gair rhydd y
gair rhydd | freeword Cardiff ’s student weekly Issue 1064 Monday 9th November 2015 Also in this issue
Advice: Making use of the Skills Development Service P9>>
What a Flux up! Chaos outside Y Plas as Halloween queues overwhelm bouncers
Comment: What does the poppy really commemorate? P10>>
t Flux advised attendees to arrive early but security not in place in time t Student tells Gair Rhydd: “Someone could have been seriously injured” t Students’ Union apologises over “unprecedented” nature of incident
Toby Holloway and Anna Lewis
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ardiff University students were left outraged on Saturday night after a dangerous crush occurred at Halloween Flux. No serious injuries occurred, although many students reported incidents of shoving, punching and aggressive bouncers, as the queue into Y Plas nightclub swelled to unmanageable levels. On a busy night of Halloween celebrations, students were left queuing outside the Students’ Union doors and onto the pavement for hours late into the night. With hundreds arriving as early as 9:30pm in an attempt to secure last minute tickets. Queuing issues were exacerbated by the fact that Y Plas did not open its doors until 10pm. Anger was caused as a message
was posted on the Flux Facebook page warning students: “a very limited number [of tickets] will be available on the door-arrive early to avoid disappointment.” However, in a statement made by the Students’ Union, a spokesperson attributed the confusion to “unclear promotional posts”, and did not take responsibility for the chaos. The spokesperson for the Union did however acknowledge that “significant delays” were caused” to those at the rear of the queue and those at the front experienced pushing and shoving as the crowd surged forward.” The incident was described as “unprecedented” and the Students’ Union “sincerely apologise” for the problem. Queues increased rapidly as bouncers didn’t arrive at the club doors until 10pm, leaving hundreds
of students standing frustrated outside. It has since been confirmed that 1,750 tickets were sold in advance out of a maximum capacity of 2,200. However, only 206 additional tickets were sold on the door out of a potential 450. Despite this, many students failed to gain entrance at all. Cardiff University student Ellie Davies voiced her frustration via the Flux Facebook page as she said: “We didn’t end up getting in even though we had tickets and stared queuing at 10:50pm.” This seemed a common theme for many stuck in the queue, with frustrations boiling over and even turning violent. Miss Davies described the events that followed as “quite dangerous”, with bouncers failing to control the situation. She added: “One bouncer in particular was overly aggressive and was causing
Pictured: Students queue for Halloween Flux outside the Students’ Union (Photographer: Craig Meikle)
Continued on page 4
Politics: What the snooping charter could mean P19>>
Science: Why are women not in STEM jobs? P23>>
2 EDITORIAL Gair Rhydd Coordinator Elaine Morgan Editor Joseph Atkinson Deputy Editor Shanna Hamilton
the free word It’s the AGM this week
News Anna Lewis Shanna Hamilton Joanna Beck Toby Holloway
Read about all of the motions coming up this Thursday in News, and don’t forget to get involved
Advice Gwen Williams Comment Em Gates Charley Griffiths David Williams Columnist Helena Hanson Politics Carwyn Williams Luke Brett Sam Patterson Science Maria Mellor Lizzie Harrett Societies Aletheia Nutt Taf-Od Carwyn Williams Park Life Vacant Sport Jim Harris James Lloyd Jason Roberts Jamie Smith Social Media Editor Jack Boyce Thank you To all the proofreaders who helped with this issue! Get involved Editorial conferences are each Monday at 5pm. Proofreading takes place from 5pm on Thursdays in the media office during print weeks. Write to the editor editor@gairrhydd.com Tweet us @gairrhydd
At Gair Rhydd we take seriously our responsibility to maintain the highest possible standards. Sometimes, because of deadline pressures, we may make some mistakes. If you believe we have fallen below the standards we seek to uphold, please email editor@gairrhydd. com. You can view our Ethical Policy Statement and Complaints Procedure at cardiffstudentmedia.co.uk/complaints Opinions expressed in editorials are not reflective of Cardiff Student Media, who act as the publisher of Gair Rhydd in legal terms, and should not be considered official communications or the organisation’s stance. Gair Rhydd is a Post Office registered newspaper.
Joseph Atkinson
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o, the Students’ Union’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) is upon us. This Thursday from 5:30pm, hundreds of students will descend upon the Great Hall for one of the most high-profile democratic events in the student calendar at Cardiff. The AGM is the best example of democracy in action at the SU. Every student that attends has a vote on the issues being discussed and has a real say in how the Students’ Union itself is shaped. The AGM is one of the main reasons that I had the opportunity to be the Editor of Gair Rhydd; last year there was a motion deciding whether the role of Vice President Media and Marketing would be scrapped. This was a paid sabbatical officer role that included editing the student paper, but by vote the student members chose to get rid of the role, instead having a student edit Gair Rhydd. I think that this change has been hugely beneficial for the paper as a whole, as now the Editor is not voted in on the basis of a week of
campaigning in costume, but is chosen based on their work in student media over the year. The change couldn’t have happened if it weren’t for the AGM and the power that students have because of it. All you need to do to have a say is be a student of Cardiff University; everyone gets one vote and that vote can be the difference in guiding Union policy. Gair Rhydd will of course be covering the AGM both live and analysing all of the motions in next week’s issue. We’ll be on Twitter @gairrhydd giving you all the updates and keeping you entertained throughout the evening during what is always a drawn-out event. This year looks to be a little less controversial than the last, with just three motions being submitted compared seven last time out. Those included a vote on whether the Students’ Union would take a ‘prochoice’ stance on abortion, a motion appealing for greater representation of LGBT+ women in the Students’ Union, and one discussing whether the Union should officially recognise the state of Palestine. This year sees a motion which
proposes a change in how student parents are supported in order to make their lives easier, while another proposes the introduction of compulsory mental health training for personal tutors and research supervisors. The third links into last week’s Gair Rhydd front page, with students proposing that the Union should approach the Vice-Chancellor in support of divestment from the fossil fuel industries, which Cardiff University currently has a £2 million investment in. Of the three motions, none seem particularly divisive. I’d probably bet on all three going through with relative ease and not too much debate, though the divestment debate has been hotly and publicly argued by those such as the People and Planet society and Student Senator Daniel Tucker. But anyway, that’s all for next week. In this issue, the News section has a preview of the AGM and the motions that will be discussed, and also looks back at last Wednesday’s meeting of the Student Senate where matters such as the rights of student sex workers were discussed, as well as the ongoing debate over the
Welsh language; student politics are truly in full swing now at Cardiff. Elsewhere we’ve also explored the issue of the exploitation of employees by companies compared to ‘pyramid schemes’, attempting to get to the bottom of just how these companies are continuously allowed to take advantage of workers despite widespread derision. Another hot topic is the happenings of last week’s Flux, where hundreds of students dressed up for Halloween ended up queueing for a long time, with some complaining of crushes in the queue due to overcrowding waiting to get into Y Plas. While no one ended up hurt and Flux have apologised and offered a number of benefits to those that were inconvenienced last week, the fact that such a potentially dangerous situation was allowed to happen in the first place is worrying - hopefully they’ll have the measures in place to prevent similar happenings in the future. This is a big week for student politics at Cardiff University, so get along to the Great Hall on Thursday from 5:30pm to have your say in the future of the Students’ Union.
THIS WEEK IN HISTORY: GAIR RHYDD 1013 4/11/2013 This week in history we’ve only gone back a couple of years, to 2013 and the Cardiff University staff strike. For those of us that were here then, you might be able to remember the strike, or rather, you might only remember the fact you got a day off lectures! The strike was part of a national day of protest, and one member of staff said: “We’re striking because we’ve only been offered a one per cent increase. I’m pleased to see the three unions are joined together in solidarity to take action.” The strike was supported by the students’ union, but there were concerns over students missing lectures and seminars. In Tom Eden’s editorial he talks of the importance of getting involved in student politics, and being engaged in things like the Students’ Union AGM. Eden also committed to Movember to raise money, I’m not sure how it went though! Elsewhere in News there was a bedroom tax strike in Cardiff city centre, and the city felt the effect of Jude, the worst UK storm for a decade, which on memory really wasn’t that bad. This was also the time when Russell Brand urged people not to vote in his interview with Jeremy Paxman, with an interview summary condemning Brand’s words in Politics, and an
interesting ‘Should students bother to vote?’ for and against in Comment. USA’s reputation took a hit two years ago, as Politics reports on the country spying on its residents, and indeed its allies. As part of the Snowden revelations, the USA was found to be spying on German Chancellor Angela Merkel, and it would be true to say relations are still sour. We hear of the dangers of prescribing antibiotics too much in Science, a fact that has really hit home by now, as the number of antibiotic-resistant infections rise. In the section Ways I Can Be Awesome, we get the ultimate guide for carving the perfect pumpkin, although looking at the attempt at a minion pumpkin, I’m not too sure if it’s that awesome. Sport look forward to Wales’ Autumn International Series, with matches against South Africa, Argentina, Tonga and Australia planned, and we still haven’t beaten Australia. We can also see in Sport one of current Gair Rhydd editor Joe Atkinson’s first appearances in the paper, writing a weekly column on Cardiff City football team on their season in the Premier League. - Carwyn Williams
EDITORIAL 3
Campus in Brief
Jack Boyce
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Cardiff councillors have said that the push to boost recycling in Cardiff has led to a marked rise in fly-tipping across the city.
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ardiff University has scooped four awards at the Business and Education Partnerships Award, including the ‘University of the Year’ award. The judges of the event said that it has been “a great year for Cardiff University, ranked second in the UK for the impact of its research”. Cardiff University also won the Research and Development award for their work in developing clinical wet wipes with GAMA Healthcare, the Partnership Award for its venture with IQE to develop the Compound Semiconductor Centre, and the New Product Award for the Welsh Wound Innovation Centre, which was award to the University’s subsidiary company Direct Healthcare Services. Cardiff councillors have said that the push to boost recycling in Cardiff has led to a marked rise in fly-tipping across the city. Certain councillors have stated the introduction of smaller general waste bins has created a growing littering problem. Cardiff Council has set a recycling target of 58 per cent for 2015/16, which will rise to 70 per cent by 2025. Liberal Democrat Judith Woodman has said, “I’ve had a lot of people who do recycle well say, ‘No, I’m sorry the new bin is not a good size at all. It’s not going to help my family whatsoever.’” A Cardiff resident has been found guilty of conspiring to supply £5 million of heroin. Umar Arif, 29, was arrested in 2014 after police seized 40kg of heroin. 37kg of the class A drug was found inside of a speaker and a suitcase in a car stopped on the side of the M5 motorway. Another 3kg was discovered in the footwell of a taxi in Newport. Arif, along with a group of other men, stood to make more than £270,000 in profit from selling the drugs.
National
The number of British children who have expressed their desire to change their gender has doubled in the last six months, according to the Tavistock and Portman NHS trust gender identity development service, the UK’s only NHS specialist service provider of gender identity support for those under 18 years old. According to a Freedom of Information (FOI) from the Guardian, the referrals to the Tavistock and Portman service have jumped from 314 in 2012-13 to 634 children referred in 2014-15. In the last six months, this number has increased with 634 children referred between the months of April and September. The service, based in London, has said that they are under increasing pressure due to the high demand from children seeking their services. A study from the Office of National Statistics has found that young men are more likely to resist moving away from parents than women. In the UK-wide household survey, it was found that 27 per cent of 2529 year-old men are still living with their parents, a considerable increase over their female counterparts, with only 15 per cent still at home. This difference is still there at 20-24 year-old level, with 55 per cent of men and 42 per cent of women still living at home. A total of 6.6 million people aged 15 to 34 still live with their parents, an increase from the 5.6 million recorded in 2000, but a drop from 6.7 million recorded in both 2013 and 2014. Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has vowed to introduce measures to replace the money lost by working families due to tax credit cuts. Sturgeon said her first priority was to block the cuts to the tax credits. She said, “We will keep up the pressure on the Tories to drop these cuts altogether”.
International
SeaWorld has warned its investors that their full-year profits figure will fall by $10 million this year, due to collapsing attendance figures at its parks in San Diego and San Antonio. San Diego authorities showed attendance figures at their park has fallen 17 per cent in 2014, down from 4.5 million to 3.7 million. Since the release of the documentary Blackfish, which details mistreatment of orca whales in the parks, share prices have fallen by half. Joel Manby, SeaWorld’s chief executive, said he was “very disappointed” to cut the company’s 2015 profit forecast from $370 million to $360 million, stating dropping attendances and big falls from previous quarters was due to “continued SeaWorld brand challenges” that stems from the black-lash due to Blackfish. High-profile French international footballer Karim Benzema has been placed under formal investigation in connection to a sex tape blackmail plot involving fellow international player Mathieu Valbuena. The two men reportedly were involved in an altercation during a training session after Benzema tried to extort money out of Valbuena. If formal charges follow, Benzema could face a minimum jail sentence of five years. Benzema’s lawyer, Sylvain Cormier, stated: “Karim Benzema has nothing to hide, […] He took no part […] in the blackmail or blackmail attempts.” Legendary brewers Guinness have stated that they will be changing its 256 year-old recipe to now become vegan friendly by 2016. The icon Irish drink will stop using the ingredient isinglass, which is a by-product of the fishing industry. A Guinness spokesperson said: “While isinglass is a very effective means of clarification and has been used for many years, we expect to stop using it as the new filtration asset is introduced.”
Pictured: The move towards promoting more recycling has caused more flytipping (Photographer: Cardiff JOMEC)
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The number of British children who have expressed their desire to change their gender has doubled in the last six months.
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4 NEWS
news
Editors: Anna Lewis Shanna Hamilton Joanna Beck Toby Holloway @GairRhyddNews news@gairrhydd.com gairrhydd.com/news
Cont’d: What a Flux up!
Continued from front page
more problems than solving them”. A spokesperson for the Students’ Union insisted that: “Our licence requires us to have 11 SIA registered security when the night club is full and we had a total of 20 security on site for the event”. Despite having almost double the amount of bouncers legally required to run a full night club, many present on Saturday night condemned the seemingly poor level of organisation demonstrated by Y Plas officials. One student commented on social media: “Needed to be managed better. The bouncers were practically non existent”, while John Mason, a third year ENCAP student, added: “Never seen such poor organisation at a nightclub”. The lack of control caused some people to become aggressive, with some people being hurt in the process. Cardiff student Carys Wigley said: “I got punched by someone trying to
fight to get to the front while trying to get in”, while third-year student Craig Meikle took to student media to voice his anger at the situation: “Can you please explain to us all how this was legally acceptable? Horrible planning as this event had sold out. Just not safe and someone could have have been seriously injured.” Despite some ticket-holders not being admitted to Y Plas, a, statement from the Students’ Union assured those affected that: “Staff made efforts to move the queue as fast as possible admitting over 1,200 people in just 45 minutes.” They also stated that: “The safety of our students is of paramount importance to the Students’ Union and we apologise to all that were caught in the rush”. Ironically, the event had previously been promoted as “madness” as the Students’ Union tweeted: “Join us to-
night for some Flux madness”. As a result of the problems caused, the Students’ Union allowed all unused tickets to be honoured at last weekend’s Flux in addition to half price discount on all other tickets. They also stated that bar discounts will be made available via the loyalty app Yoyo Wallet. Flux was not the only event to receive criticism on Halloween however. Police are currently investigating an incident at Splott Warehouse’s ‘Day of the Dead’ after attendees complained of being “crushed” whilst waiting in queues. The event attracted more than 4,000 but like Halloween Flux, failed to adequately cope with the crowds according to partygoers. Criticisms were voiced on Splott Warehouse’s Facebook page as people expressed their anger at poor organisation: “Terrible organisation, we paid £27 for tickets and queued for over an
hour and don’t get 100 yards. “I’ve never been in a queue like that and I’ve been to a lot of festivals. It was really dangerous and there was no health and safety, no stewards, no one had any idea what was going on.” According to WalesOnline, one woman broke a rib whilst trapped in the crowds whilst others suffered from panic attacks. Splott Warehouse have since apologised for the event in a statement: “We would like to formally apologise to those of you who experienced a longer waiting time than usual in entering the venue. “ However, they denied that that safety risks were created and instead confirmed that the “event met all the relevant health and safety requirements to a satisfactory level for the police and authorities and for the event to continue with their presence on the entry gate through the duration.”
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I got punched by someone trying to fight to get to the front Carys Wigley
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Students’ Union AGM: Fossil fuel disinvestment, mental health and support for student parents all to be discussed
Anna Lewis
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If the motion passes, the SU will publicly oppose the University’s continued investment in the fossil fuel industry campaigns
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he Students’ Union AGM is set to take place next week, and will discuss issues including support for student parents, compulsory mental health training for personal tutors, and the need for the university to disinvest in fossil fuels. The first motion of the meeting calls for the Students’ Union to adopt more ‘child-friendly’ practices for parents in university, including the provision of resource boxes or toys for children and the creation of a crèche allowing parents to socialise at events. It also expressed the need to help develop a network for student parents, both online and face-to-face. According to Madeline Page, Welfare executive member and representative for discussion, campaign and awareness, the Students’ Union should “be pioneers for supporting student parents” by collecting data on the parental status of students in order to improve their support. VP Heath Katey Beggan will act as second speaker on behalf of the mo-
tion and supports its proposals, including a campaign to make both campuses of the Students’ Union more accessible for student parents and implement pricing tiers at the existing crèche to make it more affordable to non-staff members. These proposals were submitted following statistics showing that 77 per cent of student parents do not find it easy to get involved in university or college life. The financial difficulties of become a student parent was also stressed, with 54 per cent of those asked admitting that they had taken on debt in addition to student loans in order to cover living costs. The second motion of the night will attempt to persuade students to vote in favour of lobbying the university to implement compulsory mental health training for personal tutors and research supervisors. The idea was proposed by VP Welfare Kate Delaney and VP Postgraduate Students Katie Kelly and suggests that consistent mental health training
across all programmes be implemented. This follows a study noting that one in four students experience a mental health problem during college or university. The Union’s previous commitment to tackling the issue was also noted, as a Time to Change Pledge has already been signed to tackle mental health stigma and discrimination. “Comprehensive research” will be undertaken this year by VP Katie Kelly to research the needs and wellbeing of postgraduate students. The last motion during the AGM calling for disinvestment of fossil fuels comes in the wake of information last week revealing that the University currently invest over £2 million in non-renewable sources such as oil and gas. Ethical and Environmental Officer Daniel Tucker will lead the debate, and will call for an open letter to be written to Vice- Chancellor Colin Riordan in support of disinvestment. If the motion passes, the Students’
Union will publicly oppose the University’s continued investment in the fossil fuel industry through its use of social media, print media and advertising campaigns. It is suggested that this should also be used to promote the “efforts of student-led movements where possible.” It is also noted that the Students’ Union commit to reducing its own emissions which would be monitored by the Environmental Officer and sabbatical team and presented to the student body. Protests against the University’s current investment in oil and gas took place last week, as environmental society People and Planet conducted a lie-down revolt and poured oil on participants. A Freedom of Information (FOI) request submitted by the society revealed that current investments stand at a value of £2,045,851. The meeting will be held on Thursday in the Great Hall, with doors opening at 5.30pm. Everyone is invited to attend and participate in discussion.
Pictured: Last year’s AGM (Photographer: Students’ Union)
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77 per cent of student parents do not find it easy to get involved in university or college life
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NEWS 5
Cardiff fancy dress shop criticised for Rolf Harris costume
Dan Heard
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Script to Screen say they provide a variety of other costumes including a Nazi SS get-up’ and a ‘fat stripper’ outfit
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Joanna Beck
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Cardiff fancy dress shop has a costume of convicted paedophile Rolf Harris for hire. Script to Screen, on Colchester Avenue, supplies costumes for corporate events, fancy dress, murder mysteries, school productions as well as TV, film and theatre productions. The costume, which consists of a black wig and beard, yellow trousers, a flamboyantly colourful shirt and glasses, is currently on sale through its website for £23.50, which is half of its normal price. It has been suggested that it is likely to infuriate many of his victims. As well as this potentially offensive item, Script to Screen say they provide a variety of other costumes including a £29.50 ‘Nazi SS get-up’ it describes as a “good Hitler costume” and a ‘fat stripper’ outfit. A spokesman for Script to Screen said: “It’s [the Rolf Harris costume] not really a Halloween costume. Peo-
ple just come in and want different things. Someone wanted a Jimmy Savile costume before. “If people want things we just put them together. This time of year people usually go more for ghouls and ghosts and original orange and black costumes”. The company also makes mascots for the sport and leisure industry, including kangaroos and koalas for the Walkabout group, and bespoke costumes for entertainers and individuals, which apparently includes Harris and former DJ and presenter Savile. Harris, 84, was found guilty of 12 counts of indecent assault against underage girls by a jury in July 2014. The veteran entertainer is currently serving a five years and nine months jail term for his crimes. In a further statement given exclusively to Gair Rhydd, Script to Screen’s spokesman added “It [the Rolf Harris costume] has been delet-
ed as we do not wish to cause offence to anyone. “It was there from the days when he headlined at Glastonbury but hasn’t been hired for ages. “Regarding the reference to Nazi costumes, we provide costumes for musicals and as these are integral to the plot of the Sound of Music we need to keep them in stock for this. “We like to provide costumes to make people happy and to help them create a look required for their production. Once again I would like to stress that we apologise if we have offended anyone.” This isn’t the first time using the former TV presenter’s look, which was a mainstay of British television for six decades, has caused outrage. In September 2014, two players at Australian Rules team Melbourne Demons sparked fury after dressing as both Harris and a young girl during their team’s “Mad Monday” cel-
Pictured: Convicted paedophile Rolf Harris (Photographer: Zuzanna Neziri via Flickr)
ebrations. In a worrying trend, this year saw social media inundated with a spate of shocking Halloween costumes, including one of a ‘dead Cilla Black’, Caitlyn Jenner, Cecil the Lion’s killer Walter Palmer, and even a ‘Syrian refugee mother’ holding a baby.
Self-employment scheme misleading Cardiff graduates
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ardiff graduates have spoken out against a network of misleading employment schemes, causing staff to work for as little as £5 per sale. An increasing number of companies that offer self-employment job roles targeted at graduates are being criticised for not being upfront about the positions they are advertising. The name that receives the brunt of these negative reviews is The Cobra Group (also known as The Appco Group) and there are many blogs dedicated to warning people of their methods. One blog gives a ten-step guide to figuring out if you work for The Cobra Group, which they refer to as “Devilcorp”. The Group is described
in one review as a “pyramid scheme”, which uses a “cult-like mentality” to draw people in. In reality they are a group of companies that all follow a similar business structure, offering self-employed roles. Although these companies, and others like them, are not acting outside the law, many former employees do not believe that they are transparent enough about the jobs that they are offering. Cardiff University Graduate Andrew Hawkins was employed by a company associated with The Cobra Group last year and described how he was “sucked in by the high intensity atmosphere that promised large earnings and a lavish lifestyle”.
Mr Hawkins was required to perform door-to-door sales for a charity, and was working alone in a residential area until 10pm. After working at the company for just a week, Mr Hawkins read a review online that appeared to describe his experience with the company perfectly and alarm bells started to ring. Further research uncovered that The Cobra Group faced many accusations that they were using self-employed contracts to provide cheap labour, and Mr Hawkins subsequently left the company. A company based in Cardiff which has received a similar review is GB Marketing Enterprise Ltd. The company was created in 2014 and offers direct marketing, event management and lead generation services. According to GB Marketing Enterprise Ltd they help people to become “successful entrepreneurs” but not everyone sees it this way. One former employee described his experience with GB Marketing Enterprise Ltd to Gair Rhydd. He claims he was expected to work 60 hours a week, Monday to Saturday and was told he would earn £300 a week, working out to just £5 an hour, £1.70 less than minimum wage. Due to his self-employed status, however, this is in no way illegal. Marketing Enterprise Ltd offer entrepreneurial positions and are therefore not required to pay minimum wage, provide safe working conditions, or adhere to any employment laws. Gregory Thomas, who graduated from Cardiff University earlier this year, described what happened when he applied for a job at the company online. He said that the description
of the role was “kept very vague with a couple of power words in there to make it sound professional”. After applying he received a phone call offering him an interview and after two rounds of interviews he was offered the job but said “no information as to the exact nature of the job was given” and that they “skipped through important details like being self-employed, low commission, number of hours expected”. Mr Thomas described the training he received before starting the role as a “motivational pep-talk from the owner” in which he was told “shit people make shit sales” and “ten per cent of you will be shit, 80 per cent of you will be average and ten per cent of you will be great”. After this he was asked to start working, under the supervision of a manager. The job, which had been advertised as a: “trainee manager role with fast progression in an advertising company”, actually involved selling Talk Talk packages to people on the street. Mr Thomas would receive £30 for every sale that he made, but not until he had worked at the company for two weeks. During this period he would be required to encourage people to talk to the managers, who would then “close the sale”. For each time this was done successfully he was told he would receive £5. After learning what his job would actually entail, and spending four hours on the street trying to sell to strangers, many of whom either ignored him or told him to “fuck off ”, Mr Thomas quit. Gair Rhydd contacted GB Marketing Enterprise Ltd for comment but received no response.
Pictured: Selfemployment tax form (Photographer: Philip Taylor via Flickr)
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I was told “shit people make shit sales. 10 per cent of you will be shit, 80 per cent of you will be average and 10 per cent of you will be great” Gregory Thomas
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6 NEWS
All motions passed at Student Senate Anna Lewis
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Sex work is work. The Students’ Union should support all students regardless of their situation. It is their duty to extend support to everyone Student Senator
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he first Student Senate meeting of the year kicked o last week, and provoked discussions about the decriminalisation of student sex workers, support for the Welsh language in light of recent media ‘hate’, and an international student protest. The most contested motion of the night was created by Women’s Officer’s Rachael Melhuish, calling for the Students’ Union to lobby to decriminalise student sex workers. In the meeting, Melhuish underlined the results of the Student Sex Work report released this year, showing that “significantâ€? numbers of students are resorting to sex work in order to cover the increasing financial costs of attending university. As a result, the motion called for the Students’ Union to campaign for the decriminalisation of sex work in order to improve the safety of those in such situations. During the debate, it was also decided that the motion should be amended to include the provision of awareness training of student sex workers and their needs to sta members of the Students’ Union. Melhuish emphasized during the meeting that the motion was not a debate about the “moralityâ€? of sex workers but instead about the need to improve the welfare of students involved in sex work and to improve support. The Women’s OďŹƒcer was supported by VP Welfare Kate Delaney who stated that “to pass the motion would be in the interest of student welfare.â€? One senator also spoke in support of the proposals as he explained “Sex work is work. The Students’ Union should support all students regardless of their situation. It is their duty to extend support to everyone.â€? He later warned against prioritising the safety of some students over others. The argument was continued by
Matthew Carroll, who reminded the Senate of their duty to represent all students in university. However, others were more cynical towards the proposal. Madeline Page acted as speaker against the issue suggesting that the motion was not a matter that should be decided by the Senate alone, and due to its scale and “moralâ€? implications would instead be more suited to a platform such as the AGM next week. She also voiced concerns that support for the decriminalization of sex workers would act to distance certain societies and groups from the Students’ Union. “This is a moral debate and the Students’ Union should not take a stance without 100 per cent agreement.â€? Indeed, Senator Ashwin Anil Nair suggested the need to research exactly how many students are involved in sex work, voicing concern that students would not be willing to admit their situation to the Students Union. It was also suggested that action be taken to address the wider problem of the increasing financial cost of university. Despite the debate, the motion was passed after a majority vote was taken. The second motion of the night was presented by Welsh OďŹƒcer Steffan Bryn. In light of a recent article published by Tab which according to the agenda “angered and insulted Cardi University’s Welsh-speaking studentsâ€?, Bryn called on his fellow students to vote in favour of multiple strategies to strengthen support for the Welsh language. This included formally requesting the University to hold a meeting between the Welsh Language OďŹƒcer and elected representatives of Welsh speakers and Vice Chancellor Colin Riordan. The motion also proposed that the Welsh Language OďŹƒcer and
Students’ Union President write a letter with the support of other liberation oďŹƒcers to Wales’ First Minister Carwyn Jones and Welsh Language Commissioner Meri Huws. The letter would enquire about the current provisions in place to protect against Welsh hate and ask whether such measures need to be updated. During the debate, Jacob Ellis showed support for the Welsh Language OďŹƒcer’s motion as he explained: “the treatment of the welsh language in Cardi is the worst in Wales and the way that it has been handled by both the Students’ Union and the University is appallingâ€?. Although the motion was approved by vote, initial doubts were expressed by Students’ Union president Claire Blakeway, who questioned whether the Tab article in particular showed anti-Welsh attitudes or merely “personal opinionâ€?. This was soon refuted by one senator who replied: “if just one individual was oended by the article then it has a powerful eect on welsh culture.â€? Worries regarding the freedom of speech were also introduced by Usman Mahmood Bakhari, who questioned: “What safeguards can be put in place that will not aect the freedom of speech? Isn’t increased awareness of the Welsh language a better solution?â€? In rebuttal, Bryn reminded the group that “discrimination against other minority groups wouldn’t be allowedâ€?. Indeed he stressed that “language doesn’t belong in a vacuum. Its forms part of your identityâ€?. As such, the need to extend the motion to include the protection of other minority languages was brought into debate. Although Bryn concluded that the Welsh language should be treated as a separate matter as the oďŹƒcial language of Wales, he added that he would be willing to support a similar motion made on behalf of other languages. Other issues discussed included the need to create Welsh facilities for English speakers wanting to learn Welsh and the importance of educating other nationalities about the Welsh language to prevent the current “ignoranceâ€? allegedly seen in Tab article. Further debates saw a third motion passed calling for the Students’ Union to support the national day of walk out on ‘International Students Day’ in response to recent changes to tuition fees and visa regulations on non EU students. The motion which was proposed by International Student’s OďŹƒcer Grace Piddington, was also extended during the meeting to invite all students to protest on November 17th at midday regardless of nationality. It was also suggested that sta be asked to join the movement provided the University give its consent.
The Students’ Union president concluded that the University’s Vice-Chancellor Colin Riordan has already voiced support for the event and that formal consent would be possible. Blakeway also stressed the importance of international students, both to society and in terms of their investment in Wales and the UK. The meeting also saw the Senate vote in favour of a motion, created by Usman M Bukhari and Jake Smith, lobbying the University to increase the provision of free drinking water in both the Cathays and Heath campuses. The motion noted that currently machines selling fizzy drinks in university buildings are often more prevalent than free water fountains, and that water is a “necessity of life that we shouldn’t have to pay for.â€? As a result, the Students’ Union will lobby the University to provide free drinking water facilities in accessible and prominent areas, with priorities given to buildings which currently do not have such facilities. The last motion of the night brought attention to the “lack of coordinationâ€? regarding a decision to approve growing space for students last year. Daniel Tucker, Ethical and Environmental OďŹƒcer noted that plans to create a temporary allotment to show to the University did not come to fruition and lost momentum during the summer months. As a result, a decision was made to publish an assessment of all potential growing spaces and make provisions for allotments as soon as possible. It is hoped that an example allotment will be created by the Students’ Union to lobby the University to do the same in all its schools in future. Tucker noted the success of such schemes in other universities and stressed that a communal growing space rather then individual allocations would work better.
SUMMARY OF MOTIONS Water as a right, not a privilege. Approved I am Welsh. I speak Welsh. Deal with it. Approved International Students’ National Day of Walk Out Approved Standing up for student sex workers Approved Student Growing Spaces Approved
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What safeguards can be put in place to protect the Welsh language that will not affect the freedom of speech? Usman Mahmood Bakhari
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The treatment of the Welsh language in Cardiff is the worst in Wales and the way that it has been handled by both the Students’ Union and the University is appalling Jacob Ellis
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NEWS 7
ÂŁ2,000 for a hotel room?
Toby Holloway
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Despite the unusually large amounts of people in the city, there were very few concerns with safety and did not lead to any antisocial behaviour
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Due to the large number of fans that stayed in the city centre until late into the night, the provision of taxis was heavily diminished
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s the New Zealand squad were welcomed home as heroes after their triumphant Rugby World Cup, and Wales fans were left with little more to celebrate than Nigel Owens’ fairytale run to the final, Cardi can now reflect on its success as a host of a worldwide sporting event. Cardi welcomed an estimated 550,000 visitors to the Millennium over the course of the Rugby World Cup, contributing an estimated ÂŁ316million to the city’s economy. This huge economic boost came in the form of rugby fans filling pubs, clubs and bars on match days, as well as enjoying Cardi ’s famous retail areas. Hotels were also filled to capacity, with some of the last available rooms reportedly costing nearly ÂŁ2000. The thousands of people that flocked to the city centre during games created a vibrant atmosphere, as Cardi ’s World Cup attractions, such as the popular ‘Ball in the Wall’ and the fanzone based at Cardi Arms Park pulled in even more tourists. Despite the unusually large amounts of people in the city, there were very few concerns with safety and the vast majority of celebrations did not lead to any antisocial behaviour. In a statement, Anna Hammond of South Wales Police said: “The city received glowing praise in mainstream media and on social media during the Rugby World Cupâ€?. “Cardi was clearly the place to visit and all partners agencies played a part in contributing to that ‘feel good’ factorâ€?. She reiterated the success of the World Cup by adding: “Despite huge visitor numbers – some days in excess of 200,000 people – Cardi remained a safe placeâ€?. From a commercial point of view, the 2015 World Cup has been deemed the most successful in history, in terms of revenue, visitor numbers and on social media. One of the reasons for this success was the backing of sponsors from early on in the preparations for the world cup, with funding and sponsorship secured up to a year in advance. Speaking to the BBC, World Rug-
by chief executive Brett Gosper said that: “The commercial value is up by 50 per cent on 2011â€?. Championing the eect of the sponsors on the success of the World Cup, he added: Without our commercial partners the Rugby World Cup would not exist. We are grateful for the time and money they put inâ€?.Although many would agree that the part Cardi played in the 2015 Rugby World Cup was an overall success, there were many that were left unhappy with transport services into and out of the city on match days. The large numbers of people entering and leaving the city centre put strain on Cardi ’s public transport and infrastructure, causing many to experience long delays and queues. The organisers of the tournament, ‘England 2015’, reportedly spent ÂŁ2.4million on the city’s transport operation, however it was clear that they were not fully prepared for the influx of visitors to the Welsh capital. Stranded passengers dubbed their treatment by oďŹƒcials as ‘disgraceful’, while those stuck in long queues outside Cardi Central described the wait as ‘unacceptable’. Cardi ’s transport services clearly could not cope with overwhelming numbers of visitors, with some queues taking up to 3-4 hours to clear, compared with those at Wembley and Twickenham, which took around 90 minutes to be processed. Complaints were received regarding the transport situation, with companies responding by funding 100 shuttle buses that operated between Cardi and Bristol. Cardi Council representative Clair Morggridge stated that: “[Cardi Council] were comfortable with how [the transport situation] played outâ€?, insisting that their plan “worked wellâ€?. However, a Welsh Assembly Government Inquiry into transport during the Rugby World Cup questioned the success of the council’s planning by acknowledging the “queuing problems caused with significant delays caused for a significant amount of peopleâ€?. The inquiry also alluded that problems had been caused by the failure to appoint a leader and “someone ulti-
mately responsibleâ€? for the planning, which was a joint procedure between the council and transport companies. In response, the council responded that their concern was only with “capacityâ€?, and that queries regarding post-match queues should be addressed to rail operators. There were also large tailbacks on the M5 as many people traveled by car and bus to and from the games. Fans were advised to use public transport in an eort to reduce traďŹƒc, however this only led to more delays for Wales’ already overstretched public transport systems. Another concern for Cardi residents was the availability of taxis around the city centre. Due to the large number of fans that stayed in the city centre until late into the night, the provision of taxis was heavily diminished. This also put a strain on Cardi University’s new ‘Safe Taxi’ scheme which allows students to travel without paying fares upfront. Safety concerns were exacerbated by the fact that some students were refused fares by other taxi drivers, leaving them to walk home alone. According to a spokesperson, the Students’ Union did receive “a small amount of feedback from students regarding issues with the Safe Taxi Scheme during the busy Rugby World Cup periodâ€?. As a result, changes have been made to the scheme to prioritise students without money over paying customers. The Safe Taxi program will also be extended to 24 hours a
day for up to four students with an increased financial cap of ÂŁ20. Despite the delays and transport concerns, Cardi ’s hosting of eight Rugby World Cup matches was deemed a resounding success. Hundreds of businesses benefited economically from the large number of visitors, while Cardi confirmed its status as a leading events capital. It is clear that even after the ‘Ball in the Wall’ is gone, the memory of a thrilling World Cup will linger on.
ÂŁ316 million contribution to economy 200,000 visitors on match day ÂŁ2.4 million invested in city transport 3-4 hour queues at train station 24 hour Safe Taxi Scheme in response
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An inquiry into transport during the Rugby World Cup ‘queuing problems caused with significant delays caused for a significant amount of people’
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8 ADVICE
advice
Editor: Gwen Williams @GairRhyddAdv advice@gairrhydd.com gairrhydd.com/advice
Dealing with grief at university
Elise Morgan
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The most important thing to remember is that your feelings about the situation are valid
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he loss of a someone close is the most stressful event that a person will go through in their life. For a student living away from home who has just begun to find their feet in the world, it can be even more difficult. Whether the death was expected or not, it can be just as traumatic. During my second year at Cardiff, my grandmother fell ill and her passing was unexpected. It had taken me a while to settle into the uni lifestyle, and the news left me naturally distraught. I felt rather lost, not knowing whether I should be at university or at home. I went home for a day but my cousin and I decided to return to university the next day as we felt that the best way to deal with it at the time was to keep busy. The time leading up to the funeral was very strange. On one hand I was far removed from the situation and didn’t have to face up to reality. I had essays due in within a fortnight, so tried to throw myself into my work. However, it was also incredibly isolating. Although I knew I had my family’s support, I was geographically distant so couldn’t just pop home every evening. Plus, losing a loved one just makes you want to be close to family and friends that much more. I pressurised myself to carry on as normal.
‘You’re an adult now’, I thought. ‘You have responsibilities and you need to be strong.’ But the truth is that people are far more understanding than that. Everyone reacts differently to loss. Some people may experience denial, where they try not to face up to the reality. Some may feel sadness, anxiety and helplessness. Others may feel anger at the deceased loved one for leaving them behind. Many people experience a mixture of these among other emotions, as there are several stages to grief. The most important thing to remember is that your feelings about the situation are valid. Talking to other loved ones who are going through the same thing and others (perhaps family members from the other side of your family) who are far removed really helps. Knowing that you are not alone can make you feel (as much as I hate the word) more normal. Be kind to yourself. Keeping things bottled up is very ill-advised and emotionally harmful. It is healthier to allow yourself to feel sad and cry as much as you want, as it releases bodily tension. Don’t feel frightened to express yourself in front of others. You are not weak! You are human. Everyone deals with grief in their own way and if anyone judges you for it, don’t waste your time on them. You certainly come to find out who your
friends are during difficult times. Cardiff University is fully supportive of both staff and students dealing with bereavement, and there are several things that they can help you with. If you are struggling at uni due to grief, go and speak to your personal tutor and explain. They will understand your situation completely and are likely to refer you to the student counselling service. This is an excellent resource that has several different options that may suit you if you wish to talk about your feelings. Firstly, they have daily drop in sessions between the hours of 3pm and 3:45pm if you want to have a fifteen minute chat with a member of staff. They can offer advice, support and self help leaflets. There is also an online service that is run on Mondays and Fridays between the hours of 11:30am and 12:30pm if you can’t make the drop-in session. If you feel that you may need further support, you can arrange a longer appointment with a counsellor. Alternatively, if talking is not for you, the student support team also organise regular group workshops that inform you about the grief process and offer some general advice. If you lose a loved one during an assessment period, it is essential that you speak to your tutors about extenuating circumstances. Don’t feel
afraid to ask, because that is what these measures are there for. It is very difficult to perform to the best of your academic ability when your mind is occupied on dealing with your emotions. Adding more stress to this could do much more harm than you think, not only to your overall grade, but to your own physical and mental well-being. Even something like a two-week extension for an essay can really help you by taking the pressure off. Sometimes people are affected physically by bereavement. For example, if you have noticed a loss of appetite or are having trouble sleeping, don’t dismiss it. Go and speak with your GP. They will be able to advise you on the best course of action. Often it can be a vicious cycle where your negative feelings make you unable to sleep and eat properly, which in turn make you even more stressed and anxious. By dealing with the physical symptoms, you may begin to see an improvement in your emotional health. If you are experiencing the loss of a loved one, remember you have every right to grieve. People should respect that and give you as much time as you need to do so. It will take time to adjust to the situation but it will get better.
Pictured: Losing a loved one is tough (Photographer: sjr60 via Flickr)
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Cardiff University is fully supportive of both staff and students dealing with bereavement, and there are several things that they can help you with
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ADVICE 9
What I learned at Wimbledon
Cari Jones
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Thinking ahead to graduation, everything I have learnt in past part-time employment will be hugely beneficial in applying for a full-time job.
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Gwen Williams
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We can give students a head start on their competitors.
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any students take on parttime jobs whether to pay their rent, earn a little extra money or to add to their savings (or in my case, pay off my ever increasing overdraft). Due to my awful money-managing skills I’m one of those who’s always a little strapped for cash. Therefore, since the age of 16, I’ve always been in part-time employment. No matter how much I hated dragging myself out of bed on a Saturday morning, I cannot thank my younger self enough for the invaluable experience part-time employment has given me. This summer I had the opportunity to work at the Wimbledon Championships. Without a doubt, it was the most gruelling two weeks of my life. I was working as a food service assistant in their outlets, probably one of the least glamorous job titles at Wimbledon. It involved preparing and serving all different types of food from frying fish and chips to hulling strawberries (I’m pretty sure my fingers are permanently stained red from strawberry juice.) They were extremely long days, getting up at the
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crack of dawn and arriving home past 11pm on some days. It was incredibly fast-paced. I was constantly being instructed to do two things at once. I had to be diligent, efficient and cooperative. My favourite thing about having a part-time job is communicating with customers. In Wimbledon, this was the most challenging part. You had to be an incredible ambassador for the company whilst feeling like you were going to burst into tears at any point. There were queues and queues of customers throughout the entire day, all demanding different things. But I always had to be polite, helpful and friendly, even when you felt like being none of those things. Despite all of this, I wouldn’t have changed the experience for the world. I was well prepared for the job at Wimbledon thanks to my experience working in similarly intense environments in racecourses and rugby grounds. However, Wimbledon was certainly the most tiring, as I was working for two solid weeks, day in, day out. Therefore, it taught me to be resilient. To be a part (no matter
how small it was) of one of the biggest sporting events of the year was so exciting. I got the chance to watch some tennis on Centre Court and Court Number One, serve food to tennis players and generally enjoy the atmosphere with people who were passionate about tennis. The whole experience was made all the more enjoyable for me, as every single other person you were working with was working just as hard as you were, and had just as much passion. It really felt like you were part of a successful, supportive team. Because of this, I will definitely be applying to work at Wimbledon again next summer. The new skills I learnt in those two weeks were determination, commu-
nicating effectively in stressful situations and enthusiasm when you least felt like being enthusiastic. Thinking ahead to graduation, everything I have learnt in past part-time employment will be hugely beneficial in applying for a full-time job. I will be able to demonstrate abilities such as coping well under extreme pressure, conversing informatively and in a friendly way with members of the public, and managing my time effectively. I would definitely urge students to take up a part-time job alongside their studies. It not only gives you extra money (which is always good for a financially-struggling student like me) but also gives you invaluable skills that you wouldn’t learn in any other situation.
Pictured: Centre Court (Photographer: Carine06 via Flickr)
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It not only gives you extra money but also gives you invaluable skills
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Improve your employability with the Skills Development Service
ot everyone has experience of the world of work before leaving university. Some students will worry that they do not have enough skills for the workplace to make them stand out as a candidate. Cardiff University has a ‘Skills Development Service’ (SDS) to help students in this area. In this interview, John Steele, the Training and Development Manager for SDS explains all: What can the Skills Development Service offer students? The Skills Development Service offers students the ability to learn the ‘soft skills’ needed in order to operate successfully in the workplace. We help students to obtain the knowledge and attitudes that are synonymous with those required by employees in order to hold down a job. We also offer sessions to boost confidence and overcome stress and anxieties as well as providing courses which are externally accredited. In essence, the SDS gives students
5 ways
to make your CV stand out 1. Work experience Work placements and part-time jobs show your potential employer that you are able to hold down a job. The
similar opportunities to what staff undertaking training programmes as employees would do within an organisation. We can thus give them a head start on their competitors in this respect.
many schools offering in-curricula opportunities. For example Engineering offer us around 300 students who we will involve in these opportunities around five times every academic year.
What types of courses available to students? There are three main categories of courses: Certificate of Professional Development (CPD), Progression and Wellbeing Certificate and externally-accredited courses. The CPD focuses on communication, leadership skills and personal effectiveness. The Progression and Wellbeing Certificate helps improve confidence in the workplace. Finally, we offer several types of externally-accredited courses, including first aid, health and safety and British sign language.
Do you feel that enough students know about the Skills Development Service? Not really. One of our obstacles is that being a Students’ Union function. We may be viewed by students as a ‘low priority’ in the grander scale behind such interests as societies, sport, club events etc. In some respects we are all competing for the same student.
How do students get involved? Students can sign up online. We gained initial interest during Freshers’ Week or through word of mouth. We also work in collaboration with more experience you have, the greater sense the employer gets that you are willing to try anything. It also shows that you are motivated and hard working as you have actively sought out placements.
2. References
Work hard and make a good impression with your tutors. A good reference from an academic will take you far, as they are highly respected.
Do you feel that a good number of students use the opportunity? I sense that many out there feel that what we offer doesn’t apply to them and that there are more interesting and important things to be had. This is a shame as many don’t really think about their future and employability until they are in their third
3. Languages
Multilingualism will certainly give you the edge over other candidates as you are able to perform tasks and communicate with customers and suppliers in several different languages.
4. Extra curricular
You want to show your employers that there is more to you than your academic life. Tell them what your
year when they are too busy to take on extra-curricular activities. Others don’t think about it until the end of their degree when it might be too late. However, we have a loyal following each year and a high proportion are international students where this type of service is seen as very important, life-enhancing and too good to turn down. What would you say is the thing that students struggle with most? Definitely presentation skills. This skill is demanded more and more within academia, interviews and jobs these days. Many students are terrified of the thought of presentations and this is no doubt why it’s our most popular session.
Want to know more about this great opportunity? Visit their website: http://www.cardiffstudents.com/ jobs-skills/skills-developmentservice/
hobbies and interests are and what skills you have acquired from doing them. Anything from a sport to writing for a newspaper, it shows commitment.
5. Your bio
Sell yourself to employers. Tell them why you would be the perfect candidate for the job. Are you organised, hard working, punctual? Let the enthusiasm show in your writing.
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We offer several types of externallyaccredited courses, including first aid, health and safety and British Sign Language.
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10 COMMENT
comment
Editors: Em Gates Charley Griffiths David Williams @GairRhyddCom comment@gairrhydd.com gairrhydd.com/comment
Why I don’t wear the poppy
After many celebrities speak out about their decision not to wear the poppy, Em Gates discusses her reasons why she won’t be wearing one this year
Em Gates
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To me, the poppy is a token of war... I just can’t sit back and pretend that any war is justified
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emembrance Sunday is coming around again and every year I observe it. I stop what I’m doing and I sit in silence, thinking about everyone that has been lost in war: even more so the family and friends that have been left behind. But do you know what emotion I feel most? Not grief, not empathy, not even sadness, I feel nothing but pure anger. How on earth are we commemorating so many deaths without mentioning the fact that each and every one could have been prevented if we had not gone to war? World War II lasted six years, and in that time it took over 18 million military lives, where about 400 thousand were British. That was also only one of the many number of battles that countries all over the world have embarked on and I am sick of pretending that it is okay. Tony Blair has come out recently and kind of apologised for the Iraq war, expecting everyone to forget the fact that he sent Britain into a war that killed 179 British
soldiers, with a great more wounded and a number more fatalities of nonBritish soldiers. Sorry doesn’t really cut it for me, to be honest, not when people from all over the world are dying for a cause that doesn’t quite seem worth it. And then, to commemorate the dead and show my respect to every single person fighting for a reason that I believe to be too costly after all, I am expected to wear a poppy every year? To me, the poppy is nothing but a token of war, an image that supports the violence and condones any war this country has ever entered in to: that is a concept that I refuse to be a part of. I just can’t sit back and pretend that any war is justified, whether it is regarding land, resources or religion, it all seems needless to me. Footballer James McClean has refused to wear the badge this year, saying that the poppy is standing “for all the conflicts that Britain has been involved in”. Furthermore, McClean comes from a town where 14
people died after being shot by British military in the midst of troubles in Ireland in 1972, so it is undoubtedly clear why he is unwilling to support anything which is in favour of violence at all. He refuses to adhere to a system which sends soldiers off to possibly die with an apparent lack of consideration, which if anything supports the soldiers in the same way that people wear the poppy. The judges on X Factor wear poppies encrusted with diamonds, and newsreaders wear intricately sewn satin poppies. So while Sienna Miller was hugely criticised for not wearing the flower on The Graham Norton Show last week, it seems completely acceptable to turn it into a fashion statement? This is respectful? You could call me heartless, I’ve already been called disrespectful many a time, but I don’t care. I care about the fact that my boyfriend is in the navy and that he’s not allowed to tell me where he’s going. That he’s not allowed to contact me for sometimes
days to weeks at time with me having no knowledge of whether he is dead or alive. That if he were to die in action, people would justify his death by saying he was “fighting for my country”. That is why I don’t wear a poppy, but I still observe the silence. That is why I refuse to acknowledge that any conflict can be resolved by violence, but I will protest and march to the end of the earth for equality. I’m not trying to pick a fight, I just think it’s time to stop romanticising the poppy and stop acting like it is the symbol of peace, when to me it is the symbol of war. I am not going to be bullied into something I do not agree with. With celebrities like Sienna Miller, newsreader Jon Snow and McClean himself stepping out and standing up to the system that glamorises the poppy and therefore glamorises conflict, well then maybe we are closer to stopping war altogether, and making sure that there are far fewer people who need to be ‘remembered’.
Pictured: The red poppy is an instantly recognisible symbol. But is it a symbol of war? (Photographer: J.Triepke via Flickr)
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You could call me heartless... I am not going to be bullied into something I do not agree with
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COMMENT 11
Are STI rates rising with every swipe right on Tinder?
The British Association for Sexual Health has argued that the popularity of dating apps has caused more people to be diagnosed with sexually transmitted infections. But is this a wider social issue?
Naomi Kensall
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Dating apps allow you to seek out a partner in a close proximity with the swipe of a finger, making it easier to change sexual partners as often as you like
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Portia Ladrido
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What’s the use of growing hair around your mouth when you don’t talk about the concerns of the movement?
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n the UK, there has been an increase in diagnoses of gonorrhoea, herpes, genital warts and syphilis. Experts are also warning of a potential flood of HIV across the nation. What’s the cause for this rise in sexually transmitted infections? Doctors are pointing their fingers at dating apps. Dr Peter Greenhouse, media chair of the British Association for Sexual Health and HIV, states: “You are able to turn over partners more quickly with a dating app and the quicker you change partners, the more likely you are to get infections.” Dating apps such as Tinder and Happn allow you to seek out a partner in a close proximity with the swipe of a finger, making it easier to change sexual partners as often as you like. With people changing sexual partners regularly, if those who do decide to engage in casual sex have untreated STIs, it is unsurprising that this rise is occurring. Even so, a number of dating apps allow users to include their STI status in their profile, and many of the creators of dating apps argue that they do promote safe sex. Despite the stigma that Tinder is a quick and easy gateway to sex, the Online Dating Association estimate
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that between 25 and 40 per cent of new relationships now start through dating apps. It was reported that Tinder had 50 million active users in late 2014, making it the most popular dating app on android, followed by Happn, match.com and Hot or Not. The dating app Hinge made a survey questioning 1,500 of its users and found that only two per cent wanted a ‘casual hook-up’, whereas 63 per cent were seeking relationships and the remaining 33 per cent were looking for dates. These statistics play against the negative stigma associated with dating apps, and instead indicate that they are simply following modern movements in communications. Marie Cosnard, head of trends at Happn has argued: “Dating apps are following wider social trends and changing behaviours that have been unfolding for decades”. In modern society, it is more accepted to have casual sex, ‘friends with benefits’ and even multiple partners. Some of you may have played a game of spin the bottle during Fresher’s week: instead of any shame or judgement being projected onto the more sexually experienced, it is now more than often praised. In the Student Beans 2014 Sex Survey to determine the aver-
age number of sexual partners per student, Cardiff University ranked 41st , with an estimated 5.15 sexual partners per student. If you are one of those who search for a hook-up on Tinder, who’s to judge? In theory, as long as the sex is consented and protected, there is no danger. As a student, you have easy access to contraception in the Student’s Union and therefore it is your responsibility to use these resources to be safe. The rise in numbers of people being diagnosed with STIs easily can be pinned on dating apps, however I believe that the problem is much broader. On the surface, dating apps purpose are to make it easier for people to connect and find a date, not to teach you about safe sex. The app creators expect its users to have learnt about safe sex and therefore be aware of the dangers of unprotected sex and casual hook ups. Surely a more logical explanation for this problem is poor sexual education. From my own experience, sexual education lessons consisted of graphic images of infected genitals, extremely dated videos and a lot of squeamish comments and giggles. Nobody really took these lessons seriously, and we still left them
rather naïve. I believe that we should be taught what to expect when having sex, to prevent us from seeking this information online, on social media, or pornography, which construct high and often false expectations. In my school, we were given no information on what each part of our genitals role is and which areas stimulate pleasure: most people research this online and depending on the source, is not always reliable. As a member of the LGBT society, I received no education about safe sex which would benefit me directly. Despite HIV being at a higher rate among the gay community, LGBT sex education is not currently compulsory; therefore many schools skip this area or only touch the topic. If the information which I received was meant to prepare me, I have little hope for private schools, academies and free schools where sexual education is not compulsory. I may be bias to go against doctors opinions that dating apps are increasing the rate of STIs, for I shamelessly met my partner of nine months on Tinder (I know, such a romantic story to tell our future grandchildren!). However, surely the danger should be blamed on more than an app?
Movember: for a cause, or for applause?
he hairiest month of the year is now upon us. Brace yourselves as men’s photos showing off all sorts of bearded glory fill everyone’s Instagram feeds, Facebook profiles, and Twitter timelines. Ah, Movember, that annual event where the Y-chromosomes spike up their testosterones to look like Ron Burgundy. The sheer amount of chaps participating in this movement is quite astonishing, so it makes you think: do all of these whiskered creatures actually know what Movember stands for? Movember is a blend of “mo” from moustache and “vember” from November that started in Australia as a way to raise awareness of men’s issues such as depression, prostate cancer, and other health problems that people rarely talk about. The Movember Foundation has been widely success-
ful with this campaign, making it a global trend that just gets bigger and bigger. But, just like a good indie song that goes mainstream, this advocacy seems to lose its essence with every year that passes by. I asked my friend’s 17 year old brother who’s growing a moustache for Movember if he knew what it was all about, and he looked at me like I’m a probing mother asking about his sex life. After his short, defensive glare, he said tiringly: “Yes, it’s about prostate cancer awareness.” Again I asked if he and his friends would actually talk about prostate cancer, and of course he said no since it’s “obviously selfexplanatory”. I’m not saying that this 17 year old punk represents the whole male kingdom but it does go to show that maybe this advocacy has lost its soul.
We can be certain that most men joining the bandwagon know that it’s for men’s health issues, but what’s the use of growing hair around your mouth when you don’t even use your mouth to actually talk about the concerns that are supposed to be the foundations of this movement? It’s like randomly buying a “Save the Earth!” shirt just to give an illusion that you’re doing something substantial for the environment. It’s too convenient it’s almost pointless. So, to my beloved blokes, before you let your mouth brows flourish, think well and hard about what you can truly do for this cause. At the very least, educate yourself on the topic before you flood social media with your facial fur; if not, chances are, you’ll simply look like a mutation of a Hasidic Jew and a hipster.
Pictured: A billboard clearly linking dating apps to STIs. (Photographer: KTLA)
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Surely a more logical explanation is poor sex education... From my experience, nobody really took these lessons seriously, and we still left the class naive
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Pictured: Movember has gained a massive following over the past few years. (Photographer: Stuart Chalmers)
12 COMMENT Pictured: Gwendoline Christie speaking at San Diego Comic Con 2015 (Photographer: Gage Skidmore)
Progressive film roles on the rise for women
Charley Griffiths
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There is a refreshinh trend in the movie industry these days, to cast women in roles that are way more than sex appeal
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Dan Heard
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Shockingly, 72 per cent of 1821 years olds are earning less than the Living wage, compared with just 17 percent of 30-39 year olds
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I
t is not often that I say that I look up to or admire a celebrity. In fact, I am usually one to ignore any sort of celebrity news, usually because I have no reason to care about such trivial matters that often make ‘news’ these days. The mere mention of a Kardashian or a member of Made in Chelsea sends me straight to sleep. But as a massive fan of Game of Thrones, when I saw Gwendoline Christie (who plays the awesome character of Brienne in the show) was trending, I had to take a closer look. Christie is set to star in the latest instalment of the Star Wars franchise, Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Here, she stars in the antagonistic role of Captain Phasma, a role which she calls a “progressive female character.” This is the first time the Star Wars franchise will feature a female villain, which I feel is pretty impressive on its own. But speaking to Entertainment Weekly, Christie went on to explain how we as viewers are “actually connecting to the character as a human being” and not just “via the way they look.” Female roles in big blockbust-
ers are so often, in Christie’s words, “made flesh”. Captain Phasma is made out to be a woman, but wears the same neutral Stormtrooper outfit as the rest. From trailers and promotional materials, it so far seems like we rarely see the character without her helmet. I can therefore assume that this role is more about her acting ability and what she expresses, as opposed to her appearance. Nice one J.J. Abrams. This reflects the refreshing trend that the movie industry is taking these days, to cast women in roles that are way more than sex appeal. With the release of ‘Spectre’, the latest James Bond film, we see the diverse casting of older women, who have more of an active and multi dimensional role than to simply be a disposable bit of eye candy, the classic ‘Bond Girl’, for 007 to sleep with. Need I mention Dame Judi Dench’s amazing performances as ‘M’? Even the names have changed, no more Pussy Galores (cringe). In fact, 2015 is set to be a pretty good year for women in the TV and film industry. We are seeing more and more kick ass, amazing and in-
spirational characters for young women to look up to. The Hunger Games hits the screens near the end of this month (also staring Gwendoline Christie - she has certainly been a very busy woman indeed). I really love the character of Katniss, and actress Jennifer Lawrence, who plays her. Katniss is a fighter, and doesn’t take any shit. The Martian, which I saw and greatly enjoyed watching in the cinema the other week, has two female astronauts. Yet the film doesn’t make a big deal out of it, they just get on with it, no unnecessary or gratuitous sexualisation in sight. However, I just want to mention here that I have no problem with a character being ‘sexy’, as long as that isn’t their only role or purpose in the film/ programme. Bringing back Star Wars as an example, Princess Leia was obviously pretty sexy, but she succeeded in being a strong character as well. The Avengers has the ever attractive Scarlett Johansson as Black Widow sporting a skin tight black outfit, yet she kicks ass at every opportunity. Game of Thrones, as I have already mentioned, has an array of incredible female characters,
including Christie. Basically, I bloody love this woman if you haven’t already gathered. Anyway, many of the female protagonists in Game of Thrones can definitely be described as sexy women, but this doesn’t stop them being characters with depth and intrigue. What often annoys me is the focus on their sexuality and not their contribution to the plot. Ask a fan about the character of Daenerys Tagaryen, I doubt they will mention her awesome dragon taming or obvious talent of conquering cities and leading people, but more like, “is she the fit one who gets naked a lot?” Essentially, a character is more interesting for me if their personality shines through, as that is what people relate to. I wish I could look like Jennifer Lawrence or Scarlett Johansson, don’t get me wrong, but the fact is, I don’t. Instead I would rather aspire to have the strength, determination and class of the characters we are seeing more and more frequently on screen. So I applaud the movie industry for breaking away from the stereotypes, and focusing on the acting, not just appearances.
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I have no problem with a character being sexy, as long as that isn’t their only role or purpose... a character is more interesting if their personality shines through
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Six million earn less than the living wage in the UK
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p to six million UK residents are trapped in work poverty by earning less than the Living Wage, a shock report released this week has shown. For the third year running, the number of people paid less than £7.85 an hour (or £9.15 in London - the minimum considered for a decent standard of living in the capital) - has risen. The latest official figures indicate that nearly one in four of all employees are paid less than the voluntary wage threshold. In a worrying trend part-time, female and young workers are the most likely to be earning a wage that fails to provide a basic standard of living. While more women and young people are employed compared to last year, they are the two groups most likely to be caught in the ‘working poverty’ trap. The shock figure of 72 per cent of 18-21 year olds earning less than the living
wage compares with just 17 per cent of those aged 30-39. The worst hit though, are 18-21 year olds, with 72 per cent of people in the category earning less than the living wage. It’s not hard to see why either, as of the top ten jobs paying below the Living Wage, bar staff, at 90 per cent, suffers the most. Waiters and waitresses are at 85 per cent - both of which are professions in which students make up the vast majority of the workforce. The current national minimum wage stands at £6.70 per hour. However, in his Summer Budget, Chancellor George Osborne pledged to raise the national minimum wage for adults to £9 an hour by 2020, beginning with a 50p increase to £7.20 from April 2016. Following the announcement, a string of employers, including Costa Coffee, Lidl and Aldi, have announced that they will guarantee staff the liv-
ing wage (a small crumb of comfort to those employed at the branches around Cathays). Ultimately, what does it matter if a few more people can afford to needlessly spend when our food banks are almost depleted? The living wage is the answer, and the real one, not this enhanced minimum wage being touted by the Chancellor. There will be businesses who rally against it, no doubt, and will complain about being forced into this. Well, I agree – they shouldn’t be. They should instead, elect to. A recent study examining the business benefits of living wage in London found eight out of ten employers said it not only enhanced the quality of the work of their staff, what’s more, absenteeism fell as a result. In Wales, you’re 26 per cent more likely to earn below the living wage than not, while 45 per cent of women
don’t earn enough to pay for the basics. Personally, I doubt there’s another city in the UK where so many drive to work in cars which cost more than the houses they pass by as Cardiff. As a city, it has much to be proud of – like friendly people and a culture of innovation and diversity, yet social mobility, and the disparity between rich and poor is not among them. Even in Cathays, one of the more densely populated areas within the city due to studentification, more than three in ten people earn less than £7.85 an hour. The living wage affords people the opportunity to provide for themselves and their families. Poverty has never benefited anybody’s life, let alone life in the workplace. If a company can afford the living wage, then it should be paid. After all, you are only as strong as the weakest link in your chain and right now, that weak link is staring us all in the face.
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There will be businesses who will complain about being forced into paying the living wage. I agree- they shouldn’t. They should elect to.
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COMMENT 13
China ends controversial ‘onechild policy’ after four decades
Ellise Nicholls
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The one child policy has had some brutal consequences... the decision to scrap the policy is recognised by many as too late to have significant effect
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Saxon Norgard
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The inquiry has faced outcry from all fronts... David Cameron has expressed his frustration that the report was taking so long
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For generations to come this will have an impact on people’s lives and the demographic of the largest country in the world. But is this too late?
n March 2016, China’s one-child policy will be set aside and the new and updated two-child policy will take its place. But is it too late? On Thursday October 29th 2015, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) revealed its new plans for early in the New Year to relax the infamous one-child policy and invite couples to have a second child. Introduced in the late 1970s, the one-child policy has been in place for almost four decades and has had some brutal consequences. Although this will come as a liberation to the nation, the decision by Chinese President XI Jinping to scrap the policy is recognized by many as too late to have significant effect. Had it have been corrected earlier, the demographics of the People’s Republic of China would not be in the unbalanced, potentially irreparable state it is currently in. So why was it implemented in the first place? Well, in 1950, China’s population growth rate was at 1.9 per cent per year. Although this figure may seem insignificant, it has been estimated that, had the rate increased to three percent, the country’s population would have doubled within less than 24 years. The Chinese governments quickly recognised that this surge in population would soon
be unsustainable, hence the controversial introduction of the one-child policy. This detrimental two-child policy change has been considered by the National Health and Family Planning Commission. Their recent predictions suggest China’s birth rate, recorded at 12 million in 2013, will, from the implementation of the policy in 2016, reach a figure of 20 million each year. Contrary to this proposed figure, government official reports reveal that 60 per cent of the 90 million eligible women have surpassed the age of 35. This could indicate that these women may be more career-driven and more concerned with supporting their traditional one-child orientated family over considering a second child, despite it being their soon-tobe new, contemporary right. Chai Ling, the founder of All Girls Allowed, said that “when people hear the one-child policy, they don’t realise that it means every other child must die.” Abortions, sterilisations and infantile are words embedded in a generation as an effect of the one-child policy. Commentators have suggested that Beijing’s recent announcement of the two-child policy will do little for the enormous gender imbalance currently in crisis in China. Before
the one-child policy, China’s socialist planned economy emphasised gender equality as a key role in society. Due to the aging but still applicable ideological structure that males are of more economic and social value over females, providing they weren’t aborted, many females born into China’s one-child regime were neglected, abused or trafficked by their own flesh and blood. The effect on the gender imbalance in the Chinese population as a result of the one-child policy is visible in Kang and Wang’s National Family Planning and Reproductive Health Survey. In 1979, this survey revealed an average sex ratio of 106:100 (boys:girls). Just over 20 years later, in 2001, the ratio had developed to 117:100. Recent statistics from the US Congressional-Executive commission on China have quantified the ratio as of January 2010 for the infant to four year old age group in China as an astounding 123:100. These statistics confirm the national estimates that China has 40 million additional males to females. Consequently, this may have left China with a generational surplus of men unable to find a partner. In addition, families may face an intimidating economic challenge from having a second child. As revealed
by online statistical resource website, Statista, public spending is expected to drop from 30.88 per cent of annual GDP to 28.52 per cent by 2020. Currently, the communist country is already regarded by many to not sufficiently provide for social services required by its publics. A further consideration is that any additional child born as a result of the implementation of the two-child policy will not be an asset to China’s ever-growing labour force until at least 2030. These two factors simultaneously present having a second child as an infeasible and irresponsible option for a large number of Chinese families. Although the two-child policy is a step in the right direction for the rights and freedoms of the Chinese people, it will be decades until they can redeem themselves from the demographic spiral of gender imbalance, and the succinctly embedded cultural influences of the one-child policy. Also, it should be considered that the two-child policy has been implemented as a way for the Chinese Communist Party to further exert its powers and influences on its people – and that the forced abortions, legally implemented as a result of the onechild policy, may be replaced with the monitoring of pregnancies and births.
Pictured: The policy caused an uneven ratio of men to women (Photographer: Stefan Lins)
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These statistics estimate that China has 40 million additional males who will be unable to find a partner
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Chilcot Inquiry: nearly seven years in the making
T
he Iraq Inquiry or Chilcot Inquiry, after its Chairman Sir John Chilcot, was announced in June 2009 to investigate Britain’s involvement in Iraq. Although the inquiry’s public hearings concluded in early 2011, the so-called ‘Chilcot Report’ will not be finished until April 2016 after numerous delays to its completion. Even then, security checks mean that it will not be publicly released until June or July. The inquiry has faced outcry from all fronts. A group of 29 families who lost loved ones in the Iraq War threatened to seek judicial review over the delays, arguing that it was morally reprehensible to continue withholding the information. MPs from both sides of the House have expressed their frustration. Prime Minister David Cameron wrote personally to Sir John to express his frustration that the report was taking so long, and former Labour Attorney General Lord Morris has even suggested sacking the
panel and releasing an interim report. It is not surprising that it has taken so long to complete. Chilcot told the PM in his reply that it will be over two million words in length, drawing on in excess of two years of hearings, and transcripts from around 200 cabinet and cabinet committee meetings. Nonetheless, many have blamed vested interests for the delays, such as MP John Baron who said that he was in “no doubt” that establishment forces had refused to disclose key documents in an effort to delay and discredit the report. Controversy arose over a number of correspondences alleged to have been made between former PM Tony Blair and US President George Bush, which the Cabinet Secretary Sir Jeremy Heywood initially refused to release. These suggested that the former PM gave assurances to Bush of British support in an invasion well before the matter came before the British Parliament. Sir Jeremy was accused of
intentionally delaying the report and engaging in a cover up, although he claims to have been concerned about the potential harm that releasing private memos between leaders could cause to UK-US diplomatic relationships. He claims the fact he released the correspondences in the end anyway refutes these allegations. The most recent delay has been attributed by Chilcot to the process of ‘Maxwellisation’, which gives individuals likely to be criticised by the report a chance to provide further justification for their actions. This in the case of some, for example Tony Blair, involved a very lengthy process that uncovered fresh evidence, which the inquiry was bound to examine. Again, some have suggested that Blair and others have abused the process to needlessly delay proceedings, although Chilcot has insisted that this was not the case. It is undeniable that a report which contains reams of sensitive informa-
tion, two years of written testimony, and concerns a matter of immense public interest should be properly scrutinized and carefully composed. At the same time, it is perfectly reasonable for the British public to be frustrated with how long it is taking. Today, the Iraq War is universally regarded to have been an immense failure and almost directly responsible for the rise of the Islamic State, and people need answers. It also seems to be highly likely that some, particularly those close to Blair at the time, have sought to influence the inquiry’s work. Many have criticised the very appointment of Chilcot, arguing him to be too much a part of the Whitehall establishment to conduct an independent inquiry. However, if anything, his setting a date of completion well into 2016, despite fierce criticism even from the PM, indicates that he is committed to ensuring that all the facts can come to light and be properly considered.
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It is undeniable that a report concerning a matter of immense public interest should be properly scrutinized and carefully composed
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14 COMMENT
The refugees: a fading crisis?
Sarah Harris
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You have to understand that no one puts their children on a boat unless the water is safer than the land.
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Mared Jones
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The Welsh language hasn’t really had a good time of late.
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O
n September 2nd, an image was released to the public of a young boy; face down on the shore of a beach in the resort town of Bodrum. This boy was named Alyan Kurdi. The image immediately took the Internet by storm and questions were raised as to why nothing was being done about the impending refugee crisis. In 2015, over four million refugees have fled Syria alone. Out of these four million refugees, only 5,000 are currently residing within the UK. Even more shockingly, recent reports have introduced controversy as to whether this number is in fact accurate with recent reports saying that numbers are closer to 180. In a recent appeal to the public, actor Benedict Cumberbatch stated, “You have to understand that no one puts children on a boat unless the water is safer than the land.” Looking back at how the disturbing images of Kurdi were so widely circulated by the media within such a short space of time, is it safe to say that the public is slowly losing interest in the issue?
F
Some would argue not that the general public is not losing interest but in fact growing more concerned with the issue being addressed by celebrities such as Cumberbatch and Angelina Jolie. Another factor pointed out by Cumberbatch was the likelihood of many refugees not surviving the harsh winter weather. As much as this problem is trying to be tackled by charity organisations such as Human Appeal and Save the Children, it is still a outrageous issue that needs to be addressed and tackled by our governments. David Cameron announced earlier on this autumn that he would allow for 20,000 refugees to enter the UK between 2015 and 2020. This is only a small fraction of the total number of refugees. Since his announcements, petitions have been introduced by social activists who question Cameron’s unsympathetic stance on the matter. He has responded by saying, “careful consideration will be given to the number of refugees allowed in the UK.” Approximately 87 per cent of Syr-
ian requests for asylum within the UK have been granted whereas countries such as Germany and Serbia have welcomed refugees in their thousands. Cumberbatch also pointed out in his speech that, “you only run for the border when you see the whole city running as well”. Over the months, images have been circulating social media websites such as Twitter and Facebook of Syria before the war. The images show a beautiful country, with peace, austerity, freedom and least of all no fear. Looking at images of the same country now, it is appalling to see the condition it is in. Again, it raises the question as to why nothing more is being done by our government? One story in particular stood out to me. It was of a blind Syrian man and a Turkish migrant who worked together in the city of Damascus. One of the men was unable to walk while the other was blind. Syrian locals tell the story of how these two men grew an unbreakable bond. They tell us of how this story shows the depiction of Syria, a country of loyal and honest people.
Cardiff University itself has a ‘Student Action for Refugees’ society who gather regularly to meet refugees and allow students to enhance in their communication skills so that they are able to provide a comfortable environment for them. Members of the society have said this heart-warming experience allows them to gain a better understanding of the situation and allow for the refugees to settle in to the country and the dramatic cultural change. Small acts like this can make a huge impact on the life of a refugee and their family without you even realising it. It is clear that although more needs to be done by our government, more needs to be done by society at the same time to make sure this problem is not forgotten about or ignored. Amnesty International’s, Salil Shetty, has said: “the EU has miserably failed to play its part in providing a safe haven to the refugees who have lost all their lives.” Despite the poor performance on behalf of our government and others, we still have the power to change and improve this situation.
Pictured: The child refugees of Syria: (Photographer: Oxfam International)
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Cardiff University itself has a ‘Student Action for Refugees’ Society who gather regularly to meet refugees.
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Save our Welsh place names
rom last year’s infamous referendum-boycotting incident at the Students’ Union to a recent piece of pseudo-journalistic malice published in The Tab, it can be safely said that the Welsh language hasn’t really had a good time as of late. The most recent blow against Wales’ mother tongue happened in late October 2015, when a 200 year old Caernarfon mansion, Plas Glynllifon, was put up for sale and renamed Wynnborn for ‘marketing purposes’. Needless to say, this has gone down as well as a monumental build-up of your housemates’ hair in the shower, and with as much reluctance as thirdyear students who still refer to YOLO as the Lash. Local Plaid Cymru candidate Sian Gwenllian told The Daily Post that she and the rest of the Gwynedd locals were determined to bring back the mansion’s original name no matter what. “I will urge them to forget
Wynnborn, temporarily and long term,” she said ominously, subtly reminding proposed buyers MBI Sales just how terrifyingly threatening Welsh-speakers can be when their culture is in danger. Fortunately, following the unwanted change in name and the subsequent shitstorm, MBI Sales have decided not to purchase the Grade-I listed building, crediting the reason for abandoning the deal to the ‘unexpected negative reaction’. Unexpected? Anglicising the name of a historic Welsh mansion was never going to garner a standing ovation and a joyous sing-song. The only unexpected thing about this whole debacle is the fact that MBI Sales honestly thought that ‘Wynnborn’ wouldn’t result in anything other than a very small but very angry Welsh rebellion. The Welsh Language Commissioner Meri Huws has now insisted that in order to avoid any future repeats
of this rather unsavoury incident, all historical Welsh place names ought to be given statutory protection. “We do that with buildings,” she said, referring to the Statutory List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest. “Why not do it with place names?” This is, indeed, an incredibly good point. Plas Glynllifon itself is a Grade-I listed building, yet the Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas Act of 1990 does nothing to protect the actual names of those on the statutory list. What’s stopping Buckingham Palace from being renamed The Queen’s Party House, or Cardiff Castle becoming The Really Snazzy Outdoor Cinema? Nothing is, apparently. Though Ms Huws’ call for statutory protection is a valid and overwhelmingly important one in terms of protecting Welsh culture, Deputy Culture Minister Ken Skates isn’t quite as keen. Skates believes that the policy Ms Huws is proposing is too difficult
to implement, and that giving names statutory protection “would require considerable bureaucracy and administration”. Fantastic! I could do with a new job, Ken. Give me a pen and paper and I’ll list them myself for bloody free. One of Wales’ most valuable selling points is the fact that we have a language that is spoken in very few other places in the world. Tourists don’t want to come here only to be greeted by the same English names they’ve already seen in their own homelands and countries around the globe. Wales is its own unique country - not some bastardised sequel to England. This call for statutory protection needs to be heard by the Welsh Assembly, not only to protect the history of the Welsh language, but its future. Do we really want to live in a world where our language is lost and Clwb Ifor Bach is officially named Welsh Club? Dim diolch.
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Tourists don’t want to come here only to be greeted by the same English names.
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Annual General Meeting Cyfarfod Cyffredinol Blynyddol
Thursday 12th November OPEN TO ALL STUDENTS DOORS 17:30, THE GREAT HALL
For more information & to view the meeting agenda, visit CARDIFFSTUDENTS.COM THIS IS A STUDENT MEMBERS’ AGM. YOU WILL BE REQUIRED TO SHOW VALID STUDENT ID ON THE DOOR. Business to be transacted: ratification of minutes of the previous meeting; receiving the report of the Trustees on the Union’s activities since the previous meeting; receiving the accounts of the Union for the previous financial year; approving the list of affiliations of the Union; open questions to the Trustees by the Student Members; and any motions submitted by members.
THE GAIR RHYDD COLUMN 17
It’s (already) beginning to look a lot like Christmas
Helena Hanson
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Christmas is my favourite time of year, I really, really love it. It brings out the world’s most annoying people, including me.
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T
This is it. Christmas 2015 has begun.
his week, the first of the year’s Christmas adverts have been unveiled. Whilst you were busy scrubbing the fake blood off your neck and wondering how long you can leave that pumpkin to rot in the kitchen before it gets really, REALLY gross, Christmas has been sneaking up behind you. The earliest advert of the year is a real cracker: it comes from Lidl and is probably one of the most brilliant Christmas advertisements I’ve seen. Rather than making me cry (I’m looking at you John Lewis), the ‘Lidl School of Christmas’ brings valuable festive lessons to its audience on the best way to deal with the not-soperfect aspects of the big day. Skills everybody needs to brush up on; how to disentangle Christmas tree lights, how to make a textbook left-over sandwich, and most notably how to feign pleasure at a shit present from your Nan. It serves to make me eager for every aspect of Christmas, including my mother being unapproachable until dinner has been served and those whole-family arguments that literally happen every single year because you’re forced to hang out with each other for the entire day. This weekend also will reveal the new John Lewis advert. Celebrated for being just the most delightful entity in the whole world ever, and making you absolutely adore John Lewis, even if, like me, you have no idea what they
sell in there. We can expect to see an adorable creature - maybe a fluff y animal who is lonely or miserable, or perhaps a small child who is much nicer and less sticky than any fouryear old we’ve ever seen. This cutie will embark on their emotional journey to a tune you’re sure you recognise from a few years ago, but slowed down and sang in a soft and raspy voice by someone much more sugary than the original artist. Prepare to be reduced to tears and prepare to be asked 900 times if you’ve seen it, but I have no doubt it will be wonderful, if not perhaps a little sickly. Christmas is my favourite time of year; I really, really love it. It brings out the world’s most annoying people, including me. Those people who play Michael Buble Christmas songs on repeat, all day, every day (me). Those people who call it ‘crimbo’ make me want to smash my head repeatedly against the mantelpiece. Those people who get ‘early Christmas presents’ constantly in the festive run up (wtf ), and those people who insist on uploading a picture of their Christmas dinner to social media (titled ‘thanks mum!’) even though it looks really, really shit. For many students, including myself, getting excited for Christmas as early as possible is unpreventable. It is less about presents and pretty lights, but more about going home to a warm house, a decent meal, and reu-
niting with your family and your pet for the first time in months. Of course, as with anything, there are people who go potentially a little overboard. Putting up your tree during the first week of November is a little bizarre, listening to festive music all summer is weird and I don’t think I’ll ever understand the thinking behind ‘Christmas spice’ scented bleach. Not forgetting the individuals who wear their snowman woolly jumper and tinsel headband for weeks in advance (usually the same type of people who refer to it as ‘crimbo’). That said, as aggravating as you may find these individuals, the excitement doesn’t harm anyone. If you want to celebrate Christmas from April - go ahead. The argument is that this Christmas craze is led by consumerism. Forwarded by retailers who just want to suck as much money as possible from us, as early as possible, and this puts pressure on parents (and just about everybody else) to spend. This may be true. However, for every person who suggests November is too early to start preparing, there will be another who wants to do their shopping in advance and buy their presents as early as possible. In my eyes, nobody is forcing you to do your shopping this month. If you don’t want to, then don’t. Having explored online polls on this debate, the general consensus
was that before December is too early to begin getting excited. However one comment struck me. “There’s no way that Christmas can live up to the expectations that the media builds up.” This made me sad. It shouldn’t be about that. Christmas shouldn’t be about having a perfectly cooked dinner or having perfect presents or spending lots of money to make the day perfect. It’s about being with people you love or celebrating religion, or simply enjoying a break. What is the harm in looking forward to a celebration that brings together family and friends? I don’t know anyone who doesn’t get that inexplicable fuzzy feeling when they see Love Actually on the television or the spicy smell of steaming hot mulled wine and oven-fresh, crumbly mince pies. There’s no excitement quite like driving in the dark at Christmas time, rolling past twinkling lights and sparkly Christmas trees in the windows. It’s only one day - let us have at least a month to get excited. Christmas is always over far quicker than we’d like and before you know it, and it’s back to work/school/university in the dark and cold with nothing to look forward to. So watch the advertisements (but don’t be fooled by them!), eat the mince pies, sing the songs, wear the jumpers and just enjoy it, because it really is the most wonderful time of the year.
Pictured: A “Merry Christmas” in the Welsh language (Photographer: Walt Jabsco)
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Putting up your tree during the first week of November is a little bizarre and listening to festive music all summer is weird.
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18 POLITICS
p politics
Editors: Carwyn Williams Luke Brett Sam Patterson @GairRhyddPol politics@gairrhydd.com gairrhydd.com/politics
Students take to the streets of London
Georgina Crespi
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The protests had some political backing, including Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn
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Brett Jones
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n Wednesday 4th November thousands of students protested for free education. The protest was organised by the National Campaign Against Fees and Cuts (NCAFC). The protest was to protest tuition fees, see the return of maintenance grants and putting an end to student debt. The protest has been reported to have received support from over 10,000 students. On their website, anticuts.com, they suggest that they will be marching for a number of reasons. Their slogan is ‘Free Education and Living Grants for all: No Barriers, No Borders, no Business!’. They suggest that no barriers should me living grants for all, that we should tax the rich as it’s the poorest who pay a higher share of their income in tax and expropri-
ate the banks. No Borders highlights that education should be for all, that deportations such as those of Yashika Bageerathi and Majid Ali should be stopped and that there should be an end to detention centres. No Business refers to receiving the living wage, democratise our universities and colleges and to get cops off campus. The protests had some political backing including Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, Shadow Chancellor John McDonell and Green Party leader Natalie Bennett were also seen at the protest. John McDonell addressed the protesters saying they had been ‘betrayed’ by the Tory Government and that education ‘is a gift from one generation to another. It is not a commodity that can be bought and sold.’ In the 2010 protestor violence was
seen as undermining the student cause. The Prime Minster, stated back in 2010 that “people have a right to engage in lawful and peaceful protest, but there is no place for violence or intimidation” and a reporter for The Telegraph suggested that “anarchic behaviour of students protesting tuition fees” was “counter-productive to their cause.” The 2010 protests saw the occupation at Millbank, which was condemned by many including the NUS. On the 4th many reported that police were hit by eggs and flares. The Met later confirmed they have arrested twelve students on public order offences. However Green and Black Cross, another supporter of the protests, have said they know of 18 students who have been arrested.
Deborah Hermanns a member of the NCAFC suggested that the protest saw “heavy-handed policing” and that the police “stormed the protest” after “one firework” causing confusion and fear. The NCAFC have stated that they have plans for another day of action on November 17th which will focus on the treatment of international students, migrants and refugees and a student strike in early February. The NCAFC suggest that they “will build a movement that can win - and will not be deterred, either by the violence of the police, or the myth that protest doesn’t work.” While the protests in 2010 didn’t change the governments position on tuition fees or free education it seems the NCAFC are not going to give up on campaigning for it.
Pictured: Student march in London on November 4th (Photographer: Gary Knight via flickr)
Over a quarter of Welsh jobs below Living Wage
W
ales does not appear to be the best place for finding for a job. Figures released recently, as part of ‘Living Wage Week’, show that 26 per cent of the Welsh workforce are paid less than the living wage. This is a two per cent increase on last year. Obviously these figures need comparison. Although, unfortunately the data we can compare them to does not make Wales look much better. Taking the figures released by KPMG for this year at first glance there are not really many big surprises; London and the South East by far outperforms Wales and both the North West and the North East of England. The former have figures of 19 per cent and 20 per cent while the latter are perched forlornly on 25 per cent and 26 per cent. What might be more surprising is the picture that emerges investigating
these numbers as they have changed over the last few years. Wales and the North have always had a poorer paid workforce than London and the South East, but that gap does not look seem to be narrowing anytime soon. In fact, gaps seem to be widening, but it is not so simple as a gap between the Wales and the North, and London and the South. The figures provide their real surprise when you begin to examine and compare the performance of the devolved bodies. Scotland’s development has been very noteworthy. They have had the smallest increase in percentage of workers paid below the Living Wage between 2012 and 2016 of all the UK regions. This has allowed them to equal the figures for London and draw closer to the numbers for the South East as a whole. Meanwhile, in the same time period, Wales increased the percentage of
workers paid under the living wage by three per cent. Essentially, while Scotland and London have both successfully managed to keep the percentage of their populations earning less than the Living Wage below 20 per cent; Wales, the North of England, and Northern Ireland have failed dismally to keep theirs below 25 per cent. Being paid a living Wage is not a luxury. According to the Welsh Assembly the Living Wage is intended to reflect the minimum ‘amount of money an individual needs to earn to live a decent life’. But even the Living Wage is more than some can hope for; currently it is between £7.85 and £8.25 an hour. The Living Wage Week can seem to be an opportunity to look good, but that can all too easily become an opportunity for gesture politics. During Living Wage Week last year, the Welsh Government
was embarrassed by the revelation that whilst they were talking about supporting the Living Wage caterers at the Welsh Government headquarters’ in Cardiff, they were simultaneously advertising jobs for just above the national minimum wage of £6.50 an hour. And therein lies the rub, if the Living Wage is going to remain ‘a custom more honoured in the breach’ then it is a nice sentiment, but only that. It can be trumpeted at this time of year (in the run up to Christmas, not a coincidence I think) by politicians hoping to look good but without affecting any real world change. The Scottish Parliament and the Welsh Government are sometimes very different and this is a great exemplar of that. Whilst in Scotland there has been action to keep peoples pay at the level of the Living Wage, in Wales we have heard talk but effective action has not yet been seen.
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The Living Wage is intended to reflect the minimum amount of money an individual needs to earn to live a decent life
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POLITICS 19
Conor Holohan
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The Bill is designed to bring all government spying under a single legal framework
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This Bill complicates the devolutionary process, and the Bill is a lowest common denominator for devolution
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Home Secretary Theresa May introduces new spying legislation H ome Secretary Theresa May presented a draft bill to Parliament last Wednesday, the Investigatory Powers Bill. The piece of legislation is a reformed and revised version of the Digital Communications Bill - known to its opposers as the ‘Snooper’s Charter’ - which was previously blocked by the Liberal Democrats in 2013. The Bill is designed to bring all government spying under a single legal framework, rather than a series of different legislations that leave gaping loop-holes in the law. Before the announcement, May said that the ‘more contentious’ elements of it were removed. She has made clear that security services will not be able to access people’s browsing history or entered searches without warrants, and that encryption on social media users’ conversations will not be banned, as was previously expected. Still, the essence of the legislation remains as the government plans to pay the internet and phone providing companies to store all of their customers’ data for 12 months and provide access to this data to the police and security services. The government expenditure on this cause has yet to be disclosed. This blanket data collection extends to everyone in the country, and will mean that who we message, when we message them and
the internet domains which we enter will all be information available to our security services, which - as we found with the Snowden case - have been spying on us much more than we were aware of. May has still yet to announce whether the decisions on access to this data will be determined by elected officials or independent judges. Whilst the idea of these decisions being left to elected officials is attractive on the basis of accountability, there is little more you could do than this to make the Home Secretary’s Bill more dangerous to civil liberties - in theory these powers could indeed be used for political ends rather than in the interests of national security. Looking deeper into the Home Secretary’s Bill and the reforms she has made: firstly, the idea that the security services will not be able to access the content of one’s specific messages may sedate some people into thinking that the legislation is rendered relatively harmless. On the contrary, the correspondences between individuals and the time at which they took place can be as telling as the contents of those correspondences, and can be used as hard evidence in a court of law. Secondly, regardless of the subtleties, the nature of the legislation shows an absolute disregard for the presumption of innocence, a prin-
ciple absolutely central to the idea of civil liberty. This core principle restrains governments from getting overly powerful and imprisoning those they wish to imprison without righteousness or justice. Furthermore, can we be at all sure that our data is safe not just from a self-righteous government, but also from criminal parties? The recent Talk Talk hacking which has had devastating affects on the company and its customers has demonstrated that the expertise of hackers and coders is not concentrated in the security services or large corporations, rather it lies in the hands of anybody with the will to learn the tricks of the trade. There is absolutely no confidence to be had in the security of our data whilst it is in the hands of our internet and telephone providers, nor the government who are barely yet a foetus in this area. Additionally, there is no proof thus far that the security services have in fact yet protected us against terrorism. Due to the nature of political journalism in Britain at present, whereby Downing Street and the media are increasingly merging together, one will undoubtedly hear demagogical appeals to the emotion to justify this Bill. There will be claims that the legislation could help to prevent harrowing events like the murder of Lee Rigby or the Charlie Hebdo massacre. This is of course
A week in the Senedd with Carwyn Williams
First Minister’s Questions Mental health was a recurring feature in the SIambr last Tuesday, with leaders of both the Liberal Democrats and Plaid Cymru asking the minister about it. Leanne Wood welcomed the new announcement of a new target of 28 days for an adult mental health check, but was concerned about child and adolescent mental health services. She also went on to explain that between 2009 and 2014 spending on adolescent mental health services had actually fallen, and wanted the First Minister to guarantee a spending rise for the future. Carwyn Jones replied saying they are investing £800,000 that will lead to more primary care providers which is expected to improve waiting times.
He also committed that his government would spend what is necessary on this, but would depend on the budget coming from Westminster in the years to come. Kirsty Williams said her party has long campaigned for parity of services of mental and physical health, and also welcomed the new reduced targets. However, she did express concern that setting a target is one thing, but meeting it is another, as is often the case with the Welsh Government. Members also discussed the proposed changes in England where councils could keep some of the business rates they collect, but Jones added this was not a good idea for Wales at the moment, as 17 of the 22 local authorities would lose money.
AMs agree Draft Wales Bill does not go far enough Not a single AM voted against a motion that regrets that the current model for reserved powers in the Draft Wales Bill falls short of the recommendations of the Silk Commission Part 2. Carwyn Jones said in the “most important debate we’ve had for some time” that the matter “goes to the heart of what the people of Wales can do in the years to come.” Jones had met with Stephen Crabb, the Secretary of State for Wales, and seemed sympathetic to him, about his worries. At the heart of the failure of the bill is the failure to deliver a separate Welsh jurisdiction, which leads to “incredible complexities” and restrictions. Jones issued worries that there was inconsistencies in what is and isn’t devolved. He also said that a UK minister could veto a Welsh Bill, hoping it doesn’t come to that kind of situation. It was hoped this new bill would reduce referrals to the supreme court, but Jones is sceptical, and one aspect of the Bill would mean almost every law the Assembly passes would end up in the court. We could have a Welsh Parliament in the future, but with this Bill we will have a Welsh Parliament that cannot enforce it’s own laws.
completely false, as the British and French security services were fully aware of the individuals involved in the attacks before they took place, but ceased to pursue them due to lack of resources and skills. Perhaps I am missing something, but I would think that resources would be further stretched if, instead of using targeted investigation of those we suspect are dangerous to our national security, we spent vast sums of money on surveilling the entire British population. Shadow Home Secretary, Andy Burnham, has spoken out that there is a ‘broad acceptance’ that a new bill is a matter of necessity, and warned us against ‘over-hysterical’ reactions which could leave the UK with out of date laws in this area. I would argue that it is better to not intensify the spying powers of the state, and I would also suggest that Burnham should not dismiss concerns over civil liberty as ‘over-hysterical’, lest it be suggested that the debate is practically lost on his side - those with righteous principles should surely to be able to prove it with comprehensive and coherent arguments. Even those sceptical of the arguments presented here must agree at the very least that this legislation should be thoroughly and tentatively debated over a period of time, rather than forced through Parliament before Autumn is over, which is the aim of the Home Secretary.
Andrew RT Davies said that his bench did have concerns, but it is important to remember that this is indeed a draft bill, and we need clarity moving forward. He was also sceptical whether this is the time to have a separate jurisdiction, or whether the Assembly evolves into that, meaning this debate will not be clear in the coming years. Leanne Wood said this Bill complicates the devolutionary process, and the Bill is a lowest common denominator for devolution, and Wales will be left behind. She also accused the Welsh Government of being at odds with their party, and Westminster fails them too. Assembly opposes Human Rights Act repeal The Assembly voted for the Welsh Government to work with the Equality and Human Rights Commission Wales to send a strong message to the UK Government that we oppose any attempt to repeal the Human Rights Act 1998. This was a big matter in the Conservative election campaign, and this will be a big setback for Cameron on this matter, when he may need the devolved administrations to support this to retract the Act.
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There is no proof thus far that any incidence of terrorism has been averted because of Information uncovered through spying on the public
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20 POLITICS
Rory Wade
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Erdogan is well known and often criticised for his control and censoring of both the media and the internet
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Sophie Young
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An estimated 200,000 women were kidnapped and taken to military camps in Japan
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T
Turkey further polarised with criticism over election result
urkey has been left polarised further as the latest Parliamentary election resulted in a surprising victory for controversial, conservative AK (Justice and Development) Party with a 49.4 per cent majority, with opposition Politicians and Journalists deeming the results ‘unfair’. Erdogan has called for people to respect the people’s voice. International observers and critics have blasted the atmosphere of “violence and fear” around Erdogan’s campaign in light of arrests of opposition activists and stifling of press freedoms. The AKP won the election with 317 of the 550 seats, giving a clear majority but wasn’t a sufficient amount to give Erdogan, who is often cited by critics as a dictator, the powers he had hoped to get. Had Erdogan’s party won 330, they would have had power to hold a referendum on changing the constitution to give the President more powers, while 367 would have allowed him to force through an enhancement of powers. Moves critics say would further his authoritarianism on the country and implement more fundamentalist policies. The centre-left and main opposition CHP (Republican People’s Party) came in second with 25.4 per cent of the vote, while the far-Right MHP (Nationalist Movement) came in third with 11.9 per cent. The leftwing and Pro-Kurdish HDP (Peo-
ple’s Democratic Party) – who have a 10 per cent LGBT and 50 per cent Women quota for their candidates – came in fourth place with 10.7 per cent of the votes, a decrease from the last election in June when they entered Parliament for the first time with 13.12 per cent of the vote. The HDP’s leader, Selahattin Demirtas, said following the result that it had not been a “fair or equal election” and blamed the decrease in votes for his party on the fact that they were unable to campaign publicly since a bombing at a Pro-HDP peace rally in Ankara in July that killed over 100 people. “We held no campaign. We simply tried to save our people from massacres”, he said. The government said the attackers were linked to the ISIS group. The HDP Party also complained that much of the government-controlled media had been biased in favour of the AKP with The Independent citing a survey of state-owned TV Channels that showed Erdogan and the AKP received 30 hours of coverage during October, compared to five hours for the rival CHP and just 18 minutes for the HDP. Erdogan is well known and often criticised for his control and censoring of both the media and the internet. The former PM had briefly blocked access to Twitter following the anti-government Gezi Park Protests in 2013 and had spoken of his hopes to ban Facebook in the coun-
try too. Turkey now rates 149 out of 180 in the Press Freedom Index and the opposition party CHP claim that over 1,863 journalists have lost their jobs due to their anti-government views in the 12 years of AKP rule. Just days before the election Turkish police raided the offices of an opposition media company for alleged links to Fethullah Gullen, a cleric living in exile in the USA who is accused of trying to topple Erdogan. Further legal action against opposition papers are planned including the MHP backed Sozcu newspaper. “After the first of November, we will hold them accountable. Sozcu newspaper insults us every day.” said Aydin Unal, a legislator in the ruling party. “Criminal investigations of journalists and media outlets for alleged support of terrorism and defamation of the president, the blocking of websites and the effective seizure of some prominent media outlets reduced voters’ access to a plurality of views and information” is what, according to Andreas Gross from the Council of Europe, made the elections unfair. Despite his previous convictions for incitement to religious hatred and criticisms for spending over $350 million on a 1,000 room Presidential palace, Erdogan and his AK Party have been praised for restoring Turkey’s economy to a strong one
following its recession in 2001 and for giving a voice to Turkey’s conservatives. It may also be noted that the threat of ISIS and PKK/Kurdish militants has drawn people to see his tough stance on security as a source of stability for the country. In his winning speech he said “The final decisive actor in our political word is the national will, and yesterday on November 1st, the national will favoured stability”.
No trials or courts can rule on the issue because no evidence is viable as all testimony regards a time that is too far back to be admissible in Japanese courts. Statutes of limitations exist all over the world and they are often cited in cases of sexual abuse. The propriety of such statutes often come under fire, and this example in Japan adds another layer of significance to the situation.
Over time, Japan has apologised for the events but South Korea considers it insincere and insists more should be done. This topic remains a source of tension between the countries, however there are other pressing issues that offer a more positive outlook, economic links with China to boost exports for one. Time will tell how the relations fare, but for now here’s to the next 50 years.
Pictured: New York’s Turkish community protest against Turkey’s increasingly authorotarian government (Photographer: Michael Fleshman)
Japan and South Korea in talks to overcome sensitive issues
J
apanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and South Korean president Park Geun-Hye initiated talks on Monday, in which they aimed to find common ground between the two nations, and look to overcome still-sensitive issues such as the sexual slavery of Koreans in Japan. The movement of Asian women and girls to Japanese brothels in 1910–1945 is the biggest example of human trafficking seen in the 20th century. An estimated 200,000 women were kidnapped and taken to military camps in Japan for the purpose of sexual slavery, only 25-30 per cent were thought to have survived. The women, also taken from Malaysia, China, Indonesia, and Taiwan, are most commonly referred to as ‘comfort women’. The timing of these talks is particularly resonant. 2015 marks the 50th anniversary of the Treaty on Basic Relations between Japan and the Republic of Korea. This treaty pledged the normalisation of diplomatic ties between the two countries and the effort for a good relationship. 50 years later the subject of ‘comfort women’
is an example of an area in which efforts have not been completely successful. Just last year, the UN called on Japan to accept full responsibility for wartime sex slavery, but this was rejected by Japan. In a bid to compensate, a private fund was set up by Japan for the victims in 1995 but ended in 2007; many considered the money should be coming from the Japanese government, countries such as South Korea rejected the offer on these grounds and thus the end of the fund shortly followed. The significance of these talks regarding ‘comfort women’ is undeniable. There are still women alive today who survived the camps and they have not yet received proper recognition or compensation. The events and atrocities are not forgotten by the people so they cannot be forgotten by the governments. A wider angle exists when considering the opposition from Japan for not properly acknowledging culpability in military sex camps. One reason for Japan’s continued dismissal is based on the statute of limitations.
Pictured: President Park Geun-hye of S. Korea (Photoraph: Republic of Korea via Flickr)
POLITICS 21
Northern Ireland Assembly votes for marriage equality Pictured: Sinn Fein at the 2012 Belfast Pride Parade (Photographer: Alan Meban via flickr)
Carwyn Williams
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64 per cent of people were for same-sex marriage, with only 23 per cent against
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Bradley Walker
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DUP use a ‘petition of concern’ saying Bill doesn’t have cross-community support to stop a change in law
n a historic vote, Northern Ireland’s Stormont Assembly narrowly voted in favour of same-sex marriage, with 53 Assembly members voting in favour and 51 against. However, due to the political nature of Northern Ireland, the vote will not see a change in the law. The Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) used a ‘petition of concern’ to stop a change in the law, a power given to the assembly via the peace process. As the unionists don’t support the measure, they claim it does not have sufficient cross-community support. Parties can use this veto if the feel there isn’t enough backing from both Protestants and Catholics, to ensure no one community could dominate. This is the fifth time they have voted for change, being the first time since the successful referendum in the Republic of Ireland on the issue. In the same week, a poll released for BBC Northern Ireland and RTE showed 64 per cent of people were for same-sex marriage, with only 23 per
C
cent against. John O’Doherty, Director of The Rainbow Project said, “We are absolutely elated today. We cannot overstate the impact this vote will have on our community across Northern Ireland. I want to sincerely thank all those MLAs who voted in favour of the motion today; those who have supported marriage equality from the start and particularly those who have gone on a journey in their support. “It is true that the DUP have abused the petition of concern to block this vote and are now ignoring the will of the Assembly and the people of Northern Ireland but we will not allow them to dampen our joy today. Our campaign continues and it will not end until marriage equality is a reality for everyone in Northern Ireland.” Sinn Féin takes a similar view, with Caitríona Ruane having said, “Sinn Féin has been to the fore in supporting marriage equality across Ireland and in Europe and voted for marriage equality each time it has come before
the Assembly. “Marriage equality is a civil rights issue and it is long past the time that it was extended to citizens across Ireland.” In the Republic of Ireland, the new Marriage act has now been signed into law following a historic referendum, and the first same-sex marriages can take place after November 16th. Ireland has also passed a new Gender Recognition Act, so transgender people can self-declare their gender without seeing a doctor, in what has been a great year for LGBT+ rights in the country. Northern Ireland, however, has taken a different path, and will be one of the few places in Western Europe where it does not recognise same sex marriage. Leading LGBT groups in the country have rejected calls for a referendum on the issue. In a joint statement in September, The Rainbow Project, HereNI, CaraFriend, SAIL and Gender Jam NI said, “we fundamentally disagree with Labour’s suggestion that
the on-going and unlawful denial of the right to marry for LGB&T people in Northern Ireland should or could be resolved by a public referendum.” “We believe that the current patchwork of marriage laws across the UK is wrong and that it went wrong in Westminster.” “We believe that, were a referendum to be called, equality would win – but it is wholly unacceptable to expect the LGB&T community in Northern Ireland, in the face of the most organised opposing forces in the UK, to secure a win in a referendum which would not be proposed in any other region of the UK.” Scotland, meanwhile, has thrown a lifeline to Northern Irish same-sex couples, allowing them to convert their civil partnership into a marriage in Scotland, having previously been banned from doing so. The new law means any civil partnership made anywhere in the world can be converted to a marriage. Despite this, same-sex marriage will not be recognised in
Is Germany really the “beating heart” of Europe?
hancellor of the Exchequer, George Osborne, recently described Germany, alongside the UK, as the “beating heart” of the European economy. The comment was made while Osborne was en route to a discussion concerning the future state of the European economy with Wolfgang Schäuble, German finance minister and Vice Chancellor, Sigmar Gabriel. The talk is in a series of talks with EU states to discuss a new EU relationship with UK before the EU referendum. How true is it that Germany is the beating heart of the European economy? According to World bank statis-
tics from 2014, Germany had the largest GDP (Gross Domestic Product) in Europe, of approximately $3.854 trillion, this was followed by the UK with a GDP of $2.942 trillion. Germany’s significance in as a power is key in its contributions to the EU budget, in 2013 Germany paid in €23.29 billion, compared to the UK contribution of €17.5 billion. Germany’s contributions to the EU economy are essential to maintain countries with less economic power and revenue, and it is therefore a strong contributor to the EU economy and the maintenance of smaller, less influential member states. Poland for example in
2013 received €16.2 billion, contributing only €4.2 billion. Osborne’s statement holds some plausibility economically as Germany is the driving force of the European economy, at least in terms of raw income and contributions to the EU as a collective power. Germany even dominates economically outside of the EU, being the fourth most prosperous nation in the world, behind only the USA, China and Japan. It also makes up a significant of the overall EU GDP and a reason as to why the EU is a strong global power. Germany is a strong and economically prosperous country in terms of facts and figures and holds a
strong foothold politically after opening its doors during the recent refugee crisis. Osborne’s statement may have been sweeping, but it does hold merit. The German economy is a central and necessary part of the EU but it is not the only part. If the UK withdraws from the EU in 2017 reform will be needed in order to maintain the level of spending in the current EU. While Germany is central economically the ‘heart of Europe’, economic support of other EU powerhouses such as France and the UK are also needed, both of which are significant contributors to the EU budget.
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In the Republic of Ireland, the new Marriage act has now been signed into law, and the first samesex marriages can take place after 16 November
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He will set out these changes to the tax credit reforms in his Autumn Statement at the end of November
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22 SCIENCE
science
Editors: Maria Mellor Lizzie Harrett @GairRhyddSci science@gairrhydd.com gairrhydd.com/science
Beer can make you better in bed
Amy Bhatti
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Phytoestrogens found in alcohol are proven to increase endurance which can benefit men as this will delay premature ejaculation.
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Brett Jones
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A sneezing fit when in the presence of something like pollen is infinitely preferable to an underreaction when our bodies are under attack from parasitic infections.
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A
A pint before sex can improve your performance
s university students, especially freshers, we all know what it’s like to go out for a drink every now and then. But would you feel more compelled to drink if I told you it makes you better in bed? Unfortunately, I’m not talking about all forms of alcohol but for those of you that drink beer, the new argument from sex expert Dr Kat Van Kirk may be of interest. According to Dr Van Kirk, there are four positive sex-related benefits to drinking beer. The first of these is endurance. Phytoestrogens found in alcohol are proven to increase endurance which can benefit men as this will delay premature ejaculation. So if you want to last longer for that special someone you decided to go home with, down a few more cold ones. What colour is your drink? More iron is found in a darker beer. Iron helps red blood cells create haemoglobin, which circulates oxygen around your body. This improvement in circulation will allow for a stronger erection and therefore more pleasure for all.
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Research published in the European Journal of Epidemiology has also found that drinking beer can increase sexual stamina. Don’t get too excited though, as the study found 31 per cent of moderate beer drinkers had a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease compared to non-drinkers be sure to drink in moderation and don’t get hammered every night of the week. The research also claimed that when combined with exercise, beer helps keep your heart healthy which is why cardiac endurance increases. The fourth and final benefit put forward by Dr Van Kirk is the fortification of your overall health. According to Van Kirk’s research, the probiotics and B vitamins presently found in beer is of general health benefit. To look specifically at how this can help in bed, as many of you may want to know, the particular probiotics and B vitamins mentioned would settle the stomach meaning you are much less likely to feel sluggish during sex after a pint. There are already claims that this
Pictured: The darker the beer, the better it’ll be for your sex life (Photographer: Quinn Dombrowski)
research may have aided in certain brewers concocting new beers specifically marketing with the aim of stimulating individuals or getting them in the mood. The key thing
to remember, however, is that the research suggests the most benefit from drinking in moderation. That way you can have a great night and remember it too.
Are parasites responsible for allergic reactions?
llergies have long been an unwelcome but well-recognised part of many people’s lives. So it might come as something of a surprise to discover that until very recently the root causes of this fairly common phenomenon were not very well understood. However a study by Dr. Nicholas Furnham from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine is shedding more light on this topic. Evolutionarily speaking, traits are inherited and give the bearer some form of survival advantage. But what advantage can you gain from a sensitivity to, for example, pollen? Dr. Furnham’s study has revealed a similarity on a molecular level between common allergens like pollen and proteins associated with parasitic worms. What this suggests is that our bodies’ immune system can have difficulty distinguishing between the two and can mistake harmless or even helpful substances for a potential threat. When allergies are thought of in this way the evolutionary benefit is clear to see. An over-reaction by our immune system that takes the form of a rash or a sneezing fit when in the presence of something like pollen
is infinitely preferable to an underreaction when our bodies are under attack from parasitic infections. Dr. Furnham summarised the findings, “We’ve shown that the off-target effects of the immune system in allergy are due to the significant molecular similarities we have identified between environmental allergens and parasitic worm proteins.” For the first time this study was able to identify a protein in a parasitic worm that very closely resembled a protein which was thought only to occur in the genomes of plants. This breakthrough demonstrated that it would be possible for our immune system to confuse the two and attack benign substances in the human body. The significance of these findings is that when our bodies mistakenly target allergens from the environment, they could be targeting substances like food or medicines that are meant to be doing us good rather than harm. According to Dr. Furnham, “This study provides tools that will make it easier for scientists to predict proteins in food and the environment that are likely to cause allergy.” The better we understand the origins of allergies the better equipped
Pictured: These salty snacks bear a molecular resemblence to certain parasites (Photographer: Martin L)
we are to combat their very harmful effects. This is no small battle when the Food Standards Agency estimates that “about ten people die every year from food-induced anaphylaxis” in the UK alone. This study doesn’t just take us a step closer to understanding the mystery of the origins of allergic reactions,
but it also has real world implications for hundreds of millions of allergy sufferers around the world. Even when allergies aren’t a direct threat to someone’s life they can be a major inconvenience, but now this study has shown that our allergies are “the price we pay for having immunity to parasites.”
SCIENCE 23
Sexism in STEM subjects is an ongoing problem Gair Rhydd takes a look into ‘male dominated’ subjects and gender imbalances
Maria Mellor
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Two thirds of women in STEM fields had to provide more evidence of their competence than others to prove themselves.
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n 1915, 100 years ago, hardly any women were even able to enter further education, never mind study science or enter science, technology, engineering or maths (STEM) related professions. Today society still suffers an incredible gender imbalance in many STEM subjects, with far more men choosing to study some degree disciplines than their female counterparts. Women face diversity in stereotypically ‘male’ fields. A study published earlier this year in the Harvard Business Review showed that on average two thirds of women in STEM fields have had to provide more evidence of competence than others to prove themselves, with additional bias depending on race. Not only do women face inequalities within the STEM fields, but there are fewer women than men choosing to read the subjects at university. Dr Annabel Cartwright, a lecturer in Cardiff University’s School of Physics and Astronomy, told Gair Rhydd, “Encouraging more female students to study physics is largely something that needs to happen in schools. Students who study physics A Level are likely to go on to study science, so we need to increase the number studying A Level.” Organisations have attempted to encourage females to go into STEM fields. You may have seen the advert from Microsoft called ‘Girls do sci-
ence’, where they talk to young girls about their interest in science. The ad claims that while 7 out of 10 girls are interested in science at a young age, only 2 out of 10 go on to pursue this interest. This ad has circulated the internet with over 2 million views on YouTube, proving to be popular and hopefully effective. Unfortunately other adverts don’t hit the same mark. A film published by the European Commission described science as a “girl thing”. It’s more like a clip from America’s Next Top Model rather than a serious message, with generic beakers and test tubes and words like “hydrogen” interlaced with flashes of lipstick and nail polish, and models in big sunglasses. It’s pink, flashy and kind of degrading: a video trying to encourage women to study science is sexist and the irony of that is astounding. They dumbed down science and tried to compare it to stereotypically ‘girly’ things. There is a way to reach out to women, and that is not the way to do it. There have been some outrageous stories of ‘#EverydaySexism’ that female scientists and STEM subject students have told. It really doesn’t encourage women to go on to work in science if they’re going to be met there with sexist remarks and bullying comments. Just this year, the University of Bristol was in the public eye
with women coming forward to tell of their experiences. There were reports of lecturers being surprised that the female students had performed better than the males. More than half of female students reading science subjects said that they have felt uncomfortable at the institution because of their gender in a survey from the Students’ Union. It’s not just blatant sexism that is a problem when it comes to gender balance, but also inherent social prejudices. In a recent study from Yale University, scientists were given an application from a student applying for a lab manager position. All of them were given the same application, but half had it with a male name attached, while the other half were given it with a female name. The results were astounding as the participants rated the application with a female name much lower than the male, giving a lower rating out of five in competence, employability and whether the scientist would be willing to mentor the student. Despite the shortcomings in certain campaigns and the ongoing sexism in STEM workplaces, there have been some improvements in gender balance in recent years. In Cardiff University, the School of Mathematics was awarded Athena SWAN bronze award in recognition of its commitment to advancing the careers of women in academia.
There are certain STEM subjects in particular that seem to attract more women. An admissions tutor from the School of Biosciences in Cardiff University claimed that approximately 60 per cent of their full time students this year are women. Conversely, physics seems to be the least popular of the STEM disciplines we reviewed: in Cardiff University there is an average of only 19 per cent being female in the past few years. The National Assembly for Wales’ Enterprise and Business Committee had an answer for why there is such a gap between the number of women taking up physics-based degrees and those going into bioscience. They talked to some female STEM students, and they considered physics to be “really boring”, and that they thought being in a male-dominated physics class could be “a little scary”. It’s interesting to notice, as the Institute of Physics uncovered, that all-girls schools produce a higher proportion of A-Level physicists. There are things to be done to improve numbers of women in STEM degree disciplines, and with the added disadvantage of a social bias, special care must be taken. What is clear is that action must be taken early on, so that young girls continue to fuel their passion for science right through to A Level, and into their higher education.
Pictured: A gender imbalance that needs to be tackled (Photographer: clement127)
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More than half of female students reading science subjects felt uncomfortable because of their gender.
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24 SCIENCE
Herpes in the headlines
Gair Rhydd Science investigates why this virus has been both the bearer of good and bad news in recent weeks Lizzie Harrett
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In Europe it’s estimated that 69 per cent of woman and 61 per cent of men are infected
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Lizzie Harrett
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Because the virus targets cancerous cells only, side effects are greatly reduced
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Two thirds of the world’s population infected
hink you’re the only one with a cold sore in the winter months? Think again. According to a report by the World Health Organisation (WHO), more than 3.7 billion people under the age of 50 have the cold sore-inducing herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1). In Europe alone it’s estimated that 69 per cent of all women and 61 per cent of men have the disease. HSV-1 has traditionally been transmitted through oral contact. If your new boyfriend gives you a cheeky kiss and has cold sores around his mouth and you happen to have broken skin (i.e. a small cut) near your own mouth, there is the chance that you too will start to develop cold sores. In addition to this, the report states that over 417 million people under 50 worldwide also suffer from herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2). This has traditionally caused genital herpes and is usually transmitted sexually through skin-to-skin contact. Symptoms of genital herpes are not always immediate but include small blisters around your genitalia and feeling a painful sensation when you urinate. The report highlights that HSV1 is also now causing high incident rates of genital herpes through oral
sex. Over 140 million people have been infected with genital HSV-1infection, primarily in the developed world. This is because fewer people in high-income countries are becoming infected with HSV-1 as children, due to better hygiene and living conditions, and are instead at risk of contracting it genitally through oral sex after they become sexually active. Once herpes infects a new host, it travels along nerve cells to live dormant in their roots. For most of those infected, that’s the end of the story. Most people with herpes never have any symptoms. The virus can lie inactive for long periods of time but it can eactivate when you are under stress or your immune system is weakened – people tend to traditionally get cold sores in the winter when you’re more likely to be run down with a cold or flu. However, the virus is still infective when it is inactive, meaning it you can spread the disease to others. The main concern about herpes is the relationship HSV-2 has with HIV. Having genital herpes makes you much more susceptible to becoming infected with HIV during intercourse. Moreover, because HIV sufferers have compromised immune systems the symptoms they get from genital herpes are particularly nasty.
As there is currently no cure for herpes, educating about prevention is key. “Access to education and information on both types of herpes and sexually transmitted infections is critical to protect young people’s health before they become sexually active,” says Dr Marleen Temmerman, Director of WHO’s Department of Reproductive Health and Research.
Researchers are still working on a vaccine, which will be particular important in light of the number of people who are infected with the virus. “We really need to accelerate the development of vaccines against herpes simplex virus, and if a vaccine designed to prevent HSV-2 infection also prevented HSV-1, it would have far-reaching benefits,” said Sami Gottlieb, a WHO medical officer.
Pictured: Herpes up close (Photographer: Yale Rosen)
‘Ground-breaking’ cancer treatment uses virus
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he US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have approved an innovative drug that uses the herpes virus to selectively attack skin cancer tumours (melanomas). The virus is a injected straigh into the tumour. It has been genetically modified, with the gene changes allowing it to specifically target and kill cancerous cells. The virus invades both cancerous and healthy cells, but it is unable to replicate in healthy cells and thus they remain unaffected. Inside a cancer cell, the virus is able to replicate, producing proteins which stimulate the immune system to attack the cancer cells. “Melanoma is a serious disease that can advance and spread to other parts of the body, where it becomes difficult to treat,” stated Karen Midthun, director of the FDA’s Centre for Biologics Evaluation and Research. “This approval provides patients and health care providers with a novel treatment.” The most common side effects observed included nausea, flu-like symptoms and pain at the injection site. However, because the virus only targets cancerous cells, side effects compared to non-selective
treatments like chemotherapy are greatly reduced. Prof Kevin Harrington, from the Institute of Cancer Research, London, said: “Because viral treatment can target cancer cells specifically, it tends to have fewer side effects than traditional chemotherapy or some of the other new immunotherapies.” Studies showed that just over 16 per cent of patients injected with the drug saw their tumours shrink. While this does not sound like a large amount, it is a step up from the two per cent of patients who took conventional cancer drugs. The approval of the the drug is also regarded as a significant first-step in creating selective cancer treatments, but it is still early days. Dr Stephen Russell, a researcher who specialises in treating cancer with viruses, concurs: “We can’t prematurely claim that we’ve achieved our ultimate goal, because we haven’t; this really is a single step along that path,” he said. “But it’s a very important and very significant step.” In the UK, skin cancer is the fifth most common cancer. It was responsible for the deaths of 2,148 individuals in 2012. While there have been recent clinical trials in the UK, the treatment is not yet licensed.
Pictured: A herpes injection could actually be beneficial (Photographer:) PhotoLizM via Pixabay)
SCIENCE 25
Student weight gain: it’s not food, it’s sleep Adam Muspratt
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Researchers found that students who had wildly diverging sleeping patterns gained more weight than those who stuck to a regular schedule
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Fatty foods and sugar laden drinks are a sure-fire way to expand your waistline, but there is another culprit in the fresher lifestyle according to a study by Brown University. Those who frequently burn the midnight oil and have erratic sleeping patterns will find themselves packing on the pounds - a victim of the infamous ‘freshers’ 15’, a term used to illustrate that freshers may gain 15 pounds during their first year away from home. In the study, researchers looked at the sleeping patterns and weight of 132 first year Brown University students for a nine week period, and unsurprisingly found that the majority had gained around 6 pounds by the end of the study. You’ve probably heard that sleep deprivation can make you more inclined to reach for unhealthy snacks and diminish your desire to exercise, but the researchers found that students who had wildly diverging sleeping patterns gained more weight than those who stuck to a regular schedule. So, if you’re eating correctly but waking up at different times throughout the week, you may find yourself gaining weight. The nature of student timetables mean that schedules differ on a daily basis, one student may wake up at 9am on a Monday and at 12pm on a Tuesday. The inclination to under/ oversleep is apparent in students,
unlike workers who have to stick to a strict schedule and typically wake up at the same time every day. For students, this means that their metabolism in a constant state of adjustment, a chronic jet lag that promotes weight gain and unhealthy diet. There is also some interesting evidence to suggest that there are some gender differences. Generally, women gained fewer pounds than their male counterparts. It was found that their sleep was far more consistent, they went to bed earlier and woke up earlier. This meant that girls found themselves eating breakfast more than boys, which prevented the consumption of unhealthy food. In comparison, boys were less consistent resulting in fluctuation sleeping patterns. Don’t fret quite yet, the study can only suggest a correlation. Some students in the study maintained their weight, while others lost a couple of pounds. They were also not required to keep food logs or precise activity logs, both of which are of course big contributors to weight gain. More research is needed to confirm the link, and without a dedicated laboratory study, the findings may be a marker for something else. Dr. Beebe, an expert on adolescent sleep said: “They may just be disorganised and doing unhealthy things that contribute to weight gain.”
Pictured: That afternoon nap you take every Wednesday may be bad for your health (Photographer: Tony Alter)
That said, habits developed during your studies can adversely effect you later in life. Dr. Roane, who analysed the research said: “It’s a crucial period when they’re on their own and their health behaviours are solidifying into long-term be-
haviours.” So, if you fit the aforementioned criteria, are not gaining weight, and are currently guffawing at the study, it may be wise to alter your sleeping habits and relinquish your excess periods of sleep, lest it accost you later in life.
and encouraging people to put out bird feed and birdhouses as they are consistently loosing wild habitats due to increased urbanisation and the spread of farmland”. However, it is not just the Atlantic puffins, European turtle doves, Slavonian grebes and pochards that have been red-listed on the IUCN’s list of endangered species. Others close to being in a critical
way, close to extinction, include the Balearic shearwater, Aquatic warbler, Long-tailed duck, Velvet scoter, Razorbill, Meadow pipit to name just a few. RSPB’s Gwyn Williams stated that the “assessment [of the birds] is a warning that nature is in trouble, but with funding and the right conservation measures threatened species can recover.”
Puffins named as an endangered species Four UK birds will soon become extinct if action is not taken
George Caulton
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Scientists have estimated that, from 2015, the rate of extinct birds could potentially reach a devastating 140,000 species per year worldwide.
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he International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) have recently discovered that four UK species of bird will soon become extinct if precautionary action is not taken to prevent this from occurring. Whilst the reason of decline is not known for all species affected, Atlantic puffins, European turtle doves, Slavonian grebes and pochards have now been added to the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species for birds. Scientists have estimated that, from 2015, the rate of extinct birds could potentially reach a devastating 140,000 species per year worldwide. Like hundreds of extinct or red listed birds, the eradication of pochards is predominantly due to the destruction of the bird’s habitats and a prominent degree of hunting. In an interview with BBC online, Martin Harper, conservation director of The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) claimed that, “the erosion of the UK’s wildlife is staggering and this is reinforced when you talk about puffin and turtle dove now facing
the same level of extinction threat as African elephant and lion, and being more endangered than the humpback whale,”. Whilst these views seem somewhat exaggerated, the statement brings the extinction of the puffin and the turtle dove to the forefront of global environmental issues. Is there anything we, as students, can do to prevent this from happening? In regards to precautionary measures that students can take in contributing to the maintenance of the four endangered species and many other species, an Environmental Expert from South Wales urges that a way to protect sea birds is by ensuring people buy fish that is caught in a sustainable and environmentally friendly way. He further commented that, “By buying this fish, usually line caught rather than net caught, sea birds are much less likely to be caught and further harmed.” Other ways in which we can prevent the decline and gradual extinction of British birds is by “ensuring
Pictured: One of the endangered birds (Photographer: Nigel Appleton)
26 SOCIETIES
societies
Editor: Aletheia Nutt @GairRhyddSoc societies@gairrhydd.com gairrhydd.com/societies
Hannah’s note:
Hannah Sterritt VP Societies
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Student Radio Awards and the opening of Y Stiwdio
ast week I visited Bath Students’ Union with some of the Student Media Exec. We were there to speak to their Media teams to understand how they operate on a day to day basis, and to share best practice around their relationship with the Students’ Union and between the different Media sections. Additionally, I attended the Student Radio Association awards in London with Xpress Radio, where they were nominated for Best Speech Programming (The Clinic), Best Specialist (Urban Soul) and Best Live Event or Outside Broadcast
(Welsh Varsity 2015) categories. It was a brilliant evening and a great celebration of what can be achieved with hard work and a talent outside the subject you study. If that wasn’t enough for a busy week, I was in a team for the Bubble Football tournament on Wednesday run by Give It A Go which didn’t exactly feature much football but was a lot of fun. In real work terms, there were the usual meetings about long term projects and day to day tasks which are slightly less exciting than this but still productive! Additionally, Y Stiwdio, the new
space which used to be home to the CF10 café on the 1st floor of the Students’ Union, is now open! It has been transformed into a dedicated Society & Club space, with a custom dance flooring, stage space and bar. Regular bookings for our dance societies have been allocated so expect to see a lot more photos in the coming weeks of the events being held in there. As ever, if you or your society need anything from me just pop into the third floor of the Students’ Union or drop me an email at VPSocieties@ cardiff.ac.uk
The Catholic Society: How to get involved with Cardiff ’s Catholic community
George Harrold
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As well as being active within Cardiff itself, we do also take students on trips outside the city
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he Catholic Society is a group of friendly students who meet up to support each other and explore questions about the faith as well as socialising. Although we are a very diverse society everyone has an interest in discussing the faith which means it is easy to approach anyone. We are also a fairly small society which allows everyone to be included and feel welcomed no matter where you are from or what you are studying. We are closely linked to the Catholic Chaplaincy which is located on Colum Road and this allows us to encourage other members in their faith supported by our excellent Chaplain. We host a range of events that include discussions, meals and events out in Cardiff. One of our regular events is the meal after mass on a Sunday. This is cooked by different students each week who traditional-
ly cook food from their home country. This provides an amazing range of meals and is the ideal opportunity to socialise at the end of the week without having to worry about cooking for yourself! We also have other regular socials which include games nights, film nights and quizzes which take place every couple of weeks. This is a great way to take a break from studying and the evenings are always great fun. Our next big event coming up is the Christmas Dinner, which is taking place on the last weekend of term. This will include a traditional Christmas dinner with a party to follow. It is always a lovely event with a chance to relax and socialise to celebrate the end to a busy term. This has always been a great success in previous years and we are anticipating it to be the same this year.
As well as being active within Cardiff itself, we do also take students on trips outside the city. Last weekend, a group of us travelled to Oxford for a conference with CathSocs from other universities. This was a great chance for us all to bond as a small group and to meet other Catholics from the south of the UK. There was time to explore Oxford and relax as well as having talks and discussions about relevant topics such as mental health. There was a great atmosphere throughout the whole weekend and it was nice to socialise with new people and unwind away from the pressures of work.
If you are interested in any of our events or wish to find out more about our faith then CathSoc is a great place to come. We are all very friendly, have a lot of fun, and will do our best to make you feel welcomed. Despite being a faith based society, not all of our members are Catholics so feel free to come along even if you are just curious as to what we get up to. If you would like any more information about us or our events then please do feel free to contact us on our Facebook group Cardiff Uni Cathsoc or email us at CathSoc@ cardiff.ac.uk.
Pictured: The Catholic chaplaincies on Park Place (above) and Colum Road (left) (Photgraphers: Both Cardiff University Catholic Society)
SOCIETIES 27
Come fly with the Gliding Society
Teifion Luckett
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We run gliding trips most weekends available to members on a first come first served basis
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Akeel Bhamani
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he gliding society is activitybased with the main aim of teaching students to fly sailplanes and get to solo standard. Gliding is the sport of flying an aircraft without an engine, using the nothing but the energy in the atmosphere to fly further and higher. It is often referred to as flying at its purest because you only need to know the core essentials of flying to handle a glider. The lack of engine management and fly by sight navigation makes the activity easy for beginners to fly the glider themselves under supervision of a instructor. Flying the glider is simple enough, but keeping airborne is more difficult. Gliders aim to fly through currents of rising air that are ascending faster than the glider is descending resulting in the glider gaining height. Pilots can find out this information using instruments called variometers. These sense the changes of pressure
as the altitude changes. Although powered aircraft use these occasionally, glider pilots use them continuously throughout their entire flight. They inform the pilot of rising and sinking air using an audio signal. The higher pitch the variometer makes, the quicker the glider is gaining altitude. Or if you are sinking, the lower the pitch, the faster the rate of sink. It is therefore down to the skill of the pilot to understand the currents of air around the glider and to mainly fly through the currents of rising air. Gliders use 3 main sources of lift to stay airborne: thermals, ridge lift and wave. Thermals are bubbles of rising air caused by differential heating of the ground. Ridge lift is where the wind is blowing strongly against an obstruction such as a hill and is forced up it. Wave lift is much rarer and only appears under certain meteorological conditions. As the wind flows over the leeside of a hill, it bounces off the
air closest to the ground forming a sine wave shaped pattern of airflow. Using a combination of these sources of lift, gliders can stay airborne for hours at a time and climb to up to heights of 20,000 feet. All new students will have the opportunity to fly the glider on their first flight. They will fly in a dual control K13/K21 training aircraft, meaning that both the student and instructor can fly the aircraft. Once the student has proved to be competent in all aspects of flying then they will have the opportunity to fly the glider solo. Training to become a solo pilot can take between 20-30 flights on aerotow, depending on how frequently you fly and how quickly you progress. The gliding society is new to the SU this year and we run gliding trips most weekends available to members on a first come first served basis. We mainly fly from Black Mountains Gliding Club, North East of Brecon.
Black Mountains GC has the longest average flight time in the UK, which is attributed to the amazing conditions for gliding around the Welsh Mountains. We will also be flying from Usk Gliding Club in the near future to give students an experience of flying at different airfields and to use different launch methods. The cost of each flight varies depending on the launch method and flight time.The student rate is roughly £25-35 for 20-60 minutes at Black Mountain GC. All instruction is provided free of cost. In the future the gliding society hopes to fly at Port Moak in Scotland in the spring break along with other universities, fly in the French Alps in June, and compete in the interuniversity competition in August. Unfortunately our Give it a Go sessions for this month are full, but please join our facebook group “Cardiff University Gliding Society” for updates on flying trips.
side Cardiff Students Union on Monday 16th November which will promote and advertise the campaign to all students and try and get as many involved as possible. We will also be visiting various student residences around Cardiff and asking for generous donations of the food items we require. As well as this, the food bin
will be on display in the SU throughout the week so anyone is free to come in and drop off any food items. This campaign will not be possible without the help and support of Cardiff ’s amazing students so we look forward to seeing on the 16th November and I’m sure we can count on you for your full support!
Pictured: A glider post take-off (Photographer: Cardiff University Gliding Society)
ABSoc’s annual ‘Hunger for Justice’ campaign set to launch next week
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lthough many of us aren’t aware, poverty is still a pressing issue in the UK with government figures suggesting that 2.3 million children in the UK are living in relative poverty. As the saying goes; “charity begins at home.” With that in mind, Cardiff ABsoc are planning to launch their annual Hunger for Justice Campaign which will run during interfaith week from Monday 16th November to Friday 20th November. This initiative which is carried out by ABsoc’s across the UK was started to tackle poverty at a local level by collecting non-perishable
food items and donating them to local food banks. The idea is to store these food items in a yellow food bin, the same size as a domestic wheelie bin. The bin will be correctly labelled and we will display a list of what types of food the food banks prefers. We also hope to collect donations to the food bank. In doing this, our society aims to raise awareness about the local poverty people are facing, as well as giving students an opportunity to contribute to fighting against it and involving themselves in a worthwhile cause. We are planning to have a stall out-
Pictured: Take some food donations to this food bin
28 SOCIETIES
Fab 5 Party Planners host Halloween Party for local care home
Rachel Jones
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The ‘Volunteer of the Week’ will be shared by Thao Huynh and Joanna Pogorzelska
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Alice Venables
Hannah Yard
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We think it’s really important to build friendships with the people we see each week to dance with
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ast Thursday Cardiff Volunteering group ‘Fab 5 Party Planners’ organised a Halloween party at local residential care home, Burges House on Newport Road. The scheme sees a group of volunteers deliver five themed parties throughout the year for the residents of Burges House. Burges House is a care home which provides nursing for older people with diverse, challenging support needs, ranging from mental and physical disabilities to dementia and terminal illnesses. Most of the 76 residents reside at Burges House for the long term, but others are there for shorter periods of respite. The home has two full time activity coordinators who organise daily activities that engage the residents in ways that are compatible with their needs and abilities. They work with the rest of the staff at Burges house to ensure the residents stay as active
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loween outfits to match the especially decorated living room. The residents enjoyed Halloween food and enjoyed a game of pass the parcel and throw the ring on the witch’s hat. As we are a charity and work with a tight budget, the volunteers made the witch’s hat and rings from scratch with arts and crafts supplies. The residents and volunteers all had a great time and the party was a welcome break from the everyday routine of life at Burges
House. The ‘Volunteer of the Week’ will be shared by Thao and Joanna. Both of them worked well under pressure to organise with little more than a week’s notice. Between them they planned the events, budgeted and shopped for the supplies needed, and organised the team of volunteers. They achieved all of this while keeping up with their demanding final year workloads.
Act One presents: Hardcore 24
ct One is Cardiff ’s biggest drama society and this year we have four long-term productions. If you enjoy acting, dancing, singing, socialising, or are interested in helping backstage with costumes, make-up, set design, publicity, stage management, sound or lighting, then we are the society for you! We have a reputation for our imag-
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and engaged as possible. Susan Webster, who worked with our students, was keen to express how excited she and the residents were to have volunteers from Cardiff University return. In previous years the Fab 5 group organised Hawaiian themed parties with limbo competitions, Christmas parties and a springtime planting event for the Burges House garden. After a meeting with Susan, lead volunteers Thao Huynh and Joanna Pogorzelska organised Halloween activities that would be accessible and enjoyable for the residents. A substantial number of the residents have advanced forms of dementia which restrict their capacity for interaction. With this in mind, our volunteers focussed on simple activities that could be enjoyed with minimal physical and mental effort. The volunteers dressed up in Hal-
inative socials, including our annual Act One Ball at the end of the year! We will also have numerous events, including short-term productions, workshops and open mic nights. Hardcore 24 is by far act one’s most hectic event of the year. Brave and ambitious members of Act One have 24 hours to create a production to perform the next day. They work tirelessly through the day and night
to pull off a highly entertaining and completely improvised show that has proved in the past to be a really great evening. To put it in simple terms it is 24 hours of complete chaos but definitely worth a watch! This year Hardcore 24 has a bit of a twist, our cast will be split into two groups and so for the first time ever we will have two productions after the 24 hours. Highlights from
previous years have included group spooning sessions, an endless Cafe 37 breakfast and a sleep deprived director crying on the fourth floor balcony. Come along on Saturday 14th November at 6pm to see the end result for yourself! The location of the performance is not confirmed yet and will be on the Facebook and Twitter page as soon as possible!
Express yourself at Cardiff ’s contemporary dance society
xpression is a friendly contemporary dance society at Cardiff University. We love to dance together in a relaxed environment where people of all abilities can join in. We run two different classes each week; one for those with less experience in contemporary dance and one which is slightly more intense for more advanced dancers. In each of our classes we try different exercises to improve our skill and technique and we also provide opportunities for various people within the society to choreograph dances. We like to try and keep variety in our dance styles and we encourage people to include their own individuality in their choreography, a real benefit of allowing lots of different people to teach sections of the classes. We also run a fitness and flexibility class each week to ensure that we’re in good shape! We have lots of opportunities to compete and perform, often all over the UK which is always very exciting. We often collaborate with other societies and put on charity events and performances. We encourage all of our dancers, re-
gardless on their ability, to get involved in these performances as they are a really valuable experience and really help us bond as a society. Throughout the year we try and find other events to improve our dancing, such as professional workshops and even a trip to London for a dance exhibition called Move It! These are always loads of fun and give us fresh ideas to bring back and include in our own choreography. We, in Expression, think it’s really important to build friendships with the people we see each week to dance with and so we invest lots of time in the social aspect of the society. As well as lots of fun, themed night outs, we love to go and see shows at the theatre and have movie nights (with lots of pizza) to hang out outside class and get to know each other better. We are even going away on tour together this year, joining the other dance society and other sporting clubs to have a week in Spain, enjoying the sun and each others’ company. It’s so important to feel comfortable around the people you’re dancing with and that’s why we think
the social side is as important as the dancing itself. We keep everyone connected through our social media sites, not only allowing people to chat with their fellow dancers but also giving important information about our classes and socials. It also provides us with a space to upload videos of the dances being taught in class so people can refresh their memories and practice before they come back the following week. The society is run and organised by a committee of students at Cardiff University. Students could put themselves forward for the role they wished to do and elections were held for the rest of the society to vote. The committee is committed to going to as many classes as possible and running them to a high standard, ensuring that what is being taught is good quality and that everybody is happy. We love being able to provide students with an opportunity to express themselves through dance. Expression is such a great society to be part of, you get the opportunity to meet so many different types of people
and mostly we love dancing together. All the members are really down to earth, giving it a really enjoyable atmosphere. We are looking forward to all the the different opportunities we have this year and the chance to explore new events and competitions.
Pictured: Volunteers dressed for the Halloween occasion
“
Hardcore 24 is by far act one’s most hectic event of the year
”
Pictured: Expression at the Societies’ Fair (Source: Expression)
Refugee Crisis Concert Sunday 15th Nov 7pm ÂŁ3 Cardiff Uni Concert Hall Featuring: Cardiff Uni Jazz Society Cardiff Uni Opera Society TCUPS Cardiff Uni A Cappella Society Live Music Society and more!
30 TAF-OD
taf-od
Golygydd: Carwyn Williams @Taf_od tafod@gairrhydd.com gairrhydd.com/tafod
Edrych ymlaen at #etholiad16
Carwyn Williams
“
Yn wir, mae pobl Cymru wedi blino o Lafur, ond ydynt wedi blino cymaint i newid y dirwedd wleidyddol sydd wedi bodoli am ganrif?
”
M
ae pleidiau cenedlaetholdeb Prydain wedi wynebu hanes caled yn ei hamser, nid yn unig am resymau polisi, ond oherwydd y ffaith ei bod hwy yn genedlaetholwyr. Erbyn hyn, mae Plaid Cymru a’r SNP wedi dewis ar naratif sosialaidd a chenedlaethol. Wrth edrych ar hysbysiad newydd Plaid, mae’n amlwg ei bod nhw yn rhoi’r sbotolau ar y Blaid Lafur yng Nghymru yn yr ymgyrch etholiadol yma, yn hytrach nag ond hysbysebu ei pholisïau ei hun. Gwelai hwn fel gwleidyddiaeth beryglus, ond eto fel gwleidyddiaeth lwyddiannus. Dyma’r tactegau defnyddiodd y Ceidwadwyr yn yr etholiad cyffredinol, creu awyrgylch o ofn am y blaid arall, ac mi fydd pobl yn eich pleidleisio amdanoch chi. Gwnaeth David Cameron lwyddo i bortreadu’r blaid Lafur fel un anghymwys i ofalu am yr economi, gydag arweinydd gwan, ac fe wnaeth lwyddo’n hawdd ac ennill mwyafrif yn San Steffan. Yn yr Alban yn 2007, gwnaeth yr SNP ymgyrchu yn erbyn y Blaid Llafur yr Alban yn llwyddiannus, ac aethom gam ymhellach yn 2011 ac ymhellach fyth yn 2015. Gwnaeth yr SNP creu awyrgylch nad oedd Llafur yn cymryd pobl o ddifrif, ac roeddent yn cymryd ei bleidleisiau yn ganiataol. Ni ellir dadlau’r pwynt yma yn effeithiol yng Nghymru, ac mae hwn felly yn broblem i Blaid Cymru. Beth sydd hefyd yn broblem iddynt yw’r ffaith ei bod wedi llywodraethu yn barod, gyda’r Blaid Lafur rhwng 2007-
2011, ac nid yw’r cyhoedd wedi gweld hwn yn ddigon effeithiol i bleidleisio am y blaid yn 2011. Er hyn, gall y blaid diolch nad ydynt wedi gwaredu ar fwyafrif ei chefnogaeth, fel y Democratiaid Rhyddfrydol y flwyddyn yma. Y peth gwaethaf all ddigwydd i balid gwleidyddol yw bod y cyhoedd yn cwestiynu pwynt ideoleg y blaid. Gellir defnyddio’r enghraifft o’r Democratiaid Rhyddfrydol yma. Yn 2010, gwelwyd y blaid fel un onest, un ddibynadwy ac un i sefyll i fyny am hawliau pobl. Ond, pan aethpwyd mewn i’r glymblaid gyda’r Torïaid, a gadael i ffioedd dysgu treblu, newidiodd hwn yn llwyr. Gwnaeth y blaid addo ddim i godi ffioedd dysgu, ond gwnaethant, ac felly nid oedd y blaid yn cael ei weld yn wahanol yn rhagor. Roeddynt ond yn ‘Conservatives light’ bron, a gwnaeth y cyhoedd ei chosbi nhw yn y bocs balot y flwyddyn yma. Mae Plaid Cymru ar y funud yn wynebu problem debyg. Maent yn gweld annibyniaeth fel targed hir dymor, a chuddio’r ffaith yna i nifer o bobl achos dyw’r Cymry ddim yn barod am hynny. Ond, am hyn, mae’n anodd gweld gwahaniaeth enfawr rhyngddynt a’r Blaid Lafur felly, ac mae’n anodd dychmygu senario ble mae’r ddwy blaid yn bodoli gyda’r un faint o boblogaidd. Fel gwelwyd yn yr Alban, ble mae trawsnewidiad o Lafur i’r SNP wedi digwydd, mae’r cyhoedd yn gyffredinol yn mynd am un neu’r llall, a ddim y ddau, a dyna pam mae Plaid Cymru yn drydedd ar y funud o ran seddau yn y cynul-
liad, a pedwerydd o ran pleidleisiau blwyddyn yma. Roedd angen iddynt ymosod ar y Blaid Lafur ers dechrau datganoli, ond maent wedi methu hyd yn hyn, ac efallai mai ychydig rhy hwyr erbyn hyn i wneud gwahaniaeth i’r canlyniad blwyddyn nesaf. Yn wir, mae pobl Cymru wedi blino o Lafur, ond ydynt wedi blino cymaint i newid y dirwedd wleidyddol sydd wedi bodoli am ganrif? Er hoff wn feddwl bydd Plaid Cymru yn llwyddo, annhebygol bydd hyn mewn gwirionedd. Mae’n haws iawn mewn gwleidyddiaeth cau eich hun mewn i fwrlwm bach ac anghofio am reality. Mae Plaid Cymru yn teimlo’n hyderus, ac o’i chynhadledd maen nhw’n teimlo’n hyderus dros ben, ond ar y funud yma, cyn y canfasio i gyd, nid ydwyf yn gweld y blaid yn ennill mwy na pymtheg o seddi, ac felly dim digon i greu llywodraeth, heb Lafur wrth gwrs. Wrth edrych ar y blaid Lafur, nid ydynt wedi bod yn berffaith, nid ydynt wedi cynnig syniadau radical newydd, ond maent wedi rhoi sefydlogrwydd i wleidyddiaeth Cymru, ac mae pobl Cymru yn hoffi hwn ar y mwyafrif. Y bygythiad mwyaf i’r Blaid Lafur yw UKIP mewn gwirionedd, ac nid Plaid Cymru. Daeth UKIP yn ail mewn llefydd yng Nghymru, ac felly ni allwn ei anwybyddu na siarad ei ddylanwad i lawr bellach. Mae’n bosibilrwydd bydd ACau UKIP yn cael ei ethol, ac felly ni allai Llafur a Phlaid Cymru diddymu’r blaid llawer mwy, neu
maent yn dieithrio’r rheini sydd wedi pleidleisio am UKIP yn y gorffennol ymhellach. Gwnaeth dros 200,000 o bobl Cymru pleidleisio dros UKIP, ac felly mae’n amser ei chymryd o ddifri. Nawr, nid ydwyf yn cytuno gyda bron i unrhyw bolisi UKIP, ond dwi yn credu’n gryf yn ddemocratiaeth, felly ni ddylwn anwybyddu’r dylanwad yma yn wleidyddiaeth Cymru. Wrth edrych ar y Ceidwadwyr, mae’n amlwg ei fod yn adeiladu cefnogaeth yng Nghymru, cofiwn y sioc fawr wrth iddynt gipio Gŵyr yn yr etholiad cyffredinol. Fel arfer mae pleidleisiau ar gyfer y Ceidwadwyr yn disgyn yn yr etholiad cynulliad, ond tybed a fydd hynny’n wir y tro yma. Mae’n dod lawr i effaith y newidiadau credydau treth, os maent yn mynd ymlaen mor llym, mae’n annodd gweld y Ceidwadwyr yn symud ymlaen o beth sydd ganddynt yn barod. Ond, os mae newidiadau yn cael ei wneud, gallaf hefyd gweld y blaid yn cynyddu ei nifer o seddi yn y Siambr. Diddorol gweld os bydd y Gwyrddion yn gwneud unrhyw gynnydd yn yr etholiad, a pa fath o ymgyrch y byddant hwy yn ei wneud. Mi fydd yn braf gweld y blaid yn dod i’r cynulliad, a chreu cynulliad chwe phlaid gyda syniadaeth eang tu hwnt. A dyna ni, does dim byd llawer allwn wneud ar y funud ond hapfasnachu, ond mi fydd yr etholiad yn dod yn cloi dwi’n siŵr. Mae un peth yn sicr, dwi’n edrych ymlaen at weld pa siâp bydd gwleidyddiaeth Cymru yn edrych mewn blwyddyn.
Yn y llun: Leanne Wood (Ffotograffydd: Keith Morris trwy flickr) Carwyn Jones (Tarddiad: UKTI trwy flickr) Andrew RT Davies (Tarddiad: theapricity. com) Kirsty Williams (Tarddiad: Democratiaid Rhyddfrydol trwy flickr)
“
Diddorol gweld os bydd y Gwyrddion yn gwneud unrhyw gynnydd yn yr etholiad
”
Annual General Meeting Cyfarfod Cyffredinol Blynyddol
Dydd Iau 12fed Tachwedd YN AGORED I BOB MYFYRIWR DRYSAU’N AGOR 17:30, NEUADD FAWR
Am ragor o wybodaeth a gweld agenda’r cyfarfod ewch i CARDIFFSTUDENTS.COM CCB AR GYFER MYFYRWYR SY’N AELODAU YW HWN. BYDD ANGEN I CHI DDANGOS ADNABYDDIAETH MYFYRWYR DILYS AR Y DRWS. Busnes sydd i’w drafod: cadarnhau cofnodion y cyfarfod blaenorol; derbyn adroddiad yr Ymddiriedolwyr ar weithgareddau’r Undeb ers y cyfarfod blaenorol; derbyn cyfrifon yr Undeb ar gyfer y flwyddyn ariannol flaenorol; cymeradwyo rhestr ymaelodaethau’r Undeb; agor cwestiynau i’r Ymddiriedolwyr gan y Myfyrwyr sy’n Aelodau; ac unrhyw gynigion a gyflwynwyd gan yr aelodau.
32 SPORT
BUCS Results: Wednesday 4th November Presented by:
H/A
Sport
Cardiff Team
Opposition
Result
W/L/D
A
Badminton
Womens 1st
Exeter 2nd
2-6
W
H
Badminton
Mens 2nd
USW 1st
1-7
L
H
Football
Mens 1st
Bournemouth1st
0-1
L
H
Football
Womens 1st
USW 1st
4-6
L
A
Football
Mens 2nd
Bath 2nd
1-1
D
H
Football
Womens 2nd
Aberystwyth 1st
2-3
L
A
Football
Mens 4th
Gloucestershire 3rd
0-2
W
H
Football
Mens 5th
USW 6th
6-0
W
H
Rugby Union
Mens 1st
Bristol 1st
27-5
W
A
Rugby Union
Mens 2nd (Medics)
Hartpury 3rd
29-11
L
A
Rugby Union
Mens 3rd
Swansea 3rd
5-17
W
A
Rugby Union
Mens 5th
Swansea 4th
5-31
W
H
Rugby Union
Womens 1st
Bristol 1st
7-7
D
A
Lacrosse
Womens 1st
Swansea 1st
25-1
L
H
Lacrosse
Mens 1st
Bristol 1st
3-13
L
H
Golf
Mixed 1st
Swansea 2nd
4.5-1.5
W
A
Golf
Mixed 2nd
Hartpury 1st
4-2
L
A
Table Tennis
Womens 1st
Cardiff 2nd
0-5
L/W
A
Table Tennis
Mens 1st
Bournemouth 1st
16-1
L
H
Fencing
Womens 1st
Bristol 2nd
135-28
W
H
Tennis
Womens 1st
Bristol 2nd
10-2
W
A
Tennis
Womens 2nd
Aberystwyth 1st
4-8
W
A
Netball
Womens 1st
Bath 1st
39-51
W
H
Netball
Womens 2nd
Southampton 1st
22-54
L
A
Netball
Womens 3rd (Medics)
Bristol 3rd
43-24
L
A
Netball
Womens 4th
USW 1st
19-36
W
A
Netball
Womens 5th
Trinity St. David 1st
14-70
W
A
Hockey
Mens 1st
Exeter 1st
0-0
D
A
Hockey
Mens 2nd
Bristol 2nd
1-0
L
A
Hockey
Mens 4th (Medics)
Cardiff 3rd
3-1
W/L
H
Hockey
Womens 1st
Bristol 1st
4-1
W
A
Hockey
Womens 2nd (Medics)
UWE 1st
1-3
W
H
Hockey
Womens 4th
Cardiff 3rd
2-2
D
A
Basketball
Womens 1st
Cardiff Met 2nd
26-48
W
H
Basketball
Mens 2nd
Swansea 2nd
61-64
W
H
Volleyball
Mens 1st
USW 2nd
3-0
W
Wins
Draws
Losses
20
4
13
SPORT 33
Nigel Owens: The most popular referee in the world?
Liam Corcoran
“
I have had the pleasure of meeting Nigel Owens on a few occasions and his beautiful one-liners that can shut down the mouthiest of players are true to his personality.
”
Continued from back page
“
As a university squad, we are incredibly privileged to be coached by the Welsh international coach, Dean Matthews.
”
M
y friends and I stood and applauded the All Blacks as they celebrated their Rugby World Cup victory over bitter rivals Australia, as did most of the Taf upon the final whistle. There were a few shots of New Zealanders hugging one another and the Wallabies distraught on the Twickenham turf, then ITV cut to a shot of Nigel Owens, and we then (with clouded judgment) proposed a toast to the Welsh referee and quite remarkably, again, most of the Taf joined in, raising their beer to the man in the middle. Upon reflection, I thought that it was just unbelievable that a referee, someone who we look to blame in defeat as a first port of call, could have collected such a following in an occupation that is increasingly on the decline, thanks to abuse and unacceptable behaviours at grass-roots levels. The first explanation of this is his personality, something that is very difficult to transmit when one has to remain neutral, but he does it very well. I have had the pleasure of meeting Nigel Owens on a few occasions and his beautiful one-liners that can shut down the mouthiest of players are true to his personality, with his wit being the main characteristic we see. He coined the phrase “this is not soccer!” when an Italian scrum-half was protesting for penalties in the ruck constantly in the
Pro12 league and he has ushered away England’s captain simply by saying “Christopher!” in the tone of a teacher to a child. These have continued throughout the World Cup, with his warning to Stuart Hogg, who was thought to have dived to try and win a penalty, telling the Scot to “come back here in two weeks and play, but not today”, referring to playing football at St James’ Park rather than rugby, as well as warning Dan Carter that he was on TV, after he said “Nige, I’m fucked” in the final. The fact that the millions of people watching rugby can hear every word said by referees not only helps Nigel Owens’ popularity with these one liners, but it sets him aside from the rest. Wayne Barnes is another referee who talks to players quite a lot and, whilst this is a great quality for a referee to have, his wording to players is almost robotic and this comes across as the Englishman taking himself too seriously, giving him absolutely no personality. Although, we must be careful of forgetting what Nigel Owens does first and foremost, and how utterly brilliant he is at it. Having collected the award for World Rugby Referee of the Year at the award ceremony last weekend, it is fair to say that not only does the 44-year old talk the
talk, but he most definitely walks the walk. As I said, one of the main reasons that he is a top official is that he talks to the players, warning them of what they are doing as well as explaining his decisions after awarding them, something that not only helps the players but also keeps the public in the loop of his thinking. But, perhaps his most admirable quality is one that cannot be taught, just a passion for rugby and being involved. We know rugby is a unique sport in its own right, with this World Cup showing how much it has developed both on and off the pitch globally. But there are not many sports where you will get an official refereeing the World Cup final, winning World Referee of the Year, then just a few days later refereeing a match between two village sides, which is exactly what Nigel did when he took charge of Gowerton RFC vs. Crymych RFC. This passion is another quality that transpires through Owens’ performances and is just another reason on a long list as to why he has developed such a following. It is important to note, however, that he is one in a million, and that everything that he does and says comes to him naturally. He is just being himself and refereeing the game he loves; it just so happens that he is great at it. What I mean by this is
that, whilst he is an ideal example of how to be a referee and his officiating should inspire many, other referees must also be themselves and not try to be Nigel Owens, as this will simply not work and could actually have detrimental effect.
Pictured: Nigel Owens (Photographer: PalulSh, via Flickr)
Cont’d: Taekwondo medal haul
120-second rounds with a 30-second break, whilst colour belts have one 90-second round per fight. The winner of the fight is based on a scoring system, which is as follows: one point for a punch to the body or the head, two points for a jumping kick to the body or to the head and three points for a jumping kick to the head. For adult sparring, the categories are gender specific and are determined by both belt and weight - resulting in light, mid and heavyweight categories. To get proceedings underway it was the male -75kg yellow and green belt with Berke Demirkazik winning his second gold of the day in his Sparring category. Moving on to the female -55kg Yellow and Green belt category, Kyla Lola brought home the silver, her second medal of the day. And in the female, -65kg yellow and green belt category, both Jessica James and Elizabeth Yashneva achieved bronze medals. Finally, in the female, +65kg yellow and green belt category, Beth Tong achieved a bronze medal and Emma Franklin a gold medal. As Sparring drew to a close, 17 medals had been won over the course of the weekend leaving male and female Power as the final two categories. Power is an event open only to individuals of green belt or higher. In order to qualify and win a medal, there is a ‘qualifier’; this is where each competitor breaks the required board(s) with a technique of choice from a list. Only
individuals who qualify are able to proceed to future rounds – here techniques are specified and each competitor must demonstrate their ability to break with various techniques, including back kick, side kick, knife-hand strike and elbow, until a gold, silver and bronze place can be allocated. Unusually, in the male Power category, no competitors were able to break in the qualifying round so no medals were awarded. In female Power, however, after an extensive number of post-qualifying rounds, Emma Franklin won a silver medal to complete her set: giving her a bronze, silver and gold medal for the day and taking the final medal count for Cardiff University to 18. After a very successful day, the bus left Guildford and, to the sound of snoring, we returned to Cardiff at 8pm. As a university squad, we are incredibly privileged to be coached by the Welsh international coach, Dean Matthews (sixth Dan). From teaching beginners who have never tried martial arts before, to helping our black belts achieve gold medals in international competitions, he really pushes us to achieve highly and we couldn’t do it without him. Not only do we succeed at competitions and have regular opportunities to grade and move up belts, we learn essential self-defence and discipline, which are all fundamental parts of Taekwondo. Additionally, after winning two
medals, our President, Ceri Morgan, drove the team of colour belts to and from Guildford at 5am on the Sunday and spent the day coaching us through the events. This competition would not have been possible without her commitment. The next few months have some very exciting events in store for CUTKD. Firstly, with a grading coming up in the next few weeks, everyone will have the opportunity to achieve the next grade up and any individuals who have joined us this year will get a chance to get their first belt. Hopefully, there will be many new gradings to celebrate. A couple of our members, Daniel Kilford and Ceri
Morgan, have been selected to represent Wales internationally at the upcoming four Nations competition, which is an incredible opportunity for both of them and we wish them all the best with it. Finally, in early December, we have the ITF Wales competition right here in Cardiff. This is incredibly exciting for us as it is immensely popular with our squad and we expect to achieve very highly at this competition. All in all, this competition has been a fantastic start to our academic year. We can’t wait for the next opportunity to compete and continue to uphold the excellent name that Cardiff University has made for itself.
Pictured: Cardiff ’s Varsity-winning Taekwondo competitors in action last April (Photographer: Taliesin Coombes)
34 SPORT
Exclusive Interview: Tommy O’Sullivan The 2015 Welsh Young Player of the Year speaks exclusively to Gair Rhydd’s Dan Heard, talking firstteam football, international caps and his future at Cardiff City
EXCLUSIVE Dan Heard
“
Hopefully, this is just the start of things, as it’s all about living up to the award and making every second on the pitch count.
”
“
If you play well and make a good impression, then it can lead on from there.
”
Rhys Thomas Cardiff Blues Columnist
T
ommy O’Sullivan is one of the latest in a long line of Cardiff City Academy graduates to have achieved great success early on in their footballing careers, with the attacking midfielder winning the Football Association of Wales’s Young Player of the Year Award. I caught up with him this week, and got some insight into his reflection on the win, his international dreams with Wales, and what he’s learnt so far in football. First of all Tommy, congratulations on winning the FAW Young Player of the Year Award! When you look back at some of the names who’ve won the award in the past, like Gareth Bale and Aaron Ramsey, how does it make you feel? It’s fantastic, I feel very proud to have my name on the same plaque as Bale and Ramsey, both Cardiff boys who’ve gone on to big things in their careers so far. Hopefully, this is just the start of things, as it’s all about living up to the award and making every second on the pitch count. You made your Bluebirds debut back in August 2012 against Northampton in the League Cup, replacing City legend Stephen McPhail. How did it feel, after coming through the academy, to step out onto that pitch? It’s every lads dream to play your first senior game for a club - it feels like such a long time ago now! You’re off the mark then, and that’s really important, especially in today’s game. After your debut though, you’re only going to get there, to make it as a player at a young age, by putting the hard work in, but I think you need some luck involved too. It needs to be the right time for you as a player for that to happen. A number of players to come through Cardiff ’s academy have broken into the first team in recent seasons, like Joe Ralls and Declan John - is it a case of working hard and doing your talking on the pitch to make this happen?
The eyes of the sporting world were on Twickenham this Halloween for the Rugby World Cup final as New Zealand beat Australia in an enthralling spectacle. A couple of hours earlier and over 670 miles away in Parma, there was a gruesome and somewhat less entertaining encounter between Cardiff Blues and Zebre: arguably the worst team in Europe’s top leagues. The Blues meekly went down 26-15 and were not even able to grab a losing bonus point. This was all the more incredible considering the first weekend of the PRO12 season when the Blues scored
Like I say, there’s sometimes a lot of luck involved after you play your first game, and if you play well and make a good impression, then it can lead on from there. You’ve got to put the work in though, otherwise you’re not going to make it. It takes some players a long time to break through and get that first game, but with others it can just be their time, and it was like that in both ways for Joe and Dec. Like them though, you’ve also had spells away from Cardiff on loan, at Port Vale and now at Newport County. How much of a benefit have these experiences been to you and your career? Going out on loan can be good for everyone really. You develop as a player the only way you really can, by getting game-time, which is exactly what your club want you to do, to develop and play. In the lower leagues, it’s definitely a lot more physical than what you’d find in the Championship or the Premier League, and this makes you maybe more prepared for first team football, because of these experiences. We’ve got a couple of good lads, like Rhys Healey and Jazzi Barnum-Bobb out on loan too, so it’s all about developing your skills through playing.
kay, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Russell Slade so far during your time at Cardiff. How do their management styles differ, and what have you learnt from each of them? Malky was very big on developing a good work ethic and solidarity, which you could see during the promotionwinning season, where the team won a lot of games pretty narrowly, but were really defensively tight when they did. With Ole, he approached things a lot more technically, with a lot more emphasis on attacking and going forward, pretty much like the Manchester United way of playing. I’ve trained with the first team a few times, and so far have mainly developed the most under people like [exCity player and current AFC Wimbledon boss] Neil Ardley, Kevin Cooper [now manager of Swiss side Servette], Kevin Nicholson and Nilton Terroso.
playing days, so it’s good that he has some understanding about where I’m playing and where I’m coming from, plus Warren Feeney is his assistant, and he’s ex-City too. I’m really enjoying my time there, and will hopefully look to extend my loan until the end of the year. It’s a good club, and great that the fans are involved now. I know Regan Poole as he was up for the same award as me, so you can see that their producing a lot of great young players like Cardiff are.
You’ve worked under Malky Mac-
You’re currently on a month’s loan at Newport County, where you scored your first professional goal - a brilliant effort from distance in the win over Bristol Rovers last month. What’s Newport like as a club to be a part of, especially following their takeover, and what kind of a feeling did you get seeing that ball hit the net? It was a really nice feeling - I’m just glad my first wasn’t a scrappy tap-in either! It was great that we won too, as we’re moving up the table and playing a lot better. John Sheridan is in charge now, and he was a midfielder in his
Finally, you’ve represented Wales at all youth levels so far, is your dream then to represent your country and get that first senior cap? What would that mean to you to represent your country in such a great time for Welsh football, and what would you like to accomplish in your career - is it all about winning awards and trophies, or is playing enough for you? Playing international football for Wales is the next step for me personally. I’ve played at all the levels below, and would love to get my first cap. In football though, you never really know what’ll happen in the future. My contract with Cardiff expires next summer, and I’d be open to staying, but if it meant playing first team football at a higher level, then I’d look to do that. I want to really be as successful as I can be. Every player wants to win trophies, but I also love playing, as that’s really the most important thing for me.
eleven tries in a 61-13 thrashing. “Diabolical and embarrassing” was the initial reaction of head coach Danny Wilson, and it’s hard to disagree with him. The result only underlined the fact that Wilson has a huge task on his hands - not just tactically, but mentally too. One of the main issues was with defensive structures that could be perhaps be explained as teething problems, but there is no excuse for missing one-on-one tackles which gave Zebre freedom to roam all over the park and score four tries. Let’s hope that returning Wales stars Sam
Warburton, Alex Cuthbert and Gethin Jenkins (in addition to Lloyd Williams who came off the bench in Italy) can help turn things around. When this article is published the Blues will have faced reigning PRO12 champions Glasgow Warriors at the first match back at Cardiff Arms Park since the start of the season, and this coming weekend sees the return of European competition. This season, like last, the Blues are competing in the Challenge Cup which is the second-tier tournament, analogous to football’s Europa League. Whilst not
the most prestigious tournament, it offers a chance to play against some well-respected sides from across the continent - Montpellier and English side Harlequins are both in the Blues’ pool, with both of those sides having made positive starts to their domestic league seasons. The first match is away to semi-professional Calvisano in northern Italy this Saturday, and Blues will be aiming for a bonus-point victory against the part-timers. The Blues are unlikely to progress from their group, but the Anglo-Welsh clashes against Quins will surely be ones to savour.
At Port Vale, you worked with former Cardiff defender and Wales International Rob Page, who’d only just been appointed manager. How important was he to your development during your time there? I knew Rob Page through my time with Wales’s Under-21s, which did make things a lot easier, as I was away from home and not always getting a lot of time on the pitch. When I was there, the team was in the middle of a relegation battle, which is mainly why I didn’t see much action. I thought it would be a lot tougher than it was, I enjoyed working in a new environment, and with a new team, which was all helped by Rob and his coaching.
Pictured: Tommy O’Sullivan playing for Newport County (Photographer: Rob Giblet)
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My contract with Cardiff expires next summer, and I’d be open to staying, but if it meant playing first team football at a higher level, then I’d look to do that.
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SPORT 35
Sport Spotlight: Bubble Football This week in Sport Spotlight, Gair Rhydd Sport’s Jamie Smith took part in the Give it a Go Bubble Football tournament.
Jamie Smith
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I bombarded my way through the bubbles, knocking one or two over to ensure they suffered the same fate I did.
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Dan Heard Cardiff City Columnist
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hey call it Bubble Football, darling, everybody does! I must admit, this is a modified version of the beautiful game that I have been desperate to play for a while now. So, when the Bubble Football Tournament appeared on the Give it a Go website, I was straight on the phone to my fellow footballing chums. Having recruited seven players whom I believed, in the infamous words of Brendan Rodgers, possessed great character, our team, Two Goals One Cup, was born. We arrived at the Great Hall in the Students’ Union brimming with excitement and anticipation of what was ahead of us, and it is fair to say we were not left disappointed. After signing in, we swiftly gathered by the edge of the pitch to observe the remainder of the Group 1 fixtures. And what a spectacle it was. The ball is effectively marginalised in this sport, with players’ focus fully on rampaging into opponents and, on some occasions, even teammates. In fact, the extent to which the ball became irrelevant was such that you most probably wouldn’t notice if it was removed from the game completely. Occasionally, some players, like a tenpin-bowling ball smashing into skittles, would carry so much momentum from being hit that they would uncontrollably wipe out the spectators on the sidelines. That, along with the odd player here or there finding themselves upside down with their legs petulantly kicking out as if they were stuck on a rollercoaster, provided much reason for laughter.
#SladeOut was once again trending on Twitter only hours after Cardiff ’s narrow defeat to Leeds United, with the pressure on City’s under-fire manager growing with each game, particularly over a lack of cutting-edge in the striking department. The Bluebirds have now gone over a month without scoring a goal of their own, their only victory in that time coming courtesy of a late own goal in the home clash with Middlesbrough in October. The win for Leeds, who hadn’t beaten Cardiff in the league since 1984, gave them their first win at
And then there were those unfortunate individuals who simply couldn’t get back up and salvage some dignity having failed to defy the force of gravity. Picture some of those intoxicated clubbers who hit the deck in Glam and, despite their most strenuous efforts, are physically incapable of returning to a stable position and that is exactly what it was like. Unfortunately, however, the participants in this competition did not have the excuse of alcohol. Soon enough, it was our turn to don the ‘famous blue bubbles’ with pride. That in itself was a difficult task, but once strapped into the harnesses the adrenaline kicked in. We all gave each other a customary chest bump as kickoff loomed, before lining up to face our opposition. Ideally, the plan was to charge like rhinos in true Frontier spirit and plough through the enemy line of bubbles. But, barely seconds after the whistle blew, I was on the floor quicker than Gary Cornish was after succumbing to the sheer might of Anthony Joshua back in September. Both metaphorically and literally, though, that did not burst my bubble and I proceeded to seek revenge. To be totally honest, I was clueless as to the whereabouts of the ball so I indiscriminately bombarded my way through the bubbles- knocking one or two over to ensure they suffered the same fate I did. We called ourselves Two Goals One Cup but perhaps ‘Cardiff City’ would have been more appropriate. In our four group games, we managed to keep
home since the beginning of March. Recent injuries to key players such as Kenwyne Jones, Fabio and Bruno Manga have seen City depleted in certain areas, particularly up front. Slade stuck to his guns, and received more stick than ever for his continued faith in Alex Revell as top scorer Joe Mason’s strike partner. Revell hasn’t found the net since August’s League Cup defeat to MK Dons, and his recent displays show little signs that he will break his duck. I’ve previously urged for Sammy Ameobi to be handed a starting
four clean sheets and score one goal. Thus, like Russell Slade’s men, we were defensively organised but were not prolific or clinical in attack. However, goals were sparse for the majority of the night. When you are encapsulated in a bubble, which, I should add, was extremely humid and sweaty, it is rather difficult to see the ball, let alone take it past people who also want to send you crashing to the ground. Furthermore, the goals are relatively small. A bubble virtually takes up the space of the goalmouth so, on the rare occasion that you do manage to get through on goal, you have to drive the ball low into the corners to have any chance of scoring. So it was an impressive achievement for one of my teammates, Matt Potter, to actually find the back of the net during our second game. Emphasising just how remarkable it was to score, we had been informed that if you did manage to grab at least one goal, there was a strong chance of progressing through to the semi-finals. With three draws and a win, we were quietly optimistic that we had done enough. But we underestimated the quality of the other teams in our group and, not to mention any names in particular, Joe Merriweather’s miss from close range in the dying stages of our final match proved costly as we were eliminated! Nevertheless, we held our heads high having remained unbeaten and, perhaps more importantly, unscathed in spite of the brutality. Ultimately, this was one of the most enjoyable footballing experiences I have had. For once, it was legal to obliterate
players off the ball. After watching my team, Stoke City, penalised for it so often over the last five years, this was a refreshing change. It was rather peculiar to not hear the sound of the whistle after making a late tackle. It is that freedom and allowance for creativity that makes bubble football so appealing. With most of us having to conform to the rules when we normally play football, this provided a welcome form of release; a chance to deviate from the conventional regulations without the alarming consequences that usually follow. Bubble football, without sounding too dramatic, liberated us from our daily, governed routines. Not that there were no rules in place to ensure our safety, of course. You do have to stay within the pitch boundaries, slide tackling is not allowed, jewellery is forbidden- as is chewing gum- and several of the Footbubble activity leaders are always present to ensure the safety of participants. The bubble provides an excellent cushion upon impact, too, so being poleaxed is arguably the most enthralling aspect of the sport. The only negative is that the games lasted just 90 seconds due to this being a Give it a Go session, so I am looking forward to participating again in the future. I should also give a special mention to Cardiff University’s Law Society, who ended up as overall winners of the tournament. Footbubble is based at the Cardiff House of Sport off Sloper Road. For more information, you can visit their website at www.footbubble.co.ukwebsite at www.footbubble.co.uk
place, yet following his woeful performance in the Severn-side derby with Bristol City, he again found himself benched, making little impact when introduced. The potential is there for him to form a deadly strike partnership with the tenacious Mason, as the on-loan Newcastle man is one of the more creative players City possess this season, but time after time, like Revell, he fails to deliver in front of goal. With attendances at home dropping below half capacity as fans continue to vote with their feet, an injury crisis
and now a run of poor form threatens to derail the solid start to the campaign. City dominated proceedings in Yorkshire, controlling possession for most of the game, yet couldn’t create any genuine goal-scoring opportunities. Upcoming games see trips to bigspending Derby County sandwiched between home games against promotion-chasers Reading and Burnley in the build up to a hectic Christmas schedule. These next games could define both Cardiff ’s season, and Slade’s own increasingly turbulent City tenure.
Pictured: Above: One participant readies himself for a shot at goal. Below left: Competitors often found themselves upside-down. (Photographer: Cardiff Students)
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We held our heads high having remained unbeaten and, perhaps more importantly, unscathed in spite of the brutality.
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sport p
Editors: Jim Harris James Lloyd Jason Roberts Jamie Smith @GairRhyddSport sport@gairrhydd.com gairrhydd.com/sport
Also this week
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Cardiff Taekwondo excel at UK Open Championship
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Following Varsity success over rivals Swansea in April, Cardiff University Taekwondo Club claimed 18 medals at the recent UK Open Championships to make 2015 another memorable year. Emma Franklin
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aekwondo is a gold-tiered club within Cardiff University and we take pride in our attendance and achievement at competitions around the country throughout the year, with the UK Open Championships being no exception. With a total of 18 medals (five gold, three silver and ten bronze), it is safe to say we are very proud of our performance. Over the weekend of the October 31st and November 1st, 15 individuals, three competing for the first time, from Cardiff University Taekwondo competed in the UK Open Championships held at Guildford Spectrum Leisure Centre. Taekwondo schools and clubs from all across the UK came together, with the total number of competitors reaching 359. On both days the events were as follows: Sparring
(contact fighting), Patterns (technical routines) and Power (board breaking). On the Saturday, the black belts competed in all events - winning us a total of four medals: a gold medal in Patterns courtesy of Daniel Kilford (second Dan), a silver medal in Sparring and a bronze medal in Patterns from Ceri Morgan (first Dan) and a bronze medal in Sparring from Megan Felton (first Dan). A fantastic first day all round! Following the black belts competition on the Saturday, it was the colour belts’ turn on Sunday. With a 5am start, the bus left Cardiff and headed to Guildford. The competitors piled into the hall and the competition kicked off with Patterns. Patterns are a routine of both defensive and attacking movements which demonstrate technical ability, posture, precision and discipline. Each grade has different allocated patterns and, therefore,
the categories are divided into the various belts. Up first for Cardiff Uni were the male and female yellow belt Patterns. This category included 17 competitors, yet CUTKD walked away with two bronze medals, one each for Kyla Lola and Bethan Godfrey. The next category to compete were the male and female green belt Patterns and Cardiff Uni did fantastically again walking away with three medals out of a potential four; the two bronze medals for Emma Franklin and Gina Schade, and the gold for Berke Demirkazik. Another exceptional start to the day and a great morning overall. Following such a successful morning and a quick lunch break, it was time for Sparring; ITF sparring is highly technique-based, with excessive contact often penalised. The competitors spar continuously for a set period of time - for this competition,
Pictured: Cardiff University Teakwondo in action during Varsity 2015 (Photographer: Taliesin Coombes)
Continued on page 33
Cardiff City and Cardiff Blues columns P34-35>>
Sport Spotlight: Bubble Football P35>>