Protest ‘about making streets safer long term’
OVER the past few days, people have gathered in cities across Wales, including Swansea, to raise awareness of sexual harassment and violence against women.
The protests and vigils followed events held across the UK in response to the death of Sarah Everard, who disappeared as she walked through London. Serving Met police officer Wayne Couzens has since appeared in court charged with her kidnap and murder.
The vigils also remembered 16-year-old Wenjing Lin from Ynyswen, near Treorchy, who died earlier this month. A man has since appeared in court charged with her murder.
The gatherings have gone ahead while the socalled Anti-protest Bill was being debated in the House of Commons.
The Bill contains a string of measures to toughen-up the police response following recent protests.
They include making it illegal to inflict “serious annoyance” on a person without reasonable excuse, with up to 10 years’ jail (in theory) if judges choose.
Sophie Morgan, 23, is a third-year student at Swansea University and the driving force behind the protest in the city centre on Monday evening.
She said she was motivated to lead the peaceful protest because of her own experiences as a woman, as well as hearing what happened to other women in the national media.
“I thought, this has got to stop,” she said.
“Women can’t carry on like this, we are constantly paranoid and scared. During the protest we all stuck together as we marched and I had a speakerphone.
“We were highlighting what needs to be done differently to keep women safe because the system isn’t currently working for women. We had lots of brave women come forward and speak up about their experiences. It was very emotional.”
Sophie said turnout to the protest was better than she could have hoped for, as hundreds walked through the city centre towards Swansea police station. She said it showed how much feeling was there and how much people wanted to stick up for what they believed in, even during the pandemic.
“We couldn’t have asked for a better turnout, there must have been over 200 people there. It was really nice to see men speaking out as well. They’re sick of having to hear about this as well,” she said.
“Women were saying they were there for their
daughters and their daughters’ daughters. It’s not just about women today, it’s about making the streets safer for the long term.
“The name ‘Reclaim the Streets’ dates back to the ‘Reclaim the Night’ protests following the Yorkshire murders in the 1970s. The people who were protesting back then would be horrified to see that women are still having to fight for this.
“I feel extremely positive that we did it. Afterwards, I had so many messages saying this is just the beginning.”
A Home Office spokesperson said:“as the Home Secretary has made clear, the right to protest is the cornerstone of our democracy and the Government is absolutely committed to maintaining freedom of expression.
“This is a deadly pandemic and we have a duty to prevent more lives being lost – and that means limiting transmission from all mass gatherings, including protests.
“More broadly, the public expects that when people protest they do so in a proportionate way. The measures proposed in the Bill will ensure that those who protest with intent to cause serious disruption to the public can be more proactively managed by the police.”
TWO new collections of art created by people across Swansea have gone on show in the city centre.
The work brightens up safety hoardings around the £135m Copr Bay project that will help regenerate the city.
Those involved in the new artworks include young people from the YMCA Swansea’s Young Carers Service plus refugees and people seeking asylum who attend the Glynn Vivian Art Gallery’s Welcome Group.
Cllr Robert Francisdavies, the council’s cabinet member for investment, regeneration and tourism, said: “I applaud all those involved in these two new collections.
“It’s refreshing to see more public art on the streets of Swansea. Arts and culture can play a significant role in regeneration – and our Central Arts Programme is promoting that. The programme is presenting artworks around city streets and public spaces during the city centre’s ongoing £1bn redevelopment.
“The initiative shows that the council is here for Swansea at this difficult time, helping to ensure that the city leads the way out of the pandemic.”
The new artworks, brought together by the council’s cultural services team, appear on hoardings around Copr Bay’s north side, next to Iceland and St David’s Church. This site will soon be home to commercial units, homes and car parking; the arena, more parking and new parkland is emerging on the other side of Oystermouth Road.
The Welcome Group is a regular creative workshop run by the Glynn Vivian, for everybody in Swansea. It’s a safe place for refugees and people seeking asylum to learn, socialise and make art.
In normal times, it meets regularly at the gallery. It is run by the gallery’s associate artist Mary Hayman, helped by volunteers. It’s managed by the gallery’s learning and participation officer Daniel Mccabe and is supported by a grant from the Arts Council of Wales, and the Friends of the Glynn Vivian.
The group’s new public artworks are portraits of friends, acquaintances and relatives.
Mary Hayman said: “Art can change your life and this group helps change lives for the better. Having this work shown publicly is further recognition that our members are valued citizens of Swansea.
“We can’t wait to welcome the group back into the gallery when we can, and we hope that the public who see these amazing
paintings will enjoy them.”
Swansea Songs is a project created by artist Soozy Roberts in collaboration with young people from the YMCA.
It celebrates young carers through a series of quirky portraits set alongside song lyrics that reflect the individual characters of the young people represented.
Strong, bold and bright colours are overlaid with text from song titles and lyrics.
Soozy Roberts said: “Music has the power to inspire us, to move us and to make us feel more connected.
“I hope these bright and colourful photos and songs will speak to passers-by in some way and give a little joy or hope.
“During the pandemic the effects on young people and young carers in particular have been enormous. I can’t wait until we can properly meet and support young people again in person – it’s so vital to their wellbeing.”
A young carer is a child or young person whose life is affected by looking after someone with a disability or a long-term illness, often taking on responsibilities that would normally be expected of an adult.
Glynn Vivian - www. glynnvivian.co.uk;
Swansea YMCA - www. ymca.org.uk/location/ ymca-swansea
A GARDEN deck with a view is a prized addition to any house for sale, but with a sweeping, expansive view to the horizon that encompasses so much going on, maybe the television may become redundant at this home at least for a little while.
From the garden below the deck with an eyecatching sunken seating and BBQ area, to across the rooftops of the village of Mayals, to the sea and Mumbles Head on the horizon, there’s always going to be something to entice you out from the house and onto this bird’s-eye position.
Spectacular sunrises, raging weather, a world of wildlife in your private garden below, the party unfolding at the BBQ seating area - if it’s happening, it can be seen to its full potential from the elevated deck at the back of this family home.
Maybe the ultimate addition to any view is the inclusion of the coast and from the deck you can see the sea views from the best spot on this property plot.
Looking like a contemporary garden sculpture, the sunken BBQ and circular seating pit is arguably one of the only things that will entice most people off the deck above, especially with the smell of outdoor cooking wafting up from this unique feature.
If the coast in the background entices you to find your trainers, this substantial four-bedroom, detached house is about a two-mile walk to Swansea Bay at West Cross.
Then it’s a pleasant stroll in the sunshine, hopefully, along the coastal promenade to one of Wales’ most soughtafter seaside Mumbles.
Just a few minutes in the car will get you to the beginning of the Gower peninsula too, and the start of an adventure to enjoy any of the beautiful sandy beaches, coastal walks and outdoor activities this special part of Wales can offer.
But if relaxing, and not rambling, is on the ‘to-do’ list for the day, then the deck at this contemporary-looking home is the perfect place to park and do nothing but admire the villages, view rolling out in front of you.
From the street this home, on a quiet suburban residential road that loops around a small enclave of mainly midcentury houses, cuts a distinctive look.
The contemporary dark grey and white facade tempts you to look closer and wander through the neat front garden and down the path to the large glass front door.
And when you do, don’t forget to smile at the camera, as the home is fitted with a fully-equipped CCTV system.
Step into the bright and light entrance hall and there’s a small staircase that takes you down to where arguably the main action of this house takes place – the spacious living area.
This collection of rooms covers the whole of the footprint of the building and includes a study, separate sitting room that used to be the garage, kitchen/breakfast room, and a spacious semi openplan lounge and dining room. According to the estate agent, there is the potential for a new owner to have a mini renovation project on their hands.
There is current planning consent in place to join the kitchen to the open-plan lounge and dining area and create the ultimate L-shaped, vast socialising space.
Proceeding with this renovation plan not only means the kitchen doesn’t miss out on the incredible views at the back of the house anymore, it also means the cook doesn’t miss out on all the chat happening in the main rear reception rooms when guests visit.
Currently the kitchen has a breakfast bar so at least at the start of the day the cook might have some company to go with the views of the front garden from the elevated window.
The kitchen offers a range of Neff appliances and a five-ring gas hob.
The next door dining room has the incredible view as its next door neighbour.
It surges through the sliding glass doors that lead to the deck and joins the diners at the table, but it is a very welcome gatecrasher to any meal.
The dining room flows into the lounge area via a large opening in the partition wall, creating a ‘broken-plan’ floorplan; the two areas are joined but each room with its own atmosphere and space.
This lounge area can also boast a grand view from its own set of glass sliding patio doors.
From the comfort of the sofa the view out onto the deck is absorbing and greatly assisted by the choice of glass balustrades, ensuring no visual obstruction to the treetops, rooftops and skyscape beyond.
The addition of a funkylooking silver log burner in the lounge means the view isn’t the only welcome and noticeable feature in this space, and its sister burner can be found in another, almost secret space in this surprising home.
Because there are plenty of other spaces to explore inside the property that aren’t initially obvious.
There’s a separate study and home office tucked away at the front of the property, and the conversion of a garage has created an extra sitting room.
Above this bonus wing of the house is part of the large master suite; a laundry room, a dressing room and a very swish master ensuite that includes a free-standing bath.
The remaining three bedrooms are all generous-sized doubles with the modern family bathroom neatly tucked away between them.
■ The house is for sale for £650,000 with Fine & Country, call their Swansea branch on 01792 367301 to find out more.
NEW bar-restaurants, offices and serviced accommodation are coming to Llanelli after a multi-million pound scheme was unanimously approved by Carmarthenshire councillors.
Members of the planning committee said they had high hopes for the private sector arcade project, which will link Market Street with East Gate and Stepney Place beyond.
Gin and restaurant operator Juniper Place, cocktail and restaurant brand Old Havana, and coffee brand Carma Coffi are expected to occupy some of the space at the Y Linc development.
It is anticipated that more than 100 jobs will be created, excluding construction jobs. Some Welsh Government funding is expected.
Recommending the application for approval, planning committee chairman, Cllr Alun Lenny, said Llanelli town centre had suffered in recent years at the expense of out-of-town developments.
Referring to the coronavirus pandemic, Cllr Lenny said: “In these dire days, the project creation of at least 100 jobs is good news indeed.
“There is no doubt in my mind that this development would be most welcome.”
Cllr Mansel Charles, seconding the recommendation, said he believed the timber and black slateclad scheme with its covered walkway would bring economic confidence to the town.
Cllr Gareth Thomas said what was there currently “looks very sad”.
Applicant Cygnus Holdings
Ltd already has approval to demolish the former nightclubs and vacant pubs at the site.
A planning officer said the application had been referred to the committee for determination because the county council had a “significant financial interest” in the scheme and because there were three objections.
The objectors were concerned about the loss of the Dynevor Castle and Black Lion pubs, and felt the project had little regard for the adjacent Gradeii-listed Exchange Buildings.
The planning officer said the application did not require the submission of a heritage impact assessment or architectural statement, and that the pubs – while having “historical context” – had been altered and also vacant for “some considerable time”.
He said the planning department felt the Y Linc scheme, which would cost in the region of £3 million to build, would improve the Exchange Buildings’s setting.
Committee members were advised that the development would technically not comply with national flood risk policy because a small part of it was located in a flood zone.
But officers said in the planning report that flood-resilient design measures could be incorporated in the scheme, including a secondary access for an Airbnb-style accommodation.
They also felt there were overriding material considerations to recommend that the project should be approved, such as economic benefits and its “transformative” potential for Llanelli.
I’M not a big fan of Saturday night telly, but last weekend I watched “Catchphrase”, originally hosted by Roy “That’s a good answer … but it’s not right!” Walker and currently by magician Stephen “Will the middle solve the riddle?” Mulhern.
I’ve also seen the ‘celebrity’ version with the extra round… “Any idea who these celebrities are?”
Halfway through the regular show I realised the pictures giving clues to each ‘catchphrase,’ were proverbs, metaphors, adages and even song titles.
They weren’t catchphrases that comedians and entertainers used, like “You are awful … but I like you!” and “Hello playmates!”*
*No prizes for guessing whose catchphrases they were.
Now a whole generation thinks a ‘wet blanket’ or a ‘night owl’ are catchphrases when they are metaphors.
Young comedians today don’t have catchphrases, possibly because they associate them with flat-capped, northern, working-class comics with dressing rooms full of whippets. Which is such a tired cliché. They had racing pigeons, not whippets.
The always immaculately turned-out entertainer Bruce Forsyth found a catchphrase by accident when a contestant on the “Beat The Clock” game show segment on “Sunday Night At The London Palladium” started behaving awkwardly.
Bruce jokily told him “I’m in charge!” and the following day as Bruce walked through London, dozens of people came up to him, saying “I’m in charge!”
Bruce realised he had struck catchphrase gold.
His Palladium successor,
Norman Vaughan’s catchphrase was “Swinging!” (accompanied by a thumbsup) and “Dodgy!” (accompanied by a thumbs-down).
Having a popular catchphrase gave the extremely nervous Norman confidence, but his Palladium gig eventually
got the thumbs-down from TV bosses.
However, he went on to cocreate the game show “Bullseye!” on which Jim Bowen had a famous catchphrase.
It’s not easy hosting a game show, remembering the rules, scores and camera positions while putting the contestants at ease when you are almost as nervous as them.
In the first series, the inexperienced Jim asked a contestant what he did for a living and his reply was “I’m out of work!”
Without thinking, a frazzled
Jim automatically replied… “Super, smashing, great!” The amiable Jim told that story against himself for years afterwards.