Mouth of the Ystwyth 22/04/2024

Mouth of the Ystwyth NOTEWORTHY NEWS

OUR RECENTLY DEVELOPED NEWSPAPER

A Note From the Editor-in-Chief

Written by Iestyn Tudor

We are changing the format of the newspaper. Our aim is to make the Mouth of the Ystwyth seem like more of a… well, a newspaper. The traditional layout of print newspapers has captivated and comforted readers for decades. We will take inspiration from this style in our new designs.

Our predecessors, Aber Student Media, released their issues in this format. Their monthly newspaper was called The Courier, and they published their final issue in February 2016. You can read Courier issues at the following web address: https://issuu.com/aberstudentmedia. Their absence has left a clear gap. The Mouth of the Ystwyth is going to fill it. We will take inspiration from them in our journey as a student publication. We are still going to publish biweekly.

We visited Cardiff in February this year to connect with Gair Rhydd — the Cardiff University student newspaper. It was an

enlightening trip. Cardiff Student Media inspired all of us. They served as a reminder of the heights to which a student newspaper can soar. Their entire student media enterprise is awe-inspiring. We had considered moving into video and podcast content before visiting Cardiff, but our trip essentially sealed the deal. Mouth of the Ystwyth is going to produce video and podcast content as well as these biweekly Issuu publications. Our upcoming podcasts include Weekly Whimsy (hosted by Iestyn Tudor and Jude Lince) as well as Loud Mouths of the Ystwyth (hosted by Ella Gibbs and Ruth Briggs-Waites) and Inside Inside No. 9 (hosted by Hope White-Heath and Charli Sutcliffe). Also keep an eye on our TikTok account. Stay tuned by following us across our socials.

At the Mouth of the Ystwyth, we have a vision. Our wonderful writers and contributors fill this project with great potential. I am optimistic about the direction of the newspaper. We can all shape it into something great. We will carry on in the spirit of Aber Student Media. We will continue to give a voice to our talented writers and the passionate students of Aberystwyth. This isn’t just a small town on the edge of mid-Wales — this is a creative, cultural, intellectual hub.

Aberystwyth has a voice. The Mouth of the Ystwyth will make it heard. Best of luck in your studies and in your writing. We will be right here.

Photograph by Tathan Williams

Photograph by Iestyn Tudor

Each year, Bangor and Aberystwyth University go head-to-head in a fierce sporting competition. This year Aberystwyth came the closest they have in fourteen years of repeat losses to securing the win, with just one point between them at the weekend’s end.

Varsity is an annual sporting match up that occurs between different Universities all over the world. Usually, two Universities are paired with each of their sports teams going head-to-head for the win. The University with the most points after all matches wins overall.

Varsity Results 2024

Victorious Volleyballers!

Written by Ella Gibbs

Edited by Charli Sutcliffe

MatchReport

Saturday 16th March saw the Aberystwyth Volleyball Dragons go for gold, bringing home the club’s first Varsity win in seven years.

The game finished with a 3-set win for Aberystwyth to Bangor’s 2 sets. In Volleyball, your team must win three sets, and you do this by reaching twentyfive points before your opponents. Your team must also have a two-point lead on the other team to win the set. Games can be played to a maximum of five sets, and here the final game is only played to fifteen points.

At 11:15 the first set commenced, with the initial point scored by Aber’s number eight, and President of the club, Alan Atkins.

It looked like a clear lead for Aberystwyth, with the second point also going to Aber by number six, Henry Eyre. Bangor scored the third point of the set, catching up to Aber’s early lead, as they tipped it just out of reach of Aber’s players.

At 11:23 after some exciting back-and-forth over the net, the score was looking promising for Aber at 11-6 to Aberystwyth.

Aber climbed up the scoreboard, winning the first set with a comfortable score of 25 points to Bangor’s 18.

After swapping sides of the court, the teams were both rearing to go with the second set beginning at 11:40. The Aber Dragons’ fiery threat showed no sign of being diminished, as they won the first point of the second set.

However, Bangor wanted a stick in the fire. They equalled the score at 5-5 after a fast five minutes of the second set. The teams were consistently neck and neck with 6-6, then 7-7, until Bangor edged their way into the lead at a score of 11-9. Bangor remained in the lead, concluding the second set with a point-scoring hit from their number eight. An end score of 25-19 to Bangor decided the set.

Photograph by Chloe Thomas / diancmedia

Aber Dragons finish on top for this year’s Varsity match-up against Bangor.

Photo by Tathan Williams

Both teams were now neck and neck with one set win each. Aber started the third set strong by winning the first point.

Alan Atkins (number eight) served the ball with a pointmaking hit for Aber, settling the score at 6-3 at 12:10. Number four, Ben Manning, followed suit by pushing the score 9-5 to Aberystwyth.

The Dragons finished the third set in the lead with 25 to Bangor’s 19. Aberystwyth led with 2:1 wins overall. Winning one more set would crown them as the champions.

Bangor proceeded to take the fourth set with a victorious result of 25 to Aber’s 14 points.

The fifth set commenced with all to play for, with both teams at a score of 2:2 (two set wins each) at 13:00. The fifth set would serve as the decider for the Volleyball Varsity winners ‘24. It was down to the first team to reach fifteen points within the last set.

Aberystwyth’s number ten served first. The first point was Bangor’s. Both teams were furiously grasping for the win, with close scores made in rapid succession: 1-1, then 3-3, 5-5, 8-8. Soon, however, Aber crept into the lead with a score of 9-8, leaving Bangor behind. The gap in scores only widened, with 14-8 to Aber.

Bangor gained another point, threatening the Dragons’ win, but the Dragons finished the fifth set with a final score of 15-9 to Aberystwyth and a three-set win overall.

After seven long years of Bangor winning the men’s Volleyball at Varsity, Aberystwyth came out on top. They have seen a very successful year, picking up ten match wins across the season.

After the match, I caught up with the Aber Dragons President (and last year’s Captain), Alan Atkins. I also caught up with the current Captain, Bailey Gough. I wanted to find out what the long-awaited win meant for them and for the club.

Gough stated: “Defeating Bangor in Aber is huge for us as a team, and really gives us confidence that all the hours of training we all put in were worth it […] we have become stronger as a team.”

Alan Atkins (the club’s president) added: “[It felt] absolutely amazing to be able to win in a super close game. When it gets to set 5 then you know either team could win, but us being able to keep our mentals good shows that we were the team that wanted the win more. Earlier in the season I feel like we could have lost a game like this, but instead we’ve grown, and everyone played their hardest till the final point ”

Both Captain and President congratulated their team’s effort, with Gough stating that “everyone on the team played the best they can”. Atkins added: “To see everyone play so well, really showed that the hard work paid off.”

It was clear to everyone at the game that both teams trained very hard. Atkins went into further detail about the in-depth preparations the Aber Dragons underwent: “Our last training [session] before the game was the day before, and we did a very intense practice game drill where we forced people to fight hard for every point. I think this helped us keep our energy going through the entire game. We constantly said to ourselves, put the same amount of effort in today that we did yesterday ”

I asked Gough what the win means for their future as a club, and how it will affect their future training. He said: “As a team, we will move on with confidence that we can move up and improve our game.”

For a couple of the team members, this is their last opportunity to be a part of Varsity before leaving the university after graduation. Atkins described his feelings towards having to say goodbye to them: “It is the last year for 5 key members of the team: James Green, Alex Wain, Ben Manning, Nikhil Yadav and Team Captain, Bailey Gough. Over this year I have really felt my teammates become my brothers, and all I wanted to end the year was a good send off for them in their last game. I truly played my heart out with the intention of giving these people, that I care so much about, the experience of walking away as winners.”

The team is noticeably close, and their chemistry helps them to succeed. After observing the improvement first-hand, from their last game to this one, it is evident that they have been working hard on their skill set. Overall, it was a well-deserved win for the team.

Photograph by Tathan Williams

Photograph by Chloe Thomas

A BITTERSWEET DEPARTURE

Written by Ella Gibbs

Edited by Charli Sutcliffe

Wednesday 13th March saw the triumphant end to an incredible BUCS season for the Women’s rugby team at Aberystwyth University. The game took place on Blaendolau playing fields and ended with Aber taking the win against Southampton with a score of 27-10. It also marked the end of three remarkable years of playing for this team, both for myself and a few other players.

I was not too fussed about joining societies as a fresher at Aberystwyth, but there was one society I was determined to seek out and join. Having grown up in a patriotic Welsh household —supporting the Welsh team and watching my brother play fiercely from the sidelines on Sundays I decided I wanted a piece of the action. I joined Aberystwyth University Women’s Rugby (AUWR) in the hope of learning more about the game and its rules, but I discovered so much more than simply an understanding of rugby.

The past few years have given me considerable fun: from every nickname, injury and try on the field to every kangaroo court, boat race and extravagant outfit on themed socials. I have enjoyed being a part of this team of wonderful women both on the field and in training, as well as part of SuperTeams, Aber Sevens and Varsity. As a fresher on this team, I would pray for the ball to come nowhere near me in a game. I now have a consistent itch to run with the ball, weaving and stepping my way across the field. This is a testament to how well the committee, as well as our coach, have trained the team

It is extremely clear that the committee on this team want the girls to succeed in their respective rugby journeys. The Captain has shown great dedication in planning training sessions and games. The Vice-Captain has conveyed a great passion for her members and her sporting knowledge has helped the girls prepare and recover appropriately. The Secretary has proved her commitment to the club by carrying out the important role of First Aider, fully stocking the medical bag each week. I could write endlessly about the diligence that the committee provides for this team. They have created an encouraging, supportive, and safe hive for sporting women.

Unfortunately, the time I have had for this team in the past year has been sparse compared with previous years, but it was an honour to play in red once more and contribute to the last win of the season. I will sincerely miss playing with all the incredible women that make up this team.

I have loved every minute of being a part of this team. I have gained some incredible memories and sporting tips. I leave the team in their prime, with a few great wins this season, including a big win for the last league game this year. They have a great foundation to dominate the field next season. I wish every one of them all the luck for the future.

Photograph by @aberuniwomensrugby

BBC Climate Editor Visits Aberystwyth University

Written by Jude Lince

Edited by Ella Gibbs

On Thursday 7th March, Aberystwyth University hosted a talk by BBC Climate Editor Justin Rowlatt. Justin Rowlatt is the first person to hold the title of Climate Editor at the BBC. Previously, he was the broadcaster’s Environment Correspondent. He has worked on the BBC’s Panorama programme and has featured on Channel 4. Referring to the relatively recent creation of his position, Mr. Rowlatt opined that ‘the subject deserved its own editor’.

Early on in his talk, Mr. Rowlatt referred to climate change as ‘the biggest, most important story in the world’. Highlighting the topic’s modern relevance, Mr. Rowlatt cited some figures which he called ‘mind-bending’. February 2024 was the hottest February on record, and the same can be said for the past nine months going back to early-mid 2023. Sea temperatures are at a record high, and in Greenland, 30,000,000 tonnes of glacier ice are melting each hour. Mr. Rowlatt went on to explain the knock-on effects of these phenomena, discussing the potential impact of melting glaciers on the AMOC marine current system. He described the potential collapse of the AMOC as a ‘frightening tipping point’ but noted that an intergovernmental panel has deemed such an event unlikely to occur this century.

Moving on, Mr. Rowlatt’s tone became more positive as he drew attention to ‘potentially real tipping points in the social action to combat climate change’. He claimed that the ‘renewable revolution has now become unstoppable’, lauding the ‘incredible landmark’ of investment in renewables exceeding that of fossil fuel investment in 2023. He went on to discuss the ‘manufacturing challenge‘ of renewables compared to the ‘mining challenge’ presented by fossil fuels, expressing faith that, as improved manufacturing practices drive

Photograph by Jude Lince

down prices, renewable energy will become the economically sound option. Mr. Rowlatt celebrated the quadrupling of electric car sales since 2019, declaring that ‘we are getting towards the place that we need to be with clean energy’.

For the second half of his talk, Mr. Rowlatt took questions from audience members. Questioned on the BBC’s policies around reporting on climate change, he stated that ‘anthropogenic climate change is a threat, and we should report it as fact’. In response to a similar question on the media’s treatment of climate protesters, Mr. Rowlatt stated that ‘reporting protest is a really tricky thing to do’ and that the BBC faces a ‘tough editorial choice’ over ‘whether we should be reporting actually quite small gatherings’. He defended his employer’s record in the issue, stating that ‘when there are huge climate protests, we do report them’ and that ‘we do report the diverse people in the crowds’.

On the topic of a second Donald Trump Presidency in the United States, Mr. Rowlatt called Trump ‘one of the few people remaining who is an actual [climate change] denier’ and warned that there would be a ‘very different discussion about climate change in America with Donald Trump’. Discussing the treatment of climate change by political parties in general, Mr. Rowlatt stated that the priority given to the issue ‘ebbs and flows a bit’. He suggested that ‘people [being] anxious about costs’ may be a reason for this.

The evening’s final question came from a student, who highlighted what they perceived as a growing nihilism among consumers of the news. Mr. Rowlatt expressed concern over the BBC’s ability to engage with young people, saying, ‘we’re really worried about the way that younger people consume the news’ and that ‘news avoidance [is] really worrying’. Acknowledging his employer’s responsibility for tackling such a phenomenon, he stated, ‘we need to do stuff that’s more engaging’. Rowlatt said that the BBC is constantly working on how to effectively utilise social media for their journalism, including platforms like Tik Tok and Snapchat.

Photograph by Jude Lince

Arts and Culture

The Rise of River Ceg Records

Written by Angel Gallagher Dasso

Edited by Charli Sutcliffe

On Friday 8th March, I was fortunate enough to experience River Ceg Records launch event at The Cooper’s Arms. River Ceg Records are an Aberystwyth-based record label, aiming to support Aberystwyth’s local music community and promote its incredibly talented artists. The stage was graced by Myles Campbell, The Mountain Rescue Crew, and IDCIEY – they did not disappoint; each artist exhibited the substantial amount of talent that Aberystwyth has at its fingertips.

Myles Campbell was the night’s opening act, and therefore had the substantial task of setting the scene for his fellow labelmates. Myles opened with his iconic ‘Lip-Licking Fried Chicken’ a comedic, relatable, and light-hearted way to start the night. It set the tone very well, and was a great song that warmed the audience up for the night ahead. Shortly after, he followed with ‘Spooky Suzy’, a sweet song with a catchy chorus that has regularly played in my head since the event. Myles’ relaxed presence and captivating array of songs was the perfect opening for the night, and it prepared the audience for the following performances.

Next up was The Mountain Rescue Crew, who opened their segment of the show with ‘Look Who’s in Love Again, Look Who’s Drunk Again.’ This was a change in musical tone from Myles’ set with double the number of instruments, but it amazed us all nonetheless. Their songs were powerful. You could feel that each word sung truly came from the heart. They also covered Elvis Presley’s ‘Heartbreak Hotel’, which had the entirety of The Cooper’s Arms feeling groovy.

IDCIEY, whose voice had an otherworldly beauty, ended the night with her performance. She performed a collection of her own songs, alongside a cover of a song from a K-drama. She even performed a song that she wrote the previous day — a true display of her songwriting abilities and musical talent. My favourite song of hers from the night was ‘City Lights’, an enchanting melody sung in her captivating voice.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed the event. I have enthusiastically encouraged my own friends and flatmates to keep an eye on River Ceg Records and their artists. The opportunity for local Aberystwyth musicians to be able to express themselves on stage, with the support of River Ceg Records, is an amazing way to highlight the hidden talent our town possesses. The creatives of Aberystwyth deserve an outlet for their musical capabilities, and that night clearly exhibited the untapped potential that Aberystwyth has I highly anticipate what River Ceg Records has in store for the future.

Photograph by Tathan Williams

Photograph by Tathan Williams

Arts and Culture

Queer Creative Spaces: Introducing Aberzine

Written by Charli Sutcliffe

Edited by Iestyn Tudor

I recently met with Edi Bennett: artist, English Literature student, and creator of AberZine. He was kind enough to sit with me and talk about the new creative queer project that’s taking Aberystwyth by storm. Edi brought issues one and two of the zine with them, the latter of which he’ll be distributing around campus this week.

After an ‘isolated first semester’, Edi knew that something needed to change over their final ten weeks in Aberystwyth. ‘I think there’s this glamourised version of being at university,’ he said, ‘but there’s no getting to know each other […] its really daunting to go to societies alone.’ This lack of community, specifically a creative and queer community, is what inspired Edi to begin the project. It was important to him to display how ‘creativity and queer identity are interlinked’ through an ‘accessible form of art’. As well as this project being entirely self-led, Edi produces and distributes AberZine for free so that anyone can access their art and its message. It began with a Tik Tok video, and over the last couple of months has grown into an earnest and incredibly inspiring project which is beginning to spread across Wales.

Edi’s art style is very distinctive, with a ‘cartoon-esque’ aesthetic which makes his characters ‘bold and bright and distinct’. He aims to ‘use colour purposefully’, pulling bright reds into designs which are dominated by black and white. There is certainly something ‘comiclooking’ about the zines. When asked about his artistic process, Edi explained the extensive amounts of effort which goes into each drawing, element, and page of the zine. First, the piece is sketched before being digitalised on Procreate. He describes his process as

‘digitally collaging’, experimenting with a hybrid of processes until he’s happy with the result. When asked about his favourite doodle, he immediately pointed to the character on the front page of the second issue and said ‘little people with stars on their heads’. The drawing is of a young trans-masc man, whose face is framed by a large black star. There are swirls on his cheeks, and two top surgery scars on his chest. The queer art featured in Edi’s zine is not restricted to this single project. He recently sold some of his art and zines at a queer art fair. ‘All of our zines were about transness’ he said, and so it was ‘really reassuring that there is a space for us’. On their table, Edi and his friend had a donations box, so that people could pay whatever they could for his art. ‘Buying art, sharing art, is a great way to support any marginalised community’ he said. AberZine is much more than its finished product. They also hold regular meetings, which will take place every Friday afternoon on campus after Easter. These meetings are ‘a safe space to meet and talk’ and Edi went on to stress the importance of ‘sober queer spaces’ that are accessible for queer students in Aberystwyth. He said that Aberystwyth is ‘queer, but isolating as well’ due to a lack of events and opportunities which provide a safe space for queer students. Edi also talked about how ‘loneliness and queerness often

Photo of Edi Bennett

Credit: Edi Bennett

Photo of AberZine issues

Credit: Edi Bennett

Arts and Culture

The next issue of AberZine is titled ‘Are You Trans or an Ally?’. It is, at its core, an exploration into ‘how you go about existing [as a trans person] when there’s so much negative media’. Edi said that online ‘media [is often] filled with transphobia and the consequences of that’, which instils an inherent negativity in the trans experience. ‘We need actual allyship, and actual support. How do I do more?’ He said. Edi’s passion for positively representing trans people is evident. He is extremely enthusiastic about ‘being louder’ on issues surrounding the trans and queer community. The zine gives Edi a platform through which he can ‘process’ incidents such as the age limit on NHS gender clinics. While it is legal to receive hormones which can help transitioning individuals at the age of sixteen ‘currently the Tavistock and Portman is the only clinic in the UK that offers this. From 18, you can attend any NHS gender clinic.’ (Brook.org.uk) In response to this, Edi exclaimed: ‘How do I process this without just being upset?’ AberZine has become the creative outlet both Edi and his readers need, as it allows him to ‘express [himself] and [his] emotions’ in an artistic way. He stressed that zines are ‘a really valuable form of activism’ which ‘goes back to the punk movement’. AberZine, therefore, is joining a long tradition which yields visibility and support for marginalised communities.

Once their zines are complete, Edi distributes them across campus. You can find them on the leaflet table in the SU, level E of the Hugh Owen Library, the English and Creative Writing foyer, and the Hub. They always go quick, so grab one as soon as you see them. Ideally, Edi wants his readers to ‘take one, read it, and share it’ so that AberZine benefits from both a wider readership and less paper waste—making it more environmentally friendly. The creator wants his readers to take away ‘the importance of queer community’ from his zine and wants to inspire others to create safe spaces for queer students. ‘More queer people should be aware about, and push for’ communities and events, said Edi. ‘Community can often be pushed to the side and forgotten about’. This is especially true in the digital age where online communities lacking in face-to-face interaction are the most accessible.

Edi’s zine hasn’t only reached Aberystwyth students. There is an increasing interest in the project outside of our small town, and to these readers Edi has been e-mailing PDF versions of the zine that the recipient can then print off and share. Furthermore, though Edi is leaving Aberystwyth this year, he’ll be ‘carrying on the project where [he] goes next’, and ‘hopefully [his friends] will carry this on’ in Aberystwyth. Ultimately, Edi’s goal is to sell his art and zines to ‘put more money into it’ and have ‘a community backing [him]’. The whole message is mutual support, and through Edi’s art he hopes to create a platform where readers can help him further support them.

To get involved page with any work you would platforms. ‘Even if it's just one issue AberZine and the ethos behind queer issues is of paramount importance both at Aberystwyth University and beyond.

Photo of art by Edi Bennett

Credit: Edi Bennett

Arts and Culture

Succession Anxiety – The Gentlemen and Succession

Written by Hope White-Heath

Edited by Iestyn Tudor

I’ve just finished the new Netflix series The Gentlemen. Admittedly, I started it for Theo James’s face, but I stayed for the plot.

It’s one of those shows where you get storyline whiplash. Don’t get me wrong, I loved it. Murder, drugs, Liverpudlian coke addicts; The Gentlemen has it all and it’s a great time. But really, at its heart, there is an overwhelming feeling of succession anxiety.

Theo James (and his beautiful face) plays Eddie, the secondborn son of an old money family. So when, in the first episode, Eddie is given everything after his father’s death (including the title of Duke), it is a shock. It is a break from tradition that the audience and eldest son (played by Daniel Ings) do not expect. Shouldn’t the eldest son inherit the fortune?

The Gentlemen is very British. I believe that this show reflects a feeling of succession anxiety that is deeply embedded in British public consciousness. You should absolutely watch it, even if just to listen to Theo James’s face speak with a British accent.

Queen Elizabeth’s death is what most of us talk about when it comes to succession anxiety. It really shook the nation. There were two queues of ten miles to see her in her coffin. However, this was over a year ago. It of course still impacts us and is engulfed into larger British succession anxiety, but I think our current unease is directed towards the CharlesWilliam-Harry trifecta.

King Charles is seventy-five, and the BBC revealed that he has cancer on February 6th.1 In the larger British narrative, I think Charles is seen as a sort of stepping stone. Here in Britain, we don’t feel like we’ve arrived at a safe space, where we can take a breather and be governed in peace. To me, the brothers in The Gentlemen feel like thinly veiled doubles of William and Harry.

For starters, the story is about them, not their father. James plays the good-looking, rational army man (Harry double). Ings plays the older brother who basically earns money solely by being old-school wealthy.

The Gentlemen opens with a scene that very obviously intends to make us like Eddie. It’s him, donned in army uniform (swoon), solving conflicts all over the place. What other people find difficult, he manages to resolve with ease. For example, he solves a three-day late border pass just by thinking the best of people. Eddie says: ‘You can go past this time. Make sure it's up to date if you return.’ As I said, the

writers very obviously try to make us like this character in the opening scene… and goddamn it, it works!

What other people find difficult, he manages to resolve with ease. For example, he solves a three-day late border pass just by thinking the best of people. Eddie says: ‘You can go past this time. Make sure it's up to date if you return.’ As I said, the writers very obviously try to make us like this character in the opening scene… and goddamn it, it works!

We like Eddie. I’m guessing that the people who would watch this eclectic show also like Prince Harry. So, when Eddie gets the dukedom instead of his brother, it is a form of wish fulfilment. It’s a dreamy narrative in which we can choose a successor based on who fits the role rather than our current decider: tradition.

Succession anxiety goes beyond our small island. The TV show Succession is a completely different manifestation of the same public consciousness.

If The Gentlemen is the materialisation of British old money succession anxiety, Succession is its American new money equivalent. I have written that The Gentlemen has thinly veiled narrative doubles of real-life figures. Succession isn’t veiled in the slightest: its writers have been vocal about their mimesis of the Murdoch family.

The Murdochs have more reach than our Royal family. The royal family cannot control the media (as we saw with Andrew’s Pizza Express fiasco). On the other hand, through the company NewsCorp, the Murdochs own hundreds of local, national and international publishing sites including The Sun, The Times, and The Daily Telegraph.

Succession focuses on the children of Rupert Murdoch’s narrative double (Logan Roy) as they vie for his attention and approval in hopes of heading his company. They are terrified of their father, yet they bask in his riches.

Narratives of succession have always been around. Succession also takes inspiration from King Lear – one of Shakespeare’s anxiety-ridden succession stories. The question is, why is it popular now? Why has Succession won six Emmys and why have Netflix just released a series about succession anxiety?

My answer is: these are unstable times. So much is on the line right now, including the crown, our prime minister, who controls the media, and the US president.

We want a strong hand to come in and save us. Our popular media is answering this bid with wish fulfilment or cathartic, anxious stories. I don’t know what will happen. If these shows are anything to go by, nobody knows where we’re headed.

Creative

Murmuration

Written by Charli Sutcliffe

Edited by Iestyn Tudor

Mila didn’t quite know how she had gotten here, freezing on a bench as she waited for sunset. Instinctively, she reached for her phone, tapped at the screen and, upon remembering it had died, threw it back into the cluttered mess of her tote bag. She had no idea when they would appear, and no way of knowing how long she had waited (or would continue to wait) for their arrival. A few times she had spied them, either from her window or on her walk home along the seafront but always accidentally, and never with any intention of following their pilgrimage. That was, until today. It had been a long day of assignments and research. She rubbed at her eyes to clear the laptop screen-blur that had coated them. Before her, the sea stretched out in an open expanse of blue and grey. Underneath the pier, the majestic crest and fall of the waves came to rest upon the shore after a final explosion of sea-spray. Mila exhaled and watched the ghosts her breath made waltz around each other in the chilly air. She tugged at her coat sleeves and pulled them down to cover her knuckles, which had begun turning red in the cold. Across the beach to her left, a young woman with orange hair pushed a barefoot man towards the sea. He resisted her — pushing back towards the sand with only half of his strength. As she strained to shove him into the icy water, he chuckled, spun out of her grip, and flung her towards the water in revenge. Mila pulled her gaze from the pair and stared at the landscape. The bench she had chosen to sit on was coated in a thin layer of sea-breeze, the kind that soaks through the thickest of coats and fills you with an unshakeable chill. Specks of sand, which had gathered in crevices and along grooves in the wood, glowed golden with the low warm light of the setting sun.

A melancholy sigh caught her attention, and she watched as an older woman approached the bench next to her. The elder carried a camera, a leather notebook, and what appeared to be a guide from the RSPB. A woodpecker stood proud in the centre of the cover, its feet clutching the branch beneath it, its head thrown forward as though ready to drill through the bark of some ancient tree. She caught Mila’s stare. Mila offered a smile that the woman did not return. She clumsily laid her equipment in a heap on the bench and sat beside it, rearranging the style of her greying pixie cut and zipping her lime green fleece all the way up to her chin. Mila decided to keep her eyes forward and wonder at the sky, which had slowly changed from pale blue to a rich pink. Previously magnolia buildings became bathed in bright magenta, and streetlamps hung light miniature suns against hues of lavender and rose

‘Here again tonight, Claire?’

The sudden voice made Mila and Claire jump. The speaker was an elderly gentleman with a shock of white hair and thick glasses perched precariously on the bridge of his nose.

Despite his age he moved with ease, merrily seating himself next to his friend. Her haphazard pile of equipment sat balanced between them. Claire pulled a tripod from its bag and began extending its legs. ‘Well, I thought I’d get another couple of shots in. I wasn’t too happy with the sky last night, but this is a lot better.’ The gent nodded slowly, like he knew exactly what she meant, though Mila had absolutely no idea how someone could be so critical of the sky. If it wasn’t a blanket of grey, she had no complaints. Claire suddenly turned back to the gentleman. ‘And how have you been?’

‘Ah, well enough.’

‘Did you see Alex in the end?’

The man’s face crumpled into a frown. He took off his glasses and cleaned them with the hem of his orange jumper. When he’d finished, he shook his head and shrugged.

‘What can you do? She’s just busy.’ He paused. Then, as if to himself, he said: ‘She’ll call.’

Claire left the subject at that and continued setting up the tripod. It now stood at about the height of her waist. She carefully slotted her camera onto the runners fastened to the top of the stand before bending over to one side and peering through the viewfinder. After a few adjustments, she seemed satisfied. She rejoined her friend on the bench with folded arms and crossed one leg over the other.

‘I think it will be a good show tonight, though,’ he said, more to fill the silence than anything else.

‘Yes? And how do you know that, Geoffrey?’ Claire replied, springing up once more to fidget with the camera, rotating the lens repeatedly. ‘Spidey-senses?’

‘It’s the first day of March. All the best displays are in March.’ He reached into his rucksack and pulled out a pair of camo-green binoculars. Through these, he gazed out onto the open sea as Mila had done moments before. Then he turned to look straight at Mila. He lowered the binoculars and grinned at her, as though catching her watching them was some secret joke. Geoff turned back to Claire. ‘Do you know what time the-’

‘There!’ Claire said, pointing to the roof of the building behind them. Mila watched as a small cluster of Starlings began to emerge. There couldn’t have been more than ten. They moved in almost a diamond shape over the roof and swooped low before shooting back up into the sky mimicking the waves beneath them. Having barely crossed the barrier between land and sea, they suddenly turned back around and vanished over the buildings from behind which they’d materialised

Geoff stood staring at the point where they had disappeared, binoculars held so tight they seemed welded to his face. He smiled a little and, so quiet Mila almost missed it, he whispered: ‘The best displays are in March.’

Art by Edi Bennett