Disabled flier's salute to Spitfire crash pilot Mark Long
Mr Morris has completed a three-week course at Sherburn Aero Club, near Leeds, and described the experience as "an honour"."Mark was a talented pilot, everybody respected him," he said. "Everyone I know who knew him has said he was an exceptional, brilliant man."Learning to fly had been "really challenging and daunting", but became "more fun" as the weeks went on, he added.
Mrs Long spent a "really lovely" day with Mr Morris at the airfield. She said it was exciting to hear him over the radio while flying the plane and to "see his big smile" after getting out of the cockpit.Mr Morris's scholarship was paid for through donations and fundraising organised by the Long family. Next year's scholarship is already fully funded and is intended to form part of a wider Mark Long Trust, Mrs Long said.It is hoped that the trust will run several scholarships each year, invest in modifying aircraft and promote aviation for all.The family are working alongside Flying Scholarships for Disabled People (FSDP), which has helped more than 400 people.
Sqn Ldr Mark Sugden, the commanding officer of the BBMF and chairman of the trust, said he thought Sqn Ldr Long would be "bowled over" by the success of the scholarship."I think he'd be so proud of us – and seeing what an impact it's had to someone like Mark [Morris]."Mrs Long said the past year had "been a blur"."It's been emotional – it's been quite tough," she added. "But we have come out with this really positive legacy of the Mark Long Trust, that we know is going to change people's lives for many years to come."
Listen to highlights from Lincolnshire on BBC Sounds, watch the latest episode of Look North or tell us about a story you think we should be covering here.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Sun
5 minutes ago
- The Sun
Selfish sex and constant criticism drove partner into arms of another man – how do I win her back?
DEAR DEIDRE: YEARS of me behaving badly towards my partner finally drove her into the arms of another man. Now she's left me, taking our wonderful children, and I don't know how I'll ever get over her. She was the best thing that ever happened to me. The worst thing is that I know it's all my fault because I was an absolute idiot. We are in our early forties. We were together for 15 years and have three kids. When we met, I knew she was too good for me in every way. Instead of appreciating her for all her amazing qualities, I put her down at every opportunity to make myself feel better. I criticised her cooking, never complimented her, commented negatively when she put on a few pounds, and picked stupid fights. I was also selfish in bed, prioritising my pleasure over hers. I felt bad when she looked upset or rejected, but I never did anything to change. A couple of years ago, she started to pull away from me. I was too stupid to notice. Last year I discovered messages on her phone from another guy — someone she worked with. They had been talking for months and it was clear they'd met up. I imagined her in bed with him and saw red. I confronted her, calling her all kinds of horrible names. She denied anything physical had happened between them. But it was the beginning of the end. Understanding open relationships A few weeks ago, she told me she'd had enough and was taking the children to her mum's. I begged her to stay but she said never again. I'm in bits. How can I move on from this? DEIDRE SAYS: Insecurity and low self-esteem can make people behave cruelly. Because you felt you didn't deserve your partner, you pushed her away – a self-fulfilling prophecy. It's good that you've recognised your behaviour contributed to your break-up. Now in order to heal and move forward with your life, you need to work on yourself. Talking to a counsellor would help. See my support packs, How Counselling Can Help and Raising Self-Esteem, for more information. It's unlikely your ex will come back, but if she knows you're getting help and that you acknowledge your behaviour, in time you may be able to forge a friendship. That's important as you will need to learn how to co-parent apart. SHOULD I QUIT JOB TO AVOID THE SACK FOR DRINKING? DEAR DEIDRE: I STUPIDLY drank alcohol at work when I was going through a difficult time. Now I'm facing a disciplinary and am sure I'm going to be sacked. I feel so stressed and anxious that I'm wondering if I should hand in my notice instead. Would that stop the disciplinary going ahead so it isn't on my record? I'm a 34-year-old man and work for the council. I've had some problems – a break-up and money troubles. Drinking alcohol made me feel better. I'd drink a bottle of wine each night. When work got difficult too, I started taking a flask into the office – and secretly drinking it. But I got caught and was told it was a serious breach of company policy. I tried to explain but that was not seen as sufficiently remorseful. I know I have no future in the company, but I'd prefer to leave with dignity. DEIDRE SAYS: It sounds like your firm has dealt with this harshly, by ignoring your personal circumstances. Perhaps you work in an environment where drinking puts people at risk. But it may be worth appealing to HR. Don't do anything rash. You need to take professional advice first. Talk to (0300 123 1100) for free, independent and confidential help. My support pack, Drink Problem?, should help with your alcohol issues. If your workplace sees you're getting support to stop relying on alcohol, they may be more lenient. POP STAR DREAMS MAKE ME A BIT SAD DEAR DEIDRE: ALMOST every night I have sexy dreams about my favourite boyband singer. Sometimes, I even orgasm in my sleep. Should I be worried? I'm a 21-year-old single woman and haven't had a boyfriend in months. I don't think about sex that much during the day, but at night I have the most erotic dreams. It really feels like sex is happening. When I wake up, I feel good, and then a bit guilty, like I've done something bad. I also feel a bit sad that the dreams aren't real and we'll never be together. I also worry that maybe I've been moaning or touching myself in my sleep. Is this normal? DEIDRE SAYS: Don't worry. Having sexual dreams is absolutely normal, particularly when you're young and have high levels of sex hormones. You might have heard of 'wet dreams', when men (generally younger ones) ejaculate in their sleep. But even though people don't generally talk about women's sexy dreams, they're very common. Sex doesn't just happen in your body, it also happens in your brain. You clearly have a big crush on this singer, so your dreams are reflecting that desire. The fact you haven't had sex in a while is probably also a factor, as on an unconscious level you're craving a sexual experience. I'M GHOSTED BY WIDOWED LOVER DEAR DEIDRE: THE widower I've been dating went cold on me after we had sex. He claims it's nothing to do with me, but I feel so used and hurt. Since meeting online, we've been dating for several months and getting on really well – talking daily and meeting for meals and trips to the cinema and theatre. I'm 34 and he's 39. I knew from the start that he'd lost his wife to cancer, so I was happy to take things slowly. I also knew he had a young son who he wanted to protect – and understood that he wasn't yet ready to tell him about me. A few weeks ago we had a conversation where we agreed to come off dating apps and be exclusive. That weekend, his son went to stay with his gran, and we had sex for the first time. It was wonderful – so loving and intimate. I really thought things were becoming serious. But the next day, his messages were sporadic and brief. And he didn't call me that night. Since then, he hasn't arranged another date. He told me he has family issues to deal with and will be in touch. But almost two weeks later, he still hasn't contacted me. I messaged saying how I felt, and he read it but didn't reply. I'm trying to give him space but feel so rejected. Is he just a player? Should I give up on him? DEIDRE SAYS: While it's possible he used you for sex, it's also likely he's feeling guilty about his late wife or son. Perhaps he's realised he's not ready for a serious relationship, or feels he's betrayed her memory by having sex with you. Either way, you can't wait for him for ever. Set yourself a deadline – if he hasn't contacted you by a certain date, it's time to move on. My support pack, Mend Your Broken Heart, may help you recover if things don't work out.
Times
5 minutes ago
- Times
Train operator introduces onboard therapy dog for passengers
One of the country's least punctual train operators is using a therapy dog to cheer up passengers and staff. TransPennine Express (TPE) has become the first operator to take a designated animal on journeys to improve the wellbeing of its customers. Nya, a six-year-old German shepherd, is owned and trained by a member of staff, but has been certified as a therapy dog by the charity Pets as Therapy. The train operator, which has been owned by the government since 2023, was ranked the second-least punctual service at the start of this year. Only 47.5 per cent of its journeys came in on time. Nya completed training to become a therapy dog SWNS It also had the second-highest percentage of services cancelled over the same period, more than two fifths of which were attributed to faults by the operator. Stephen O'Callaghan, TPE's safeguarding and crime prevention lead and Nya's owner, said: 'I've had dogs most of my life and have always been a dog lover. I've always recognised the strong connection that dogs can have on improving people's wellbeing and the natural calming abilities that they bring to people as well as the social interaction that they provide.' The operator, which runs services in northern England and Scotland, said the dog offered a 'tail-wagging welcome' to passengers and provided a 'way for them to destress while travelling'. It added: 'She's also lending a paw to staff wellbeing, supporting mental health in the workplace.' Stephen O'Callaghan says dogs have 'natural calming abilities' SWNS O'Callaghan said: 'Nya is now officially qualified to perform visits and she has received such positive response, with dozens of travellers and colleagues stopping to say hello. 'I'm so proud that TPE is the first ever train operator to have its own therapy dog and I'd love to see this rolled out across the rest of the railway.' Nya 'spreads happiness on the rail network', he said. 'She really does put a smile on people's face'. O'Callaghan takes the dog on walks to meet staff and the public at stations around the network. 'We all know it can be stressful at times, so dogs on the rail network are only a good thing in my opinion', he said.
Wales Online
2 hours ago
- Wales Online
Live Lotto results for Wednesday, August 13: National Lottery winning numbers from tonight's draw
You'll find the winning numbers from tonight's £2m Lotto draw below. The jackpot for tonight's Thunderball draw was £500,000. The winning National Lottery Lotto numbers are drawn at 8pm while the National Lottery Thunderball numbers are drawn shortly after. We'll have those results live below. The biggest ever Lotto winner was created in April 2016 when an anonymous player banked £35m. In January 2016 two ticket-holders walked away with £33m each. Before that a main Lotto game jackpot of £42,008,610, was drawn in January 1996 and split between three anonymous winners with each being awarded £14,002,870. A single ticket won £26.4m on the New Year's Eve lotto in 2016. The UK National Lottery was first drawn on November 19, 1994. Half of all money spent by players goes to the prize fund with 28% to good causes, 12% to the Government as duty, 5% to retailers, and 5% which has operated the lottery throughout its history. The results:
