News

Badger and the pick of the pops

Published

11 years ago

February 26, 2015

OVER the last couple of weeks, even by his own benighted standards, Badger has been a gloomy soul. However, readers, this week Badger resolved to strike an altogether lighter and less sombre note; with what is, admittedly, variable success.

As Badger was listening to the wireless the other day he slipped back into a time warp. There he was, Tony Blackburn, who sounded as gruesomely cheery as Badger remembered from his childhood. Tone was playing the top twenty selling singles from 1985. At that time it took significant sales to get into the top twenty, let alone the top ten, and it was not uncommon for singles to sell in the hundreds of thousands.

For those of Badger’s readers who are not familiar with the concept, a swift history lesson is in order. In a world before CD’s, and long before downloads, the purchase of seven inch disks of vinyl to be played on a Hi-fi turntable – or even, if one was lucky enough, a music centre. In fact, music centres gave one the option of just recording the top forty and adeptly editing out the disc jockey banter between records: particularly useful for avoiding Bruno Brookes.

Anyway, Badger digresses. There Badger was, back in 1985, with Tony Blackburn doing the top twenty-selling singles of the year.

1985: The year of The Smiths, The Cult, The Cure, The Style Council, Bruce Springsteen, Prince. Badger settled down for a treat.

Oh dear, readers, oh dearie, dearie, dearie me.

Badger listened aghast.

Apparently, when Morrisey sang the lyrics ‘the devil will find work for idle hands to do’, the thing the devil found for idle hands to do was to buy singles perpetrated by Jennifer Rush, Barbara Dickson & Elaine Paige, and Foreigner.

Asbestos-lunged American power-ballad diva, Jennifer Rush bellowed The Power of Love to five weeks at the top of the chart in October. As Badger discovered to his horror when researching this article – La Rush had recorded the UK’s best-selling single by a solo female artist until overtaken by something equally interminable by Whitney Houston several years later.

Memory, not the most reliable of mediums at the best of times, had somehow preserved for Badger the memory of Walls Come Tumbling Down, Between the Wars, and Close to Me, but erased Easy Lover, and the knuckle-whitening horror of Frankie.

Now, Badger is many things but he is no musical elitist. He can be found a-shuffling his paws along to tunes – if you excuse the pun – of any stripe. But the discovery of precisely what had been a hit when the world was young and green came as a mortifying surprise to Badger. 1985 was no golden age of popular music, it was an age right up there with the horror of times when young girls chanted for the Bay City Rollers or David Cassidy.

Readers, it was an age of Phil Collins.

Phil-bloody-Collins. I mean it is not as if Genesis was not quite bad enough, Phil had to distil its essence, cube it and record it. Those are not only musical crimes, readers: they are crimes against humanity. Phil Collins constitutes the final proof of the proposition that the only band in which the drummer was the most talented member was Nirvana.

And it came to Badger that much of the mid-80’s had been erased from Badger’s mind by a combination of Phil Collins and Margaret Thatcher. Shaken by the sheer awfulness of the period, musically and politically, Badger had expunged its recollection and retained only the memory of little shafts of light to illuminate the gloom.

On reflection, the whole period from, say, 1982 to the end of 1990 seems a little hazy. Not so much never glad confident morning again, as an abrupt break in cultural transmission that only picked up again a long time later. Lager and despair might have had something to do with that, readers.

But still Tony Blackburn endures: we are now past post-modern irony – way past Smashy and Nicey territory -and into the realms of complicity.

We know he is corny, we know he has hung around longer than a fart in a freezer, but Tony Blackburn is a reminder to us of a time when what went to the top of the charts had a certain cultural currency.

Popular music is less a sign of our times than a diary marker in our memories. If pressed to remember a specific day or month, you might fail. But people always remember what they were doing when they first became aware of a certain song, or a certain artist.

The old joke about innumerable progeny being conceived to the melodic rumbling of Barry White probably has a certain ring of truth about it; although in Pembrokeshire in the 1980’s, Badger is pretty sure that it was more likely to be to the strains of Hi Ho Silver Lining leeching through the windows of the village hall into a darkened car park at the end of a disco. Or possibly to the apparently endless long version of Freebird if you ventured out to The Old Rectory near Nash of fond Badgery memories.

The truth about the eighties, is that like Auden’s 1930’s, they were a low, dishonest decade. Their altitude and dishonesty is worse than some and better than others. (Don’t get Badger started on the 1970’s and the type of modern comedian who asks the audience whether it remembers Spangles.)

For all the gleaming newness of the now, and in the knowledge of its gloomier corners, the past still has its pull. Even now, even after Badger has discovered the unfortunate musical truth about 1985, his memory insists that for the portion of the year that Little Red Corvette was not number one, She Sells Sanctuary was in its stead.The thing about nostalgia, readers, is that nothing can kill it. Not even the truth.

News

Political leaders and unions react to Milford Haven school assault

Published

9 hours ago

February 6, 2026

Tom Sinclair

First Minister, MP, MS and teaching unions call for safety and support for staff

POLITICAL leaders and teaching unions across Wales have spoken out following Thursday’s assault on a teacher at Milford Haven School, which led to a lockdown, a major police response and the arrest of a 15-year-old boy on suspicion of attempted murder.

The First Minister Eluned Morgan said she was “deeply concerned” by the incident and stressed that violence had no place in Welsh schools.

***Police at Milford Haven School on May 5 (Pic: Herald)***

Her comments come just days after she visited the Milford Haven campus following the school being placed into special measures by Estyn, where she met leaders to discuss improvement plans and support arrangements.

She said her thoughts were with the injured teacher, their family and the wider school community, and praised the swift response of staff and emergency services.

Local MP Henry Tufnell, who represents Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire, described the incident as deeply upsetting for what he called a close-knit community.

He said he was thinking of the teacher and pupils affected and thanked Dyfed-Powys Police and ambulance crews for their professionalism.

Meanwhile Senedd Member Samuel Kurtz said: “Deeply concerning news across the water in Milford Haven.

“Sadly, violence in our schools is becoming all too common, and thanks must go to the emergency services for their timely response. Thoughts are with the injured teacher, their family and the wider school community.”

Leader of the Welsh Conservatives Andrew RT Davies said teachers must feel safe at work and called for continued support for school staff.

Teaching unions also responded.

NASUWT said teachers “deserve to feel safe in their workplace” and that any violence against staff must be taken seriously, while National Education Union said schools must remain safe spaces for both pupils and staff and urged continued focus on safeguarding and behaviour support.

All said support would be offered to the Milford Haven school community in the days ahead as police investigations continue.

Crime

Teacher discharged as police step back from Milford Haven school after assault

Published

11 hours ago

February 5, 2026

Tom Sinclair

Teenager remains in custody as school closes and patrols increased to reassure community

POLICE have confirmed they are no longer stationed at Milford Haven School after a teacher was assaulted by a pupil on Thursday afternoon (Feb 5), as the injured member of staff has now been discharged from hospital.

In a joint statement issued by Dyfed-Powys Police, Pembrokeshire County Council and Hywel Dda University Health Board, Superintendent Chris Neve said swift action had been taken to protect pupils and staff.

He said: “Police are no longer in attendance at Milford Haven Comprehensive School, following a report of the assault of a teacher at approx. 3.20pm this afternoon.

“I would like to reassure parents, and the wider community, that swift action was taken to both safeguard pupils and teachers, and to trace the suspect as soon as this report was received.

“The teacher has now been discharged from hospital and is being supported by specialist officers. All pupils at the location were safe, and all returned home unharmed. A 15-year-old boy has been arrested and remains in police custody as enquiries continue.

“You will see a higher than usual police presence in the area over the coming days – these will be dedicated patrols to provide further reassurance.”

The injured teacher was earlier taken to hospital by road ambulance.

An immediate lockdown was put in place at the school while emergency services responded. Most pupils had already left for the day, but those still on site were secured inside classrooms and offices as a precaution.

School closed on Friday

Council leader Cllr Jon Harvey said the school would be closed to pupils on Friday to allow support and safety measures to continue.

He said: “We would like to thank staff and pupils at Milford Haven School for implementing a swift and effective lockdown in response to this incident.

“While the school will be closed to pupils tomorrow, if there are any learners who require additional support they are welcome to attend and there will also be support for staff on site.

“We’d like to reassure learners and parents, along with the wider community, that all measures to ensure safety are being taken.”

The health board added that anyone needing urgent mental health support can call NHS 111 and press option 2 for 24-hour assistance.

National spotlight

The incident has drawn national media attention.

BBC News broadcast live from the school gates during its Ten O’Clock News bulletin, while ITV News and several national titles also covered developments.

Journalists from a number of UK outlets, including The Sun, contacted The Herald as events unfolded, with several Welsh and national publishers using photographs first taken by Herald reporters.

Residents said the scale of coverage was unprecedented for the normally quiet port town.

Police enquiries are continuing.

Photo caption:

Police outside Milford Haven School following Thursday’s incident (Pics: Herald).

Health

Health board targets rise in steroid and gym drug use across west Wales

Published

15 hours ago

February 5, 2026

Tom Sinclair

THE LOCAL health board has launched new targeted measures after recording a sharp rise in the use of steroids and other image-enhancing drugs across the region.

Hywel Dda University Health Board says needle exchange figures show significant growth over the past two years in people seeking support related to Image and Performance Enhancing Drugs (IPEDs), including anabolic steroids and so-called Selective Androgen Receptor Modulators (SARMs).

SARMs, while marketed online as safer alternatives to steroids, are illegal to sell in the UK and health professionals warn they carry serious and largely unknown risks.

The health board has now teamed up with Dyfed Drug and Alcohol Service (DDAS) and Choices, a young people’s substance use service, to tackle what officials describe as an “emerging public health challenge”.

Workshops and outreach

Two key initiatives have been introduced.

Educational workshops are being delivered to young people, focusing on the risks of using performance-enhancing substances during physical development and the potential long-term effects on hormones, mental health and fertility.

At the same time, enhanced support is being offered to people already involved in gym and fitness culture, with harm-reduction advice, health monitoring and confidential drop-in services.

Support includes testosterone testing, blood checks, cycle provision kits and discreet one-to-one consultations.

One service user described the programme as “quick, professional and non-judgemental”.

They said: “The drop-in clinic for my blood test was really convenient. I was seen quickly and given a full run-down of the services available. The staff made me feel comfortable the whole time and I got my results back faster than expected.”

Taking support into the community

The team has also worked directly with local gyms, leisure centres and sports venues, speaking to more than 100 people during five outreach sessions.

Twelve DDAS staff members have completed specialist IPED training delivered by Public Health Wales to strengthen expertise within the service.

Rachel Wilson, Resilient Families Manager at Choices, said the aim is to reduce stigma.

She said: “We’re proud to work alongside Hywel Dda to ensure people who use IPEDs are met with understanding, not judgement. These initiatives are helping us reach individuals who may not have previously considered accessing support.”

Craig Jones, Prevention and Population Health Improvement Manager, added: “This work is about meeting people where they are. By listening and responding with compassion and evidence-based care, we’re making a real difference.”

Dr Ardiana Gjini, Executive Director of Public Health, said the approach showed the board’s commitment to early intervention.

She said: “These initiatives reflect a proactive, collaborative response to emerging health challenges and demonstrate our dedication to protecting the health of our communities.”

Anyone seeking confidential advice or support can contact DDAS on 03303 639997 to book an appointment.