THE BEDFORD CLANGERThe Bedford Clanger • Teen Takeover 2018 3 Bedford is a town of many food...

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TEEN TAKEOVER 2018 THEBEDFORDCLANGER.COM CLANGER BEDFORD THE YOUR CULTURAL GUIDE TO THE BEST OF BEDFORD

Transcript of THE BEDFORD CLANGERThe Bedford Clanger • Teen Takeover 2018 3 Bedford is a town of many food...

Page 1: THE BEDFORD CLANGERThe Bedford Clanger • Teen Takeover 2018 3 Bedford is a town of many food places ranging from large restaurants on the high street to small cafes in little lanes.

TEEN TAKEOVER 2018 THEBEDFORDCLANGER.COM

CLANGERBEDFORDTHE

Y O U R C U L T U R A L G U I D E T O T H E B E S T O F B E D F O R D

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Team ClangerEditor: Erica Roffe @bedfordclanger [email protected]

Commercial Manager: Julia Crofts @clangerads [email protected]

Design: Emma Lemon @typegalstudio

Cover design by Abi Barkas

Website: Alec East @ Narrative Industries

Letter fromTeam ClangerWelcome to this special issue of the Bedford Clanger; our Teen Takeover. Over the last few months we’ve been working with Sixth Formers from St Thomas Moore School to put together an entire issue written by teens. Without further ado, it’s over to Daisy, Cherith and Georgina to introduce themselves…

I’m Daisy Smith, a Year 13 student currently studying: Drama, History and English Literature at St. Thomas More. My aim is to study Broadcast Journalism at University and so the Bedford Clanger seemed to be a perfect opportunity for me to start practicing the skills I need for that course. Before writing for the Bedford Clanger my knowledge of food restaurants and cafes only went as far as Nando’s and Costa which is why I enjoyed writing the ‘Hidden Gems’ article the most because it meant that I got to try out new places in town I never knew existed and have actually now found new cafes that I have gone back to.

Hi! My name’s Cherith and I’ve had a passion for English since middle school. I’ve run clubs dedicated to school newsletters, so I couldn’t turn down the opportunity to up-scale to ‘The Clanger’. I am taking English literature, English language and Drama as my A-Level subjects which link into my desire to develop my writing skills as well as open up options within careers. For a while I aspired to become a journalist and so being able to experience the journey of writing and publishing after deliberation on topics with other writers is very beneficial to me. I hope the newspaper is as enjoyable for you to read as it was for me to help create!

Hi my names Georgina, I enjoy long walks on the beach and watching the sunrise on a warm day (only joking). My life consists of school, work and then more school. It may not be that exciting but I get by. I’m a sixth form student at St Thomas More studying English literature, History and Drama. Whenever I have free time it always results in me watching Netflix or a movie I didn’t find illegally online hidden under a layer of blankets trying to hide from the pile of homework due in the next day.

THE CLANGERNEWS IN BRIEF

from left to right: Georgina Morgillo, Daisy Smith, Cherith Janes and Abi Barkas

A 21st Century Newsdeskfor a 21st Century Bedford

thebedfordindependent.co.uk

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The Bedford Clanger • Teen Takeover 2018 3

Bedford is a town of many food places ranging from large restaurants on the high street to small cafes in little lanes. Some are off the beaten track, so we decided it would be interesting to discover some hidden gems in Bedford. Now since we’re students our budget is not large so we narrowed our search to cafes. Our aim was to choose cafes that were new and old as well as ones which we were not familiar with (and ones that were obviously reasonably priced) so that we would give our honest impressions. We visited: Albero Lounge, Vanilla Tree, Frescoes and Millyard Café.

Albero Lounge

Aesthetic: 4/5

Food: 4/5

Service: 4/5

Overall: 4/5

Albero Lounge had a range of menus including vegan and gluten free options with snacks and drinks ranging from your

classic coke to homemade pink lemonade and juices; all items were reasonably priced with the majority of meals under £10. The interior can really only be described to be (as cringey as it is) ‘quirky’ since you’ve got your bright coloured chairs paired

with your grandmas wallpaper with antique portraits and Albero Lounge manage pull it off. It’s on the riverside so if you want to sit outside you have a nice view of the river and if the sun is out, you are able to work on that tan.

Vanilla Tree

Aesthetic: 4/5

Food: 4/5

Service: 5/5

Overall: 4.3/5

Since Vanilla Tree are an independent business their prices are understandably priced slightly higher than your average small café however the price is definitely worth it. One thing that makes Vanilla Tree unique is that it has an open kitchen where you can see them

Hidden Gems - Cafes review by Daisy Smith

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making their bagels and all of their sourdough bread is sourced locally from Companions. The staff are friendly and have a shelf of board games you can play whilst you either wait for your food or play as you’re eating. The décor at Vanilla Tree had a very homely feel with chalk menus instead of paper with miss-match furniture giving it an individual feel. It has a mirror with fairy lights for the ultimate instagram. It’s located just outside the town centre so if you want a quick break from all of the shops head to Vanilla Tree.

Frescoes

Aesthetic: 2/5

Food: 2/5

Service: 4/5

Overall: 2.7/5

Frescoes is on Mill Street just off the High Street and give you many choices of where to sit: you’ve got inside, you’ve got outside and you’ve even upstairs. The staff were lovely, always making sure we were ok and checking up on us to see how our food was. We considered Frescoes to be more of a drinks place than a food place as despite offering a simple menu of sandwiches and pizza it was the orange hot chocolate that came through. We would definitely go back for quick catch up over a coffee. If you want an orange hot chocolate it’s the place to go.

Millyard Coffee Lounge

Aesthetic: 3/5

Food: 2.5/5

Service: 2/5

Overall: 2.5/5

Now the first thing we would say is GOOGLE MAPS LIES! Now this place seemed to perfectly fit the definition of a ‘hidden gem’ as many people had told us it was a great place to go to and it was impossible to find! We typed in Millyard Café into Google maps however it took us in the wrong direction of where we needed to be resulting in us walking round and round in circles for 40 minutes. It was after Frescoes that we eventually found the Millyard Coffee Lounge since it was only a couple of shops up. However the Millyard Coffee Lounge offered a range of pastries and organises events for their café, for example in the summer they held a barbeque day.

Overall we rated the cafes:

1. Vanilla Tree

2. Albero Lounge

3. Millyard Café

4. Frescoes

We have gone back to Albero Lounge and Vanilla Tree as drink and food places and have always enjoyed our drinks and meals so we would definitely recommend those two places. If you would like a quick tea and cake go to Millyard Café as they have a little bakery as you enter and if you’re after an orange hot chocolate head over to Frescoes.

One thing we did realize from this was that there is more to Bedford than Nando’s and McDonalds.

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The Harpur Trust has been enriching the lives of people in Bedford Borough for over 450 years.

Giving grants to local community projects.

Offering accommodation for older people.

Supporting, promoting and providing education.

Making social investments.

www.harpurtrust.org.uk

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We might be at the start of the academic year, but it’s only a matter of months before the ‘Quiet! Exams in Progress’ signs begin to appear in school, alongside the inevitable stress that comes with it. The truth is exams suck. They mean you’re one step closer to growing up and facing reality and that can be quite intimidating.

Exams can also have a colossal effect on your mental health. A new YouGov survey of Britain’s students discovered that 77% of all students report that they have a fear of failure. To overcome exam stress you need to be able to identify the

symptoms, some of which include: the feeling you will never be able to prepare enough before the exams, the inability to sleep, feeling of panic and lack of motivation. To help you manage with your pre-exam stress here are some tips and tricks.

1. MeditationIn order to reduce stress levels, relaxation techniques have proven effective at reducing depressive symptoms and just a few minutes of practice per day can help ease anxiety. Sit up

EXAM Stress by Georgina Morgillo

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at Bromham Mill & Gallery11am - 4pm

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ROMHAM MILL

Bromham Mill, Bridge End, Bromham MK43 8LPTickets: £5 Adults, £3 ConcessionsCar parking available at Bromham Park £3

Phone: 01234 718616Email: [email protected]

Sunday 21st October 2018

straight with both feet on the floor, Close your eyes, and focus your attention on reciting - out loud or silently - a positive mantra such as “I feel at peace”. Place one hand on your belly to sync the mantra with your breaths. Let any distracting thoughts float by like clouds.

2. Reach outReaching out and communicating can be a great way to achieve a fresh perspective, it is important to share what’s going on as a reminder others are facing similar circumstances.

3. Listen to music Research has proven listening to soothing music can have many health benefits such as lowering blood pressure, heart rate and anxiety. Create a playlist full of soothing songs suited to your taste in music or download music apps with pre-made playlists i.e. Spotify; classical is a great option for creating a calm environment.

4. Eating dark chocolateSurprisingly, dark chocolate, with over 70% of cocoa, fights the hormone cortisol and has an overall relaxing effect on the body as chocolate releases endorphins (basically happy hormones) which act as a natural stress fighter, so chocolate really is a life-saver. Official.

EXAM Stress by Georgina Morgillo 5. Getting organisedKeeping a diary and writing to-do lists each day will keep you prepared and on track to getting everything done. Working out a daily routine and sticking to it will leave you feeling a lot more in control of how your day turns out and this will also increase your motivation as you have something to follow.

6. Healthy eating The most important factor for reducing stress and anxiety is exercising and eating healthily. Sometimes the idea of exercising during times of high stress can feel like a waste of time, however exercising results in so many health benefits not only reducing stress but making you feel better about yourself too. The right foods during stressful times are also crucial for mental wellbeing. Eating foods that include certain nutrients are linked to changes in a brain protein that helps increase connections between brain cells.

Finally, don’t lose sight of the fact that there is life after exams. It might seem extreme right now, but it won’t last forever.

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Tom Grennan by Georgina Morgillo

From releasing his debut album ‘Lighting Matches’ to breaking a world record, Tom Grennan has definitely made Bedford proud. With his incredible voice and humble personality, Tom will always have a place in his home town – and at his Alma Mater, St Thomas More School.

During an interview with Tom Grennan’s former drama teacher Angela Cooper, we asked what Tom was like in school. “Tom was a very lively and energetic student,” she said. “He was always kind, caring and was fascinated by the world, he was also a little bit of a cheeky chap!” When talking about his performance, Angela said, “He had a spark in his eye for performing. Most sixth form lessons he would arrive with his guitar and a stack of songs he had written to share with the class.” Her favourite memory of Tom was seeing him perform at a small pub in Finsbury Park a few years ago with a crowd of about 20 people to seeing him perform in front of 3,000 people, singing his lyrics at an incredible gig at Shepherd’s Bush.

Amazingly, Tom Grennan didn’t always dream of being a singer. He started off playing football and doing surprisingly well, playing for Luton Town, Northampton Town, Aston Villa and Stevenage. One night, at an A-level party Tom got completely smashed and ended up performing karaoke to the Kooks’ ‘Seaside’. Being told he had an amazing voice, Tom soon became interested in music, eventually leading to him and some school mates forming a band. He even taught himself how to play guitar through watching YouTube clips. With his new found love for singing Tom headed to St.Mary’s University in London where he would spend the week going to different pubs trying to get gigs across London, in an attempt to get his voice out there and gain some recognition. After a lot of hard work Tom Grennan finally got signed to Insanity records under Sony music entertainment. This led to his collaboration with Chase and Status on ‘All Goes Wrong’, the song that launched his career.

Looking back, Tom Grennan has come so far. From one of his first songs ‘Something in the Water’ written in Bedford, to his debut album landing in the top 5 of the charts, Tom has proven hard work really does pay off. Recently this Bedford

boy has also broken a world record!! I mean, I’m impressed. Tom Grennan managed to break the world record for most gigs in less than 12 hours breaking it by performing 11 gigs under the time frame. He has also been nominated for the Best Breakthrough Act in this year’s Q Magazine Awards.

All the songs featured on his Album ‘Lighting Matches’ are personal to Tom and reflect on his journey as a young man. He sings soulfully and from the heart and about real experiences. It’s this sentiment that makes Tom Grennan’s music unique, because it’s personal to him but also relatable to all different ages. Tom Grennan’s career is only just beginning; he has an incredible team, a supportive family and friendship group to help him get there too.

After hearing his story, Tom Grennan is personally one of my favourites. Knowing how much effort he has put - and continues to put - into his career, only proves how far you can come if you do put in that bit of extra work. He is showing the world that if you truly want something you have to get up off your feet and graft hard; if you do you can achieve anything. I mean seriously, who would have thought a lad from Bedford could become so successful in such a hard industry. Angela Cooper said, “I am super proud of Tom and am so glad he had the confidence and belief in himself to share his voice and talents.” She definitely speaks for many.

We got in contact with the man himself to ask what advice he would give to someone trying to make it from a small town. “Keep going and always believe in yourself,” said Tom. “Being from a small town, it can be hard to see past that but you always know that you’re just as good as anyone else and you have to believe in your creation.” Wise words Tom, wise words. And who has inspired him? “Amy Winehouse, Ray Charles, Freddie Mercury, Robert Johnson, Little Richard, grime collective Boy Better Know, ASAP Rocky…all sorts of music from Irish folk, hip hop to grime, rock and punk.” We have no doubt that Tom will be the inspiration for a future generation of singer songwriters, especially those from Bedford.

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Find out more at:bedfordcatholicschools.org/visit

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St John Rigby Polhill Ave 01234 401900

St Joseph’s & St Gregory’s Biddenham

01234 352062

YEAR 7Open Evening

Tuesday, 2nd October 6-8.30pm

St Thomas More School 01234 400222

6TH FORMOpen Evening

Wednesday, 21st November 6-8pm

St Thomas More School 01234 400222

Trust_Clanger_160x110mm.indd 1 05/09/2018 14:12

The mainstream media portrays gamers alone, in front of a television, eating junk food and drowning in fizzy drinks. Stereotypes like this put a negative stigma around the gaming community, we want to fight these views and shine a light on the positives of Gaming. Studies have shown that gaming is brilliant for improving a lot of cognitive skills; first of all, gaming is great for improving your problem solving abilities. When you think about it, video games are designed to get you from point ‘A’ to point ‘B’ by solving problems, resolving conflicts and overcoming obstacles. Secondly, playing action games in particular, improves your attention and concentration, as video games are able to

Battling the stigma of Gaming by GEORGINA MORGILLO

capture the player’s attention for the duration of the game. This is brought about by the player’s need to focus in order to reach the next level within the game. Despite the belief that gamers are all loners, gaming actually improves social skills, take ‘Fortnite’ for example; this game has taken the world by storm, creating a common interest world-wide giving gamers something to bond over and creating friendships in the long run.

Surprisingly, being a part of the gaming community doesn’t just improve cognitive skills; it’s also creating better people. Some video games are set in historical periods, encouraging gamers to engage with history and look further into the time periods their favrioute game was set. One of the biggest stereotypes around violent video games is that they desensitize you to real world violence however it can sometimes do the opposite, demonstrating bad behaviour in video games can actually make us morally right; choosing the ‘bad decision’ in video games actually increases feelings of guilt and sensitivity towards moral concepts like fairness after playing.

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Politics by Daisy Smith and Cherith Janes

During the Brexit referendum and the Grenfell Tower incident, British politics has been in the spotlight. Here is a list of our current political parties and their leaders:

- Conservative Party: Theresa May

- Labour Party: Jeremy Corbyn

- Liberal Democrats Party (also known as the Lib Dems): Vince Cable

- Green Party: Caroline Lucas and Jonathan Bartley

- UKIP Party: Gerard Batten

Our Prime Minister is Theresa May, and her party is a right-wing political party meaning they promote private ownership of businesses (for example, rather than the public owning the railways they would rather have someone who owns the whole thing and only that person would then have the ability to control it; rather than the Government) and emphasis on people being less reliant on the Government (for instance, people work more hours to increase their salary instead of the Government increasing the minimum wage).

The second biggest political party (in Opposition) is the Labour party, led by Jeremy Corbyn. This party could be described as “the party for the people” since the Labour party are for socialism (the belief that everyone has the responsibility to look after one another no matter of their class). For decades they have campaigned to abolish university fees, help the NHS and increase the minimum wage.

Voting:

Once you’re 18 you can register to vote.

A common misconception about voting is that when you go into the voting booth to vote, you will see Theresa May and Jeremy Corbyn’s names on the ballot paper. However you actually vote for the parties’ local representative in your constituency. The whole of the U.K. is divided into constituencies which are towns and cities grouped into areas. For example Bedfordshire is split into Bedford, Luton South, Luton North, Mid Bedfordshire, North-East Bedfordshire and South-West Bedfordshire.

The last General Election was a snap election in June 2017.

72% of 18 – 25 year olds voted which was the highest youth turnout in decades, with the youth proving to the older generation that they really do care about politics. Now it can feel quite isolating for those under the age of 18 since we’re not legally of age to vote so how can we have our voice heard?

There are multiple ways for you to get involved in politics such as joining the Youth of Today, Youth Parliament and the Youth Councils (these are essentially Parliament for teenagers where you can even represent your constituency in Parliament) and signing online petitions as these really do make a difference as if an online petition gets enough votes it will be heard in Parliament. By attending rallies and

theplacebedford.org.uk/tickets

01234 354321

House & Bedford Players TrustENTER THE DRAGONS2nd November / 7.30pmFULL £10.00 / CONCESSIONS £9.00

Spun Glass TheatrePRINCESS CHARMING21st October / 11am and 2pmFULL £10.00 / CONCESSIONS £8.50

Lamphouse TheatrePETER PAN

27th October / 2.30pm and 6.30pmFULL £10.00 / CONCESSIONS £8.50/

FAMILY £32

The Place Clanger Apr2018.indd 1 16/04/2018 12:11

Swan Theatre CompanyGREAT EXPECTATIONS

13th - 17th November / 7.30pmFULL £12.00 / CONCESSIONS £10.00

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debates you are making your presence known and is another way you can get your voice heard as usually MPs also attend these. Contact your local MP with your ideas on how you can change your local town/city and most importantly be informed on what is happening in politics. Politics is actually quite unpredictable with small and significant changes happening constantly so it’s crucial you stay up to date with what is going on.

Overall, I’m looking forward to be able to casting my first vote as every vote counts and even one vote can have a huge impact. Being able to cast my vote also means I get a say in how I would like my country to be and who I would like to run it.

Every vote counts and every vote truly does have an impact so when you turn 18 sign up to ensure your voice is heard.

To register to vote, go to: gov.uk/register-to-vote

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Politics by Daisy Smith and Cherith Janes

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Healthy Eating: an interview with HannahBrown from AnEarToHear by Cherith Janes

Hannah Brown has built her own company, ‘AnEarToHear’, due to her personal experiences of an eating disorder. Her aim is to help those with an eating disorder feel they can talk about it and not feel alone or scared. Her company is there as ‘a self-referral support service’ so that those who are in need can speak to people who will understand exactly what they’re going through. Hannah promises, ‘It’s a relaxed form of support that can be given through texts, calls, emails or through one-to-one sessions’ as she has links to professional services.

Hannah herself is an eating disorder survivor, however she claims her recovery process is ‘ongoing’ and is not something she sees herself ever fully recovering from. ‘Eating disorder-related thoughts can be easily triggered, it might be a comment or a life event that wakes up an anorexic thought,’ however Hannah reminds us that ‘recovery is all about identifying these thoughts and learning not to act on them’ to begin the journey of progression and gaining control as well of understanding of your mind. To instil some faith into those feeling like there may be no-way out, Hannah Brown believes a full recovery is very possible, the important thing is to remember eating disorders are a form of mental illness and so must be treated as one.

Due to the increase in attention being paid to mental health, Hannah feels it’s positive in a way due to the rise of beneficial campaigns, however there is still the unhealthy stigma that eating disorders are issues only “skinny girls” face. Hannah also wishes people felt more comfortable speaking out about their feelings and problems because they are essential and can help more than people raising awareness.

Some advice Hannah would give to those facing an eating disorder is, not to put pressure on yourself – take your time and be gentle along the way. She also raises the point that

every recovery journey is different, so there is no right way to go about it or right amount of time it should take. Everyone should find the courage to speak to someone about their worries because the fear in your head can cause more stress and anxiety about what is happening to you. Hannah also strongly promotes never ever giving up, because ‘although the recovery process is hard and giving up may seem like the easiest thing to do, to find a form of recovery will bring you a life filled with so much joy and contentment that you’ll soon realise that it’s worth the effort’.

Hannah encourages you to reach out to her if you have any concerns or struggles, everyone is worth the time of day to help, even if it’s just a conversation or a shoulder that you can lean on.

Tell us more about some of the work that you are doing along-side the peer support site.

I have been so honoured to be invited to attend and be part of some incredible things reaching out to different groups to develop their understanding and increase awareness.

I frequently conduct workshops for service users, professionals and carers of those with eating disorders,

working in partnership with other NHS organisations. Conferences are a great way of connecting with others and promoting dialogue and it is always great to meet so many people. Writing and journalism is one of the areas that I probably enjoy the most

and I write for a number of publications on all sorts of things!

By far, however one of my favourite things is engaging with schools and Youth Groups- you guys are so willing to speak out for what you believe in and feel passionate about.

How do you feel about the stigma around eating disorders? –do you feel it gets talked about enough?

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Healthy Eating: an interview with HannahBrown from AnEarToHear by Cherith Janes

The Bedford Clanger • Teen Takeover 2018 13

The reality is that all forms of eating disorders are incredibly complex and very serious, they should absolutely be talked about more but not just to raise awareness. These essential conversations should be more proactive to encourage people to speak out about any concerns they have, not to feel any shame and to recognise some of the signs of Eating Disorders.

How can we raise funds/resources needed to help people facing a disorder and what will this contribute to?

The biggest thing that you and everyone else can do, it to promote dialogue around eating disorders. We need to empower people, of all ages, sexes and backgrounds to feel confident in asking for help.

Conferences are a great way of doing this - perhaps you can raise funds to hold your own Mental Health awareness event.

Understanding how to help someone, recognising the signs within yourself and in others and breaking down the barriers to accessing care is absolutely pivotal. You have the power- use it!

It would be a pleasure to be involved with your schools to think of ways we can keep the discussion around mental health current.

If you are struggling, please reach out for help- you absolutely deserve this time for you and your recovery.

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14 The Bedford Clanger • Teen Takeover 2018

Social media – the positives! by Daisy Smith

Adults think that the youth of today are stuck to their phones like glue and social media is the only focus of life, however we are not an anti-social generation. If anything, we are quite the opposite.

Social media can spur many conversations and encourage human contact by keeping people up to date with others’ lives. Social media is also used by many more than just the young people as celebrities of all ages and influential figures use the platforms to reach a larger multitude of people. We are Generation Z, which is roughly the generation born around the mid-1990s to mid-2000s. Most of Generation Z have used the Internet since a young age, and they are generally comfortable with technology and with interacting on social media, which is why we have the stigma of being media-mad.

The main platforms for our generation are; Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, Twitter and YouTube.

Instagram is predominantly for businesses and individuals to showcase their work and products. Lifestyles can be show-cased and people typically follow pages that link to their aspirations or hobbies, which can provide motivation to improve an individual’s outlook on their life and general happiness.

Facebook is now fairly outdated for Generation Z compared to the Millennials who still use the platform. Businesses use Facebook a lot to take bookings and to promote their menus and opening times. Sometimes even images are posted to attract customers. For us as youth we more use Facebook to reflect on early memories and images as well as catching up with relatives, as well as the useful reminder of people’s birthdays!

The most common media platform is Snapchat as it is more closely related to the old-fashioned texting. Snapchat is a more personal platform as the main aim is not to share your life with everyone, however the option is there. The app is there for communicational purposes though the media of photos, videos and normal texting. Snapchat is known for its filters and ‘streaks’ (when two people snap each other consecutively daily and a record is kept of how many days this has happened). Snapchat pioneered many social media ideas such as having the concept of a ‘story’ and filters. Instagram copied first with the story and filter idea and then Facebook followed, however Snapchat remained the OG’s (originals for you oldies).

Twitter is more used for campaigning and vocalising people’s opinions. For example, Trump expresses his personal beliefs openly on the app and others respond. Twitter also inspires collectivism and community spirit when it comes to global shows such as ‘Love Island’ where hashtags are used for people to comment on the show and share their personal opinions. The ability to ‘like’ and ‘retweet’ certain tweets is available to express if you agree with the opinion or not. Barack Obama, Trump, and Katy Perry all use the Twitter platform to put across their opinions and other accounts can respond with their ideas.

YouTube is almost the odd one out of the social media platforms as it uses videos as its content and it recently added the features of content creators being able to end out a message -like on a pin board- to all their followers. Most trends are made on YouTube such as the ‘diss-tracks’ and ‘100 layers of…’

Overall, social media has many positives and although cyber-bullying happens on most of these platforms, that is not the overall use of each app and all can have many positives for a range of people.

BEDFORD’S INDEPENDENT MONTHLYART & CULTURE MAGAZINE

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@bedfordclangerTheBedfordClanger

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Arts, Culture, Music and More!

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Sports isn’t for everyone - but it could be by Georgina Morgillo

From cheerleading to rugby, there are a wide range of sporting activities available to try in Bedford. Everyone loves going out and playing a game of footy every once in a while, why not take it a step further and join a football club? To give you an insight of what it’s really like, we asked 17 year old Giacomo, a member of Bedford FC, what he enjoys about football and how he feels it benefits the community. “Football is so popular among all ages within society creating friendships with people you wouldn’t meet otherwise,” he said, “I enjoy it because I like being active and football encourages that.” Football is something all ages can take up, ranging from toddlers to teens, so girls and boys look into your local teams and attend some trials, as you never know you could be the next Dele Alli.

If you enjoy dancing and learning challenging routines why not bring out your competitive streak and try cheerleading? Paige, aged 15, said, “Cheerleading is such a group effort; you form a really close bond with all your teammates.” She went on to say, “I enjoy the buzz of entering competitions

and think the community is proud of us when we win.” Cheerleading is something everyone can enjoy; fortunately, Bedford has some amazing squads for you to join. The Bedfordshire Bulls Cheerleading squad welcome new and willing members every year, Elements Elite Cheer provides classes for tiny tots aged 3 right up to adults in cheerleading and dance.

If you like to get down and dirty, maybe rugby’s the sport for you. Bedford is known for its famous rugby club ‘the Bedford Blues’. Ben, aged 16, is a member of the Blues and was asked what he enjoys most about playing rugby. He said, “Rugby is brilliant for the community as it introduces new people and friendships. It welcomes people of many shapes and sizes.” He also said, “As with most sports, rugby massively helps with your mental health, decreasing feelings of depression and anxiety”. Other rugby clubs includes Ampthill and District Community Rugby Club and Bedford Athletic rugby club.

Here are only three examples of the opportunities Bedford presents, however there is so much to offer, look around we’re sure you’ll find something suited for you!

Teen Takeover 2019Are you a teen and would you like to get involved? Do

you think you’ve got something to contribute to our 2019 Teen Takeover issue? In the New Year we’ll be looking

for teens to write about all the things that matter to them. From sport and fitness to politics and music. How

does Brexit affect teens? What can you do to combat Climate Change? What are the most unusual sports that

you can try out in Bedford?

If you’ve got an idea, we’d love to hear it. Follow us on Instagram and twitter (@bedfordclanger) to be the first

to hear about our 2019 Teen Takeover plans.

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