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Ospreys reunite in Wales for third year together

by David April 7, 2025
written by David

A pair of ospreys have reunited for a third year after returning from winter migration.

Aran and Elen have both returned to their newly-restored nest near Porthmadog in Gwynedd.

The lovebirds raised two chicks in their first year together and three last year.

The majority of UK ospreys migrate to western Africa, more than 3,000 miles away, before returning to the UK in the spring.

April 7, 2025 0 comments
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Business

Rent rise puts future of SEN play group in doubt

by Charles April 5, 2025
written by Charles

Parents are worried about the future of free play sessions for children with special educational needs (SEN), being run for families in a district.

The Traquinas Hub which runs sessions has been renting space from The Charles Burrell Centre (CBC) in Thetford, Norfolk.

The CBC, which is itself a charity, is increasing the rent from £750 to £1,140.

Increases for all tenants were essential to help it balance its books, the business and community support hub said.

Charlotte said the group has been an invaluable support to her and her son Elijah

The sessions have had a big impact on families with SEN children.

Charlotte said her son Elijah's complex medical needs meant most groups were not suitable for them.

"We need this for the kids that don't access other places easily," she said.

"It can be very lonely, but having a place like this, there are others in the same situation that you can talk with."

Beth brings her little boy Fernee, who is two years old.

"This the first place I've been for SEN children and they have just been beyond helpful.

"Before we came to this group he wouldn't socialise. He wouldn't play or interact – just be glued to me.

"Now as soon as we walk in he is happy to just run in and he's not shy anymore."

The Charles Burrell Centre is based in a former school building

Carla Ferreira runs Traquinas Childcare, which has two nurseries in Thetford, as well as a base at the CBC where they deliver free SEN sessions and paid-for holiday clubs.

She started the SEN group three years ago after her own experience with her daughter, who has a rare genetic condition.

"I know the struggle of these parents, they have to fight for everything,". Mrs Ferreira said.

"I just wanted to do something that they don't have to fight for.

"Why can't a non-profit community building [The CBC] embrace what we are doing here?"

Last October they were told by the CBC that their new rent would be increased by more than 50% to £1,140 per month.

Mrs Ferreira said they could not afford to pay the increased rent and would struggle to find suitable alternative premises, leaving the future of the SEN sessions in doubt.

'Remain sustainable'

Nicola Welham is the manager of the Charles Burrell Centre.

She said like all organisations, core costs like gas and electric had "risen sharply".

"It does mean we have to increase our rents just to enable the centre to remain sustainable," she added.

"If we fail to respond to those rising costs, then we risk the future of the centre as a whole and that would put all of our 60 tenants at risk.

"Traquinas are an excellent childcare provider in our local community.

"We want to support businesses like them, but we also have to be fair to all of our tenants so we charge them all a reasonable rent that reflects the costs incurred."

April 5, 2025 0 comments
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Business

'Bear with us' say town bosses as works begin

by Ian April 2, 2025
written by Ian

Penzance will spend some of the £21.5m awarded from central government on changing Market Jew Street with works starting in July.

Penzance Town Fund (PTF) said it aimed to improve accessibility for pedestrians, people with reduced mobility, cyclists and public transport.

Other investments would include a climbing centre in a former supermarket and a street food hall in the town's historic Market House, it said.

The PTF boss said some people had complained "because everyone romanticises the past" and asked residents to "bear with us" while the changes were made.

Sarah Shaw is the BID manager and works with Penzance Town Fund

'People hate change'

Business owner and Business Improvement District (BID) manager Sarah Shaw works with the Penzance Town Fund and she said: "The ultimate goal is to have a user friendly, highly populated, busy thriving town of Penzance.

"There's certainly plenty of people grumbling about it but in fact Penzance has always been quite hostile to pedestrians.

"I think people romanticise the past – 'the old days were always better, the town was busier and we all took more money'.

"I think people hate change but we ask them to bear with us."

Morgan Lewis works in an e-bike business in Penzance and hopes the move will help to fill empty shops in the town

Following a trial period the banning of cars in the town between 11:00 and 16:00 has been made permanent.

Morgan Lewis who works at Ride on E-Bikes in the centre of the town said: "Local Facebook groups have plenty of moaning about it, but there will always be lovers and haters.

"We need to reinforce pedestrianisation and calm the traffic coming up and down Market Jew Street.

"I think it will help fill the empty shops with new businesses and bring more people into Penzance."

There are three different projects to transform the town planned to take place between July this year through to early 2026 and these will be combined with upgrades to the gas pipework.

Wales and West Utilities programme controller Abby Smith said: "We know that working in areas like this is not ideal, which is why we're working collaboratively to agree the best way to get this important work done while causing the least disruption to the community."

April 2, 2025 0 comments
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Business

Twenty jobs could go as part of WRU restructure

by Stephanie April 1, 2025
written by Stephanie

The Welsh Rugby Union will cut up to 20 roles as it implements a restructure aimed at saving £5m a year.

It said the "transformative programme" would involve savings and efficiencies in the business and would allow the governing body to operate" in a manner befitting of a £100m-a-year business".

The organisation which employs 344 people added it has entered a formal consultation period with staff.

It comes after the WRU announced on Wednesday it had agreed to buy Cardiff Rugby, one of the four regional Welsh sides, after it collapsed into administration earlier this week.

April 1, 2025 0 comments
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Business

'Brilliant' youth worker sets up own club at 17

by Abigail March 26, 2025
written by Abigail

A woman who set up her own youth club aged 17 has said she was inspired by her own youth workers.

Yasmin Betteridge leads Wallingford TRAIN in Oxfordshire, an offshoot of Didcot charity TRAIN Youth which she attended as a teenager last year.

She said her youth workers were some of her "biggest role models" and helped her "build up a lot of confidence".

Yasmin won a "highly commended" title at the Oxfordshire Apprentice Awards last month.

Volunteer Michelle (left) said the young people were "always keen to speak" to Yasmin

Yasmin grew up in Didcot and started going to TRAIN Youth aged 11, but said she later found herself drawn into trouble in the town as a teenager.

"In secondary school I got into a different friendship group, and would say I was involved in anti-social behaviour," she said.

"In towns like Didcot and Wallingford there isn't really much to do or anywhere to go.

"We played to stereotypes of what [adults] and pretty much anybody thought of us."

Yasmin said she wanted Wallingford TRAIN to be a "safe, inclusive space"

Aged 15, Yasmin was asked by TRAIN Youth to help with interviews for a new staff member.

She said: "I turned around to one of our trustees and said 'that'll be me you're interviewing one day'."

After doing her work experience with the charity she said she "begged" her manager to set up an apprenticeship, which she then successfully applied for.

She then worked for the charity while studying for a youth work diploma and is now a youth worker alongside her university studies. .

'She calms me down'

Michelle, a volunteer with the Wallingford group, said Yasmin was an "amazing" youth worker who the young people at the club identified with.

"I've known Yasmin for a long, long time. She's got a super relationship with all the young people that come through. She's a brilliant individual," she said.

Dorian, who attends the group, said Yasmin was a particularly good listener.

"When I'm angry I talk to her and she just calms me down. I have a feeling she's gone through the same thing."

Charlotte, who travels to the group from her home in Benson, agreed: "She's a very easy person to chat to and she's… very understanding."

Yasmin said she wanted Train Youth in Wallingford to be somewhere that was both inclusive and safe.

"I think the young people of Wallingford know if they need something that they can call my work phone [or] come to us if they need anything.

"That's pretty much what my idea has been," she added.

X

March 26, 2025 0 comments
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Business

Teenage boy badly hurt in e-scooter attack

by Wyatt March 25, 2025
written by Wyatt

A teenage boy has been badly hurt in an attack by a group of men while he was riding an e-scooter, police said.

Officers said the 17-year-old was assaulted on Dilmore Lane, Fernhill Heath, Worcestershire, on Saturday and fell off, suffering serious injuries to his abdomen.

He was taken to hospital but has since been discharged.

Det Insp Natalie Arrowsmith, from West Mercia Police, said officers were following several lines of enquiry to identify the men.

She added that they were keen to hear from anyone who was in the Dilmore Lane area at about 21:00 BST on Saturday or who might have dashcam footage of the incident.

March 25, 2025 0 comments
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Business

Health 'angels' to continue for another year

by Harper March 21, 2025
written by Harper

A team of nurses who helped nearly 200 people in North Lincolnshire access health services has secured funding to keep going for another 12 months.

The community inclusion team at NHS Humber Health Partnership was set up in 2023 to help those who do not have regular access to services due to their personal circumstances, such as vulnerable people and members of the travelling community, according to bosses.

Their role includes hosting community drop-in sessions and visiting people living on the streets or in temporary accommodation.

To date, the team – dubbed "the angels" – has seen 196 patients, who were previously not engaging with health services, the organisation has said.

'Rewarding job'

Matron Laura Inglis said: "Sometimes it can take weeks or months before people will approach us, but we now have regular patients we see and have developed strong relationships with.

"It's a rewarding job, getting people the help they desperately need," she said.

NHS Humber Health Partnership said feedback from those using the service had been very positive.

The team is hoping to carry out more outreach work with rough sleepers over the next 12 months, the organisation added.

Lincolnshire on BBC Sounds latest episode of Look North here.

March 21, 2025 0 comments
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Business

Spanish PM calls for Israel ban at Eurovision

by Roman March 7, 2025
written by Roman

He also expressed solidarity with "the people of Palestine who are experiencing the injustice of war and bombardment".

"Spain's commitment to international law and human rights must be constant and must be coherent," he said. "Europe's should be too."

Sánchez and his government, which officially acknowledged a Palestinian state last year, have been harsh critics of Israel, and last week in Congress the prime minister referred to the country as "a genocidal state".

Israel has strenuously denied accusations of genocide, and its foreign ministry summoned the Spanish ambassador for a formal reprimand over Sánchez's "serious remarks".

At Eurovision, Spain's televote saw the country award Israel maximum points for its song New Day Will Rise by Yuval Raphael. Spain's broadcast network RTVE has since requested an audit of the votes.

Ahead of the Eurovision final on Saturday, RTVE aired a message in support of Palestinians – despite being warned to avoid references to Gaza by the EBU.

Spain's entry, Esa Diva by Melody, finished in 24th place on Saturday night in Basel.

March 7, 2025 0 comments
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Business

Fire starts in parked car and spreads to campervan

by Kayla March 6, 2025
written by Kayla

A blaze ignited in a parked car before spreading to a campervan next to it on a residential street.

Cornwall Fire Service said it received calls at about 15:40 BST on Sunday to reports of a fire in Porthleven.

Photos shared on social media showed a plume of black smoke rising as the flames spread from the car to the small campervan.

A fire service spokesperson said crews from Helston and Penzance used two hose reels to extinguish the blaze.

March 6, 2025 0 comments
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Business

Toddler seriously injured in car crash dies

by Faith March 1, 2025
written by Faith

A one-year-old toddler who was seriously injured in a crash has died.

Four people – including two boys aged five and one – were injured after their grey Skoda Karoq collided with a white Peugeot 208 on the eastbound A303 in Amesbury on 28 March.

The family of the toddler has now confirmed that he died in hospital from his injuries.

The Peugeot was being driven by a woman in her 20s who suffered serious but not life-threatening injuries, as did the five-year-old boy.

After colliding with the Skoda, the Peugeot then spun onto the westbound carriageway and crashed head-on with a silver Volvo V70 near the Bulford junction.

The driver of the Volvo, a man in his 70s, suffered minor injuries.

Wiltshire Police has asked anybody with relevant information about the crash, which happened at about 17:30 GMT, to get in touch.

March 1, 2025 0 comments
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