February 2016
Founded 1948
Elections 2013Year 67 - Edition 3
The Courier
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VALENTINE’S DAY SPECIAL EDITION
WHY BEING VALENTINE’S
SINGLE ON ST. IS UNDERRATED
Jess Lewis THE DAY THAT all single people dread is almost upon us. If getting harassed for being single by your Grandma at Christmas wasn’t bad enough, there is a whole day dedicated to reminding you that you are alone. You are probably imagining yourself slumped on the couch eating cereal out of the box and watching Bridget Jones for the 7th time with mascara streaked down your face, wondering where your Mr Darcy is. Well, it’s lucky I am here to remind you of all the things that will make you realise Mr Darcy has nothing on you and you can treat yourself this Valentine’s Day. After all, it is the holiday of love and who better to love than yourself right? Think of all the tacky Facebook posts couples will upload of their tacky teddies and tacky dates (pass us the bucket). I know you hate them as much as me, and you would much rather treat yourself to getting your nails done or buying that super cute dress you have been keeping in your online basket since Christmas. Valentine’s Day is all about treating that special someone, and there is nobody more special than you!! Also, going on a romantic weekend away somewhere with the hot guy you have fancied from the office for years has its perks, but nothing beats a weekend away with your closest girlfriend. Hoping that she is also on the single train, catch a flight to somewhere you’ve both wanted
to go or book a cottage in the rural Welsh highlands for the weekend, drink 6 bottles of wine and complain about all the reasons partners suck and why being single is the best. If she is unfortunately taken and hasn’t got the memo about the awesomeness of being single and you truly are alone, a relaxing spa day or road trip with your favourite women empowering playlist blasting on your way to somewhere you’ve always wanted to visit is a great shout. This way you tick off a “go to” place on your bucket list AND avoid all the annoying loved up couples. It’s a WIN-WIN. Although I did half advise you to put down the ice-cream and step away from your 4th bottle of wine, there really is nothing like spending the day on the sofa watching crappy reality TV. Valentine’s Day this year is a Sunday, which means that it is literally the perfect excuse to have a duvet day and remember that you’re still rocking the lazy Sunday look without even trying. Mr Right is missing out. Most couples will spend the day being overly loving and sickeningly sentimental, but don’t believe all the posts you see on social media. People only post what they want you to see. Being in love with yourself is a value that most people over look. Being in the right relationship is (apparently) amazing, but loving yourself first is the ‘realisationship’ every girl needs. The realisation that you don’t need a man to make you happy, and all you truly need is yourself.
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Happy Valentine’s Day, from all of us at Aber Student Media. Shutterstock
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02 opinion
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09 features
10 lifestyle
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February 2016
EDITORIAL Stacey Gaenssler Courier Editor BEING perpetually single, it might seem strange that I would want to put together the first St Valentine’s Day edition of The Courier. The truth is, like many others out there, I wanted to find a way to make this day truly memorable. For me, Valentine’s Day is a chance to be with friends (well, the single ones, at least), and is only a few days before shops start to do discounts on all sorts of things. For my inner romantic, it’s nice to see all of the happy couples; sometimes it seems like they’re almost falling in love all over again. It can be tough, watching all the blossoming relationships while you’re single, but I’ve found that (for myself, at least) it gives rise to
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a bit of hope that perhaps it could happen for all us single folk, too. But this isn’t just about Valentine’s Day, or the romance in the air. This month, we celebrate the lives and histories of communities which are often pushed to the wayside, and are replaced in the media which is supposed to tell their stories. We celebrate those of us who don’t get represented in the media much, or even at all, and share their stories to prove that nobody is truly alone, nor do they ever have to be. So, from me to all of you reading, happy Valentine’s Day, have an incredible LGBT History Month, and please believe me when I say that the only reason misery loves company is because it makes it easier to bear when you have others there to support you. You’ll be okay.
NEWS news@aberstudentmedia.com
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News Editor
Maisie O’Brien
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Aber graduate leading the way in education Maisie O’Brien News Editor
Cosmopolitan Magazine
ABERYSTWYTH graduate, Natasha Devon MBE, has been named as one of Debrett’s 500 most influential people in Britain, and one of the 20 most influential people in Education. Ms Devon studied Psychology at Aberystwyth University and then went on to found the Self-Esteem Team. The Self-Esteem Team visits schools across the UK to deliver award-winning workshops and presentations on mental health, body image and exam stress. Visiting between 3 to 4 schools a week across the UK, as a result they have worked with over 60,000 British teens. Natasha Devon MBE was inspired to start the Self-Esteem Team after recovering from an eating disorder in 2006, she went on to start the Body Gossip Education Programme to help give teenagers confidenceboosting tips.
Following discussions with teachers and teenagers, the Programme soon expanded to include classes on mental health as well as body image and culminated in the creation of the Self-Esteem Team. In addition to her achievements as part of the Self-Esteem Team, Ms Devon is the author of the books published in 2015: Fundamentals: A Guide for Parents and Teachers on Mental Health and Self Esteem, and a book for teens by the Self Esteem Team. She also contributes to Cosmopolitan as a columnist, among other publications. Last year, as part of the Queen’s Birthday Honours List, Natasha Devon was awarded an MBE. In August 2015 she was also named the governments mental health “tsar”, and advises the Minister for Education and Childcare on matters concerning mental well being in the classroom.
Any opinions expressed in articles in this newspaper are solely those of the contributors and are not to be attributed to the Aberystwyth Student Media committee, Aberystwyth University Students’ Union or Aberystwyth University. The acceptance of advertising by The Courier is not an indication that The Courier, its editors or contributors or anyone associated with The Courier either supports or opposes any activity in which the advertiser may participate. The Courier is published by Aberystwyth Student Media, an unincorporated association. Union Building, Penglais, Aberystwyth, SY23 3DX. © Aberystwyth Student Media 2016.
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Glacier named after Aber University glaciologist Maisie O’Brien News Editor PROFESSOR Neil Glasser of the Department of Geography and Earth Sciences at Aberystwyth has recently had an Antarctic glacier named after him. The Glasser Glacier measures around 1500m long and 300m wide. It is located on James Ross Island and flows westward from a large ice dome on Lachman Crags. It marks the second Antarctic geological feature to be named after an Aberystwyth academic, with Hambrey Cliffs being named after the former director of the Centre of Glaciology at Aberystwyth. Hambrey Cliffs are also located on James Ross Island and were named after Polar Medal winner Professor Mike Hambrey. The Antarctic Place-Names Committee named the glacier after Professor Glasser due to his “significant research on Ulu Peninsula, James Ross island and wider contributions to Antarctic and polar science.”
Professor Glasser, Director of the University’s Institute of Geography, History, Politics and Psychology, joined Aberystwyth University in 1999 as a lecturer, and later became a Professor in 2006. In addition to this he also serves as an editor of the Journal of Glaciology and Quaternary Science Reviews. The Glasser Glacier is to be added to the British Antarctic Territory Gazette and
will be available for use on all maps, charts and in all publications. Professor Glasser stated he felt “honoured” by the decision: “I am really honoured to have this glacier named after me. We spent 7 weeks on fieldwork in this area of Antarctica in 2011. On all our maps and publications it is called ‘Un-named Glacier’ but it is great to know that from now on it will be known as Glasser Glacier!”
Dr Bethan Davies
Welsh rail services to be managed from England under UK government plans Maisie O’Brien News Editor FOLLOWING reassurances from the UK government that a new Welsh rail franchise would not split into English and Welsh sections it appears that many Welsh rail services and stations could instead be managed by England. The UK Government has agreed to devolve responsibility for the franchise to the Welsh Government from 2017. However, it appears that this may only include the Valley Lines, HolyheadCardiff service and some rural or local services. At the end of January the Welsh government launched a consultation about the next Welsh rail franchise, which is open until March 18th. 2015’s St. David’s Day Agreement, which set out further devolution powers for the Welsh government, stated that to “ensure
Alex Tanton proper accountability” services who primarily serve English markets are to be kept in England’s control after the Wales and Borders franchise was devolved. This means that much of Wales’ rail services could end up being managed from England, with the UK government promising to not split services and force passengers to change at the border. The Department for Transport has yet to say when it will publish its proposals,
a year after the agreement was published. Many were concerned that the services would be split into English and Welsh sections, which could have an economic impact on Wales. But Rail Minister Claire Perry recently stated that passengers would be able to travel between England and Wales without having to change trains. > Read the full story online at aberstudentmedia.com
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February 2016
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OPINION opinion@aberstudentmedia.com
Opinion Editor
Matthew Warwick
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Good intentions can still endanger free speech Matthew Warwick Opinion Editor
THE PUBLICATION of the Free Speech University Rankings 2016 (FSUR) will have caught many eyes in Aberystwyth due to the listing of Aber as one of the top five for censorship. Student Union politics passes many by, but students are often liberal and the accusation that Aber is censoring free speech will sting. After all, universities are meant to be the places where ideas can be thoroughly debated and discussed. The FSUR uses a traffic light system of grading various policies and actions of both the University administration and the Student Union, and for both Aber received a ‘red’ ranking. Most of Aberystwyths red actions seem to date from 2013, a time when a few high profile incidents perhaps mandated a little more caution. The system also appears very rigid and takes a very one dimensional view of free speech – any restrictions beyond what is already illegal is marked as a negative. Nevertheless, you can see where those who compiled the rankings are coming from – to ban three newspapers because they had content some students disagreed with is censorship. Policies restricting (as far as one can with such things) the use of certain insults because they might insult a certain minority may be well intentioned but is designed to restrict freedom of expression.
Students expressing free speech over the proposed closure of Pantycelyn Halls in 2015. Credit: Alex Tanton President of Aberystwyth Student Union, responded to the rankings by defending Aberystwyth’s record for safety: “Yes - every individual has a right to freedom of speech, but any comments relating to sexism, homophobia, transphobia or racism are certainly not tolerated. The Students’ Union operates a Zero Tolerance policy to provide a safespace for all students in the Aberystwyth community… The policies that have been passed by the student body have not been put in place to manage or restrict freedom of speech, but to continue to provide the foundations on which Aberystwyth has been known as one of the safest places in the country.” The problem is that restriction of free speech is often a side effect of these
“Many of these policies overstep their remit and breach into censoring speech and regulating student interaction.”
Many students would argue that these policies are designed to prevent illegal behaviour, such as sexual harassment. Indeed, Lewis Donnelly,
policies. It may not be the intention,
but it is often a consequence. When we approached him with questions on his study’s findings Tom Slater, the FSUR Project Coordinator, suggested that: “Many of these policies overstep their remit and breach into censoring speech and regulating student interaction. Sexual harassment policies are prudent and necessary. Outright bans on catcalling and wolf-whistling aren’t. It’s sexual expression. I think most students can deal with someone wolf-whistling without feeling the need to call the campus cops.” It’s the same freedom of speech that allowed protests to take place in response to the closure of Pantycelyn last May. Photo Credit: Alex Tanton. It’s the same freedom of speech that allowed protests to take place in response to the closure of Pantycelyn last May. Beyond the censorship of speech there is also the matter of no-platforming, or banning speakers because either they ‘might’ offend someone or because a group of students simply disagrees with what they say. This is dangerous, because universities are precisely the place where such intellectual debates should be held.
February 2016
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No-platforming assumes that you are in the right and that the other side’s ideas have no merit. This is not only arrogant, but dangerous and runs counter to the ethos of most universities. I think that most would agree that Student Unions and university campuses should be places where people feel safe. However, there is a very real danger of creating a culture where anything that might offend someone gets shut down and silenced. This is not limited to us in Aberystwyth (63 institutions in the FSUR scored amber or red), but something that universities around the country are grappling with. Germaine Greer was banned from speaking at a university for her views on transgender women in case it offended.
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Opinion
Kings College L o n d o n’s A c t i o n Palestine violently interrupted a talk given by an Israeli. S e v e r a l university student unions have banned songs from being played on their premises because they have sexist lyrics. Universities are not places where you should insulate yourself from the world, rather your ideas should be tested against ideas of others through debate. If you occasionally get offended, well, that does
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sometimes happen in life. I have nothing against banning those who would incite hatred and violence based on peoples’ race, gender or sexual orientation, or discouraging ‘lad’ culture and anti-social behaviour. However free speech is as a fundamental pillar of our way of life. We must be ever vigilant that our attempts to create an equal and fair society do not result in us squashing free and open debate, for the consequences would be very, very dangerous.
“However, there is a very real danger of creating a culture where anything that might offend someone gets shut down and silenced.”
Have an opinion on the matter? emails us at opinion@ aberstudentmedia.com to share!
Jobs, technology and the future Alex Griffiths WHEN considering the future and the way that technology will develop, most of us usually think about it as if change will happen at some vague point in time which can just be ignored, but that is the wrong approach. Looking ahead, we are about to see a lot of changes to our understanding of work and how the economy operates but at the moment the importance of this remains under-emphasised. For those of us at university, it is still under-appreciated just how different our lives are going to be from previous generations and how much technology is going revolutionise the way jobs operate. The best way to illustrate the changes that are about to happen is by using two examples; the rise of 3D printing and Artificial Intelligence.
Jonathan Juursema We should also consider the overall effect that these changes are going to have upon us and how policy makers should take into account change when discussing the future. A key part of the future of manufacturing will involve 3D printing. At the moment 3D printing is
“For those of us at university, it is still under-appreciated just how different ours lives are going to be from previous generations”
relatively small scale and limited in use however with recent breakthroughs and rising interest in the field it could be soon possible that 3D printing could potentially be used on cars or phones. The journalist and writer Chris Anderson has illustrated the change well by considering 3D printing through the prism of his idea of democratising manufacturing. He uses the example of a basic model of a doll’s house which could then be personalised to a child’s specific desires. Mass marketed products could be specialised to individual tastes, radically changing
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> Continued form page 5 the way we consider the operation of business. Instead of coming up with a set design and then mass producing it for sale in megastores, you could post your design online and for a fee people could download it and then make their own personal adaptions before printing at home on their own 3D printer. These innovations would radically alter our understanding of business and, crucially for our age group, make the future more uncertain and less reliant on the old corporate business model. Arguably one of the biggest developments that will occur during the next few decades will be the development and growth of artificial intelligence, an area which at present produces a lot more light than heat and invokes thoughts of the Terminator or Matrix films. The truth of the matter is that a big spike in computing power it is not going to produce an AI that will exterminate mankind, rather it will be a prediction machine that has a greater degree of accuracy and speed than we currently have in computing. This will lead to the automation of many jobs as computers will be able to do many tasks at the moment too advanced for them. A recent study by Oxford University called The Future of Employment ranked a series of jobs based upon the likelihood that a machine will soon be doing them with 47% of the current US workforce at risk of automation. This shift would in practise mean swathes of the economy being swept aside by AI, but with the added problem of questioning what will come next.
A 3D printer is used to create a turtle. Credit: Keith Kissel/Flickr As university students these technological developments are especially important considering that the vast majority of us will be in employment till our seventies. Considering the scale of the changes at the moment we head into an unknown world where job certainties over a long time scale may prove few and far between. What is important to take away from all these points is that the jobs that will probably survive will not be dull, repetitive ones but the challenging and interesting jobs where a simple result cannot just be produced or expected and where human contact is needed. In practical terms what this means is unknown. However we should take some comfort from the words of Adam Smith
“What is important to take away from all these points is that the jobs that will probably survive will not be dull, repetitive ones...�
Institute President Madsen Pirie who pointed out that like with the Industrial Revolution there will be new jobs caused by robotics and automation. What we need to think about is how we should react to these changes. Robin Chase goes into great depth in her book Peers Inc about the way in which she believes that the market is going to keep changing and argues the case for continuous education throughout life in order to all people to adapt to changes. She also argues for a basic income for all citizens to protect them from job insecurity, something currently being tested in some European countries. Yes, this is just her perspective on the issue but it is an example of someone engaging with the changes the world is about to experience. When considering politics, we should all be thinking about the way in which the government should react to changes about to occur, especially considering the potential impact these changes are going to have on the economy because change is coming and we need to start preparing for it.
> read more For the latest opinion and feature articles, check out the student media website aberstudentmedia.com
ARTS February 2016
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Lionsgate
FILM
The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2 Harry Ridgewell
After the Hunger Games franchise announced it was deciding to split its finale into two money-grabbing films, I wasn’t hopeful after the likes of Harry Potter and The Hobbit. I don’t want to stray into too much detail about the plot of the previous film because if you don’t know what’s going on then I don’t recommend you start watching the last film but here’s a summary: The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1 is essentially a political thriller about a group of rebel fashion gurus debating which hat Katniss
Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) would look the most persuasive in. Presumably the book was divided into two films so it could feature more action packed moments; will Katniss read the speech her stylist prepared, can Katniss save her sister’s cat, and surely Katniss won’t carry on using a bow and arrow in a warzone, will she? Also why does every dystopian society seem to have more people with partially shaved hairstyles? Luckily, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2 returns with thrills. Katniss
MUSIC
Best new tracks this year so far Alex Rees
Arts Editor Tinashe - “Ride Of Your Life” Tinashe, of the criminally underrated Aquarius, is back in 2016 with the followup, Joyride. Still only 22, “Ride Of Your Life“ is a track that sounds like she’s been on the scene for years, the catchiest hook of the year so far (short though it is) and a smooth, slow burner amplified by loops crafted by in-demand producer Metro Boomin. Happy Valentine’s!
Kendrick Lamar - “Untitled 2” Maybe - alright, definitely it’s corny to talk about musicians in this way. But watching Kendrick Lamar, nominated for 11 Grammys on the 15th of this month, perform “Untitled 2“ on The Tonight Show felt like a definitive piece of music history being committed to popular memory. The live performance, incorporating some of the same musicians that appeared on To Pimp A Butterfly, was an unapologetic statement from an artist at the very top of their profession; and if you don’t take my
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ignores advice to rest and rallies the troops against the despotic Capitol, deaths are mostly unexpected. Katniss is also more likeable, as she is less the disobedient teenager of the first films and more the battle-hardened warrior the Games have turned her into. While the iconic arena doesn’t return (although they will do in the prequels, announced late last year) President Snow (Donald Sutherland) retreats his men and sets traps with Big Brother-style cameras reminiscent of the first film. Questionable battle tactics, but it makes for fun. If there’s anything I’ve learnt in a military situation, it’s that you should make sure to chat. The more witty lines you get in, the less likely you will stumble into a landmine or social etiquette will require you to sacrifice yourself for the hero. Being the last film, you would expect a rosy, good-guy-beats-bad-guy ending. But Mockingjay – Part 2 manages to pull off a very satisfying conclusion with twists along the way and despite a running length of 137 minutes, I never found myself tired. The acting is solid by all cast members – especially Josh Hutcherson who is very convincing as a mentally deranged Peeta (Yes, that really is how it’s spelled) and Jennifer Lawrence is great as always. For those of you who lost faith in the Hunger Games series after Mockingjay – Part 1, I would urge you to watch this thoroughly enjoyable, gripping ending to the saga. Rating: 8/10 word for it (I would not blame you) President Obama weighed in on the discussion in December, naming “How Much A Dollar Cost“ his favourite song of 2015, a tale of homelessness and godliness and alongside “Alright“ as the most enduring song from TPAB. 2016 has already been an eventful year for music - for better or worse - and Lamar is bound to stay at his peak as the months pass. And at least this time there’s no chance he can lose to Macklemore. Want to read more, or write music reviews for The Courier? Visit aberstudentmedia.com for more details
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Focus Features / Working Title
FILM
The Danish Girl: Review
Megan Talbot Coming to a film with a different perspective and background can radically alter one’s perception of it. This review presents me with an opportunity to talk not just about the film, but on a personal level about how a film can affect a person differently depending on their background. I’ve seen a lot written recently about how people who find certain things difficult to watch should just grow a thicker skin, and while I would never dream of censoring art (beyond common sense limits on appropriateness for the venue/setting), I hope this article will help the reader gain a better sense of how art can effect a person differently. Art’s ability to allow us to reflect on our personal experiences - including in a way which is difficult - is one of its great strengths. This does not mean people who approach art this way are weak or less worthy of respect; the fact that a piece of art can take on profoundly different meanings depending on the viewer is one of the most interesting things about it, and diverse perceptions should be seen as an opportunity to learn about our differences and empathize based on our commonalities. Another note: When I talk about my
experiences as a trans person watching this film, I quite obviously do not speak for all trans people. Because gender is personal and complex everyone has a different experience. With that out of the way, let’s discuss the film. The Danish Girl is a biopic based on the life of Lili Elbe, who is often credited as the first transgender person to undergo sexual reassignment surgery - though surgeries to alter the appearance of and reconstruct genitals had been performed on intersex people as early as 1860. The casting of Eddie Redmayne as Lili garnered a great deal of criticism, due to the feeling that trans roles should be played by trans actors. The performance itself is highly skilled, nuanced and exceptional, there can be no doubting his skill. However, over the course of the film one thing struck me; despite the skill of his performance, it is that of someone acting as they have been told a trans person would act. This may seem a subtle and ultimately meaningless objection. After all, actors play roles they have no experience with all the time. The difference is small, and may not be noticed by someone who is not trans. The fact is that gender is, contrary to
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the beliefs of some, a highly personal and complex thing, and being transgender is even more so. Because of this, trans people have developed a number of ways of expressing our feelings which, while they may be illustrative, dont have the nuance of the experience itself, simply because our language lacks the words. Because of this, while Redmayne’s performance gets a lot right, there are some subtle things which do not quite ring true to me. Towards the end of the film I became incredibly uncomfortable, not because of any issues with the film in terms of its construction, but because of its subject matter and my relationship to it. The tail end of The Danish Girl depicts Lili’s dysphoria; a powerful unpleasant negative sensation, relating to a trans person’s discomfort at the mismatch between their biological sex and gender identity. For me this was particularly powerful, because it cause me to experience my own dysphoria fairly intensely. By the end I was on the verge of tears, not only due to the moving content of the film but due to the powerful dysphoria I was experiencing, a sensation difficult to put into words, the closest I can get to is a powerful and desperate discomfort and rejection of certain aspects of one’s body, a powerful and profound feeling of utter wrongness which can invoke panic and self loathing. I do not mention this to wallow in self pity. Rather, to show how a film being evocative of certain feelings can profoundly affect someone due to their experience. I am not weak, nor can I choose not to experience the film in this way. All of this said, The Danish Girl is not a bad film. It’s a surprisingly rich film about relationships and dealing with incredibly difficult situations unheard of at the time. If one is able to separate the film as a biopic and drama from the film as a portrayal of trans-ness then it is great film, featuring a subject we don’t often hear about and well crafted as a drama, featuring a number of excellent performances and some really top notch directing from Tom Hooper. > Read the full review online at aberstudentmedia.com
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The Courier
February 2016
Disney confirms that the next Princess will be a Sith Word has emerged that Disney’s next official princess will be drawing from one of their more recently purchased franchises: the Star Wars multiverse. This surprising and rather refreshing change of pace from Disney is likely to have come out of a desire to balance the scales and restore balance to the Force, due to fan dislike for the dark side. This likely comes as a direct result of the protagonist in the Star Wars movies always being a Jedi and/ or on the side of the Light. When pushed for more details, a spokesperson for the company said that they’d “had the idea in
development since before we even bought Star Wars, just in case Episode 7 didn’t meet the expectations placed on it. After all, we all know we just can’t go wrong with a princess movie, and after Frozen’s slightly mature themes of isolation and death via ice shattering, we thought we could probably get away with a strong female character slicing heads off with her lightsabre to protect her kingdom.” We can also confirm that her animal sidekick will be a Rancor, similar to the one we saw in Jabba the Hut’s death pit. We can only hope that it’s not as drooly.
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UKIP find a new demographic to campaign to They came to the UK to escape persecution, survive the horrors at home, and to make a temporary life. But when you don’t even have a choice in where your temporary housing will be, everything is somehow a bit more awful. One of the first refugees into the UK was a young Syrian girl who, with her family, was sent to be housed in Milton Keynes. Upon getting off the bus, she was greeted by the leader of the UKIP party, Nigel Farage, who has always supported taking in Christian Syrians. On seeing Milton Keynes, and the waiting party, the girl turned and told her mother that she wanted to go home in Arabic. When Farage was told of her translated comments, he smiled, walked up to the girl and told her “I want you to go home too.”
Your horoscope this week: Pay no attention to the tornado outside your window. No, it is not the second one of the week. It’s fine. Everything is fine.
Absolutely nothing out of the ordinary this month. Not even on that arbitrary extra day.
Beware of the flying kitchen utensils. You never know when they will strike next.
Give your significant other that enchanted pulsating amulet that you keep hung around your neck. It’s time to pass it on.
That burning sensation you’ve been feeling in your hands is probably nothing to worry about. Probably.
Pay attention to the dolphins and porpoises, they have an escape plan.
Venus is in the fifth house, so stone your local happy couple.
Consult with friends and family about the best course to take regarding your plans. It won’t help, but they’ll feel included.
The stars have aligned, and this month will be your month… Wait, no it won’t, put that down!
Your destiny is to embody General Leia Organa in any and all ways possible.
Maybe visit the doctors about that lump soon, eh?
Take up your battle swords and defeat the Huns, it’s what your ancestors would have wanted.
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FEATURES February 2016
Features Editor
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Nick Saunders @abersmFeatures
An interview with Nick Saunders Features Editor
Y O U MAY HAVE
noticed in our last two editions we did a section on Global Scribes’ stories. Well to explain better what they’re about, we interviewed their CEO and founder Cynthia English. So what is the Global Scribes mission? Global Scribes™ is a nonprofit organization which fosters global unity by connecting youth to build cultural understanding and worldwide community through the beauty and the power of the written word and creative expression. What has been the progress to that? Excellent. The progress for building worldwide community: Within less than one year we became a UNESCO Club (& the UNESCO Club of the Month in December 2015!). We are expanding daily with schools, University’s and individual youth coming onboard from the USA, UK, Russia, Kenya, Nigeria, Zambia, South Africa, Uganda, Greece, Turkey, Jordan, India, Philippines, & South Korea. Are we exploding overnight? No…not yet! But, every day we are building. Also, progress building cultural understanding: Through GSIM international music and broadcast radio, we have already touched lives in ways, and with opportunities, some of our global scribes never would have dreamt could happen to them…we have opened doors of possibility beyond borders. What have been the obstacles so far? The biggest obstacle is the same for all entrepreneurial start.ups, namely, Awareness. Participation. Funding. Gaining and keeping traction. Fortunately, we are making steady progress but it is still ‘ the old ‘chicken and the egg’ process. The great thing for everyone under 25 coming onboard now is, we are the foundation of an organization we are all building together–there is something fantastic about that! What is your favourite part of your role in Global Scribes? Meeting all of the amazing young people who are out in this world, whom I’ve
been privileged to meet–I just could not be more thrilled–there is not a doubt in my mind, that the youth under 30 in this global community, will unite to fix the global mess my generation, two above me, and one below me, have created. I really believe you all are, and will continue to be, Youth Uniting Nations® What’s the best sense of achievement you have had so far with Global Scribes? Hmmm…I’m not sure I’m there yet– perhaps I feel some achievement when I receive a letter from one of our Global Scribes saying how their life has been touched. What do the near and long.term future hold for Global Scribes? Near term is continuing to build a proto type in Jordan for Global Scribes which will be rolled out around the world. Jordan is the first country where we are building Global Scribes within middle, high schools and Universities, as well as, collaborating organizations, hospitals, host communities, as well as refugee camps and offering not only the virtual experience, but on the ground experiences as well. We had our first Global Scribes Happiness MeetUp there after one of the students asked he could meet some of the Global Scribes in other Universities–of course! We are also just now developing
our VST I, Volunteer Service Training for young people over age 18, who are fully participating in Global Scribes and would like to volunteer to help collaborating organizations’ constituents also participate with Global Scribes. Our GS Volunteers become mentors and coaches and leaders– In the long term, our goal is this prototype rolled out around the world. Our goal is to have Global Scribes in every country in the world. Fingers Crossed! And the other is to be fully sustainable through businesses we are currently raising money to build. A computer game. A magazine. & A virtual boutique. Each chic, sleek, & unique. What would you say to anyone who wanted to get involved? Jump in to help us build–to create global friendships and expand your cultural knowledge–we would LOVE to have you! It is you who make Global Scribes! There is so much opportunity in Global Scribes to learn and grow and experience things you always wanted to, but never had the chance… We catapult beyond rhetoric and DO! We are all just people with more similarities than differences. We are Youth Uniting Nations®. Global Scribes. Join the Movement! Contact gs@globalscribes.org
The Courier
February 2016
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A foolproof guide to dating in Aberystwyth Jake Foxford Online Editor DID YOU KNOW Valentine’s Day is/was soon/today/recently (delete as appropriate readers)? You probably did. Whether you’ve been in a relationship for years or you’ve just become Faceboo k Official (totes congrats btw), dating in Aberystwyth is fraught with danger, intrigue, and suspense. For those of you hoping to seal a deal on Sunday we’ve got some tips for you too but we can’t do all the work; it’s up to you if you wake up the next morning with who you want. Best of luck though! In a town where everyone knows everyone and nothing is more than 15 minutes away, it can be hard to whip up some romance. Fortunately we at The Courier are here with literally some bits of advice to best tell your significant other you’re a keeper: DO make a reservation. Well in advance. A nice meal is a classic with good reason, and there’s a lot of restaurants in Aber, but you’ll be fighting against the rest of town for a romantic dinner for two. DON’T take them to a takeaway. Ordering take away and having a night in; not a bad plan. Walking arm in arm for a candlelit Sam’s; a bad plan.
DO dress to impress. It doesn’t matter what you’re doing, if you’re doing something you can make the effort. It doesn’t have to be a suit & tie or ball gown, just look sharp for occasion. If you know where the evening is headed, why not lay out your best jim-jams? You look great in them and people should know. DON’T draw unnecessary attention. Yeah, you can do the worm, but Irie’s is small and you’ve kicked that guy’s risotto off the table. Yeah, you can quote Hamlet, but you’re in Pier, everyone thinks you’re a tool. And why were you carrying a skull? DO get creative. Interesting dates make for an interesting time. Get on the Vale of Rheidol and go to Devil’s Bridge. Like some bracing wind? Walk to Borth. Don’t like some bracing wind? Get the train to the Animalarium (Never ask why they can’t call it a zoo). DO your research. If you know what each other want to do on the day then (stick with me here) do that. If you know what the other person likes then you can surprise them! DON’T stalk them from the bushes. Find out about each other by talking. Or texting. Or reading into the subtext of your flanter. Don’t watch them from afar, staring mournfully. Don’t strain your legs
squatting in the bush by their flat. Just chill out. DO be confident. If you’re taking someone out this is the time to flaunt your best qualities. It doesn’t have to be flashy or convoluted, just play to your strengths and play it cool. Failing that; fake it ‘til you make it. DON’T get cocky. Much like not drawing unwanted attention. If things are going well, don’t get carried away. A walrus impression with breadsticks is not going to get funnier as the night goes on. You’re dribbling, they’re soggy, you’re alone: The classic three-step plan. Other such classics include: DON’T try “the naked man” if things seem like they’re going badly. DON’T try anything you found on the internet without reading a health and safety warning. DON’T get carried away biting at edible underwear. DON’T point out any previous sexual conquests you see. DON’T be the drunkest, especially if you organised this. DO turn up on time. Nothing more arousing than punctuality. DO carry mints.
So what actually is Valentine’s Day? Nick Saunders Features Editor
SO IT SEEMS Valentines day is soon to be upon us, and it seems that this year nearly everyone is in anticipation for the saints day. Admittedly that is almost certainly due to the romantic epic Deadpool set to hit cinemas. But what might be an equally bloody film, though less exciting, would be one based on the actual Saint himself. So facts on Valentine are sketchy, but the main account we have is of a temple priest that would help marry Christian couples, sounds cute right? Except the year was 270 and Christianity wasn’t permitted under the Roman Empire, so he was beheaded by Claudius II. There’s also a claim it was the Bishop of Terni,
who Claudius also excuted. The accounts are remarkebly similiar so we’re not sure if they’re one and the same, if they’re both just victims of Claudius II, and if so which is Valentine. Whilst we may lack certain details on Valentine, we don’t lack any spare St. Valentines. To be specific there’s twelve St. Valentines in the Papal roster of Saints and before you ask, yes, most of them died in pretty upleasant ways (the most recent a beheading in 1861). Why so many? Well Valentinus in Latin means strong or worthy so it’s been a pretty popular name to adopt (outside the religous too, we have three Roman Emperor Valentinians, for example). There’s additionally a Pope Valentine, though he’s not exactly worth celebrating. He was only Pope for 40 days and practically serves as
a footnote in any papal history. Interestingly, Valentines day as we know it may have been an invention in Britain. There’s no record of romantic celebrations on Valentine’s Day prior to “Parliament of Foules,” which Geoffery Chaucer wrote in1375. In his poem Chaucer describes the celebration of St. Valentine’s feast day as the time for courtly love, writing “For this was sent on Seynt Valentyne’s day / Whan every foul cometh ther to choose his mate,” There’s no indications that this was actually the case until his poem became incredibly reknown. He may have unwittingly started a trend for the saints day that’s lasted nearly 700 years. So if you’re thinking about the romance of Valentines, it really started with poetry.
LIFESTYLE February 2016
The Courier
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Lifestyle Editor
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Sarah Thornhill
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Try Something New: Date and gift ideas for Valentine’s Day Sarah Thornhill Lifestyle Editor VALENTINE’S Day has sprung upon us again, as it always does with little warning. It still feels a little too soon after Christmas; term has only just started again, and the last thing you dreamed you have to be thinking of is Valentine’s Day. As I have always said, it should be a day of being together with whoever your other half is. You don’t need a day specified to this every year to actually enjoy being together - yes it is nice to have that extra something but you also don’t need to be sucked into any marketing campaigns to spend ridiculous amounts of money. If you still want to keep the day
semi-conventional, not to fear; we at ASM are here to help you with some creative gift and date ideas to keep the romance, but without breaking the bank. In terms of gifts, there is no point blowing the bank on expensive chocolates and huge bears if you don’t have the cash. No one with their head screwed on will expect you to do this. Why don’t you make your other half a card from scratch instead of buying one? If they can see you have gone to all this effort to put the time into making it special then you will be on to a winner. You could also take an old shoe box and cover it in pictures of you two together and fill it with your partner’s favourite things. This does not have to be expensive, and I’m sure it will make them happy. Alternatively, you could just make some vouchers for
“This day is for everyone regardless of whether or not they are in a relationship”
things like, ‘you get to pick the film’ or ‘I will make your favourite dinner’. It doesn’t have to be expensive it just needs to be thoughtful. You do not need to spend £30 on Interflora. When it comes to dates, again you can keep the costs down. A walk by the prom is free, as is a walk to Borth. Yes, Borth isn’t as brilliant as Aber but the walk there will keep you occupied for a while and it will be a nice time to spend together away from the bustle of uni life. If you are going for a walk, please dress sensibly. This may not take your fancy - if not, you can eat in and cook for each other. You can still do a steak dinner inside. If you happen to be single this year, hit the town with your girls/boys - get glammed up and own it. Don’t be ashamed to go out, this day is for everyone, regardless of whether or not they are in a relationship or not. Whatever you have planned, or actually end up doing, have a brilliant day, on behalf of all of us at ASM.
Valentine’s Day recipe - Love Bug Biscuits Sarah Thornhill Lifestyle Editor What you’ll need: • 175g plain flour • 100g chilled butter, cubed • 85g icing sugar • 1 tsp vanilla extract • 1 egg yolk • 500g ready-to-roll fondant icing • red food colouring • 100g icing sugar • black food colouring • edible pearly ball decorations • 8cm heart-shaped cutter • 6cm heart-shaped cutter • food processor
•
Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/ gas 4. Roll out the dough to the thickness of a £1 coin. Use your 8cm heart cutter to stamp out heart shapes – you’ll have to re-roll the trimmings to make 20 biscuits.
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Put the hearts on 2 baking trays and bake for 12 mins, swapping the trays over halfway through, until pale golden and crisp. Leave to cool on a wire rack.
Instructions: • Pour the butter, flour, sugar, vanilla and egg yolk in a food processor.
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Dye your lump of icing with red food colouring and wrap in cling film until ready to roll.
•
•
Mix the icing sugar with enough water to make a thick icing. Dye the icing with the black food
Dribble in 1 tbsp water and mix until the mixture comes together to form a dough. Tip onto a
colouring. Pour the icing into a piping bag with a small plain nozzle attached (or use a small sandwich bag and snip off the corner).
work surface and knead briefly to bring together, then wrap in cling film and chill for 20 mins. •
Roll out the red icing to 3mm thick and use your 6cm cutter to stamp out hearts. Stick onto the biscuits with a little of the black icing. Share and enjoy.
Image and recipe courtesy of bbcgoodfood.com
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February 2016
Student Living aberstudentmedia.com/lifestyle
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A cheap and cheerful Valentine’s idea Sêra Cook SO VALENTINE’S Day is around the corner again and we are being bombarded with love hearts and teddy bears declaring their love to every passerby. Personally, I think Valentine’s Day is a load of old tosh. Why should I have to buy my boyfriend a gift and a card on the random holiday that they commercialised to fill the gap between Christmas and Easter? Furthermore, do you big card companies realise the amount of stress you put on people who have only just started dating, the old should I get them something? How much money should I spend? And so on.
To get to the point, there is a way around spending stupid money on a holiday you don’t actually believe in; something I have dubbed the ‘Poundland Tat Present’. Basically, this came about from the situation that my boyfriend and I hadn’t been dating that long and didn’t know how far to go on Valentine’s Day, so we basically set a £5 limit and everything had to be from Poundland and as tatty and corny as humanly possible (which isn’t that hard with their Valentine’s range). Okay, fair enough; at the end you end
up with a bag of stuff you will inevitably throw away, because who really wants a “Ring for Kisses” bell, but at the end of the day it’s cheap, it’s a laugh and above all it stops you taking the whole thing too seriously. After you’ve opened your tat you can order a take-away and watch a terrible film, or in my case pretty much ignore each other for the rest of the day because that’s what we usually do, and in my humblest opinion, it’s just a day like any other.
10 ways to spice up your Valentine’s Day Cassie Smyth Radio Manager Embrace your inner Oyster Purchase a giant shell and shiny cat suit on eBay and watch hours of oyster videos on Youtube. After this intense rehearsal of method acting assume a pearl-like shape inside the Oyster and become aphrodisiac you always knew you could be. Hot Chillies Spice up your love life! Capsaicin is a chemical found in chillies that increases circulation and stimulates blood flow, with effects like these why would you want to limit your intake to just food? You could ask your significant other to bathe in them, wear them as a blanket, or put them in your shoes to you stay spicy wherever you go. Try something new in the bedroom Pull out that jar of bees you’ve had lying around and bring a bit of buzz to your evening. Yes, your partner may get stung but remember Bee Movie is the rom-com of the century.
Conspiracy discussion and chill Now is the time to find out if the moon landings were fake, and was your partner involved? You’ve always wondered but now you’ll know. While you’re on the subject ask if Steve Avery really is a murderer. Watch Deadpool repeatedly for 24 hours Your relationship will be better for the prolonged amount of time spent staring at Ryan Reynolds’ spandex clad bum. Have some alone time Don’t feel guilty about chaining your housemates up if it’s only for one night. Whisper Sweet Nothings Let your partner know just how much you love them by telling them sweet things such as “you are not the witch I once thought you were”, “The tongue on a giant anteater can protrude more than 2 feet” and “There’s a very slim chance one day we won’t be haunted by this crippling student debt”. Buy flowers Trek deep into the heart of the Sumatran rainforest, procure that rotting flesh scented flower otherwise
known as the Stinking Corpse Lily and gift it to your loved one on Feburary the 14th. Your partner will appreciate the great lengths you went to as well as the uniqueness of the flower. Make a grand gesture The mafia used to leave severed horse heads in their victims heads, give it a personal touch and make it someone they know. It will be a Valentines they never forget. Take them out on a mystery date Show them all the best sights of Aberystwyth. Start with Yoko’s the morning after, your partner will be blown away by the VK covered floors and the overpowering smell of regret. Next, you want mosey along to the greatest spectacle in Aberystwyth, the one escalator. You will have hours of fun on these mechanical stairs, they’re basically a free Alton Towers. To end this perfect romantic day return to your room of bees and try to name each and every one of them.
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SPORTS February 2016
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Sports Editor Jake Foxford
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Aber Archers keep shooting for gold
The Courier talks to Ceri and Alex after their massive medals haul Jake Foxford Sports Editor
How did you first get involved with the Archery club? Had you played before? Ceri: I’d tried archery once before I think, and never really had the opportunity to pursue it further. I signed up during the Fresher’s Fair of my first year, and was completely taken with the sport! I’ve not looked back since, and am so pleased I gave it a try. Alex: I first got involved in my 3rd year, I joined with my housemate. I’d never shot before, but essentially, I wanted to be Legolas! You’re a mixed gender club, but you compete separately; what’s the difference between men’s and women’s archery? C: Indoors there is no difference; everyone competes at the same distances. When it comes to outdoor rounds, however, the maximum in women’s round is 80 yards, and the maximum in men’s round is 100 yards. This is mainly due to the differences in poundage (strength) of the bows used. However, there is nothing stopping women from competing at the longer distances, or men at the shorter distances. I’ve found myself shooting outdoors, and overshooting so much, that I might as well have shot the men’s round! And there are different bows for different competitions too? C: For the most part, with target archery, all bow styles are welcome to compete. However, there are some competitions designed specifically for certain bow styles. We took a group of archers to compete at the British Barebow Championships back in November, where only barebows and longbows are allowed to compete. The recurves and compounds had to stay home for that one! So you guys have been to three competitions in the last two weeks as well! How have you gotten on? A: Our archers have had great success, with participants bringing back medals at
Aber Archers every competition, many of these being bers. Watch this space! first place! What has been your favourite moment with the club? And there were some Welsh Records in there as well? A: This is a tough question as there C: We’ve had two Welsh records set in have been so many special moments, but the club recently, in the gentleman’s long- it probably has to be BUCS weekend this time last year. It was bow and the women’s nice weekend away bare bow category. Read the whole interview with our large team Congratulations to and find out more about and I got a surprise them both, they’ve February’s Club of the Month silver medal, so that worked really hard! - Aber Archers - online at was pretty cool! What are your soaberstudentmedia.com! And if I want to cials like? give it a try, when C: This week we are you guys training? had a Disney themed Can I just come along, or do I need anysocial. We do love a themed social! We’ve thing to start with? got an archery themed archery social C: We are starting our second begincoming up next week; I will be donning ners course 10th February. You don’t need my Robin Hood costume! A: We go out once a week hitting all of any previous experience, and we have club our sponsors and favourite bars and pubs. equipment for people to use. We train As Ceri said, we really like to dress up! But Wednesday evenings (6.00-9:30), Thursthat’s not all we do. We have regular film day afternoons (1:00 - 3:00), Saturday and nights and are this term arranging days Sunday mornings (10:00 - 12:00) in the out and trips to get us out and about a bit Sports Cage. Head down on Wednesday, and we will get you started! more. Are you going on Tour this year? A: We’re still working on putting together an affordable trip that’s conveniently timed for the majority of our mem-
Think your club could be the next Club of the Month? Tell us why! Email us at sports@aberstudentmedia.com!
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February 2016
Aber Archers: Februrary’s Club of the Month! Page 15
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Seasiders come out swinging in survival race
Alex Tanton The gate to Park Avenue has seen the footfall of harderned fans over this stormy season. The players are finally being rewarded for months of committment on the pitch with points on the table. Camarthen Town are the next tourists to take on the Seasiders.
Jake Foxford Sports Editor This winter has been harsh. Our usually idyllic seaside basin has been victim to some of its harder times in recent history. No more so than for Aber Town FC, whose losses to Port Talbot and Newtown at the turn of the new year just tipping them over the brutal precepts of the Welsh Premier League’s mid-season ‘Super 12’ table split, the absence of Manager Ian Hughes due to illness, and the constant lashings of storms Abigail through to Henry on Park Avenues green pasture. Facing one of the toughest relegation fights in Europe (Aber now have a one in three chance of an exit) and the constant barrage of setbacks on and off the pitch can leave a team looking tired, playing with their heads down from kick-off and preparing for a bumpy landing in Division One. The stands fall quiet and emptier as the season wraps up and it all ends with a whimper rather than a bang. Well, at least that happens to other teams. Despite qualifying for the Europa
The introduction of the ‘Super 12’ format in 2010 was designed to add some drama to a domestic league that was quickly becoming a two-tier competition, with teams such as TNS pulling away to unassailable leads early on and mid-table matches are tepid affairs.
League just two seasons ago, the Seasiders now find themselves in this bottom half dogfight, with those two losses at the end of the autumn season leaving them 9th. That place in the table does not do justice to the resilience of everything that is Aber. Interim Manager Wyn Thomas has been running the touchline in Hughes’ absence and has his first three pointer after a resilient start to this campaign against Port Talbot. Mud and rain reigned supreme but it was Rhys Griffiths that rose above the turmoil with a late header to clinch the scrap that cold Monday night. Defensive additions has also seen Aber get their first clean sheet in five games, with Ryan Batley returning for another spell with the squad, and the new signing of Kane Owen from Afan Lido, whose impressive performances at left back have had him find success at the former WPL club and in the Cardiff City development team. All this makes for a great spectacle for what must be some of the most loyal fans on the isle. 172 Green & Blacks took on the elements to scream their hearts out
The mini-leagues that start in January mean that there is a fight to find early form and a chance for strugglers to pull back some much-needed points at the last time of asking. for the boys against Port Talbot and the viewership for the three Aber Town games on S4C has just tipped over 115,000. You don’t buy this support; you earn it. That’s what Town have done this season. It’s the same players and the same spirit as its been all year, and a promising start was engulfed by challenges from all angles. The frustration of hard work not paying dividends surfaced against that final fateful Newtown fixture, when two Seasiders had the red mist descend and the red card shown. That could’ve set the tone for the second leg but Hughes and Thomas have bought the team the composure needed to survive in this unforgiving league. The next game at Park Avenue is Saturday 27th February against Camarthen Town. Get a seat in the Dias early and come on Aber!