn cyhoeddi adroddiad terfynol fydd yn canolbwyntio ar yr hyfforddiant sydd ei angen ar athrawon. Mae’r adroddiad yn galw am newid i’r ‘naratif ynghylch addysgu themâu BAME, sy’n canolbwyntio ar hanes ehangach y grŵp yma yng Nghymru.

Dywed yr adroddiad mae canolbwyntio ar ddigwyddiadau negyddol yn unig mewn hanes yn gallu golygu bod dysgwr o gefndirlleiafrif ethnig yn gweld eu hunain mewn ffordd negyddol. Datganiad yr adroddiad oedd bod deunydd heb foderneiddio, bod dim digon o ddeunydd ategol i athrawon a ddim yn berthnasol i Gymru.

Roedd hefyd pryder am ansawdd cyfieithiadau Cymraeg.

Mae’r adroddiad yn nodi bydd rhyddid gydag ysgolion wrth benderfynu ar gynnwys yr hyn mae’n nhw’n dysgu dan gwricwlwm newydd Cymru. Golyga bod yna berygl y byddai themâu yn ymwneud â BAME yn cael eu hanwybyddu. Dywedodd yr adroddiad hefyd ei fod yn bosib na fyddai ffocws y cwricwlwm newydd ar ‘gynefin’ yn ddefnyddiol. Fe allai olygu, mewn rhannau o Gymru lle mae nifer fychan o bobl BAME, nad yw eu hanes yn cael ei ystyried ‘yn rhan o’r amgylchedd lleol’. Ond dylai hynny fod yn bwysig?

Rhaid cydnabod bod dysgu am yr ‘amgylchedd lleol’ yn bwysig, ond mae dysgu am hanes pobl o gefndiroedd gwahanol, enwedig o fewn cymunedau lleol ac yn ein gwlad, yr un mor bwysig. Pwrpas yr adroddiad yma oedd sicrhau bod cynrychiolaeth deg yn addysg hanes yn ein gwlad. Ond mae rhoi rhyddid i ysgolion dewis a dethol bet hi gynnwys yn diddymu’r fath addysg. Efallai bod angen diwygio’r cwricwlwm bach cyn ei gyhoeddi yn 2022.

Dysgu: Beth fydd yn cael eu dysgu yn y cwricwlwm newydd? Tarddiad: Pxfuel

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POLITICS

YOUR Abolish leadership row continues party’s ability to stand in the upcoming Welsh election POLITICS The is in question as two leaders vie for electoral recognition DESK Morgan Perry Politics Editor

A Hallum Cowell

Tom Kingsbury

Dewi Morris

row over who is the official leader of the Abolish the Welsh Assembly Party is continuing after the party was struck off the electoral register earlier in November.

The Abolish the Welsh Assembly Party, which was first registered in 2015, finds itself in an ongoing row with its former leader, David Bevan.

Bevan, who was sacked earlier this year, has been accused of attempting to steal the party’s name, and has since registered another “Abolish the Welsh Assembly Party”.

It emerged earlier this year that Mr Bevan had failed to complete the necessary paperwork to re-register with the Electoral Commission. As a result, he was sacked, and the party was threatened with being struck off ahead of next year’s Senedd elections.

In a bizarre turn of events, there are now two attempted registrations for the party’s name; one submitted by Bevan, and another re-submitted by the party itself.

In addition to this, there are also two websites purporting to belong to the party; one listing Mr Bevan as the leader, and the other announcing the selection of Richard Suchorzewski as leader.

Suchorzewski previously said that the decision to allow the registration of the party to lapse was intentional, because, despite him being sacked, Bevan could not be removed as the party’s leader without him signing his own paperwork.

The two opposing sides now find themselves in a battle to secure the

Head of Politics

F politics@gairrhydd.com

spokesperson from Abolish said: “If Mr Bevan thinks that he can steal the party, like a thief in the night, then he is very much mistaken.

“His actions are, in our opinion, those of a traitor to Wales and the Union and fully vindicates the board’s decision to remove him back in April.”

Whilst the latest polling is likely to have put a spring in the step of party leaders – whichever you believe to be the official leader – it’s as-yet unclear as to whether the results will come to fruition at the Senedd elections in May. The party is also likely to face a rough ride at the polls, especially given the most up-to-date polling shows that 60% of voters at least support the status quo, or even additional powers for the Senedd.

Only one thing is clear ahead of the 2020 Senedd elections: there are currently two Abolish the Welsh Assembly

action is taken “we could end up at Christmas with a virus heading very fast in the wrong direction”.

He clarified that “Let me be clear I’m not talking about using a tiered system”, meaning that the Welsh government is not looking to implement the same kind of tier system used by other parts of the UK, where regions are locked down individually based on R-number and cases per 1000.

The question of whether Christmas should be a time to remove lockdown restrictions has been a hotly debated topic.

Drakeford said “If we could have persuaded people that this wasn’t the year to get together over Christmas that would have been better from the virus’s perspective, but we were never going to be able to do that”., Adding that Christmas was “too important” to people to ask them not to see their families and celebrate the holiday.

On the topic of a vaccine the First Minister said “We have everything in place once a vaccine gets regulatory approval.” and that “Even the most promising vaccine is yet

Parties, but not a single Welsh Assembly in sight.

His actions are, in our opinion, those of a traitor to Wales and the Union and fully vindicates the board’s decision to remove him back in April.”

Abolish the Welsh Assembly Party Spokesperson

Welsh Election: Unless it is delayed by the current pandemic, the Welsh election is set to take place on May 6, less than six months away. Source: Peter O’Connor (via. Flickr)

Welsh Government plans pre-Christmas restriction Hallum Cowell

Morgan Perry

name, a battle in which the Electoral Commission says it will “assess both applications in line with the legal requirements”.

Abolish currently has two members of the Senedd: Mark Reckless and Gareth Bennett.

Neither members were directly elected, however, having both been elected under the UKIP banner at the 2016 Welsh Assembly Elections.

Reckless, who was previously the leader of the Brexit Party group in the Senedd, defected to the party earlier in October, the fifth defection in his career. Meanwhile, Bennett crossed the chamber in the summer, having previously sat as an independent.

Unsurprisingly, the single-issue party wishes to see the abolition of the Welsh Assembly, now known as the Senedd Cymru Welsh Parliament. One of the websites listed under the party’s name states that the party opposes “any further transfer of powers”.

In the most recent Welsh Political Barometer, the party is predicted to increase its number of seats at the 2020 Senedd Elections to four. It is projected to win seven percent of the regional list vote, an increase of three percent.

At the last elections in 2016, Abolish picked up 4.3% of the regional list votes.

Overall, Labour are tipped to win 29 seats (two off a clear majority), The Welsh Conservatives 16, Plaid Cymru 11 and one for the Liberal Democrats.

The new website listing Mr Bevan as the leader says that the party will be “standing candidates in the Welsh 2021 elections”.

In response to the creation of the new website, the BBC reported that a

irst Minister Mark Drakeford has said that the Welsh government are planning on introducing restrictions in Wales in the run up to Christmas.

Drakeford said he is looking to implement rules similar to the upper tiers of the Scottish and English COVID-19 response systems, however on a nationwide scale.

In an interview with the BBC the First Minister said that unless

to have approval by the regulator.

Once it gets it, within a week we are ready to start vaccinating people in Wales.”

The First Minister then added that “the vaccine will have limitations, it will be difficult to transport but we will find ways of doing it.

Whatever vaccine comes our way, we will want to use here in Wales.”

The Welsh Government Cabinet will discuss more restrictions on Thursday, so we could see an announcement early next week.

Monmouth MS Ramsay deselected following failed legal bid Morgan Perry Politics Editor

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he Welsh Conservative Party Member of the Senedd for Monmouth, Nick Ramsay has been deselected by Monmouth Conservative Association just days after dropping a legal challenge against them.

The association met on Monday, November 23 to discuss replacing Ramsay as a candidate at the Senedd elections in May. The meeting came after a petition calling for his deselection was launched by local constituents, and after Ramsay started – and later dropped – legal proceedings.

The local party felt that it was “duty-bound” to consider the move,

given the large number of people petitioning.

The BBC reported that more than 50 of the 500 local association members had signed the petition.

As a result of the meeting, the incumbent MS will not be put forward as the party’s candidate in the seat at the Senedd elections next May. In response, Ramsay took Monmouth Conservative Association (MSA) to court, in order to prevent his deselection.

Prior to the legal action, his lawyers called the move to deselect him “unconstitutional”.

On Saturday, November 21, however, the MS withdrew his legal challenge, and has now been ordered to pay legal costs of more than £20,000.

The decision to withdraw the le-

gal action, Mr Ramsay says, was taken after the local party “changed their position at the eleventh hour”, further adding that he is the victim of a “witch hunt”.

“I still do not know what I have done and that has still not been disclosed. There are a few bad apples who I believe have poisoned the barrel,” he said.

MCA added that it was “delighted” with the ruling.

It has been reported that Ramsay’s relationship with the local association had been deteriorating for some time and had become further strained throughout the course of 2020.

Nick Ramsay was first elected as the Member of the Senedd for Monmouth at the 2007 Welsh Assembly elections.

He has faced several controversies since taking office, most of which have laid the foundations for the calls for his eventual deselection.

In January 2020, he was suspended from the Welsh Conservative Party after he was arrested on New Year’s Day. In response to his suspension, which continued after he was released without charge, the former driving instructor also launched legal proceedings against the Welsh Conservative Party.

He was eventually re-admitted to the Senedd party group and subsequently dropped his legal proceedings.

Earlier, in 2014, a complaint was submitted after Ramsay was reported to be slurring his speech during a Senedd debate.

No further action was taken at the time.

The Welsh Conservative Party currently holds 11 seats in the Senedd and is hoping to increase their share at the 2020 Senedd Elections, promising a “devolution revolution”.

Leader Paul Davies said in July that the party is “on a mission to end the sluggishness of government and make sure that revolution is one of pace, one of structure, and one of focus to actually deliver for the people of Wales.”

In the latest Welsh Political Barometer, The Welsh Conservatives are projected to pick up 16 seats in the Senedd, an increase of five.

Whether their gains will come to fruition, and who Ramsay’s replacement will be, are still to be decided.

UK Government announces Hallum Cowell Head of Politics

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hancellor Rishi Sunak has announced the UK government’s 2020 spending plan. Sunak set the tone clearly that the UK economy is in dire straits, mainly due to the COVID-19 pandemic saying that the “economic emergency” has “only just begun”.

What followed were a series of announcements and pledges as to how the government’s budget would be spent.

Spending reviews are normally carried out every three years by the government, with each review laying out the government’s economic plans until the next review.

However, in the wake of COVID-19 this review is looking at only one year.

Therefore, we can expect the next government spending review in late 2021.

UK borrowing is expected to reach its highest level of any government during peacetime at £394 billion, 19% of gross domestic product (GDP) with the national economy projected to shrink by 11.3% by the end of 2020.

Sunak called this dramatic economic downturn the “largest fall in output for more than 300 years”.

The government has plans to reduce the level of debt in the coming years and projects that the economy will grow by 5.5% in 2021 and 6.6% in 2022, meaning that the losses seen this year will be negated by the fourth economic quarter of 2022.

However, another wave of coronavirus and potential economic turbulence from the end of the Brexit transition period could make those figures

Rishi Sunak: The Chancellor has announced a series of cuts and commitments in his new budget, which plays out the economic plan for the next year. Source: HM Treasury (via. Flickr)

GWLEIDYDDIAETH 13 spending review Patel bullying report fallout

much grimmer.

The Guardian has reported that they have seen a cabinet office briefing which warns of “systematic economic crisis” in the UK following COVID-19 and Brexit.

Unemployment is also a key area of worry for the UK economy after lockdowns hit areas such as hospitality and leisure, leading to a sharp increase in those out of work.

Figures show that 1.62 million people are currently out of work, an increase of over 300,000 since 2019.

Unemployment is expected to rise to 2.6 million, 7.5% of the working population, by mid-2021.

Announcements surrounding the public sector (people in the public sector work for the government whereas those in the private sector work for private businesses) were also hotly anticipated.

The government has decided to freeze the pay of many public sector workers for 2021/22. Those in the public sector who earn less than £24,000 a year in the NHS however (which equates to around a million workers) will see a pay increase.

The living wage is also set to rise by 2.2% to £8.91 an hour with 23- and 24-year olds now qualifying for living wage.

Within the spending review were two key changes to the UK’s international spending. £24 billion will be added to the defence budget, the largest increase in 40 years, while international aid spending will be dropped from 0.7% of total national income to 0.5%, a cut of roughly £4 billion.

The government have said that the international aid budget will revert to 0.7% in 2022/23 if the UK’s economic situation has improved.

Devolved regions have also seen an increase in spending, with “cash boosts” for the three devolved governments including £600 million for Wales. Additionally, a £2.6 billion fund for devolved governments to handle COVID-19 has been established.

Following the Chancellor’s announcement in the Commons other MPs were able to comment on the commitments and cuts made by the government.

Labour’s Shadow Chancellor Anneliese Dodds had a number of criticisms for the bill. She said that a longterm spending plan was needed soon, saying that it was needed “to build a future for our country”.

Dodds also criticised Sunak for not mentioning Brexit in his speech in the Commons saying that “There’s still no trade deal. So does the chancellor truly believe that his government is prepared and that he’s done enough to help those businesses that will be heavily affected?”

Dave Prentis, the General Secretary of the union Unison, commented on the pay freeze for public sector workers calling it a “bitter pill” and that this announcement was “austerity, plain and simple”.

Prentis also added that, “A decade of spending cuts left public services exposed when COVID-19 came calling. The government is making the same disastrous mistake again.”

Dominic Cummings has left Number 10 Dewi Morris

Political Editor

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ominic Cummings, the Prime Minister’s notorious senior advisor left Downing Street in what became a rapidly escalated drama on November 13.

However, some commentators say the departure was a result of tensions running high in Boris Johnson’s team for a while.

Dominic Cummings was dubbed Boris Johnson’s ‘brain’ by the New York Times, and ITV’s Robert Peston claimed that Cummings and his Vote Leave team were essentially running government. He was behind the successful Leave campaign as well as the Conservative’s landslide general election victory. The BBC claims “it is hard to overstate how important Mr Cummings was to the Johnson project.” Indeed, journalists have speculated that Cumming’s departure is a huge blow to the Prime Minister. Others say this is a blessing for the Conservatives and a chance for the party to change.

Dominic Cummings is accredited as a master-strategist. He created the slogan for the Leave campaign: “Take back control”, which proved successful with voters. The Conservative’s slogan during the general election, “Get Brexit done” once again struck a chord with most of the public.

Channel 4’s drama ‘Brexit: the Uncivil War’ portrayed Cummings, played by Benedict Cumberbatch, as an eccentric genius. It also drew attention to Cummings’ eye for data and the Leave campaign’s controversial use of targeted Facebook ads.

Cummings again made headlines in the summer when he visited Barnard Castle, against the

government’s guidelines as he had coronavirus symptoms. He later stated that the drive was to test his eyesight.

Despite calls for his resignation from politicians of all parties, including from within the Conservative party, Cummings said he did not regret his actions, and claimed he had acted “responsibly” given the circumstances. Boris Johnson defended Cummings’ actions.

His unconventional politics stirred up Downing Street and he had big plans for reforms. In January, Cummings argued on his blog the need for more specialists as well as “weirdos and misfits with odd skills” in government. He argued that Brexit meant major policy changes were needed, and that elites in government were not the most fit to be making decisions.

Instead he believed scientists and mathematicians should be given more decision-making powers.

Cummings also believes in shifting power from London and the South of England, in what is dubbed “levelling-up”, and seen as a project of his. However, he once ran a campaign that opposed an assembly for the north-east of England.

His unconventionality and blunt manner didn’t always make him popular among senior Tories. When he was Prime Minister, David Cameron had called Cummings a “career psychopath.” The Times claim that “aside from Johnson himself, no person is more responsible than Cummings for the UK’s emulation of Trumpian politics.”

On Friday, November 13, Dominic Cummings exited 10 Downing Street through the front door, carrying a cardboard box of belongings. Images of him leaving flooded social media and the news.

The departure was allegedly a

result of days of infighting in Johnson’s team.

The BBC wrote that many Conservative MPs felt a change in Number 10 was needed, as the government’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic has attracted harsh criticism. They felt that Cumming’s campaigning strategy was “too toxic” and detrimental to the government and that he had to go. Some MPs believed that Cummings had leaked the news of a second lockdown in England before it was announced.

After an alleged falling out with Boris Johnson, Lee Cain, the Prime Minister’s director of communications resigned on November 12.

This was despite being offered a promotion to chief of staff. Speculation was immediate, that his close

colleague, Dominic Cummings, who also worked with him on the Leave campaign would soon follow.

The next day Cummings handed in his resignation.

Labour said the PM could “rearrange the deckchairs all he wants... but the responsibility for this government’s incompetence still lies firmly at Boris Johnson’s door”.

However, many in the Conservative Party believe this is a great opportunity for Boris Johnson to “reset government” and for better communication between MPs and the Prime Minister to develop.

This saga comes at a pressing time for the government with a looming Brexit deadline and crucial decisions concerning the pandemic to be taken. Whether a fresh start will be made is yet to be proven.

Exodus from No 10: Cummings is the second senior official to leave Johnson’s innner circle in a short window of time. Source: Number 10 (via. Flickr)

Hallum Cowell Head of Politics

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report into bullying allegations levelled against the Home Secretary, Priti Patel, found that she had shouted and sworn at civil service members. In response to the report, the Prime Minister said he had “full confidence” in the Home Secretary. Typically, if Ministers break the Ministerial Code, a behavioural code which seeks to prevent bullying, they resign. But Patel has made no indication whether she intends to leave her position.

Following the comments by the Prime Minister, the author of the report and Standards Chief Sir Alex Allen resigned.

The Home Secretary has since apologised “unreservedly” and said she was “sorry if I’ve upset people in any way what-so-ever”.

A key area of contention in the report is whether Patel was giving criticism which was justified or whether she went beyond this and bullied those working under her.

The report states:“The home secretary has also become - justifiably in many instances - frustrated by the Home Office leadership’s lack of responsiveness and the lack of support she felt.

“The evidence is that this has manifested itself in forceful expression, including some occasions of shouting and swearing.”

The report continues that while it may not have been Patel’s intention to cause offence, it has had that effect on some of her staff.

It is also noted that until the publishing of the report the Home Secretary was not aware of the complaints and that she engaged in “ different and more positive behaviour since these issues were raised with her.”

It is clearly stated in the report however that, “Her approach on occasions has amounted to behaviour that can be described as bullying in terms of the impact felt by individuals.”

Prime Minister Johnson disagreed that his Home Secretary had breached the code; the Prime Minister does have final say on how reports into ministerial code are implemented. A spokesperson for number 10 pointed to the “mitigating circumstances” in the report and indicated the Prime Minister was satisfied with Patel’s “full and frank apology”.

Following Sir Allen’s resignation, he said “I recognise that it is for the prime minister to make a judgement on whether actions by a minister amount to a breach of the ministerial code.

“But I feel that it is right that I should now resign from my position as the prime minister’s independent adviser on the code.”

The report into Priti Patel’s behaviour was launched in March 2020 following the resignation of Sir Philip Rutnam who claims that the Home Secretary “created fear” in those working under her. Sir Rutnam insists he was never asked to contribute to the investigation and, in contrast to the report, says that Patel was “advised” on occasions about her behaviour with staff.

In a statement released to the BBC Rutnam said “As early as August 2019, the month after her appointment, she was advised that she must not shout and swear at staff.

“I advised her on a number of further occasions between September 2019 and February 2020 about the need to treat staff with respect.”

14 POLITICS In other news ‘Crisis’ in Tigray as conflict draws international concern Tom Kingsbury Politics Editor

A year on from protests in Hong Kong, Carrie Lam, the semi-autonomous city’s leader, gave her delayed annual policy address.

She promised to restore “constitutional order”. Lam, who was criticised by opponents as being a ‘puppet’ for Beijing, blamed “unprecedented… anti-government acts” as well as “interference by external forces” for Hong Kong’s economic troubles.

She also defended police action during the unrest which was criticised by much of the world as being undemocratic and brutal. Her annual address was a month delayed, and comes two weeks after mass resignations of opposition legislators in the Legislative Council.

The resignations were in protest over the firing of four legislators, who say they were dissmissed to suppress democracy in the region.

Peru has seen three different heads of state in one week among political turmoil. The country’s newest President Francisoc Sagasti, is a 76-yearold engineer and academic, as well as a former member of the nation’s congress.

The turmoil comes after former President Martin Vizcarra was removed from office by Congress (in Peru, Congress elects the President) and replaced by Manuel Merino who in turn stepped down very soon after following protests in the country. Analysts now believe that the people of Peru have lost faith in the ability of congress to choose their President.

In one of the first decisions by the United States Supreme Court since the oppointment of Amy Coney Barret, limitations on religious meetings have been blocked. The 5-4 vote prevents New York lawmakers from passing a law which would have limited the number of people allowed to attend religious gatherings. The law was blocked on the groups that it prevented religious freedom however New York officals insist the law was forwarded to protect against the spread of COVID-19.

Amy Coney Barret was appointed to the Supreme Court as one of the last acts of President Donald Trump before he lost the 2020 election to Joe Biden. The USA has been one of the most affected nations during the COVID-19 pandemic and there is a strong sense in the country that limits on freedom are not a price worth paying to slow the spread of the virus.

I

n Tigray, a northern autonomous region within Ethiopia, a conflict with the federal government has escalated to an alarming degree for international organisations. Hundreds, possibly thousands, have already been killed, and many more displaced.

However, neither side seems willing to bring the conflict to a close, with the US ambassador noting “a strong commitment on both sides to see the military conflict through”.

The UN called it a “full-scale humanitarian crisis”, expressing concern that aid organisations are unable to get supplies into Tigray to help those affected by the conflict. It has called for a temporary ceasefire in order to establish humanitarian infrastructure in the region.

So far though, this has not been heeded, and Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, who in 2019 won the Nobel Peace Prize, has rejected calls for peace talks, saying the Tigray must surrender first.

For many years, the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) was the most powerful party of an Ethiopian coalition government.

Under the coalition, conditions in Ethiopia improved, but there were still questions about human rights, corruption, and a lack of democracy.

In 2018, Abiy became PM, bringing in wide-scale reforms. He merged the coalition into one party – the ‘Prosperity Party’. But the TPLF refused to join, and relations between the two organisations were tense.

Since then, they have only worsened, and in September Tigray held an election in defiance of the federal government’s postponement of any elections after an outbreak of coronavirus.

The Ethiopian government called the election “illegal”, and did not acknowledge it, but the TPLF accused Abiy of not holding an election for political reasons. A conflict began to seem a genuine possibility, with both sides accusing the other of contemplating military force.

The spark that set the conflict ablaze came when a military base was taken in Tigray’s capital Mekelle. Abiy ordered military action in response, saying a “red line” had been crossed. Soon after, he had called in airstrikes on targets within the region.

Media presence in Tigray is low, and communications have been cut with the outside world to a significant extent. However, it is thought that hundreds, and likely thousands, have died so far.

Many people have been displaced too, with well over 30,000 having fled Tigray into neighbouring Sudan. If fighting continues, the UN refugee department has said up to 200,000 refugees are expected to arrive in Sudan.

The BBC talked to the head of Sudan’s refugee agency Alsir Khaled, who said: “Whenever there are newcomers, the Sudanese are the first to go and help. Farmers and local citizens, the people share what they have”.

Ethiopia’s parliament has officially dissolved the Tigrayan government after an emergency session, and later, Ethiopia issued warrants for their arrests.

Ethiopian leadership has removed its army chief, head of intelligence and foreign minister.

Amnesty International reported a massacre occurring in Tigray’s Mai-Kadra town on November 9, and said it believes hundreds were killed. Ethiopia’s human rights commission is investigating.

If verified, the UN said, it could

From peace prize to no peace: Ethiopian PM Abiy Ahmed won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2019 for healing Ethiopian divisions, but has now refused to hold peace talks with the TPLF. Source: Bair175 (via. Wikimedia Commons) amount to a war crime.

In this and other recent conflicts, There are risks of the conflict including that in Nagorno-Karaspreading to other East African bakh, there has been a rise in discountries. Eritrea, north of Tigray, information, with fake information has clashed with the region before, and images being spread on social and there have been some reports of media.

Eritrean involvement in the conflict In Ethiopia, there have been inalready. stances of images being manipulatThe African Union (AU) called ed or edited to represent blatantly for an “immediate cessation of hos- false information. tilities”, after Tigrayan President There have been images falsely atDebretsion Gebremichael called for tributed to the conflict, when in fact their intervention. An envoy from they are not related, and footage the AU will visit Ethiopia, though it used from other conflicts. Tweets will not be permitted to visit Tigray from officials have been translated and will only talk to Abiy. wrongly in order to undermine The federal government has re- them or otherwise spread misinforfused peace talks, and repeatedly mation. called on Tigray to surrender. Abiy It seems this could be a new facet has told people in the region’s capi- of modern conflicts, with widetal, Mekelle, to “save themselves”, spread use of social media all over saying it will soon surround the city the world making disinformation and fire artillery on it. much easier.

Guatemalan protestors set Congress on fire George Gourlay

Politics Editor

P

rotestors in Guatemala’s capital partially set the nation’s Congress building on fire during demonstrations on Saturday which saw over ten thousand descend on the streets of the city to call for the resignation of President Alejandro Giammattei following his government’s recently published budget bill.

The bill has garnered accusations of corruption as lawmakers passed cuts to spending in sectors such as health, education and social programmes while increasing their personal stipends.

Guatemalans also criticised the se-

crecy in which it was passed, at a time when the country is dealing with a pandemic as well as recovering from devastation caused by back-to-back hurricanes, Eta and Iota.

Guatemala was hit severely when Hurricane Eta ripped through Central America. It was followed by Tropical Storm Iota which caused widespread flooding through impoverished highland and coastal towns, displacing thousands who were forced into coronvirus-infected shelters. It is reported that over a hundred indigenous villages were buried by landslides during the storm.

While the country’s people and infrastructure struggle to rebuild from the damage of the natural disasters, President Giammattei’s government

Congreso de la República: Protestors decended on the Guatemalan Congress to voice their anger at the new budget and government corruption. As the protest continued fires were started in the building. Source: Arielaasturias (via. Wikimedia Commons)

covertly approved £50,000 to subsidise meals and other expenses for legislators while slashing the budget for relief programmes for those affected

by Hurricane Eta and Storm Iota. Additional cuts were made to the budget for human rights programmes and the funds for the treatment of COVID-19 patients.

Guatemala claims one of the highest rates of malnutrition in the world, exacerbated further by the mass displacement from the hurricanes. An £18m programme to combat malnutrition was also cut by the budget bill though, later, Congress conceded to reinstate the fund - it did not appear to hinder the protest which started in Guatemala City on Saturday.

Protests began with peaceful marches through the streets of the city’s central plaza before a crowd of ten thousand protestors gathered outside the National Palace. Images of a giant rat bearing president Alejandro Giammattei’s name and signs reading “neither a president, nor a Congress” circulated on social-media, igniting fury online as people across Guatemala united against the government’s budget cuts.

The demonstration escalated when a group led by students began kicking in the windows of the Congress building and started setting fires in the building’s entrance and in legislative offices holding documents.

Meanwhile, outside the National Palace, the crowds of protestors were tear-gassed by police. At least a dozen were injured and hospitalised with many others arrested.

While its congress burned, the

country still finds itself unable to extinguish the flames of government corruption. In 2015, similar demonstrations against the previous president, Otto Pérez Molina, and vice-president, Roxana Baldetti, resulted in the resignation of both. They are currently awaiting trial for corruption charges.

It would appear that a comparable outcome to that of 2015 would be the goal of the protests which raged through the capital last weekend.

The cause has gained the support of the Roman Catholic Church leadership in Guatemala who have urged Giammattei to veto the budget.

However, the president’s resolve has been undeterred, taking to twitter to condemn the protests, he warned: “Anyone who is proven to have participated in the criminal acts will be punished with the full force of the law.” Meanwhile, his vice-president, Guillermo Castillo, suggested that he should resign provided that Giammattei joined him citing that he had had “little communication with the president.”

Members in the ranks of Guatemala’s Congress have strongly condemned the demonstrators, accusing them of terrorist acts.

Human rights organisations have accused the police of using excessive force on civilians who were exercising their right to protest.

On Saturday night, the country’s Interior Ministry published the names of those arrested in the capital. As for the protests, they are set to continue in other parts of the country with arrests already made in Antigua and Quetzaltenango.

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16

COMMENT

YOUR COMMENT DESK

The misconceptions behind a miscarriage Sian Hopkins

Comment Editor This article contains themes that readers may find upsetting.

If any of the following has affected you please don’t hesitate to contact Student Support at +44 (0)29 2251 8888 or email studentconnect@cardiff.ac.uk

A Molly Govus

Sian Hopkins

Cerys Ann Jones

Izzy Morgan comment@gairrhydd.com

t the beginning of this week the Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle, shared an opinion piece in the New York Times, bringing to light a recent tragedy she has suffered with the miscarriage of her second child.

Within the article, Meghan talks openly about her experience of losing her baby and how she wishes more women felt they could talk about it: ‘Losing a child means carrying an almost unbearable grief, experienced by many but talked about by few.’

She notes, ‘I discovered that in a room of 100 women, 10 to 20 of them will have suffered from miscarriage. Yet, despite the staggering commonality of this pain, the conversation remains taboo, riddled with (unwarranted) shame, and perpetuating a cycle of solitary mourning.’

The idea that almost a quarter of 100 women will have suffered a miscarriage and yet feel like they cannot process this grief openly is baffling. How, as a society, do we suppress our own and others emotions to form a ‘stiff upper lip’ over events that are so traumatic?

Statistically, if we include all the women who also make the decision to have an abortion, 1 in 3 will have experienced an abortion by the age of 45. The loss of a child through choice, accident or the unexpected is painful and a difficult reality that many women have to face in their lifetime and yet there still exists a massive stigma around being able to speak freely about it.

Despite her bravery to speak out about her experience, Meghan Markle received a lot of hate, as trolls attacked her for sharing an ‘intimate moment’ so publicly.

The Evening Standard commented on some of the backlash Megan received, and also Chrissy Tiegan for her similar posts last month, both being ‘labelled attentionseekers’, criticised for over-sharing.

In Meghan’s case, even dismissed by some as lying.’

This kind of hate and criticism not only has an effect on Meghan and Chrissy who have already experienced enough pain and suffering from the event itself, but trolls criticising those in the public for supposedly sharing something ‘too personal’ is enabling a culture that silences women and keeps them paralysed in a state of loneliness and misinformation.

The experience of a miscarriage, according to Tommy’s Charity Researchers, can turn the grief into more severe pyschological difficulties, whether it is problems with mental health like depression or PTSD. From their studies, nearly a half of women who had suffered a miscarriage a month or three months before, showed signs of PTSD. By criticising Meghan Markle and celebrities like Chrissy Tiegan for sharing their stories of loss, you are telling every woman who has ever had a similar experience, from abortion to miscarriage, that their feelings are invalid and unrecognised.

It demonstrates another failure within our society to prioritise help and support for those struggling with mental health difficulties and trauma. Instead of offering an unkind or critical opinion over someone else’s honesty, take a step back and give support.

Thanks to women like Meghan Markle, who shared her own experience so honestly and candidly, grieving women and couples who have also suffered can relate and some take their first steps into seeking help and speaking openly about their own experience.

Her speaking out is a massive leap in breaking down the taboo surrounding baby loss and emphasises to all who have also suffered: you are not alone.

If anything you have read has affected you or you need further advice: https://www.tommys.org/our-organisation/help-and-support https://www.tommys.org/pregnancy-information/pregnancy-complications/baby-loss/miscarriage/supportafter-miscarriage https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/ miscarriage/afterwards/

The Crown: how should

viewers interpret the series?

Caitlin Parr Contributor

F

ollowing the recent release of the newest installment of The Crown, the show has faced backlash on social media and in the press surrounding the show’s accuracy. Reimagining some of the British royal family’s most infamous events between 1977 and 1990, The Crown Season 4 and its incredible cinematography makes for excellent casual viewing (or bingewatching) on these wintery evenings.

However, the show has been met with some controversy and divided opinion as there is increasing concern that viewers are taking the entire show as fact rather than partial fiction. Of course the seasons are not completely fictitious, but they are dramatised and reimagined truths of the real events.

When I first started watching The Crown I did presume that it was obvious that the stories that took place behind closed doors on the royal estates would have been partially fabricated - as how would Peter Morgan know what had truly happened in those deeply private moments between the family? I also found myself avidly googling after most scenes that I didn’t recognise from the history books. “Did Prince Philip really have an affair?”, “Did Princess Margaret really see a therapist?”, and so on. Not only did this clear up any misinterpretations or connotations that the dramatised plot may have given us, but it did also lead me into a rabbit hole of learning a lot more about our royal family than I already knew. An added bonus.

The show does teach a much wider, even global, audience about extremely important times in British history that may not reach the classroom anymore - including the Aberfan disaster of 1966. Being Welsh born and raised, I was surprised that others around the British Isles were not familiar with the atrocity that tore through the heart of the tiny Welsh village and the hearts of people around the world at the time.

Major events such as these are covered as accurately and sensitively as possible, but critics are right in being concerned that the majority of ‘behind the scenes’ conversations between royals and politicians should not be taken as gospel.

The accuracy of wardrobe and set, however, is undeniably excellent. It helps that Season 4 principle actors such as Gillian Anderson and Emma Corrin (Margaret Thatcher and Diana, Princess of Wales respectively) already

hold a somewhat striking resemblance to the historical figures that they portray.

The show’s Head of Research, Annie Sulzberger, told Cinegirl that Peter Morgan “has made the research of the show to be at the heart of it” which was reiterated by Morgan at a BAFTA masterclass when he reassured fans that the show was researched meticulously.

Still, there is one group of people in particular that are unhappy with the way the showrunner has presented his research teams’ findings - the royal family themselves. This was brought to light when Prince William reportedly felt as though “his parents are being exploited and presented in a false, simplistic way to make money.” following the Season 4 scenes of his mother, Princess Diana, being verbally abused

by Prince Charles.

Showrunner Peter Morgan explicitly told The New York Times in an interview in 2019, that he assumed that viewers understood that parts of the show had to be sensationalised for the purpose of entertainment. “I think there’s a covenant of trust with the audience,” he told them, reassuring that “They understand a lot of it is conjecture.” It appears that despite Morgan’s best efforts this was not as clearly indicated as he originally assumed.

The difficulty, I imagine, is the fact that up until quite recently in relation to the whole British royal timeline, the Monarchy were rather private - and how could a whole drama series be written off of what little insight we had to notable events in British and 20th century royal history?

This privacy and the infamous shift towards being more public-facing as a family was touched upon in Season 2 where we see the first televised Christmas broadcast from Her Majesty the Queen (played at this time by Clair Foy) in 1957. Many of the historical figures characterised in the first phases of The Crown are no longer with us to contradict or criticise any of their portrayals. However, as we begin to approach the present day there is a wider prevalence of individuals who have been personally involved in these events who don’t need Netflix to fabricate their life experiences and could tell them themselves should they wish.

The royal family already have an increasingly toxic relationship with the modern mass media, and I would assume that the insider emotions surrounding this falsified drama are not a million miles away from how they feel about the press.

Why is the topic of clothes still so controversial in society?

Izzy Morgan

Comment Editor

F

ashion in itself can be seen as an elusive beast, with high fashion being seemingly unattainable for the average member of society. This can lead to, in some cases, indignation or sneering at high fashion in a similar way that many react to modern art. Society is now becoming less tied to conventional conceptions of how people interpret gender in their lives and specifically their fashion choices. The implication that somehow dressing for a specific gender will somehow conserve a sense of traditionalism in society has led many people online and in the news to criticise fashion outlets and mod-

els who choose to challenge these notions. The catalyst for this debate over the past month has been the releasing of the photos of Harry Styles as the cover artist for Vogue in the December issue where he is featured wearing a ball gown style dress. Whilst Harry is not the first man to be featured wearing a dress in high fashion and will no doubt not be the last, his prominence as an artist has amassed masses of attention to these photos. While many fans and members of society praised the photos and Vogue for the photoshoot, a debate came to light online that had many clashing over what Harry Styles wearing a dress meant for the future of ‘manly men’. The debate was originally brought to the mainstream when American author, Candace Ow-

ens, tweeted “bring back manly men” in response to the photoshoot. This obviously sparked outrage amongst fans and other commentators as they believe that him wearing a dress has absolutely nothing to do with his gender and questions were being asked as what does ‘being a manly man’ in 2020 really look like? Many celebrities, also, of course came to Harry’s defence with huge names such as Alexandria OcasioCortez who said “it looks bomb” and put down the controversy of insecurity about masculinity and femininity in society at the moment. Surprisingly, there has even been support by controversial YouTuber Logan Paul who questioned “what is manly to you?” after someone on his podcast says “it aint manly” citing that manliness should be being

comfortable in your own skin. As the debate widened, self-titled ‘Conservative influencer’ Classically Abby said in her video “I don’t find Harry Styles in a dress attractive” and “men don’t belong in dresses’”. The issue here is that nobody is now forcing men to wear dresses as a direct result of this photoshoot, all it is aiming to do is show off the fashion of these garments made by Gucci and feature a fun interview. We also make the mistake of thinking that this is the first time we have ever seen a man in a dress. Extremely iconic figures such as Freddie Mercury, David Bowie and Prince have all previously been featured in public in dresses. So why is it becoming such a huge issue now?

Possibly the availability of social media and therefore the wider opportunity for

discussion is a contributing factor. Or it could potentially be the fast-changing attitudes to gender and how they are perceived by the public are becoming everyday issues which are discussed.

The mocking of figures who choose to challenge gender norms in their fashion choices is unjust and frankly just old news as these people are widely respected and the challenges to gender roles in this way have been going on for a lot longer than just this year. High fashion isn’t for everyone, however it does have a huge impact on society and while this photoshoot isn’t the first of its kind, it is important as it shows us a lot about how our views towards gender and fashion. Society’s concept of gender is changing faster than ever, and it will certainly not be the last that we see.

SYLWADAU

17

Phonexiety: the new worry of our generation

Bigorexia and The anxiety surrounding the constant updates from our phones can be detrimental Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDS) Molly Govus Comment Editor

Cerys Ann Jones Comment Editor

T

he concept of owning a phone has no longer become a luxury in society; instead, it is pretty much expected, and those that do not own one have become the minority. According to Statista, over 95% of the UK are proud parents to their handheld devices. In an age where the most expensive phones in an ‘affordable’ market range from £1000 to £1400, there is no doubt or a sense of surprise in the expected rise of importance placed on these electronic devices.

Unfortunately, for some, with rising importance comes a sense of pressure. This is arguably inevitable; with phones becoming more and more compact and accessible, it often seems like there is never an easy way to escape the constant beep or text from your phone. After all, they are always in our hand, in our pockets, or in my case, still embarrassingly clutched in my hand when I wake up in the morning. It is a constant technological reminder of a need for attention, and this can be exhausting and debilitating.

Research from the Nielsen Mobile Shopping, Banking and Payment report revealed that over 53% of global consumers feel anxious when their phone is not to hand.

We all know the scenario, almost too well; the classic fumble in the pockets, the rising anxiety, followed by a wave of sheer relief when our phones return to the palm of our hand. It’s not surprising at all to know that the research showed that two-thirds of phone-owners can’t image life without their mobile device.

You may wonder, where in all this lies the problem? The problem lies within the growing incessant need to constantly be available, and to constantly be updated. Having an accessible and modern phone means that you can never turn on the ‘busy’ button, metaphorically speaking. The truth is, even when your phone is on silent, you can still read the texts and emails coming in, and one can’t help to feel a sense of obligation and urgency towards that. Therein lies the very problem.

Phones have made us constantly available, readily switched on, and

This article contains themes surrounding eating disorders. Please contact student support if you need further guidance at +44 (0)29 2251 8888 or at studentconnect@cardif.

T

Is it time to press mute?: the constant notifications and updates can be debilitating for phone users.

Source: via. Pickrepo

truthfully, we are not made for that.

According to Clarity Clinic, telephone phobia, or phone anxiety, has been placed within the social anxiety category. This anxiety and pressure can get so bad that a person’s hesitance to make or receive calls can cause mental and physical symptoms, indicating an actual phone phobia. To the older generations especially, this may sound comical, but I urge these readers not to forget how integral phones and technology are to our lives and how they constantly surround us.

Some may ask, what is there to be anxious about? Most modern relationships have a firm basis via social media and texting, most doctors and medical experts discuss issues on the phone, and businesses utilise calls for customer service help.

It is unavoidable – every part of our life can be managed, discussed, and placed within a call or a text.

Phones don’t accommodate to those who feel more comfortable in direct social situations; this could be due to the fact that face-to-face interaction allows for people to read non-verbal cues such as body language and facial expression. I’m sure we’ve all been taken aback by a ‘blunt’ text before, when really, the reality is just that texts can’t em-

body emotion, and this can cause problems.

I’ve even caught myself saying before, ‘oh, you didn’t put an emoji, so I thought you were mad at me or something’. Slightly comical, but it just goes to show just how ingrained phone interaction has become within our generation and the relationships we have with others. Verywell Mind states that ‘it can be disruptive to both a person’s personal and professional life. It is important to take phone anxiety seriously.’

Emotions surrounding phone anxiety can develop at different times within responses to your phone. For example, before a phone call, a person may feel an intense anticipation of what is to come and an anxiety surrounding the topic or flow of the conversation. I’m sure we’ve all planned out what we want to say on the phone far too many times, only for it to fly out the moment someone answers on the other end.

During the interaction, someone may exert their worries into the conversation and develop a fear of being judged by the other person.

After, a sufferer may show signs of worry surrounding how the interaction went and concern for what the interaction means for the future. It

sounds like an exhausting process, and we should be more aware of this problem as a technologically savvy generation.

Saying all this, it has become a shameful habit of mine to check my phone first thing in the morning. Before I have even considered any thought to my day, I find myself subconsciously reaching for my phone before I have even put my contact lenses in.

It turns out I’d rather suffer and squint my eyes than not be caught up with whatever’s going on behind the pixels. The importance of my phone has been placed in the fact that is my connection to everything in the world – to my friends at home, to emails from my lecturers, to calling my grandparents.

Don’t blame yourself for this; this is just the way it is for better or for worse. There are many techniques you can use to detach from your phone, whether it be charging it in another room overnight or taking just 10 minutes every morning without your phone.

It might not be bad to give it a go; maybe a world perspective without a phone tied to the hip is the way forward in decreasing the technological pressures felt by our generation and those to come.

‘We can’t always be available’

‘An immense privilege’

Kasey Donnelly

Evan Bevis-Knowles

Contributor

A

s the phone rings one more excruciating time in the morning, I cringe at myself as I silence the device, tucking it away under my pillow. This is when the anxiety starts to creep in.

What if they think I hate them? I wonder how long it’ll be until they try and call me again? These are the questions of an over-thinker like myself, pondering my own goodness as a human being because of my lack of presence on my phone. You see, our phones have not only brought to us the ability to contact someone immediately but they have also brought along with them the idea of superficial perfectionism.

This idea which we’ve ingrained into our minds that if we don’t pick up the phone immediately to someone we become a villain.It’s the kind of perfectionism that stems reac-

tions like: ‘well she was active five minutes ago so she’s clearly just ignoring me’. It’s nothing personal. I repeat - it’s nothing personal.

Sometimes we don’t feel present enough in ourselves to answer a call.

Some days we get up feeling insecure, sad, moody, or maybe, I don’t know, under the weight of a global pandemic?

To put the sarcasm on a hold, and on a serious note, no one should have the pressure to be 100% switched on and ready to answer anyone who comes their way. Because life’s not like that, and I know this a shared thought with more than just myself.

So please, on behalf of everyone who bathes in phone anxiety nearly every day - we don’t hate you and we certainly don’t have an issue.

If you need us desperately please just send an SOS message and we’ll be there. But also just remember not to take it personally. We’re just human - we can’t always be available.

Contributor

I

’m not quite cool enough to be one of those people; delete social media, unplug from the system and bang on about how ‘healthy it’s been for me’.

Nope, I’m as invested in the InstagramDopamine stock exchange as everybody else and I’m fine with it. We all have this immense privilege to project the very best version of ourselves; everyone curating their own reality. For our generation the smartphone has truly replaced the television; round the clock programming and content you can’t bear to miss for fear of your friends talking about it the next day without your valid input.It strikes me as strange however that as our phones increasingly become our entertainers, personal trainers, therapists. We increasingly hesitate to use the mobile phone for its original purpose. Often I

hear friends voicing anxiety about answering the phone and I have to say I can relate. I can’t remember the last time I was pleased to hear my phone ring. It never seems to be good news.

No one ever just calls to say ‘I love you’, despite what Stevie Wonder would have you believe. I know many people hold this same suspicion about phone calls, particularly from the dreaded unknown number. ‘Phonexiety’ is a strange amalgamation of unpleasantries. Primarily, the phone call represents the unknown, recognised number or not, you never truly know who it is until you accept the call. It’s also the detachment of it - your true tone may not be conveyed without the visual aide of facial expressions or the line may be poor and thus the communication is again compromised. This inadequacy is only compounded by the potential consequences of not answering the phone - what if it was important.

Eh don’t worry, it probably wasn’t.

he pervasive nature of social media within contemporary society has largely influenced public perceptions regarding body image, influencing the ways in which individuals view themselves. Unrealistic body ideals are disseminated across multiple media platforms without verification of whether the image has been altered, thus posing the question of whether social media contributes to Body Dysmorphic Behaviour.

The emergence of the coronavirus pandemic influenced a dramatic surge in the utilisation of social media. An Online Nation report study conducted

by Ofcom stated that British adults spent a quarter of their day online during the lockdown period, as the population adapted to new methods of keeping connected. Fitness content became omnipresent across social platforms during the coronavirus climate in parallel to gym facilities being unavailable.

The increased dissemination of content encompassing body image, negatively influencing those who are subject to Body Dysmorphic Disorder.

Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD) is a mental health condition in which an individual becomes intensely consumed with the defects in their physical appearance, flaws which may not be detectable by others. A recent study conducted by the Mental Health Foundation, BeReal, revealed that those aged between 16 to 25 perceived body images to be a substantial concern.

Muscle dysmorphia, also regarded as bigorexia is an anxiety disorder commonly found in young men, causing individuals to see themselves as small despite having a muscular physique.

Increased societal influence has led to bigorexia and depression in gym goers, often resulting in eating disorders and steroid abuse. Dr Willson, a trustee of the Body Dysmorphic Disorder Foundation, stated “We’re seeing a change in emphasis on men in the media from a lean physique, to focusing on muscles or six packs”.

Difficulty often occurs regarding the diagnosis of the condition consequent to the gym being regarded as a beneficial activity; therefore, symptoms are difficult to detect.

The continuous quest for perfection begs the question of whether this goal is achievable in a physically and mentally healthy manner. Richard Rees, a gym owner from the town of Caerphilly, stated “In the last 10 years, I’ve noticed a change with younger men becoming obsessed with the scales, they’re always chasing a number”. He also said that he felt a responsibility to support and educate men to exercise for health and enjoyment, rather than for their physical image.

Mike Mallet of the Gwent Substance Misuse Service revealed that he had witnessed a large increase in the number of teenagers seeking help citing bigorexia as a reason, with some taking “shortcuts” through substance abuse before even entering the gym. He stated “I don’t think I’ve ever had one say ‘I’m perfect - I’ve achieved everything I’ve wanted to’. They always want a little bit more, whether it be definition or muscle”.

18

ADVICE

YOUR How to stop comparing yourself to others ADVICE DESK A What can you do to stop feelings of embarassment about your academic achievements?

Vicky Witts

Head of Advice

Vicky Witts

Megan Evans advice@gairrhydd.com

Tips to attaining the perfect CV Megan Evans Advice Editor

I

n this COVID related time, job and post university applications may seem a little bit more daunting, especially with the rise of people applying due to the loss of jobs, and the uncertainty of what the future may look like. There are a couple ways to ensure you are on the right track of achieving this.

List out all your achievements Make sure you have included every course, parttime job andskills you may have required, even if you don’ think it is relevant, it can add and may even help you stand out if you have done things a bit differently to everyone else.

Include a concise statement It doesn’t need to be overly long, but target the key words that promotes exactly who you are and why you are suitable for the role you are applying for, and make sure it is written in a readable manner.

Avoid the cliche’s As much as you want to copy out the perfect CV online to use as your own, make sure you write it in the most unique way so that it sounds like you, and not a formulated CV that you recruiters have read day in day out.

Format it properly Sounds easy, but make sure you align the right information in the right way, so that it flows easily, and reads well. Match up the sub categories such as Experience and Skills with the relevant information so that the employer can gage your organisation straight away.

s the academic year continues, students may be finding that their workload and number of assessments has been increasing. For many, essays and assessments can be a good indication of how they are doing overall, as well as can create opportunities for feedback on ways to improve in future tasks.

Despite the many positives of university assessments, many students can dread the moment when their results arrive, as it leads to discussions with their peers, where grades are compared and people are left feeling disappointed when they do not achieve as high grades as others.

It is therefore important to learn about how to stop these comparisons so that you can feel a sense of pride and accomplishment rather than anxiety and disappointment when receiving your exam results.

Learn to accept that everyone’s best is different It can often be easy to look at your marks in comparison to others and think that you are failing because you did not score as highly as they did. However, it should be considered that everyone is different, and consequently so is everyone’s strengths, weaknesses, and bests.

Achieving lower on a test than

one of your peers does not mean that you are any less intelligent or good at your degree subject as they are. Everyone will find different aspects of their course more difficult or easier and so, it may be the case that someone scored higher than you merely because they understood a specific topic better than you did.

Furthermore, everyone’s overall best is different. Although it can be hard to accept, the difficulty of a degree differs from person to person due to a variety of circumstances. For some people, they will achieve top marks throughout their degree whereas others may have only gotten as high as a 2:2. So long as you have utilised the tools given to you and tried your best during you exams, you should feel proud of yourself regardless of the grade or outcome that you achieve.

Set small goals to feel accomplished Constantly being surrounded by those who are scoring higher than you can often make it feel like your achievements at university are less significant than theirs.

Although you should consider every essay that you finish an accomplishment in itself due to the demanding nature of studying at a high university level, there are some methods you can use to feel more accomplished.

For example, setting yourself a checklist of smaller tasks such as improving your score on an essay

by a small amount or selecting one thing that you did not to well at in your last essay to improve on your next essay, can allow you to be proud of your progress and stop focusing on the achievements of others.

Look to others to learn how to improve Being concerned with other people’s exam results and test scores does not have to be negative however and doing so can help you improve your own grades. This is because you can compare your essays with your peers and try to identify what made theirs score a higher mark

than you.

Even if you do not have anyone on your course that you are able to compare with, looking at essays that friends from other courses have written may also be beneficially to you, as you may be able to learn key phrases or identify key academic writing style features that might help you in the future.

Overall it is important to remember to focus on your own grades rather than those of the people around you. If you feel that you require some improvement, then that is ok, but this should not be based on a comparison of your grades with your peers.

Comparing to others: How can you stop feeling pressure to improve your grades when your peers are out-performing you? Source: (via PxHere)

Enjoying the transition to the cold season Megan Evans Advice Editor

I

t’s that time of the year, where the seasons are changing, the nights are longer and colder, and the spirits aren’t as high as they used to be. A lot of people are susceptible to getting seasonal affective disorder (SAD).

On the National Institute of Mental Health’s website, it states that these mood changes are more serious and can affect how a person feels, thinks, and handles daily activities. The statistics also show that 1 in 3 suffer from this illness, so extremely common and a lot more stigma needs to be shown as with COVID restrictions rolling over into these seasons, it can make life feel a little bit harder.

There are always ways to enjoy the cold season as much as you can, even if you feel like you can’t.

Snuggle up with a cosy book and a warm cuppa Turn off your phone from all the social notifications and instead, turn to an inspiring novel with your favourite beverage. Reading is such a great outlet for the blues of winter, because you can focus your worries onto a character in a book instead of focusing on your own and helping you to learn a little bit more about other areas of interest. Discussing a good book can also help with keeping a healthy mind with something new to invest time in and also keeping a goal of reading every night may help you with the drive to succeed more within your day.

Dress up nicely with big coats and jumpers, warm socks and

Fulfilment within the cold season: One of the best ways to keep happy and healthy in the cold season is by keeping active. Source: (via PxHere) boots and motivation. With the temThis time of year is a bit more peratures significantly decreascosy than other times because you ing, you may want to spend all of can happily whack out the thou- your time in bed, instead of facsands of jumpers that you have ing the day. Make sure you get stored away in your cupboards, to bed at a decent hour, turn off the wooly socks, and the big boots any distractions before hand and that you may love, but are only re- make sure your bed is of comfort ally useful within the colder sea- to you i.e removing the thousands sons. The pressure to look nice of pillows that may be taking up during these seasons has now space in your bed, so that you been overtaken by the need to just can move around if needed. I also simply keep warm when it is very find leaving the curtain slightly cold outside. If you have a big day parted,means that a little bit of planned, make sure you dress up sunlight can reach your room so well, not just for practicality, but that you aren’t just waking up to a if you have that one coat you love dark, cold room. and cherise in the winter months, Stay Active crack it out, and it may make you One of the best ways to keep feel miles better about facing the your mind well, is by staying acdreary winter day. tive and moving around as much Enhance your sleep as possible, whether that be via a Ensuring that you are getting sporting activity, or simply caterplenty of rest is so important, as ing in an hour walk a day. Hibbeing more tired in the day can erating in your student bedroom lead to further problems, espe- is not the best option for overall cially in terms of productivity wellbeing, so make sure you get

your endorphins by venturing outside a little bit per day. to ensure you are keeping your emotions in check and your health at the forefront of your mind. Staying active also keeps your warmer, so you aren’t just sitting around in a room that may not have a lot of heating, and getting exercise which will for sure make you feel just a little bit more accomplished with your day.

Trying a new lifestyle method As we approach the new year, it may be a little bit more exciting to implement a new way of doing something such as eating better, or testing out a new skill, whether that be crafting, or designing, taking up classes such as yoga.

Practising a new way of spending time with yourself, can positively improve a much more normal ised routine, as the opportunity to do something new can again, make you appreciate the time in the day, and replenish the negative aspects driven by the colder weather.

Keep your body happy Eating take-aways can be tempting during this time, but eating fully enriched foods such as soup and much more natural ingredients can aid to a fully cleansed palette and help with the transition to the cold by treating your body well, by allowing a balanced range of meals into your eating habits. Using more skin care products can also help rejuvenate with your skin which can also make you feel much better in the long run, knowing that you are actively looking after it. Implement it in your routine daily and it could boost your confidence completely within the colder months.

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COLUMN

Megan Evans

MEGAN’S MUSINGS

An open letter to pre-coronavirus ‘Me’: Life before COVID-19 was entirely different to how it has since become, but what have we learned? Source: 777546 (via. Pixabay)

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re-COVID-19 Meg would be absolutely horrified at the events that have unfolded in front of us these past few months.

Who would’ve thought a global pandemic would’ve taken over the majority of 2020, a year where I changed from an innocent teenager to a strong, independent young woman, about to embark on her next journey to becoming a fully-fledged adult?

I would definitely love to speak to myself in the past to really show some appreciation that I never have done before, for the amazing opportunities I could have done. It’s not necessarily the best idea to start worrying about what you could’ve done, but embrace what you have achieved and focus on the here and now.

Firstly, I would say STOP WORRYING ABOUT OTHER PEOPLE. Your happiness in life is not determined by those around you. Yes, they may have a good hold over how you feel but don’t let other people have a stronger input than necessary over your own emotions. It’s ok to feel sad but don’t let other people have an influence that could potentially be more damaging.

Secondly, do what you want to do. If you want to wear those crazy patterned trousers but don’t have the confidence to

wear them? Just do it. If you want to try a new skill but you don’t know anyone else trying it with you?

Do it on your own. There’s always amazingly talented people around you that will help you along the way. You are never alone- there’s always someone in the same boat as you, whatever the situation. Don’t be scared to speak openly to new people- you may find they’re worrying about the same thing and if you manage to break the ice a bit, it’s even better on your behalf!

Your happiness in life is not determined by those around you.

It’s ok to feel sad but don’t let other people have an influence that could potentially be more damaging.

Thirdly, always make time for those who deserve it. Life gets very hectic especially with uni and jobs, school and activities. If you haven’t spoken to someone in a while but you’d like to meet

up- all you need to do is ask. If you have a spare day, instead of sitting inside doing nothing, arrange a day trip with a loved one.

You’ll be guaranteed to feel a small fraction of a bit better. You need to make the most of the time you have to do little things like a spontaneous shopping trip, or a dinner date. Also, never feel bad about cancelling. As long as you have a valid reason, and can make time to rearrange, it is all good.

Furthermore, it is okay to have good days where you can go out and enjoy life and its randomness, the good memories that you’ll make and have as much fun as physically possible. But it is also okay to have bad days, where you may not want to do much, you’ll want to sit around with a bowl of ice cream and face masks, and not a lot of contact on your phone.

It is also okay to not look like a perfect Instagram model every waking moment. Yes, your body weight will fluctuate, some days you may be bloated, whilst others you may be that perfect weight to squeeze into those jeans you’ve owned for about 3 years.

You do not need to look a certain way to please guys, your peers and most importantly, yourself.

The confidence issues that you

have been struggling with for years will eventually be handled better with time. Time is ALWAYS the biggest healer.

It will mend you when you feel like you have nothing, it will help with any small problem that is causing you inconveniences as well as the larger issues that won’t go away that’ll eventually be put to bed.

If you have an ambition to do something, the only thing holding you back is yourself.

Let things happen. That’s the main thing I have learnt before coronavirus. I wasn’t overly happy with my life before then, and whilst corona lockdown was implemented, I tried to change everything to make sure I was feeling better when nothing around me made sense.

Keep a goal in mind when you feel unmotivated or uninspired.

If you desperately need money, make it your mission to work those extra shifts, whilst it may be frustrating to fill up your spare time, it will mean you have money to spend, and income

brings a lot more than just notes and pound coins.

It is a currency that you can spend on whatever you fancy, whether that be a new book, video game or just a coffee from your favourite coffee shop up the road.

If you have an ambition to do something, the only thing holding you back is yourself.

You need to back yourself all the way if you have a drive i.e for me, writing was always what I wanted to pursue.

But I wasn’t brave enough to put my work out there as I didn’t think it would be good enough, didn’t think I would get any views so what was the point.

There is always a point in writing, not only does it help me to improve, I am so passionate about the words that leave my head and are then written/typed.

You never know, there could be someone who reads your work and it may help them in the most desperate of times, and that is all down to the efforts you put from writing it in the first place.

As much as we can plan great things to do, coronavirus has really pushed away the simplicity of these to happen, so make sure you don’t turn down any spontaneous plans in the future as they could provide the best memories.

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SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

YOUR Cardiff University computing system SCIENCE for COVID-19 wins major award DESK Holly Giles

Head of Science and Technology

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Holly Giles

Rowenna Hoskin

Mili Jayadeep

Jack Robert Stacey science@gairrhydd.com

he COVID-19 Genomics UK (COG-UK) project at Cardiff University has won a national award this month for its work in processing the COVID-19 genome sequence data and making it available to researchers worldwide. It is commonly overlooked and misses out on the headlines but it is this background work which allows progress to be made in vaccines, medical care and our experience of COVID-19.

The project has been awarded Best High-Performance Computing Collaboration at the HPCwire Readers’ and Editors’ Choice Awards 2020.

The award recognises outstanding individuals, organisations, products, and technologies in high-performance computing.

The project has been run by the Cloud Infrastructure for Big Data Microbial Bioinformatics (CLIMB) which is a UK-wide partnership working to sequence COVID-19 genomes and understand the spread of the virus. CLIMB was founded in 2014 to handle the large data sets created from genome sequencing and has so far helped sequence more than 110,000 virus genomes.

CLIMB is a collaboration between Warwick, Birmingham, Cardiff, Swansea, Bath and Leicester Universities, the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and the Quadram Institute. COG-UK is supported by £20 million funding from the UK Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and the Wellcome Sanger Institute, administered by UK Research and Innovation.

The project then changed at the start of the pandemic and began focusing on COVID-19 with the aim of sequencing and analysing the genome of COVID-19 in order to increase understanding of the transmission and evolution of the virus.

Due to the infrastructure already in place the project was able to quickly adapt to the pandemic, as Professor Mark Pallen, the director of the CLIMB-BIG-DATA project, explained: “It’s been great to see how our infrastructure and our team have been able to respond so quickly and effectively to the national and international challenge of understanding and controlling the

Genomic answers unlcocked: New research sequencing the COVID-19 genome will inform public health decisions and vaccination research. Source: PIRO4D (via Pixabay) spread of COVID-19”.

The findings are then made available to researchers across the UK and throughout the world through the CLIMB platform, allowing researchers to better understand the virus and to be able to more efficiently manipulate with regards to evolution and vaccination. The CLIMB network includes over 900 users and over 300 research groups in 85 institutions from across the UK. The work of the CLIMB project has helped inform national decision-making of the Scientific Advisory Group looking at local public health and monitoring outbreaks in real-time.

Reflecting on the project Dr Tim Cutts, the Head of Scientific Computing at the Wellcome Sanger Institute, told: “At the beginning of the pandemic, we were asked to repurpose our cloud infrastructure to handle the large volumes of COVID-19 sequence data that would be coming in. Thanks to the skill and dedica-

tion of the team and the high-performance storage solutions provided

by DDN, we were able to do this in record time. I’m extremely proud of the contribution that COG-UK has made to the world’s understanding of COVID-19” This sentiment was continued by Dr Jeff Barrett, the Lead COVID-19 Statistical Geneticist at the Wellcome Sanger Institute: “The Sanger Institute and its COG-UK partners have sequenced more COVID-19 genomes than anywhere else in the world, which is an incredible achievement.

But this would mean nothing without making these data widely available, which has been made possible by our high-performance computing team.”

Professor Tom Connor, from Cardiff University and technical architect of CLIMB, said: “With COVID-19, CLIMB has proved its worth, providing us with the platform to be able to rapidly develop and scale up an analysis infrastructure to support the COVID-19 pandemic re-

sponse. CLIMB COVID has had a massive impact, from supporting outbreak analysis in our hospitals all the way up to providing analyses that inform government policy. The impact of CLIMB and this award is a testament to both the hard work of the team and the broader vision of the CLIMB and CLIMB-BIG-DATA projects.”

Due to its nature as an information provider, we will never know the full impact of the work at CLIMB but it has directed and shaped the COVID-19 pandemic, and has undoubtedly saved lives through contributions to vaccine developments. The award is a well deserved achievement for the project.

COG-UK would like to give a special thanks to Dr Sam Nicholls, Radoslaw Poplawski, and Simon Thompson from the University of Birmingham, and Dr Matt Bull and Dr Christine Kitchen from the University of Cardiff for their continued hard work on the CLIMB project and support in hosting the equipment.

Healthy sleep habits said to lower risk of heart failure Megan Evans Advice Editor

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ccording to a study published in the American Heart Association flagship journal this month, there is a direct correlation between adults with healthy sleeping patterns and a decreased risk of heart failure. Heart failure affects more than 26 million people and emerging evidence suggests that a healthy sleep pattern can decrease the risk by 42%.

A healthy sleep pattern is qualified as having at least 7-8 hours a day, rising in the morning and showing no signs of medical condi-

tions such as insomnia or excessive tiredness during the day.

Between 2006 and 2010, researchers examined 408,802 UK Biobank participants aged between 37 and 73 for the relationship between heart failure and a healthy sleep pattern.

The team also recorded that the total cases were 5,221 during a median follow up 10 years later.

Researchers critically analysed sleep quality in regards to overall sleep patterns, which include duration, insomnia and other related areas, such as if they stay up late, or wake up early, or even have daytime sleepiness.

Lu Qi, M.D., Ph.D, the Director of the Obesity Research Center at

Tulane University in New Orleans stated that “The healthy sleep score we created was based on the scoring of these five sleep behaviors.

“Our findings highlight the importance of improving overall sleep patterns to help prevent heart failure.”

The sleep behaviours were collected through questionnaires, and then defined into three groups: short, or less than 7 hours a day; recommended, or 7 to 8 hours a day, or 9 hours or more a day.

After adjusting for diabetes, hypertension, medical intervention, genetic variations and other preexisting health conditions, participants with the healthiest sleep pat-

tern had a 42% reduction in the risk of heart failure compared to people with an unhealthy sleep pattern.

They also found the risk of heart failure was independently associated with a reduction of 8% in early risers, 12% in those who slept 7 to 8 hours daily, 17% in those who did not have frequent insomnia and 34% in those reporting no daytime sleepiness.

Participants’ sleep behaviours were self-reported, and the information on changes in sleep behaviours during follow-up were not available.

Researchers also noted that there may have been other unmeasured or unknown factors that may have influenced findings.

The researchers also noted that the study’s strengths include its novelty, prospective study design and large sample size.

Healthy sleep appears to have a significant effect on the risk of heart failure and is definitely beneficial for other areas of health.

Our findings highlight the importance of improving overall sleep patterns to help prevent heart failure.”

Lu Qi, M.D., Ph.D, Obesity Research Center Director

GWYDDONIAETH A THECHNOLEG

Chronic alcohol use linked to changes in brain’s immune environment Mili Jayadeep

Science Editor

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he amygdala is a small brain region that is involved in displaying emotions, behaviours and motivation. Chronic alcohol use affects the amygdala, altering its function.

A new study shows that an overuse of alcohol results in changes in the pathways associated with inflammation that ultimately drives alcohol addiction.

The study, conducted by Marisa Roberto, a Professor in Scripps Research’s Department of Molecular Medicine and her team, was published in the journal: Progress in

Neurobiology. Reesha Patel, a postdoctoral fellow in Roberto’s lab and first author of the study says: “We found that chronic alcohol exposure compromises brain immune cells, which are important for maintaining healthy neurons. The resulting damage fuels anxiety and alcohol drinking that may lead to alcohol use disorder.”

The study focused on a protein known as interleukin-10 or IL-10, which is found in the brain. IL-10 is responsible for ensuring proper functioning of the immune system.

Its anti-inflammatory ability helps fight against foreign invaders.

The mice that were associated with chronic alcohol intake showed IL-10 was reduced in the amygdala.

This subsequently led to improper neuronal function and acted as a driver for increasing alcohol intake. The scientists theorised that increasing IL-10 could help reverse these effects. Their results showed that doing so reduced their tendency to drink alcohol. Roberto explains, “We’ve shown that inflammatory immune responses in the brain are very much at play in the development and maintenance of alcohol use disorder. But perhaps more importantly, we provided a new framework for therapeutic intervention, pointing to anti-inflammatory mechanisms.”

Roberto, the team and collaborating researchers including Silke

Pauste, an associate Professor at the Department of Immunology and Microbiology, revealed findings showing that precise immune cells are influenced by frequent, longterm alcohol use. The results overall showed that the changes such as reduced IL-10 and decreased signalling were reflective of the immune changes in the brain induced by alcohol use.

This study has helped uncover more information about the brain and how alcohol affects the structure and functioning of the brain.

Further research is required to understand the exact role of IL-10 signalling in the amygdala and addiction-associated brain networks in its influence on behaviour.

The perpetrators are rarely brought to justice as the victims do not speak out for fear of losing their income.

When they do speak out, police charges are often dropped as it comes down to a man’s word against a woman’s. These accusations are typically settled through “peace solutions” involving the victim’s family being paid off. Women are still largely oppressed in Indonesia and victim’s families often force the victim to marry her rapist in order to lessen the shame - often pregnancy reoccurs.

Not only do women experience sexual abuse on plantations, they are left with life-changing health problems. Hotler Parsaoran, a Worker advocate for Sawit Watch says: ‘Our findings in Kalimantan showed, women workers got pneumonia, or were blinded by pesticide. It also happened in Sumatra, where you can get contaminated from herbicide, but the company won’t take any re-

sponsibility. We can see that the condition of women workers is far worse than men. Most of the women workers at the [palm oil] plantation are casual workers who don’t have any job security and no insurance.’

“I think our hips and shoulders suffer the most because we have to carry the sprayer tank. We can feel pain in our stomach and hips because we have to carry 20kg chemical tanks on our hips. It also can cause a prolapse” which is the collapsing of the womb, explains one female palm oil worker.

Rafail Walangitan, from the Ministry of Women Empowerment and Child protection says: “at the moment the ministry of Women Empowerment and Child protection, we are working hard to create what we call the House of Women Workers, the safe house is what we call it, a safe house for the women workers in the plantations area, or in the plantation industry. So we have a long way

to go to make this all good conditions for the women and children in the future. Still, we have to work hard on this.”

The AP used U.S Customs records, products ingredients lists and the most recently published data from producers, traders and buyers to link the laborers’ palm oil and it’s derivatives from the processing mills to the supply chains of many big brands, including L’Oreal.

A wide range of abuses were linked to plantations that have been certified by the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil, an association that promotes ethical production, including provisions to safeguard laborers.

It is evident that more must be done to ensure the safety of these women, to ensure that plantations are not certified as ‘ethical’ based on environmental standards alone, in order to improve the rights of women in developing countries.

Brutal experience of female workers at palm oil plantations exposed Rowenna Hoskin Science Editor

Disclaimer: This article covers subjects that some readers may find disturbing. If you have been affected by any of the topics in this article please don’t hesitate to contact student support on studentconnect@cardiff.ac.uk

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ndonesia is home to some of the most sought after oil in the world - palm oil. This oil is in everything from shampoos and cereals to biscuits and peanut butter. Whether you are spreading nutella on toast in the morning, or applying L’oreal foundation, it is very unlikely that you are thinking about the invisible women that are being brutally exploited in the palm oil plantations where these product’s components come from.

Earning an average of $2 a day, these women are made to do back breaking work leaving them with long term health problems. Forced to work on a zero hour contract, women working on palm oil plantations have no job security and are routinely harassed and raped.

One woman told The South China Morning Post that her boss raped her and got her pregnant: ‘First of all, he harassed me. Then, when we were at the plantation, he began to threaten me by saying, “if you don’t give me your body, I will chop your neck with this axe.” Then he started to open my shirt and raped me. When he finished he spat on me.’ Leaving her abused and violated, this man also left her with a baby that he refuses to bear any responsibility for.

This is just one example of this kind of abuse; with an estimated 7.6 million women working in these conditions there are countless other accounts of women experiencing sexual abuse ranging from verbal harassment and threats, to rape.

The darker side to paradise: Indonesia is commonly considered a paradise to many, but you don’t have to dig too deep to reach the harsh reality. Source: Tsitoweb (via Wikimedia Commons)

Word of the week: Palm Oil • Palm oil is an edible vegetable oil which comes from the fruit of oil palm trees • Two oils can be produced palm oil: crude oil and palm kernel oil • Palm oil is in nearly everything, close to 50% of the packaged products in supermarkets: donuts, chocolate, deodorant, shampoo. It is also used in biofuel and animal feed.

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Combination pill and aspirin lowers heart disease Alex Brown Contributor

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polypill is a single, daily pill combining multiple medications to control multiple health risk factors, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, stroke, type 2 diabetes or heart disease. An exciting breakthrough in managing cardiovascular events in those at risk of heart disease has been developed by utilizing the polypill. It was found that the combination of blood pressure and cholesterol medications along with a daily dose of aspirin reduced cardiovascular disease by 31%, and that the polypill without the addition of aspirin was still able to produce a reduction by 21%.

The research, presented at the American Heart Association’s Scientific Sessions and published in The New England Journal of Medicine, aimed to assess the polypill’s effects when given along with aspirin. They also evaluated the effects of aspirin alone. The International Polycap Study (TIPS)-3 was a large, randomized, placebo-controlled trial that took place in 9 different countries. The study involved 5,700 people, who were all considered to be at risk of developing heart disease. 53% of participants were female, and the mean age was 64 years.

Participants were randomly assigned to different cohorts each receiving different pills and dosages. The cohort groups were: 75mg daily of aspirin; polypill for cholesterol and blood pressure medication; polypill and 75 mg of aspirin; and vitamin D 5000 IU daily. Each group had a corresponding control. Over a 5 year follow up, participants were monitored for the first occurrence of a major cardiovascular event including incidences of non-fatal heart attack, non-fatal stroke, heart failure, resuscitated cardiac arrest or cardiovascular death.

Analysis of the above cohorts found that: polypill alone reduced cardiovascular disease by 21%, aspirin alone resulted in a 14% reduction in major cardiovascular events and the combination of polypill and aspirin reduced cardiovascular disease by 31%. Salim Yusaf M.D., B.S., D. Phil Co-Author of the study and Professor of Medicine at McMaster University School of Medicine in Toronto, Canada said: ‘Our study results provide important data regarding the role of the polypill in preventing development of heart disease.

[The results show] aspirin should be prescribed with a polypill in a primary prevention for patients at intermediate risk of heart disease.’

Yusaf is hopeful for the future, adding; ‘use of a polypill plus aspirin can avert 3-5 million cardiovascular deaths globally. Future polypills, with newer statins, may reduce LDL cholesterol and blood pressure to greater extent and could reduce cardiovascular disease risk greater than 50%.’ Co-author Prem Pais, M.B.B.S., M.D., Professor in the Division of Clinical Research and Training at St. John’s Research Institute, commented: ‘We were also interested in evaluating if combining blood pressure and cholesterol reduction medications in a single pill would be effective for this population. This is a cost-effective strategy that could help meet global targets of reducing cardiovascular disease by 30% by 2030.’

These promising results suggest polypills may have a role either alone as a combination therapy with aspirin in the treatment of heart disease.

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SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

New study indicates that a regular dose of nature boosts mental health during COVID-19 pandemic Emma Williams Contributor

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he COVID-19 pandemic has negatively impacted public mental health in many ways: physical distancing and restrictions on the amount of time spent outdoors, as well as fears and anxiety of contracting the COVID-19 virus.

It has become necessary to find ways of improving public mental health during these dark times.

Consequently, Soga et al. created an online questionnaire to measure the link between experiences of nature (the frequency of greenspace use and green views through windows at home) and five mentalhealth outcomes (life satisfaction, self-esteem, loneliness, depression and anxiety, and subjective happiness).

Their hypothesis stated that nature around the home may play a key role in mitigating against the risk of adverse mental health outcomes. This stemmed from growing Our findings highlight the importance of improving overall sleep patterns to help prevent heart failure.”

Lu Qi, M.D., Ph.D, Obesity Research Center Director

empirical evidence of human health and well-being benefits of direct experiences with nature.

Completed by 3,000 adults in Tokyo, Japan, the questionnaire, which consisted of likert scales, confirmed that more frequent green-space use and the existence of green views from home windows are indeed associated with improvements in mental health in spite of the pandemic.

Specifically the connection reflected that increased experience and use of nature increased levels of life satisfaction, subjective happiness, and self-esteem, as well as decreasing loneliness, depression and anxiety levels.

Lead author Dr. Masashi Soga PhD, of The University of Tokyo, highlighted the importance of the study results in light of the pandemic: “Our results suggest that nearby nature can serve as a buffer in decreasing the adverse impacts of a very stressful event on humans,” adding, “protecting natural environments in urban areas is important not only for the conservation of biodiversity, but also for the protection of human health.”

It seems that the implications of this study will therefore have major implications for policy, as Soga et al. reflect, “knowing how “more immediate” (physically present in a natural environment) and “less im-

mediate” (viewing nature through a window) nature experiences are associated with improved mental health outcomes might allow us to design urban areas and naturebased interventions and programs

for “happier” urban populations”.

The positive effects of nature are significant, demonstrating the fact that even when a pandemic is not occurring - we could all do with spending more time outside in

green space.

The study also suggests that there should be more green spaces created within urban environments for the benefit of collective mental health.

which are able to analyse audio for gunshots up to 1km away. The sensors are then able to alert patrols.

This is a stark improvement on current options which use camera traps which are activated by movement.

However, this is limited to close range and is much more expensive, meaning it is inaccessible for many conservation efforts.

Conversely these audio sensors cost £50 each and are able to detect noise up to 1km away for 360 degree protection.

The technology has previously been used by police forces in the US and the West Midlands police force but has been removed from UK use due to technical difficulties; “One of the most challenging things with identifying gunshots is that the sound bounces off surface,”

explained Professor Mark Plumbley, from the University of Surrey’s Centre for Vision, Speech and Signal Processing. This may make it perfect for the wide parks and plains present in conservation. Reflecting on this potential use Plumbley added: “I think it is an excellent application of this technology, to use it in conservation, where there are big open spaces and less air pollution.

But there may still be vegetation of other things that get in the way”.

The technology was tested through a collaboration between Google Cloud and the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) where they placed 69 audio recordings around the Dja Fuanal Reserve in Cameroon for a month. This amounted to 267 days of continuous sounds which could be analysed by the AI

to detect gunshots and their respective location.

It is thought this could pinpoint hotspots for poachers which the team could subvert through targeted patrols and a planned response.

This was explained by Anthony Dancer, conservation technology lead at ZSL, who said: “Park staff can use [the information] to develop responses to those threats. Planning where to deploy partols in the areas and at the time of day where you most expect illegal activity”.

Whilst this is a great advancement in the field, the team have further goals with the hope the sensors could one day identify humans talking, to indicate poachers were present before guns have been fired.

This would reduce the amount of poaching able to take place and

would put conservationists a step ahead; this increased knowledge for conservationists may help them win the fight against poachers.

The head of customer engineering at Google, Omer Mahmood, added: “Animal poaching remains a global problem and with such catastrophic declines in some species, it’s an issue that cannot be ignored.”

“We’re committed to supporting ZSL and other conservation organisations with the best tools to tackle the current crisis,” he added.

This technology marks a major advance in the tools available to conservations in their fight against poachers. More technology gives them the upper hand and from this will help protect our animals. With current figures, these finds cannot come soon enough.

Breath of fresh air for researchers New study suggets that nature is benefcicial for mental health. For many during the COVID-19 pandemic, this will be good news.

Credit: Holly Giles

Gunshot tracking AI used to prevent animal poaching Holly Giles

Head of Science & Technology

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espite decades of education and efforts at prevention, the illegal wildlife trade is still estimated to be worth $20 billion annually, according to the WWF. It has led to dramatic population declines in species; elephants have been particularly targeted, as one of the “Big Five” of which 96 African Elephants are killed every day on average. Another example are tigers where in 1920 there were 100,000 of them and there are no only 3890.

However, new AI technology may have a role in counteracting poachers by teaching gunshots across nature reserves and safaris.

This technology relies on sensors

Huawei ban: Big fines for UK network law breakers Rowenna Hoskin Science Editor

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new security law is being unveiled on Tuesday which threatens technocratic organisations with large fines should they fail to comply with the tightened security.

The Telecommunications Security Bill bans the involvement of Chinese firm Huawei in the UK’s 5G mobile network.

Companies that fail to adhere to guidelines will face enormous fines, of which could be more than £100,000 a day.

The attempts to ban Huawei from the 5G network have been continu-

ing for more than a year, but this bill is the first step in banning the network within legislation, assuming Parliament passes it.

Governments will be given national security powers, allowing them to give instructions to big telecoms companies such as BT about using “high risk” vendors including Huawei.

A new measure contained within the draft law says that any company that does not live up to expectations will face heavy fines for failure. The threatened sum of £100,000 a day would only be used in the case of “continuing contravention”, the government said.

Ofcom, the communications regulator, will be given the job of polic-

ing the rules alongside new powers necessary to help it to do so.

This new law emerges after months of national and international political debates over the company’s threat to security and its alleged links to the Chinese state. Initially, the UK decided that Huawei equipment should be removed from the sensitive part of the core network, to make up a maximum of 35% of the non-core systems. The deadline was set to be 2023.

Amongst pressure from the United States, the plan was revised to order the complete removal of the Huawei kit from the entire 5G network by 2027.

“We are investing billions to roll out 5G and gigabit broadband

across the country, but the benefits can only be realised if we have full confidence in the security and resilience of our networks,” Digital Security Oliver Dowden said.

“This groundbreaking bill will give the UK one of the toughest telecoms security regimes in the world and allow us to take the action necessary to protect our networks.”

The security obligations are to include rules regarding who had access to the sensitive parts of the “core” network, how security audits were conducted and the ways in which customer data is protected, said The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS).

The technical director of the National Cyber Security Centre, Dr Ian

Levy, said “our national networks and operators need to know what is expected of them.”

He added: “we are committed to driving up standards, and this bill imposes new telecoms security requirements which will help operators make better risk-management decisions.”

These security concerns have been dismissed by Huawei. “This decision is politically motivated and not based on a fair evaluation of the risks,” said Huawei vice-president Victor Zhang.

“It does not serve anyone’s best interests as it would move Britain into the digital slow lane and put at risk the government’s levelling-up agenda.”

GWYDDONIAETH A THECHNOLEG

23

Scientist of the past & future: November 2020 Marconi: A pioneer in the development of radio technology

A review into the famous electrical engineer Guglielmo Marconi’s work on radio waves and a look ahead into how his work is being used in research today.

Jack Robert Stacey

Marconi never had a formal education in science and did poorly in school Marconi filed his first patent aged 22

Technology Editor

G

uglielmo Marconi was a pioneer in the development of radio wave technology and, as a result, is still regarded as one of the most famous inventors in human history.

Although he was not solely responsible for the creation of radio, Marconi’s efforts were fundamental in the creation of modern long-distance wireless communication.

Born into an affluent family in Bologna, Italy, Maroni demonstrated a unique aptitude for science and acquired an interest in the growing scientific field of electricity.

Following in the scientific research of Oliver Lodge and Heinrich Rudolf Hertz, he was educated by a private tutor at home and began to experiment with radio waves from an early age. Marconi, with the assistance of his butler, constructed a vast array of radio equipment in the attic of his parent’s home – Including a rudimentary storm alarm that sounded after receiving radio waves emitted by lightning.

After much studying and tinkering with his designs, Marconi’s premier breakthrough came through in the summer of 1895 when he transmitted a radio signal across a distance of 2 miles.

Radio waves, as scientists before Marconi had found, can be transmitted using an electrical current and act similarly to ripples on the surface of water.

Part of the electromagnetic spectrum, the frequency of these radio waves can be configured to communicate messages wirelessly over large distances. Long-distance radio waves, specifically, are able to diffract (or bend) around the curvature of the earth, so can communicate over very large distances.

Aided by the findings of other scientific figures, Maroni concluded that by increasing the height of his antenna and concentrating the signal of electrical energy, his system would be capable of transmitting over greater expanses of land. Recognising the commercial value of his apparatus, Marconi moved to England to obtain funding from a large group of investors and sought a patent for his design.

Marconi’s inventions proved to be highly profitable in England, expanding the interest in science’s ability to create and develop new methods of communication.

The prospect of which, perhaps, is emphasised best by Marconi himself: “If we consider what science has already enabled men to know-the immensity of space, the fantastic philosophy of the stars, the infinite smallness of the composition of atoms, […] We remain astounded by

10 Facts on Marconi’s life:

Marconi was only 35 when he was awarded the nobel prize, making him one of the youngest nobel laureates Marconi was the first inventor-entrepreneur to win the Nobel Prize in Physics Marconi's wireless systems saved 700 lives when the Titanic sank A Snapshot with Marconi: 1922 – Marconi (right) pictured with Dr. W.R. Whitney and Dr. Irving Langmuir.

Source: Bain News Service (via Library of Congress) the enormous machinery of the universe” Shortly after establishing the Marconi Telegraph Company, in December 1901, Maroni transmitted the first wireless message across the Atlantic Ocean. From a station in Poldhu, Cornwall, Marconi sent the letter “S” using Morse-code to a military base in Newfoundland, Canada. Travelling over 320 km, the message disproved the prominent theory that the curvature of the Earth would disrupt the transmission.

Continuing in this line of transatlantic research, Maroni eventually installed two wireless stations at opposite ends of the Atlantic, carrying messages between Clifden, Ireland, and Glace Bay, Canada. The most powerful of Marconi’s communication systems was later fitted onto the RMS Titanic, saving around 700 lives as the distress call was received and responded to by distant boats and other water craft.

In commemoration for his work in the field of wireless communication, Maroni shared the 1909 Nobel Prize in Physics with German physicist Karl Ferdinand Braun. Interestingly, during his acceptance speech for the award, Marconi admitted that he didn’t really know how his invention worked.

Reflecting on this in later life, Marconi questioned his work in the development of radio wave communication, postulating: “Have I done

the world good, or have I added a menace?”

Although it has been almost 125 since the development of the first instrument capable of sending a longdistance radio transmission, for Dr. Saptarshi Bandyopadhyay, a Robotics Technologist operating at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), the pioneering work of Marconi and other key figures in the scientific community remains to be a fundamental part of his modern-day research.

Speaking to Gair Rhydd on previous developments in radio communication technology, Dr. Bandyopadhyay commented that: “Of course radio communication has brought the entire world closer, and is arguable one of the greatest technological inventions that has led to our present-day highly-connected globalized world. Moreover, radio science has significantly helped to improve our understanding of the Universe, by helping us explore the entire electromagnetic spectrum” Following the continued research of scientists at Nasa’s JPL, Dr. Bandyopadhyay has recently proposed his vision for a Lunar Crater Radio Telescope (or LCRT) which, in time, could be constructed inside of a large impact crater on the Moon’s surface.

His concept for the ultra-long wave radio telescope, briefly outlined in a recent blog post, would be capable of observing “the universe

at wavelengths greater than 10m (i.e., frequencies below 30MHz)” – This represents a barrier to ongoing scientific studies, limiting the scope of research that astronomers can conduct.

The Earth’s Moon, as Dr. Bandyopadhyay highlights, would act similarly to “a physical shield” and would isolate “the lunar-surface telescope on the far-side from radio interferences”, such as Earth-orbiting satellites and the “Sun’s radio noise during the lunar night”.

Therefore, by embedding the telescope in a crater on the distant side of the moon, it would be able to break through the research barrier and could detect wavelengths that “are hitherto largely unexplored by humans”.

The Lunar Crater Radio Telescope, currently only in very early stages of development, is proposed to measure 1km in diameter which, if fully realised, would make it the largest filled-aperture radio telescope in the Solar System.

However, as new technological developments are only beginning to extend humanity’s reach towards the stars, the “feasibility of the LCRT concept” is yet to be proven.

In our modern, hyper-connected world, radio has become an integral part of worldwide forms of communication and, due in part to Guglielmo Marconi and other key scientific figures, the technology continues to see development for future use.

Marconi's predictions about modern communication were met with criticism, but most almost entirely correct Marconi was involved in the founding of the BBC in England, and NBC in America For much of his late life, Marconi lived on a 220-foot yacht christened 'Elettra' (meaning 'spark').

When Marconi died, radio stations all over the world stopped broadcasting for one hour Franklin D Rosevelt, 32nd President, called Marconi one of the four "great sons of Italian people"

24

@CAERDYDD

YOUR Tributes paid to Veteran David Edwards @CAERDYDD Welsh D-Day veteran and Peace activist from Abergavenny dies aged 95 DESK T Fflur Trevor

@Caerdydd Editor

Natalie Graham

Fflur Trevor caerdydd@gairrhydd.com

ributes have been paid to Welsh World War two veteran who “taught peace” to French and Welsh children for decades. During lockdown, Sir Tom Moore became a household name as he raised over £32 million for the NHS by doing laps in his garden, and was later knighted. However, Sir Tom has not been the only veteran to make headlines for doing good deeds, an Abergavenny Veteran, David Edwards, who died recently after a short illness, aged 95, was renowned for his peace work.

When the war finished in 1945, experts estimate that almost 3 million British soldiers had joined the army which included approximately 300,000 Welsh men. At age 19, David Edwards signed up to join the 2nd battalion Monmouthshire regiment, 53 Welsh division, and fought alongside thousands of other soldiers to liberate Nazi occupied France.

It took the German forces six weeks to occupy France during World War Two and remained under Nazi occupation from 1940 until 1944. The swift invasion and occupation of France was a humiliating defeat for the French. It became the largest military power to come under occupation as a part of the Western front. The mortifying defeat was a result of divided French political elite and lack of military leadership.

Moreover, the rapid invasion raised

concern for Great Britain, who feared they may suffer the same fate.

However, the battle of Britain took place in almost six months after France was occupied and invasion was avoided.

It would be until 1944 before France was liberated in the D-Day landings in Normandy- a mission where David Edwards was a solider.

Whilst sheltering in a ruined building, he noticed a picture of house among the debris, picked it up and kept it. Mr Edwards later said in an interview in 2014, “I just picked it up and kept it, you know as a kind of souvenir of the war, something to remember the place by,” Although, he was wounded in 1944 he returned to the front- just as his unit was fighting through the Netherlands and Germany. Subsequently, he returned to Abergavenny and became a policeman for 30 years.

After his retirement, he returned to Normandy for the 40th anniversary of D-day. While Mr Edwards was in Normandy, he decided to trace the house in the photograph he had kept. A villager named, Jean-Louis le Gaffe recognised it as his family’s home which led to a four-decade friendship between the men, the village and the local school. In 2000, a local school was named, EdwardsGriffiths school as a tribute to David Edwards and Normandy veteran/ fellow ex-soldier Tom Griffiths for their work of promoting peace and understanding.

In retirement Mr Edwards filled

his time by regularly visiting Normandy, speaking to the pupils about his experience of the war and how he fought to liberate their country.

Ms de Pechy, Headteacher of Edwards-Griffiths said, “He was a beautiful soul and no doubt a great man - he leaves a legacy of tolerance and I think his legacy continues for many, many years.”

she started My Discombobulated Brain.

Once Laura began speaking out about her mental health, she realised that other people were in the same situation and also suffering.

Laura wanted people to realise that they weren’t alone, and just by talking it can make a huge difference.

Laura has previously and continues to do a lot of work with Cardiff University Medical School. She is a regular speaker at the Winter and Summer School of Psychiatry Medical Day. She also leads sessions on Psychiatry and mental health in film as a service user and charity founder.

Caerphilly based My Discombobulated Brain is taking the fight to the community, visiting schools and workplaces to help get the conversation started around mental health and the stigma attached to it.

With 1 in 4 people suffering from a mental health condition, whether you suffer directly or know someone who does, everyone has a story to share. Hence why the charity only ever use real people’s stories told from their point of view, in order to help others see that they are not alone.

My Discombobulated Brain has recently teamed up with Member of Senedd Jack Sargeant. Jack Sargeant is an active campaigner in support of World Suicide Prevention Day, having started his own initiative called ‘The 84’, named after the 84 men who take their own lives each week in the UK. Sargeant himself lost his father Carl to suicide in November 2017.

Jack Sargeant previously stated in a 2019 debate on suicide prevention, that after his father’s death he now finds it difficult to get up in the

2018 found that the number of people taking their own lives was staggering. “Some days these ripples will be small and sometimes we make progress and other days I struggle to get out of bed”, Mr Sargeant told the BBC in 2019.

The Alyn and Deeside AM added: “As members know, I try to speak openly about this issue, because I know that there are others suffering in silence.”No matter how hard it is, I will continue to speak out. It’s what Dad would’ve wanted, it’s what he would’ve done”.

Francis Thyme told, “The stress and strain of the last year has drained us all and is undoubtedly having a negative impact on our mental health, which if left unchecked can end in tragedy. That is why it is so important that we end the stigma and ensure that people feel comfortable talking about their mental health.”

To encourage more people to begin talking about their mental health, Sargeant teamed up with Laura and the team at My Discombobulated Brain to get people talking about their mental health, with the simple message that it is okay not to be okay.

My Discombobulated Brain has been carrying out Mental Health drop-in sessions at The Pendragon Pub in Thornhill for over two years.

Here, a team member will sit at a table and welcome anyone who wants to have a chat. The team makes it a comfortable situation, where it is easy for anyone to open up.

David Edwards died at home in Abergavenny having lived an incredible life and is survived by his wife of over 70 years, Dianne.

One of his sons, Chris said, “Dad always said ‘freedom’ was a very powerful word, but the first four letters - free - is a bit of a misnomer, because he said freedom will always cost”.

David Edwards: The World War Two veteran and Peace activist is being mourned after his recent and sudden death.

Credit: (via Pick Pik)

Shop independent charity tackling mental health stigma this Christmas Caerphilly-based sues during both of her pregnancies, morning. A cross-party report from are currently looking at the best way Natalie Graham

Head of @Caerdydd

T

he first frost of the autumn has fallen and Christmas lights adorn the streets.

Christmas has subtly crept in. 2020 has seen us break with many of our personal and national traditions, however Christmas shopping is one of the festive staples we can rely on.

Amazon undeniably oozes convenience. However the pandemic has seen the near decimation of the independent business sector, so this Christmas I would urge you to shop locally. They have ethics, most embrace fair trade, the idea of sustainability, environmentally friendly and are conscious employers. Cardiff has an abundance of amazing independents for you to Christmas shop at this year.

Eartha; found on City Road stocks house plants, produce and a variety of products that support creatives and buisnesses in Cardiff, Eartha also stocks a host of gifts made by independent makers.

Penylan Pantry; located in Roath, the pantry makes it their business to support local producers. This Christmas they are curating unique produce hampers, perfect for your foodie friends Flipside records; also located in Roath, Flipside is a brand new independent record store selling new vinyl and turntables Shelflife; in Womanby Street’s Castle Emporium, is a not-forprofit radical bookshop that stocks a host of independent publishers and DIY zine makers. Shelflife is perfect to pick up thoughtful and thought-provoking gifts.

Natalie Graham

Head of @Caerdydd

M

y Discombobulated Brain aims to tackle the stigma associated with mental health head-on while offering a source of peer-to-peer support and education to those who are affected by these issues.

It came about from an experience of what it was like to watch someone you love have mental health issues, watching the stigma they receive and are scared of and then experiencing it personally. The charity aims to use personal experiences to help get the conversation started, share stories and be there to listen and support others with mental health conditions.

The charities key aims are; To educate young people and the significant adults in their lives how to have a reciprocal conversation about mental health and provide tools to help people recognise and approach the topic of mental health between people. They aim to raise awareness about mental health issues, and to help society overcome the stigma attached to mental health through different mediums.

Attempts are made to provide insight and guidance to both public and private organisations on their approach to mental health and how to support each other and to collaborate with like-minded people, charities and businesses to achieve our goals.

My Discombobulated Brain is the invention of founder Laura Jane Dernie, a mother of two and freelance personal assistant. After losing her best friend Jon at 18 to suicide, then experiencing mental health is-

The success of this has moved the charity to set up sessions at Newport County’s Bar Amber and they

to roll these out across the country.

Sargeant noted, “I have also been working with various football clubs across Wales, to spread the word that talking helps. Convincing players and staff from Newport County, Cardiff City, and my local team Connah’s Quay Nomads, to speak openly with me on camera and encourage fans to chat about their feelings.

Laura Jane Dernie, the founder of My Discombobulated Brain, set up the charity to tackle the stigma of mental health head-on, while offering a source of support and education. With the benefit of talking shown through real stories, shared across the charity’s Instagram page and website.”

People using their own experiences to break down barriers is becoming more prominent across all social media platforms, with more and more people being open online.

How do we go about reaching these hard-to-reach groups where the culture is not always one of engagement and is often one of “banter” that can sometimes tip over into bullying?

My Discombobulated Brains believes the answer is “to go to them and meet where they go to relax and talk – at football and the pub. Just as a reminder that no one is ever alone and the benefits of a simple chat.”

There are an abundance of ways you can get involved with the charity. Whether you’re looking for mental health support for yourself or others. You can attend drop in sessions or look at the links provided to the charities latest talks.

My Discombobulated Brain are continually reviewing helpful resources to support you or someone you known through a rough time.

FEEL UNSAFE AND HAVEN’T GOT THE CASH TO GET HOME? Call Dragon Taxis on 029 20 333 333 quoting ‘Cardiff University Safe Taxi Scheme’, giving your name and student number.

cardiffstudents.com/safetaxi

26

SPORT

YOUR Lewis Hamilton: the greatest British athlete ever?

SPORT DESK V After securing his seventh Formula One title, we examine Hamiltons career and his significance to the sport Will Parry

Contributor

Tom Walker

Freddie Bennett

Ella Fenwick

Ben Lovell-Smith sport@gairrhydd.com

ictory at The Turkish Grand Prix on November 15 secured Lewis Hamilton, the first black Formula One driver the sport has ever seen, the 2020 Driver’s Championship. This was title number seven for the Briton, equalling the legendary Michael Schumacher’s record. A magnificent achievement, one nobody thought possible For anyone, let alone Hamilton.

The success of the Stevenage born driver has spanned across his 13 year career in the sport. The first championship came in 2008, a year after Hamilton burst onto the scene with a record-breaking rookie season.

Hamilton’s aggressive and erratic style of his driving quickly feared many in the sport, and angered many too. One being teammate Fernando Alonso in 2008, when the two shared infamous spats which dampened the narrative around his success on the track and would follow him throughout his career.

Success has not been guaranteed for Hamilton. It would take six years and a constructor transfer, before he would have his hands on the title again.

Hamilton shocked the world by leaving McLaren for Mercedes, a relatively unsuccessful name in Formula One to date without a single Constructors’ championship, with Alain Prost being their only previous racer to win a Driver’s Championship back in 1954 and 1955.

The first year at Mercedes was not pretty. Hamilton had some success winning the Hungarian Grand Prix in 2013, but the season had passed with Hamilton ending the championship in fourth, the third time in five years. The big gamble on Mercedes had not started well.

2014 was the year where he would prove the doubters wrong. New regulations in the sport saw him rise through the darkness. 16 victories from 19 secured Hamilton his second crown. The six-year wait was over. But again, the victory was clouded by incidents with teammate Nico Rosberg, a rivalry that would only intensify over the next few years, eventually coming to a head in 2015.

Under the encouragement of Mercedes, the campaign was fiercely contested by the two. The season was on the line going into the US Grand Prix. Victory secured in a wheel-towheel finish with Hamilton taking

the win on the line helped to secure title number three for the Briton, an brilliant achievement that put him level with F1 icon Ayrton Senna.

A series of errors, including the famous engine failure in Malaysia, would cost Hamilton the 2016 title, opening the door for teammate Rosberg to claim victory for the Germans in his first and only Championship.

The Mercedes replacement, Valtteri Bottas, proved to be the perfect partner for Hamilton’s latter career.

The Finnish native was happy to play second fiddle to Hamilton, finishing races behind him and helping him fend off title charges from Sebastian Vettel, allowing the Briton to secure title number four and five in 2017 and 2018. Mechanical errors by Ferrari certainly played a role in Vettel’s failure as they seemed to crumble by the mid-way point, paving an easier road to victory for Hamilton.

The success did not stop there.

The maturity of driving and his prowess in wet conditions meant the title count would surpass five.

Silver Arrows teammate Bottas coupled with Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, putting Hamilton to the test but to no prevail, as he made it four titles in a four, with two more victories in 2019 and 2020, taking his total to seven championships. One of the highlights being victory in

Portugal, his 92nd Formula One victory, eclipsing Schumacher’s 91-win record.

Victory in Turkey had ended a season whereby Hamilton achieved more than just success on the track, leading social justice battles within the traditional exclusive sport in the name of Black Lives Matter.

Drivers taking a knee, Mercedes car replacing the silver for black and a commission pushing for the increased diversity at every level of the sport, have all been heralded by Hamilton himself. This challenged the historically white and affluent history of the sport, in favour of a more progressive stance. Top billing on the podium for The Powerlist, presenting the most influential people of African, African Caribbean and African American heritage. A huge honour.

Will the honours stop there for

Hamilton? The Times have reported that the record equalling driver will be given a knighthood by the Queen for his achievements. The thirtyfive-year-old has also received backing from the Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, for the monumental achievement. This would eclipse the MBE he received in 2009 and something Hamilton stated himself would be his “greatest achievement”.

Following all his successes, Lewis Hamilton can be considered one of Britain’s best sporting exports. Formula One is often unfairly treated when weighed up to the successes of Andy Murray, Bobby Moore and Jessica Ennis-Hill who are deemed more marketable. None of these will be remembered for having the dominance over their respective sports as Hamilton has had.

For Formula One fans, expect to see Hamilton continue his success on the track with Mercedes. His contract was due to expire at the end of the 2020 season, but talks remain largely positive for an extension.

The only thing stopping Hamilton would be a complete change of direction by Toto Wolff, team principal of Mercedes, which seems highly unlikely. There are no signs of retirement from the Briton who will be desperate to secure that record breaking eighth title, making it difficult to deny Hamilton to be the greatest of all time.

which is fewer.

Whilst, indoors stadiums in tiers one and two will be allowed to host up to 1,000 fans or half of their maximum capacity, depending on which is fewer.

But both indoor and outdoors stadiums in tier three areas - seen as very high risk - will have to continue to hold events behind closed doors.

Most areas are tier two or three, meaning that just half of the Premier League’s 20 clubs are able to welcome back fans. Whilst eight of the twelve Gallagher Premiership clubs are facing a tier twp lockdown and therefore will be allowed a maximum of 2,000 fans in attendance. Leicester Tigers, Sale Sharks, Bristol Bears and Wasps must all wait for a change in their tier before they can expect any sort of crowd. This is fantastic news for many professional sports clubs, who rely on the support

of their adoring fans not only for revenue but to enhance performance on the pitch. Premier League clubs, such as Newcastle and Liverpool, are renowned for rambunctious support and intimidating atmospheres when they play at home. This is commonly referred to as the 12th man, and is a powerful weapon for such clubs.

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp was happy to hear the news but was extremely critical of the government’s handling of the situation. Arguing that larger stadiums should be allowed to take in more fans if conducted in a safe and secure manner.

It seems that for teams who function on emotional drive, rather than necessarily pure footballing ability, results may have taken a downturn behind closed doors. Perhaps this is why clubs such as Sheffield United and Burnley

have struggled in the post-lockdown Premier League.

Studies have shown in the past the influence that home fans can have on football matches through pressure put on the referee. Evidence suggests that referees award more injury time when the home team is losing and less when the home team is winning. Thereby shortening or lengthening the game in favour of the home team, and this is affected by how many fans are present.

But it is not just the fans that make a difference when playing away, other factors do apply. The length of time it takes to arrive at an unfamiliar stadium, the comfort of the journey and upsets to routines are all factors which can unsettle a player playing away from home.

Some clubs opt for different sized pitches for instance, or the length of

the grass may be different. Away dressing rooms can be significantly more uncomfortable than home ones. Poor seating in team buses can increase chances of back injury of a period of time. This is particular applicable for teams who cannot afford world class facilities, so that teams further down the football pyramid may suffer.

Therefore although fans are certainly a contributing factor to changing results at home, they are not the only disturbing factor for an away team.

The absence of fans from stadiums has been excruciating watching and listening for many purist football fans.

It also may have influenced results in both the 2019/20 and 2020/21 seasons.

The reintroduction of fans into stadiums does not bring an end to such scenarios, but it is certainly a step in the direction of normality.

On track for greatness: Lewis Hamilton posing at Silverstone in 2018 Source: Jen Ross (via Wikimedia Commons)

The success did not stop there. The maturity of driving and his prowess in wet conditions meant the title count would surpass five.

Will Parry

Fans will return, but there will be no celebrations for the purists just yet Ben Lovell-Smith Sport Editor

O

n Monday, Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced his post lockdown plans for England, including a much anticipated green light for fans to return to the stadiums.

However, stadiums will be filled to nowhere near full capacity and the situation will be completely dependent on the tier system which has become much more stringent.

From December 2, outdoor stadiums in tier one areas will be allowed to hold up to 4,000 socially-distanced fans or half of their maximum capacity, depending on which is fewer.

Outdoor stadiums in tier two areas - viewed to be high risk - can welcome up to 2,000 spectators or half of their maximum capacity, depending on

CHWARAEON

New era of sports in the first season of the BADASS University All Stars tournament Ella Fenwick Sport Editor

P

opularity of Esports has rapidly grown over the past year, and with many sporting events being replaced during the pandemic with the esports equivalent, BADASS University All Stars launched their first season on November 23.

The season will take place over three weeks, with three rounds of double eliminations, each team will be gaining points depending on placement. At the end of the three rounds the top two teams will be revealed as the winners.

Students from 12 different universities are to compete head to head weekly in a professional setting through an LAN format, using Rainbow Six Siege programming.

Cardiff University are one of those to be involved in the new season and will be represented by students Joseph Clarke, Joe Baxendale and Caryk Murley over the course of the tournament.

The program was introduced to create a diverse and inclusive environment for students who can either be involved as an athlete themselves but can also be part of the production, graphics, social media or casting, giving students an opportunity to experience areas they would not necessarily get elsewhere.

Lily Richards, being brand new to the Esports scene began working with the BADASS University All Stars team to work on bringing students this new and exciting event to their campuses.

After the pandemic, Richards noticed many people were becoming

more involved with gaming and esports as a way of socialising. Unlike other online forums it allowed a lot more interactivity between people, which had been stopped for many by the outbreak of COVID-19.

This inspired the All Stars team to create this event for students to keep connected and meet other people through shared interests or to even try something new that seems to be growing in the sporting world.

“Students that join university, if they are not at pro-level Esports then this is the tournament for them, so they can carry on their love for Esports, playing with other people and meeting other people.”

We know that Esports is becoming a booming industry, a lot of people are getting into it and although it has a long way to go I believe it will reach the same levels as other sports.

Lily Richards “We know that Esports is becoming a booming industry, a lot of people are getting into it and although it has a long way to go I believe it will reach the same levels as other sports. This is the perfect time to really change perceptions of Esports because the training and the teamwork and everything that goes into

27

TEAM TALK

C

ardiff University’s rowing club is one of the few university sports clubs to have been able to celebrate competitive success from a number of its teams in 2020.

On 21st November the club took part in an inter-university competition which combined the Welsh Rowing Virtual Championships and the Scottish Student Sport Indoor Rowing Championships. This was a competition which allowed competitors to compete under the current coronavirus guidelines, through rowing machines linked up to the internet.

CURC achieved victory in the senior women’s heavyweight and lightweight divisions, as well as in the senior men’s lightweight division. An outstanding success for the club. Of the six novice women who entered from Cardiff, all On the rise: Esports has gained huge popularity over the last few years finished in the top ten.

Afterall, it has been a long time since Source: Chongkian (via Wikimedia Commons) any of the club’s teams were able to Esports is the same that goes into “The next step ideally would have compete. You can almost hear Club normal sporting, so this is what we been going ahead in arenas but at President Morgan Moriarty’s cogs want to showcase.” the moment it is currently being turning as he strains to remember the last proper rowing competition for Although Esports might be quite streamed on Twitch. new to many universities, Richards The bigger picture would be hav- the club. “I think the last senior men’s encourages people to get involved ing music artists involved and have event was ‘Head of the Taff ’ in Janudespite any existing perceptions a proper event, taking it round dif- ary. Whilst the novices got to race at they might have; “I think it is easy ferent universities and in big cities, Gloucester in February, joined by the to think of it is just simple gaming making it more of an event that stu- senior women.”

Subsequently, the club was forced and only young boys take it on but dents can get involved in.” there are so many different people There has always been a large to innovate its training. Over the first from different backgrounds and a debate around the treatment of es- lockdown and the summer, club memlot of women getting into Esports ports being accepted and appre- bers compared their training over strawhich should be encouraged more. ciated in the sporting world, but va. Whilst a number of seniors were You don’t need to be at a pro level Richards remains positive about the able to train at their home clubs, not in one type of game, you can be a future of Esports and how it will de- all members had access to such facilities. It is therefore impressive that the casual gamer, or you can even just velop over time; watch it.”

“There is a long way to go to bring club has been able to return to success Richards has her hopes set high it up to the same level as other sports so quickly.

The club is broken down into five for the introduction of this event are at, but it is something that is reand is looking to expand it further ally accessible to a lot of people. I squads. Men and women both have a with the success of the first season, think integrating it into schools and senior and novice squad each and the hoping to involve more universities universities more is definitely the fifth squad is made up of the coxes.

Moriarty stresses the importance of to enhance the event’s prestige. way forward.” the cox within the squad, as well as the boat, “the Cox’s role is unique, they can almost become coaches, they steer the boats, carry out the racing plan and make technical pointers. They are crucial.”

However, the most successful squad is the senior women who are among a select few that can claim to have never lost at Welsh varsity. A record that the squad will work tirelessly to maintain.

As president, Moriarty is ambitious, “one of my biggest aspirations as president would be to achieve a varsity grand slam, that’s always on the cards for us but we haven’t had one of those in quite a while.”

If current restrictions continue and the Welsh government still won’t relax the two metre rule for outdoor sport, it is possible that more competitions, inLook to the future: A big year ahead for WRU. cluding Varsity, may have to be carried Source: Ben Salter (via Flickr) out online. “If we had to we could go Rugby Union CEO Steve Phillips national rugby and for these players online, I think that would be a feasible said. to have the chance to compete in alternative.”

“The current pandemic has im- New Zealand will be amazing on sevAcross the club, the men have taken pacted all areas of our organisation eral levels.” to growing moustaches for Movember. along with the rest of the sporting The experience and knowledge of A charity which aims to raise awareness and entertainment world. both Warren Abrahams and Rachel for men’s health issues. “It’s a nice way “However, it is vital women’s sport Taylor will undoubtedly help the to get the men’s squads to bond, and in is not disproportionately affected Welsh team get closer to where they this way addresses the stigma of mental and we took the important decision want to be. “We have an opportunity health directly. With the demands of to continue with the planned invest- to do something very special in the the sport, it is important that we are as ments into the women’s game.” next 12 months and beyond,” said conscious as possible about people who The team they are taking over is in Abrahams. struggle with their mental health.” need of some big changes. Following “It’s my first international 15s head As well as raising money for a good a Six Nations campaign where they coach role at this level, but I feel cause, Movember is also a reminder to failed to win a game, eyes are set on I’ve seen, experienced and learned club members that it is important they the 2021 World Cup in New Zealand, enough to create a high-performance look after each other. “We worry that where they have been drawn in the environment that provides memora- people take on too much from rowsame group as the hosts, and Aus- ble experiences.” Abrahams said. ing or uni or that some people put too tralia.

“We have around 38 weeks before much pressure on themselves to do “Having been to three Rugby we’re due to get on a plane to New well. We all go through a stressful point World Cups as a player, I saw how Zealand which is not long, but in the at some part of the year, it feels good for much the competition developed current climate we have to cherish the club to acknowledge that it is okay each time.” Taylor explains. the time and resources we have as to talk about it.”

“It’s the pinnacle of women’s inter- you never know what’s in store.”

Warren Abrahams becomes WRU’s first Black coach Tom Walker

Head of Sport

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ith his appointment as Wales’ women’s team, Warren Abrahams has become the first ever black coach within the Welsh Rugby Union.

He will be responsible for both the 15s and sevens programmes. The South African will take over from Rowland Phillips, after Chris Horsman had held the reins in his absence.

Abraham had been preparing the USA women’s sevens team as assistant coach for the Olympics scheduled for 2020 before the pandemic enforced its postponement and accordingly lost his job due to financial problems within the USA rugby organisation.

“It’s been incredibly hard,” Abrahams said on losing his job. “You’ve been in a position only weeks ago where you were in a pretty cool spot, in terms of preparing your team for the pinnacle for anyone involved in sevens the Olympics.”

The majority of Abrahams professional coaching career has been in the sevens game, previously working with England’s men’s sevens team.

“This is a hugely exciting time to be part of the Wales Women programme and we have an opportunity to do something very special in the next 12 months and beyond,” said Abrahams.

“It’s my first international 15s head coach role at this level but I feel

I’ve seen, experienced and learned enough to create a high performance environment that provides memorable experiences.

The social justice movements that have dominated 2020 have encouraged a level of introspection across the sporting landscape.

Despite a large percentage of players across England and Wales’ elite levels of rugby being BAME representation, Paul Hull is the only Black head coach or director of rugby in Premiership history, having been in charge of Bristol between 2009 and 2011.

The appointment of Abrahams is a refreshing selection by the WRU and can hopefully go on to be a catalyst for more black coaches within the international game.

“It’s now an opportunity for others to see it’s possible,” the South African explained. “I always believe if you can see it, you can dream it and if you can dream it, you can be it.

“I want to be a role model, not just for black and ethnic minorities, I want to be a role model for everyone who aspires to achieve great things.”

To partner Abrahams on the coaching team is Rachel Taylor, who becomes the WRU’s first national female coach, with the former Wales captain being appointed as the women’s national skills coach on a full time basis.

“Warren Abrahams and Rachel Taylor are key, strategic appointments for us, not only for women’s rugby in Wales but in terms of our standing in the global game,” Wales

Reporting by Ben Lovell-Smith

Lewis Hamilton:

Does winning his seventh Formula 1 title put him in the annals of greatness page 26

SPORT CHWARAEON Launch of new university Esports tournament ESPORTS

Ella Fenwick

Sport Editor

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ith the rising popularity of Esports, BADASS University All Stars launched their new program introducing their first ever Esports season. Over the course of the next three weeks, 12 university teams will be going head to head in challenges, in a professional setting using the Rainbow Six Siege programming. Lily Richards, part of the BADASS team and new to the Esports scene, talks about the booming of the industry and why students should get involved on campus. Richards takes a look into how they expect to expand the event and believes we will see a rise of Esports in the sporting world.

Continued on page 27

The return of fans to sports arenas FANDOM

Ben Lovell-Smith Sport Editor Future Plans: Animation of the expected work to be done at Llanrumney. Credit: Avante Architects and Cardiff University.

New Llanrumney Sport Centre Development plans announced Freddie Bennett Sport Editor

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ardiff University have announced plans for a new development of the Llanrumney sport centre. With a greater range of facilities due to be constructed, this is an exciting time for the future of sport at Cardiff University.

Many students will be aware of the 33 acre Llanrumney Sport site as it is where many Athletic Union teams call home for BUCS fixtures and training.

The facility currently houses only one third generation (3G) football pitch, alongside six football pitches, three rugby pitches as well as a few other facilities. While this has been an excellent facility for many sports, the site has not been without its problems. The lack of more all-weather 3G pitches has been an issue for the site as it means when the normal pitches are water-logged it has been difficult to keep games on. This has been one of the key factors in the University’s decision to upgrade the site and ensure that sports can go ahead more consist-

ently, even in bad weather.

Head of Cardiff University Sport, Stuart Vanstone, and his colleagues have been working hard over the last 18-24 months to get the new plans off the ground, gaining help from Cardiff Council and Championship side Cardiff City Football Club. The new-look site will see an additional three 3G pitches added meaning that sport can go ahead not just on ‘’all weather but all floodlit pitches’’, Vanstone said.

With light being an issue in the winter months the presence of floodlights will enable sport to continue as normal. This exciting future for university sport means that fewer games will face the annoyance of abandonment and teams, Vanstone assures, will be able to ‘’regularly train and play sport’’.

These new plans do not just involve the university sports teams.

With the addition of many more training and playing facilities, Cardiff City FC have got 16 acres of the site on a long term lease.

This is so that they can relocate their academy setup to the Llanrumney site.

The link-up with Cardiff Council

and Cardiff City FC has enabled the development to come into fruition.

Vanstone felt ‘‘it wouldn’t have been possible’’ without the team effort from the local council and football side.

With student sports still in progress at the current Llanrumney site, Vanstone wanted to assure those involved in sports teams that there are no disruptions planned as the new work will be phased. Meaning that the construction ‘’will not displace’’ any current commitments to sporting teams at the University.

The work itself is not underway just yet. There is still a long way to go before the work will be completed but Vanstone has said the team are ‘‘meeting with architects this week’’ to look at how the plans will come together. However, these plans will not just impact university sports teams and Cardiff City FC. Much like with the current facility, students who do not participate in a university sport team will be able to reserve pitches which gives all students access to a fantastic range of facilities not too far from Cardiff University.

The future developments will also

positively impact the area. Vanstone mentions that there are a ‘’number of hours each week’’ which will be devoted to youth football and Sunday leagues. This will allow for the site to be well embedded in the local community and will provide a great space for the future of sport in South Wales to develop. These exciting new plans for Cardiff University Sport will allow for future students, and many non-students to enjoy their sport in a range of brand new facilities.

Sport is such an important part of university and local community life, so it is encouraging to see the team -work of the university, the local council and Cardiff City FC and I am sure there are many who are excited to see the results. With Cardiff City FC moving to the site as well, Llanrumney could quickly become a centre for quality sports in South Wales.

For now, there remains a lot of hoops to get through until the construction is completed but there is plenty of anticipation surrounding the plans and hopefully we will get to see what the new site will offer very soon.

For more breaking sports news, visit www.gairhydd.com/sport

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fter an excruciating wait for football fanatics and purist onlookers, Boris Johnson has finally announced that fans may return to stadiums from December 2nd. However, it is not a return to normality by any stretch of the imagination. No premier league or Gallagher Premiership Club will have any more than 2,000 fans in attendance and their participation has been restricted somewhat. The influence of fans may therefore be considered minimal but it is without doubt a step in the right direction.

Continued on page 26

Team Talk: Cardiff University Rowing Club ROWING

Ben Lovell-Smith Sport Editor

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n this week’s edition of Team Talk we take a look at the Cardiff University Rowing Club and their celebrated successes over the 2020 season. Morgan Moriarty, President of the Club, reminisced through the achievements of both the men and women’s squads last year before the outbreak of COVID-19 . The men’s team has also been taking part in Movember in order to raise awareness of men’s mental health and other male health issues.

Continued on page 27