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Brits urged to check their change for rare Queen Elizabeth coin

Brits urged to check their change for rare Queen Elizabeth coin

Independent9 hours ago
The Royal Mint has announced the release of the final batch of Queen Elizabeth II £1 coins into circulation across the UK.
Over 23 million coins bearing the late Queen are being introduced alongside 7.5 million new £1 coins featuring King Charles III.
These 2022-dated Elizabeth II coins are set to become the rarest £1 denomination in active circulation.
This dual release, totalling almost 31 million coins, marks a historic transition for UK coinage, symbolising the shift from Britain's longest-reigning monarch to her successor.
All UK coins bearing Queen Elizabeth II's portrait will remain legal tender, and the public is encouraged to check their change for these new coins.
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Mourners line streets for funeral of world's longest KFC worker as hearse makes final visit to restaurant where she fried chicken for 47 years
Mourners line streets for funeral of world's longest KFC worker as hearse makes final visit to restaurant where she fried chicken for 47 years

Daily Mail​

time10 minutes ago

  • Daily Mail​

Mourners line streets for funeral of world's longest KFC worker as hearse makes final visit to restaurant where she fried chicken for 47 years

Mourners have been lining the streets for the funeral of the world's longest KFC worker who worked at the same fast food joint for 47 years. Pauline Richards, known as Miss KFC, died last month aged 74 and worked almost every role at the branch in Taunton, Somerset - from cleaner to cashier to team leader. On Wednesday her hearse, flanked by crowds of friends, family and former customers, made its final visit to the restaurant where she fried chicken for almost five decades. Ms Richards, who had been battling cancer, is believed to have served more than five million drumsticks during a glittering career at the popular chicken store. She has been the company's longest-serving worker for two years after surpassing American employee Lorena Neely, who worked for the chain between 1976 and 2023. A horse-drawn procession provided a fitting tribute to the long-time employee, leaving her home at 12.45pm before making the half-hour commute to her KFC. It then continued its journey through the town centre to bid an emotional farewell to her community. Members of the public also had the chance to leave notes in condolence books at the fast food restaurant. On Wednesday her hearse, flanked by crowds of friends, family and former customers, made its final visit to the restaurant where she fried chicken for almost five decades The pensioner became a cult hero in the town thanks to her 'banter' with customers and the habit of always having a smile on her face. Local children called her 'Mum' and 'Nan' - while adults have fondly said she watched them grow up, seeing them through many a night out safely. She was even honoured with a Civic Award by the town's Mayor Councillor Vanessa Garside earlier this year for her 'outstanding long service' at the restaurant. Ms Richards's children, Wayne and Tracey Sutton, led the tributes who said working at KFC for so many years was 'more than just a job to her'. They said: 'Mum was a truly special person. She was kind, caring, generous and adored by her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. 'Mum made people feel seen and valued, whether it was family and friends, or the customers and colleagues she met at KFC. 'KFC was more than just a job to her. 'She loved talking to customers and always remembered their stories, and she built friendships that lasted for many years. Mum always taught us to give people your care and time, and we know that's something she'll be remembered for. 'Being part of the Taunton community was really important to Mum. Reading all the tributes and knowing so many people are thinking of her, both in Taunton and beyond, has been a huge comfort to us. 'Thank you everyone for your kind words and support. It would have meant the world to mum.' Ms Richards previously told of her love of the job and how children used to call her Miss KFC. She said: 'When I go out for a break, children would shout over to me 'Hello Miss KFC' and call me 'Mum' and 'Nan'. 'Even on a Friday and Saturday night here, you get customers and some young boys start singing my name out and they are pleased to see me. 'When I'm not in, they (the customers) are asking where I am. If I've been out, I get people asking why I'm not working tonight.' Ms Richards began working for KFC in the 1970s to support her friend at the former branch on East Reach, Taunton. During her time at the company, she worked her way up to becoming a manager for two-and-half years. She added: 'I love my job. Customers I have always spoken to and I have been friendly with and I have always tried to help as best I can and this job has always suited my life.' Ms Richards remained a hit among customers whatever her job title, with many taking to social media to pay tribute to the KFC employee. One wrote on Facebook: 'She was an absolute legend, simple as. A beautiful soul and will be sadly missed.' Another added: 'Very sad to hear the news of Pauline's passing, what a lovely lady, I feel I've know all my life, you fed me many a night on the town, during my teens, 20s, 30s 40s and 50s. 'A lovely hard working lady, who will be sadly missed by many I'm sure, thank you Pauline, till we meet in the KFC in the sky.' Other residents have suggested putting up a bench or plaque in a 'sunny spot' in the town, in memory of 'a true star of Taunton Town' and a 'local legend'. They said it would be a fitting tribute to the woman who 'brought a ray of sunshine' to everyone she met and 'made us all smile with her customer service banter'. A KFC spokesperson said: 'We're deeply saddened by the passing of our dear friend and colleague, Pauline Richards. We are supporting Pauline's family, who have asked for their privacy to be respected during this difficult time.' A spokesperson for Taunton Town Council said: 'All of us at Taunton Town Council are saddened to learn of the passing of one of Taunton's most loved residents, Pauline Richards, aka Miss KFC, the world's longest serving member of KFC staff and a friendly, well known face in our town. 'She was an excited and incredibly deserving recipient of one of our Civic Awards back in March this year.

Share your experience of getting your dream job and it not working out
Share your experience of getting your dream job and it not working out

The Guardian

timean hour ago

  • The Guardian

Share your experience of getting your dream job and it not working out

You've done it. After years of study, sacrifice or pure graft, you finally secured your dream job. But what happens when it doesn't work out? If your dream job turned sour, we would like to hear from you. Tell us your journey to your dream job. What went wrong? If it wasn't what you expected, did you leave? What did you do instead and how did your friends and family react? You can tell us how your dream job didn't work out by filling in the form below. Please include as much detail as possible. Please note, the maximum file size is 5.7 MB. Your contact details are helpful so we can contact you for more information. They will only be seen by the Guardian. Your contact details are helpful so we can contact you for more information. They will only be seen by the Guardian. If you include other people's names please ask them first. If you're having trouble using the form click here. Read terms of service here and privacy policy here.

Schools accused of allowing pupils to take up GCSEs in their native languages, such as Chinese and Russian, to boost grades
Schools accused of allowing pupils to take up GCSEs in their native languages, such as Chinese and Russian, to boost grades

Daily Mail​

timean hour ago

  • Daily Mail​

Schools accused of allowing pupils to take up GCSEs in their native languages, such as Chinese and Russian, to boost grades

More pupils are taking GCSEs in unusual languages such as Chinese and Russian amid claims native speakers are using them to boost their grades. Government data for this year shows 42,945 pupils took GCSEs in niche languages – up 70 per cent from 25,225 just four years ago. This is roughly 10,000 more than those that take German, and it is a third of the number who take French. Experts said it was likely pupils from migrant backgrounds were taking qualifications in their mother tongue to get an 'easy' GCSE under their belt. Farcically, these GCSEs also count towards the Government's Ebacc, a performance measure aimed at getting pupils to do rigorous subjects. And there have also been concerns the trend could put off non-native speakers, who are learning the language from scratch. The entry data for 'other modern languages' covers any language aside from the mainstream subjects of French, German and Spanish. Included are Arabic, Italian, Japanese, modern Hebrew, modern Greek, Bengali, Polish, Turkish, Urdu and Panjabi. Iain Mansfield, head of education at the Policy Exchange think tank, said: 'Encouraging native speakers to take these foreign language GCSEs en masse has long been used by some schools to artificially boost their rankings. 'While there is nothing wrong with an individual pupil choosing to take a GCSE in their heritage language, the soaring numbers show it's time for Government to clamp down on this loophole – and ensure schools can't claim credit for entering pupils into language GCSEs at which they are already proficient.' Alan Smithers, professor of education at the University of Buckingham, said: 'Many of these GCSEs are mainly taken by native speakers because they can do extremely well and meet the obligations on schools to promote language learning. 'The problem is that there are important foreign languages which other pupils could very usefully learn like Chinese and Russian, but they are nowhere near as good as native speakers, and most I'm afraid tend to get put off.' The number taking 'other foreign languages' has increased every year since 2021, with a 1 per cent increase since 2024. Almost a quarter – 24 per cent – of those taking these languages do so a year early, suggesting they may already know all the course content. Last year, 72 per cent of entries to this category got at least a grade 7 – equivalent to the old A – compared to 22 per cent across all GCSE subjects, making it the highest-scoring. One school, Leeds City Academy, actively encourages pupils to take GCSEs in what it calls 'heritage languages' – defined as 'the first language spoken by the student or a language in which they are proficient'. It offers tuition of just two hours a week after school to help them pass the qualifications, which are run by EdExcel. The school's website says: 'As heritage language students already have a sound knowledge of the language, you will be expected to sit the higher tier exams.' The trend is a concern for native English speakers who take GCSEs in these languages learning from scratch. Some private schools now offer languages such as Chinese, with a view that it could be a useful language to have in the future global job market. Previous research from Ofqual on native speakers taking A-level languages found they perform on average better than non-native speakers. A Department for Education spokesman said: 'Learning a language empowers young people to engage with the world, think critically and understand new perspectives, and we want all children to have this opportunity regardless of their background or postcode. 'High and rising standards are at the heart of the government's mission to break down barriers to opportunity which is why we are committed to increasing the number of pupils studying languages at GCSE, including languages that are commonly spoken in modern day Britain. 'Decisions about which languages to offer at GCSE are taken by exam boards and are partly decided on by the level of demand from schools, and people speaking the language in the UK. Many post-16 and adult learners will take language GCSEs, particularly in lesser taught languages.'

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