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OT for the first time in Mediawatching’s history a cat will be gracing the column – no doubt it will be aloof and distant, only
deigning to join us when it is time to feed. Or it could be an adorable, fluffy, little stressbuster. The truth is, it is probably both – but for students at Oxford University Isambard Kitten Brunel is definitely more of the latter. Every day is bring your cat to work day for Lady Margaret Hall Librarian Jamie Fishwick-Ford, guardian to IKB (my TLA (Three Letter Acronym) for him) – we all know cats definitely do not have “owners”. Jamie commutes to work with his pet by bus, getting the occasional odd look as his Siberian Forest cat perched on his shoulder. And once at work, IKB is free to settle where he pleases, often choosing a desk by a sunlit window where he is fussed over by distracted students. Jamie told the BBC (
https://tinyurl.com/Iss226MW) that IKB is often likened to one of Phillip Pullman’s dæmon’s. Next, we head to a neonatal unit for premature and poorly babies, which has installed a library to help families bond as they receive care for their new arrivals. The initiative has been implemented at Harrogate Hospital’s Special baby Care Unit where Amy Howard, neonatal educator and governance lead at the unit, told the BBC (
https://tinyurl.com/Iss226MW1): “We know from research that the parents’ voices are a really reassuring sound to babies. It’s also really important for that baby’s brain development.
“If we can reduce that baby’s stress by a parent talking to them, and by them reading a book, that’s going to help that baby’s brain grow.” New mum Lucinda Kernaghan-Coe, whose son was seven weeks premature added: “Doing normal stuff that you’d do at home, you just feel a little bit more in control and it’s nice to have that bonding time.” The move will undoubtedly please current Waterstones’ Children’s Laureate Frank Cottrell-Boyce who has used his time in the post to campaign for more opportunities for
April-May 2026
Hector McNeil House, the former Greenock Central Library with comissioned mural by Charles Anderson. Photo © Thomas Nugent via Creative Commons CC BY-SA 2.0
parents to read to very young children. Speaking of birth, the News and Star
(
https://tinyurl.com/Iss226MW2) in Carlisle has the story of a rebirth for a museum’s former railway carriage exhibit. The replica carriages had been part of the Tullie’s Border Galleries exhibition since the 90s. Now Belle Vue Primary School has repurposed seats and signs to help create a welcoming space for reading, with help from local business Story Homes. Hayley Blair, operations director at Story Homes, told the paper: “The train carriages are a cherished part of Carlisle’s history, and it’s wonderful to see them repurposed in such a meaningful way.
“Creating a space where children feel excited to read and learn is something we’re passionate about, and we hope this will inspire generations of pupils to come.” Moving from a 90s museum exhibition to an exhibition about the 90s, or more accurately 1996 and the cultural impact of music on the nation. The Barbican’s Music Library (
https://tinyurl.com/Iss226MW3) is hosting a Cool Brittania retrospective. Among the highlights are Spice Girls memorabilia, including Mel B’s iconic leopard print catsuit and Ginger Spice’s Union Jack platform boots. Mel B said: “It is now the moment to
unleash my ‘90s leopard catsuit back into the wild for the world to admire. What memories. What a time. What an outfit. “Perhaps one of the most iconic Spice performances with my gorgeous girls and best friends at the peak of the ‘90s at the BRIT Awards. A glorious moment when we came home to celebrate a rollercoaster seven months after exploding from unknowns in July 1996 to feeling like we had conquered the world. It was all a crazy ‘90s whirlwind but, in my leopard print, I knew I could take on anything. This outfit is sexy, naughty, and bold, which pretty much sums up me and the Nineties! I hope you love it as much as I do. And, yes, I can still fit into it!” Zig a zig ah. Finally, a move to save a historic frieze from a soon-to-be-demolished library has ended in success after Greenock Council removed the piece created by renowned sculptor Charles Anderson. The work was situated on the front of the former Greenock Central Library, which is due to knocked down as part of the Greenock Town Development plan. Six panels from the fibreglass installation, depicting four sodliers, have been successfully taken down from the building and will stored until a new home can be found for it (
https://tinyurl.com/Iss226MW4) IP
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