1984

In 1984 I was an undergraduate, and our Student Union helped to support the families of striking miners in South Wales.

Yesterday, I was reminded of the miners, and of the fact that their mine was closed in 1985. I wondered how they felt when they heard the news, whether the emotion was still as raw as it was back then. The 2 miners in the photo are Dai and Kelvin, and I still have the badge they gave me.

Politics were extreme back then, and as a student it was easy to see things in a very black and white way. It was, in fact, a great time to be a student - despite the turmoil out in the real world, and the constant fear of having a nuclear missile land on our heads, we enjoyed free higher education and there were even grants for the less well off. Plus, we graduated into the Lawson Boom.

I wonder what my kids will graduate into.