There’s no business like snow business and its snow joke the conditions we are faced with this morning but the cardifference snow – I mean show, must go on.
Last week we were chatting about how to have Christmas on a budget and safety concerns around this time of year, we intend to follow up on those ideas with some games and traditions around this time but the theme for tonight’s show is about how to have a selfless Christmas. Christmas is often associated with consumption and retail but it’s not all about buy buy buying. We are chatting with two charities whose work and worries around this time of year for the vulnerable members they represent increases.
On the show we have Iwan Roberts from Age Cyrmu the largest charity working for elderly people who estimate that one in ten older people in Wales will be left alone this Christmas. The charity is encouraging people to invite someone due to spend Christmas alone to share in your Christmas celebrations.
Eugene Rourke works directly with the Big Issue vendors around Cardiff and tonight he will be talking with us about some of the common misconceptions surrounding Big Issue vendors and the difficulties the homeless face not only during the winter months but also throughout the year.
Please get in touch with the show at cardifference@gmail.com if you have any questions for our guests or have some unusual Christmas traditions, games or ways that you have a selfless Christmas that you would like to share.
Be sure to tune into http://www.xpressradio.co.uk/ between 4-5pm tonight (Friday 17th December)
Friday, 17 December 2010
Wednesday, 15 December 2010
Cardiff Rivers Group
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| Cardiff Rivers Group |
On the cardifference show on www.xpressradio.co.uk we hosted an interview with Dave King from Cardiff Rivers Group; this interview will be available to listen to via the site in a little while. However in the meantime Dave and his dedicated group of litter pickers have been hard at work over December and below is some information of their last event. Also included are details of how you can get involved in their last pick of 2010 taking place on Saturday the 18th
Cardiff Rivers Group ventured out in freezing conditions on Sunday to clean-up the River Taff through Hailey Park.
12 volunteers (including 3 new recruits) spent over 2 hours collecting 20 bags of frozen rubbish, traffic cones, road signs, stiff carpets, bikes, railway sleeper, car tyres and various other waste from the banks of the Taff. They even managed to sort 4 bags of recyclable materials (cans and plastic bottles) for collection by Cardiff County Council.
Group Member Louise Tambini, said, “Despite the sub-zero temperatures, 12 volunteers gave up their time to improve the appearance of the riverbanks today. Together they have collected a vast amount of waste and even managed to sort through the rubbish to separate all the recyclables”.
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| Our very own cardifference host Kieran McCann |
“In the run-up to Christmas, I would like to make plea to the people of Cardiff to ensure they minimise their waste and ensure that whatever waste they do generate, that they dispose of it responsibly. We really hope that the areas we have worked so hard to clean this year are not blighted by flytipping after Christmas”
Cardiff Rivers Group formed last year as part of Keep Wales Tidy’s ‘Tidy Towns’ project, a partnership between Keep Wales Tidy and Welsh local authorities. Funded by the Welsh Assembly Government it supports the people of Wales to improve the quality of their local environment.
The last event of 2010 will take place on Saturday 18th December. Volunteers are asked to meet at Llandaff Rowing Club at 9.45am.
Cardiff Rivers Group are always looking for new volunteers, so if you would like to lend a hand, please contact Louise Tambini on 07824 504790 or email louise.tambini@keepwalestidy.org.
The last event of 2010 will take place Saturday 18th where we will be carrying out a clean-up below Llandaff Weir.
As usual, we will provide equipment and tools, and all volunteers are covered under our insurance. All you have to do is turn up in suitable clothing and wear sturdy footwear or wellies.
Meeting point: Llandaff Rowing Club Car park
Meeting time: 9.45am
Please just let Louise Tambini know you are intending on turning up on 07824 04790
Merry Christmas and a Happy ‘Tidy’ New Year!
More information on Cardiff Rivers Group and their activities can be found on http://www.cardiffriversgroup.blogspot.com/
Saturday, 11 December 2010
Student Police Initiative
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| Sam Benyon pictured on the left volunteering with the Student Police Initiative |
Hiya guys! My names Samantha and I’m in my 3rd year at Cardiff Uni studying Criminology. I’ve been volunteering with the student initiative in connection to South Wales police for three years now. I never really thought I was the ‘type’ to volunteer but the police initiative seemed like a really appealing idea for me to gain some hands on experience within the police and working in the community. I went along to the meeting and was greeted by the friendly police officers from Cathays station, representatives from various council and community organisations, as well as other like minded students.
After completing an application form –which as it turns out wasn’t too bad – I was part of the team and ready to get involved. As a collective (the students, police officers and council/community representatives) we meet regularly at times that suit us and go out on patrol in the Cathays community. When out on patrol one of the main objectives is to promote the ‘Lock it, Hide it, Keep it’ scheme this involves reminding fellow students to keep an eye out for themselves and those around them by following some basic crime prevention guidelines on how to stay safe within their community. On patrol we go out in pairs armed with walkie-talkies and our South Wales police volunteer uniform and carry out the objectives set for that day such as: take your stuff home in the holidays as an empty student house is an easy target for thieves!
As a student who only lives in Cathays during term-time it is often hard to remember that there are families and individuals who live in the area permanently and we as students can often cause disruption to them, frequently it’s unintentional i.e. making a bit too much noise late at night so we remind fellow students about their social responsibilities and that they aren’t in a student bubble but live within a community. A key moment that defiantly stands out for me is when we were taking part in an initiative that encourages students to lock their doors – even when their in – and we knocked on a door of a ‘permanent resident’. It was an elderly lady who lived alone – she greeted us at the door and listened cheerfully as I explained the purpose of our visit and that we were student volunteers with South Wales police. She thanked us for passing on the crime-prevention information and calling by and she ended by telling us that we’d really made an impact on her day as the previous night she’d had a person ‘bobby knock’ her door and she was frightened as she lived alone. This elderly lady telling me that I’d made her feel safer and, that there were people in the community who looked out for others really made me feel like I was taking part in something worthwhile. At the end of the day I would love people to be doing what we as the student police initiative are doing in the area where my grandmother lives – just for that extra peace of mind.
Working as part of a team alongside the authorities and those people living and working in the community has really strengthen the confidence inside and strengthened the desire I have to pursue a career as part of the police. I’d recommend this volunteering project to everybody who wants to make a difference to the people around them, gain some invaluable life skills and have something to make your CV stand out from the others!
The student police initiative works in conjunction with Lock it. Hide it. Keep it campaign. You can learn more about that here: http://www.cardiffdigs.co.uk/lockithideitkeepit.htm
Students places are still available for those wanting to volunteer and more information can be found here: http://www.cardiffdigs.co.uk/policestudentvolunteers.htm
Thursday, 9 December 2010
Going home for Christmas?
On tomorrows show we have a volunteer from the Student Police Initiative coming in to speak to us about vital safety messages around this time of year. The message from the Police and www.cardiffdigs.co.uk is:
During the year we have been telling you to Lock it. Hide it. Keep it.
This becomes even more important towards the end of term when empty student property becomes a target for burglary. The message from the Police is:
Take any valuables home with you
Ensure all doors and windows are locked when you leave
Clear gardens of items such as bricks/ladders that could be used to force entry
Ask your landlord/letting agent or trusted neighbour to keep an eye on your house during the holidays and ask them to push through any mail left hanging from letter boxes and bring in your bins
So the house appears occupied set up light timers to come on whilst you are away and close curtains in ground floor bedrooms
Remove obvious signs from windows that it’s a student house e.g. posters
Make sure the boiler comes on for a few hours each day to prevent pipes from freezing
When you return don’t make it obvious that Santa has been generous by leaving packaging of expensive presents on display or in bins as burglars know the packaging relates to items worth stealing
Go to http://www.immobilise.com/ a free property protection register for any new electrical items, mobiles, bikes, laptops etc
http://www.cardiffdigs.co.uk/lockithideitkeepit.htm for more safety advice
On this week’s cardifference show (Friday the 10th 4-5pm) http://www.xpressradio.co.uk/ we will be talking to a volunteer with the Student Police Initiative to learn more about these campaigns and safety messages so tune in. If you are interested in the Student Police Initiative or perhaps volunteering for them visit: http://www.cardiffdigs.co.uk/policestudentvolunteers.htm
Wednesday, 8 December 2010
Released from chains
Saturday the 27th was the annual Buy Nothing Day a simple idea; ‘spend the day without spending’. How many things do we buy without really thinking about whether we need them? We live in a throwaway society where we buy convenience things and then discard them without a thought.
The trend for ‘throwaway’ fashion means textiles are the fastest growing sector in household waste. Clothing is becoming so cheap the temptation is to buy more than needed and throw the rest away. Apparently we buy 2 million tonnes of clothing each year and with the cheap cost or ‘Primark effect’ the amount of unwanted clothing dumped in landfill is soaring. A small proportion is reused or recycled while the rest ends up in the back of the ‘national wardrobe’.
So this time last year I decided to make a commitment, a Buy Nothing Year on new clothing. I would limit myself to charity shops and recycle what I no longer needed. A donation to charity de-cluttered my wardrobe and started my year. I love the idea that you never know what you'll find in charity shops. When I needed clothing sometimes I didn’t find anything, while other times I could be found doing a little jig finding that perfect item. Highlights included a Tweed jacket £7, a cowboy style shirt £8, a dog print jumper £3 and dinner suit trousers £5. Which I admit makes me sound like the sort of person you cross the street to avoid but I promise I don’t wear these as a whole outfit.
I thought I was going to have to buy new when I was invited on a fancy dress stag-do but my luck was in. I gave the shop a good giggle, as I appeared out of the changing room dressed in a full body penguin outfit – a £10 bargain. Unfortunately the best man organised a Ghostbusters theme; stag as the Marshmallow Man, us in identical licensed outfits, so no make your own.
Desperate not to be defeated I placed ads and scoured the Internet but with limited time I had to resort to buying new. Although I had to buy the Ghostbusters outfit I still feel a sense of achievement. Plus before the wedding my luck was back as I found a dress shirt and cummerbund in a charity shop. During the year many socks have disintegrated, I’ve had to resole a pair of boots and learnt that even gents can accessorise clothing – a few good cravats go a long way. I’ve had a mixture of compliments and criticisms; my favourite was being described as ‘abstract’. With high street fashion looking more and more generic I took that rightly or wrongly as a compliment.
It was the exploring and uniqueness I enjoyed, it’s easy to walk out of a chain store with something you see every other person wearing but it takes a certain amount of patience to hunt around in charity shops. I discovered new parts of Cardiff – Albany Road is an obvious charity shop paradise but Cowbridge Road East, Splott and Penarth are equally exciting.
There is no resentment when charity shops took my money and no after shop slump because you haven’t broken the bank and profits directly benefit charities; not something you can say with your average store. I was introduced to different charities, shops like Shaw Trust who help people with disabilities find employment or Tenovus carries out causes of cancer research. During my explorations I met interesting people, there’s more interaction in charity shops. Often the service was better than any chain. People were friendly and predisposed to helping out. They chat to you like a human being rather a walking pound sign.
I love the volunteers, often elderly but today more than likely its younger people volunteering for the experience. The days when you came out looking a bit twee or out of place are long gone; vintage fashion is seemingly everywhere, the quality has increased, the layouts are savvier and you can pick up clothing bargains. In this current economic climate who wouldn’t want to save money?
Towards the end of the year I was slung into a state of depression when the headlines exclaimed that shoppers have spent more than £1m a day in St David’s 2. Even during these economic times society is over consuming and doesn’t seem any happier. I recently ventured into a store and felt a little ill; £80 for a pair of jeans, ill not just because of the price tag but fashion has further reaching consequences other than vanity; environmentally, ethically and socially.
My year is over but I’m not about to rush back to new. It made me think about what and how much I buy and the effects, not just environmental. Ultimately it’s about consuming less, recycling more and making more local, ethical and environmentally aware consumer choices. As a step on the right direction I would encourage anyone to cut the chains and explore charity shops – you might be surprised what you find.
Kieran McCann, hosts the ‘Cardifference’ Union show (http://www.cardifference.co.uk/) Fridays 4-5pm at http://www.xpressradio.co.uk/
Over the next couple of weeks we will be talking about saving money during Christmas and how to work towards Christmas on a budget so tune in Fridays 4-5pm at http://www.xpressradio.co.uk/
The trend for ‘throwaway’ fashion means textiles are the fastest growing sector in household waste. Clothing is becoming so cheap the temptation is to buy more than needed and throw the rest away. Apparently we buy 2 million tonnes of clothing each year and with the cheap cost or ‘Primark effect’ the amount of unwanted clothing dumped in landfill is soaring. A small proportion is reused or recycled while the rest ends up in the back of the ‘national wardrobe’.
So this time last year I decided to make a commitment, a Buy Nothing Year on new clothing. I would limit myself to charity shops and recycle what I no longer needed. A donation to charity de-cluttered my wardrobe and started my year. I love the idea that you never know what you'll find in charity shops. When I needed clothing sometimes I didn’t find anything, while other times I could be found doing a little jig finding that perfect item. Highlights included a Tweed jacket £7, a cowboy style shirt £8, a dog print jumper £3 and dinner suit trousers £5. Which I admit makes me sound like the sort of person you cross the street to avoid but I promise I don’t wear these as a whole outfit.
I thought I was going to have to buy new when I was invited on a fancy dress stag-do but my luck was in. I gave the shop a good giggle, as I appeared out of the changing room dressed in a full body penguin outfit – a £10 bargain. Unfortunately the best man organised a Ghostbusters theme; stag as the Marshmallow Man, us in identical licensed outfits, so no make your own.
Desperate not to be defeated I placed ads and scoured the Internet but with limited time I had to resort to buying new. Although I had to buy the Ghostbusters outfit I still feel a sense of achievement. Plus before the wedding my luck was back as I found a dress shirt and cummerbund in a charity shop. During the year many socks have disintegrated, I’ve had to resole a pair of boots and learnt that even gents can accessorise clothing – a few good cravats go a long way. I’ve had a mixture of compliments and criticisms; my favourite was being described as ‘abstract’. With high street fashion looking more and more generic I took that rightly or wrongly as a compliment.
It was the exploring and uniqueness I enjoyed, it’s easy to walk out of a chain store with something you see every other person wearing but it takes a certain amount of patience to hunt around in charity shops. I discovered new parts of Cardiff – Albany Road is an obvious charity shop paradise but Cowbridge Road East, Splott and Penarth are equally exciting.
There is no resentment when charity shops took my money and no after shop slump because you haven’t broken the bank and profits directly benefit charities; not something you can say with your average store. I was introduced to different charities, shops like Shaw Trust who help people with disabilities find employment or Tenovus carries out causes of cancer research. During my explorations I met interesting people, there’s more interaction in charity shops. Often the service was better than any chain. People were friendly and predisposed to helping out. They chat to you like a human being rather a walking pound sign.
I love the volunteers, often elderly but today more than likely its younger people volunteering for the experience. The days when you came out looking a bit twee or out of place are long gone; vintage fashion is seemingly everywhere, the quality has increased, the layouts are savvier and you can pick up clothing bargains. In this current economic climate who wouldn’t want to save money?
Towards the end of the year I was slung into a state of depression when the headlines exclaimed that shoppers have spent more than £1m a day in St David’s 2. Even during these economic times society is over consuming and doesn’t seem any happier. I recently ventured into a store and felt a little ill; £80 for a pair of jeans, ill not just because of the price tag but fashion has further reaching consequences other than vanity; environmentally, ethically and socially.
My year is over but I’m not about to rush back to new. It made me think about what and how much I buy and the effects, not just environmental. Ultimately it’s about consuming less, recycling more and making more local, ethical and environmentally aware consumer choices. As a step on the right direction I would encourage anyone to cut the chains and explore charity shops – you might be surprised what you find.
Kieran McCann, hosts the ‘Cardifference’ Union show (http://www.cardifference.co.uk/) Fridays 4-5pm at http://www.xpressradio.co.uk/
Over the next couple of weeks we will be talking about saving money during Christmas and how to work towards Christmas on a budget so tune in Fridays 4-5pm at http://www.xpressradio.co.uk/
Tuesday, 7 December 2010
Santa’s little helpers
Last Thursday over 15 students and residents joined together with the Student Police Initiative to participate in a Christmas Pickers litter pick and a community safety walkabout.
Santa’s ‘litter’ helpers targeted areas around Cathays that the community had identified as needing clearing up. Over 12 full bags of rubbish (6 recycling and 6 waste) were cleared from green spaces and surrounding area.
The optional choice of wearing red or a Santa’s hat brought Christmas cheer to the event which was organised in partnership with South Wales Polices’ Student Police Initiative, Keep Wales Tidy, Cardiff Student Union and cardiffdigs.co.uk
To learn more about the safety messages and the Student Police Initiative visit:
On this week’s cardifference show (Friday the 10th 4-5pm) http://www.xpressradio.co.uk/ we will be talking to a volunteer with the Student Police Initiative to learn more about these campaigns and safety messages so tune in to find out more
Monday, 6 December 2010
Cathays PACT
On Monday the 6th the Cathays PACT – Partnerships And Communities Together meeting is being held at the Crwys Rd Methodist Church Hall 7pm
PACT meetings are an opportunity for the community, students and non students included, to have a say on what matters most in their areas, helping paint an accurate picture of what is happening locally.
Some of the priorties being discussed with be around environmental damage and littering, parking issues, skateboarding/cycling/roller skating safety and concerns. It is an open forum where you have the opportunity to express any concerns you are having with the area and the locality and for stakeholders, residents, police and councilors to discuss these concerns and work out ways to tackle the pressing issues that matter most to you
Copies of the latest issue of Unity news where the universities and unions engage the community with some of the positive work students are undertaking will be available and is also available to download here:
http://cardiffdigs.co.uk/unity.htm
You keep informed of dates and times of future meetings visit:
http://ourbobby.com/en/pact/default.aspx?n1=1&n2=8&n3=112&n4=149&id=68
PACT meetings are an opportunity for the community, students and non students included, to have a say on what matters most in their areas, helping paint an accurate picture of what is happening locally.
Some of the priorties being discussed with be around environmental damage and littering, parking issues, skateboarding/cycling/roller skating safety and concerns. It is an open forum where you have the opportunity to express any concerns you are having with the area and the locality and for stakeholders, residents, police and councilors to discuss these concerns and work out ways to tackle the pressing issues that matter most to you
Copies of the latest issue of Unity news where the universities and unions engage the community with some of the positive work students are undertaking will be available and is also available to download here:
http://cardiffdigs.co.uk/unity.htm
You keep informed of dates and times of future meetings visit:
http://ourbobby.com/en/pact/default.aspx?n1=1&n2=8&n3=112&n4=149&id=68
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