Blind steward encourages others to volunteer at Glastonbury Festival
A man has said that being blind has not held him back from volunteering at Glastonbury Festival. Jacob Hare, 21, from Nottingham, is an Oxfam steward and encourages other people with disabilities and impairments to "definitely give it a go". He said that while festivals can be "pretty tricky" at times, due to the different terrains and festival obstacles, he feels incredibly supported by his "Oxfamily".Mr Hare, who attends the festival alongside his mum, Louise Potter, said he also could not do it without her and describes her as being his "second pair of eyes".
He told BBC Radio Somerset that he tries to be as "capable as possible" when he is stewarding but said that there are some things that he "just can't do".Mr Hare has less than 10% of his vision remaining and compares anything that he is still able to see as "blotchy" and as though he is "looking through a colander".The 21-year-old student added: "My vision reduces a lot when it's dark and so getting around is made even harder, but Oxfam has been really good and has made any adjustments that I need."Mr Hare and his mum said that they enjoy going to Glastonbury Festival together and hope that more people with disabilities and impairments will give stewarding a go.
Mr Hare also describes Oxfam as "such a lovely community" and said that there are "always familiar faces around to ask for a hand".He added: "If you can do it and want to do it, then definitely give it a go."
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The Sun
14 minutes ago
- The Sun
The unease I've felt all these years is now at peace… I'm going to kick butt, says John Fogerty ahead of Glastonbury
WHEN John Fogerty walks out on to Glastonbury's Pyramid Stage tomorrow, he will be taking care of unfinished business – in more ways than one. After a struggle dating back more than 50 years, he finally owns the publishing rights to the much-loved songs he wrote as Creedence Clearwater Revival's chief creative force. 5 5 'For most of my life, I've been angry, hurt and frustrated,' Fogerty tells me. 'Not owning the songs meant that I didn't control their destiny. I didn't get to say what movie they'd be in or whether they could be used in a commercial. 'But the unease I've felt all these years is now at peace.' It means he can belt out Proud Mary, Born On The Bayou, Bad Moon Rising and Up Around The Bend with unbridled joy rather than lingering bitterness. Should the heavens open on Worthy Farm, he will have the perfect response with Who'll Stop The Rain. If it stays dry, as is forecast, he can unleash Have You Ever Seen The Rain? Isn't that great for an artist who couldn't bear to sing Creedence songs for the first 25 years of his fight to reclaim his legacy? As he heads to the Somerset countryside, another motivating factor for Fogerty is that his last visit to Glastonbury, 18 years ago, was less than satisfactory. Now he says: 'I want to go there and kick butt!' A month's worth of rain fell during festival weekend in 2007, making it the wettest Glastonbury on record and reducing the huge site to a quagmire. 'It rained like a son of a gun,' reports the rock legend who turned 80 in May. 'It was so muddy, and somewhat chaotic, with all these people wearing rubber boots.' Fogerty recalls playing 'very, very well' despite challenging conditions. 'But we were almost fighting for survival just to stay above water and put on a good show.' He continues: 'We went on way after our start time and, near the end of our set, a big commotion was going on. 'People were shouting, 'You have to come off!' Proud Mary was meant to be our last song but they pulled the power. That didn't leave a good taste!' He compares his experience to the festival which took place in August, 1969 — the daddy of them all, Woodstock. Creedence were one of the headline acts for '3 Days Of Peace & Music' on Max Yasgur's dairy farm in upstate New York, attended by half a million people. The band were at the peak of their powers, selling more records that year than any other act in the world, INCLUDING The Beatles. 'The rain and mud very much figured into everything at Woodstock,' he says. When Creedence finally appeared in the early hours of Sunday morning, at least the deluge had subsided. But Fogerty adds: 'My frustration with Woodstock was that we went on very late. 'The Grateful Dead had been on for well over an hour, a lot of that time with no music coming from the stage. Half the audience was asleep!' Fifty-six years later, I'm speaking to Fogerty as he puts past disappointments aside to ensure that his appearance at Sir Michael Eavis's dairy farm is a rock 'n' rolling success. 'I want to be great and I'm looking forward to it,' he says, 'especially as I'm playing with my sons [Shane and Tyler].' I'm meeting Fogerty in the dimly lit basement bar of a hotel in the heart of London's Soho. The trademark checked flannel shirt is present and correct. He still sports a full head of hair, though perhaps not as impressive as the fulsome mop seen during his early years in the limelight. Unafraid to be outspoken — just what you'd expect of a rock elder statesman — he soon lights up the room. 5 5 Fogerty is marking the end of his fight to get his songs back with an album called Legacy: The Creedence Clearwater Revival Years. As with his live shows, it was made in the company of his sons and it summons all the old fire and brimstone. He says: 'It was absolutely wonderful to be making this record with Shane and Tyler — in keeping with the tradition of a father passing on his work to his sons.' Each track comes with the words John's Version in brackets after the title, echoing the Taylor's Version re-recordings by the world's biggest singing star. At a time when Bruce Springsteen, Bob Dylan, Neil Young and Sting have been selling off their back catalogues for vast sums, Fogerty and a certain Ms Swift have 'done the opposite'. 'I even lobbied to call mine Taylor's Version,' he laughs. 'That would have been good marketing.' On a more serious note, Fogerty says he understands why those other legends have sold their rights. 'Miraculously, they owned their stuff from a young age. They had better representation,' he says. 'A lifelong quest' 'But it's been a quest all my life to gain the ownership I never had.' It all came about because the head of his small record label Fantasy, the late Saul Zaentz, acquired the rights before Creedence Clearwater Revival hit the big time — and wouldn't let go. 'It was awful,' admits Fogerty. 'If it had been RCA or EMI, some huge conglomerate, and we were a little rock band, you might expect that sort of relationship. 'But this became very personal. I knew Saul Zaentz and he was a nothing, like I was a nothing before I started writing those songs. "A song like Run Through The Jungle hadn't even been written but it was already owned by Saul because of a piece of paper — the contract I signed. 'So, I had a lot of ill will towards him because he treated me so meanly. He was arrogant and dismissive.' After years of legal proceedings and despair, Fogerty credits a very special person in his life for helping to get his songs back. 'My dear wife Julie fought for this and made it happen,' he says. 'It has changed my life. It has changed everything.' Now it's time for a quick Creedence recap. The four members, Fogerty (lead vocals and guitar), his brother Tom (rhythm guitar), Stu Cook (bass) and Doug Clifford (drums) first got together in 1959. They met at high school in El Cerrito, a city in the San Francisco Bay Area of California. As The Blue Velvets, they enjoyed little success and had to endure their name being changed by a record company executive to The Golly***s, which they hated. Only when they became Creedence Clearwater Revival in January, 1968, did everything start falling into place — creatively if not contractually, that is. Their self-titled debut album featured their first hit, a cover of Dale Hawkins' Suzie Q, and Fogerty's most significant early composition, Porterville. He says: 'I wrote Porterville while on active duty in the military, marching around in unbearable heat and going into a hallucinating mental state. 'Everything was coming to life in my mind and that was pretty new for me. The song is a bit autobiographical, especially about my father/son situation. It captured my feelings in those times.' Porterville is the oldest Fogerty song to get a stirring 2025 reboot on his new album. Many of the other songs first appeared during his golden year of 1969 when inspiration came thick and fast — and THREE top ten albums were released. He says: 'The wonderful thing was that it was all organic and created by the band — not some publicity machine or a record label. 'We didn't have a manager, we didn't have a publisher, we weren't on a big label, so I thought I'd just have to do it with music. 'My bandmates became resistant to all this work but I was the one staying up every night, usually until 4am, writing songs. 'I took it on because, in my mind, I was really the only one of us who could do it. 'I kept kicking myself in the butt instead of going on a vacation or acquiring a bunch of material things. It felt like a matter of life and death.' The first of the three albums, Bayou Country, served notice of Californian Fogerty's infatuation with America's Deep South. I ask him why he relocated, in his mind at least, to the Mississippi Delta and wrote such songs as Proud Mary and Born On The Bayou. Fogerty says: 'I was doing that intuitively. Starting with Susie Q, the way I played the guitar seemed to have a Southern feel. 'As for the musical stars I loved, the spookier the better. People like Bo Diddley, Howlin' Wolf and Slim Harpo. 'Spookier the better' 'There was something so mysterious about what they were doing, almost untouchable, but I wanted to go in there and let it resonate.' He adds with a wry smile: 'I realise this sounds a little strange for a white, middle- class boy but my writing comes from deep inside.' Fogerty recalls movies set in the South having a big impact — Swamp Water with Dana Andrews and Walter Brennan, The Defiant Ones with Sidney Poitier and Tony Curtis. He affirms: 'At later times in my life, after the band broke up and through all kinds of trends, I've always thought that bluesy, supernatural place is where I'm at my best.' I invite Fogerty to explain how his most famous song, Proud Mary, came into being. He describes the 'happy confluence' of things going on in his life that 'miraculously came out in that song'. 'I'd just got my honourable discharge from the army. I was very happy about it,' he says. 'Most of us didn't want to go into the jungle [in Vietnam] without knowing why and have to fight an unseen person, perhaps die doing it.' Fogerty remembers the euphoric moment he arrived home: 'I immediately went into the house and started playing chords on my little guitar that were slightly reminiscent of Beethoven's 5th. 'With that happy feeling, I got to a place where I was 'rollin', rollin', rollin' on the river'. I thought, 'Oh, I like that but what am I writing about?'' He dived into the songbook he'd been keeping and saw the words 'Proud Mary' at the top of the first page. At the bottom of the page, which yielded Bad Moon Rising and Sinister Purpose as well, was the word 'riverboat'. Cue a lightbulb moment for Fogerty. 'I thought, 'Proud Mary, oh, that's the name of a boat!' 'There is so much Americana in that idea. Hopes and dreams connected to this boat, which is connected to the Mississippi, which is connected to hundreds of years of folklore. 'I didn't try to make it happen but it converged right there in the perfect way.' I was a team player but the idea of relinquishing and letting the others write the songs seemed like career suicide. John Fogerty Did Fogerty like the Ike & Tina Turner version of Proud Mary which hit No4 in the US singles chart in 1971? 'I loved it,' he replies. 'The first time I heard it, I was in the car. It was dark, somewhere around seven o'clock, so it must have been winter, and it came on the radio. 'I'd been a Tina fan for years. In fact, since hearing It's Gonna Work Out Fine at a club [in 1961], I was always pulling for her.' Proud Mary took pride of place on Bayou Country and the hits kept on rolling through the next four Creedence LPs — Green River (1969), Willy And The Poor Boys (1969), Cosmo's Factory (1970) and Pendulum (1970). One of Fogerty's best songs was searing Fortunate Son which took aim at rich families paying for their children to avoid the draft while poor kids went off to fight. By way of explanation, he says: 'I grew up in a lower- middle-class situation — not at poverty level but many times it felt like it. My parents divorced and my mom had five boys to raise. There was certainly an element of us being behind the eight ball. 'We had a basement that flooded every time it rained. It felt like a semi-prison at times. 'The funny thing is, I've earned millions of dollars in my life, right? But I still feel like that kid in that room.' By the time of 1972's disastrous Mardi Gras album, which shared songwriting duties rather than rely solely on Fogerty, irreparable cracks appeared — and Creedence split in circumstances that he likens to a bitter divorce. 'I was pretty sure that none of the other fellas could come up with anything like I was doing,' he says. 'Before a rehearsal, I'd say, 'Does anybody have anything?' They would look at their toes, so I just kept going. 'I was a team player but the idea of relinquishing and letting the others write the songs seemed like career suicide.' Things came to a head at a band meeting in late 1970 when Fogerty's brother Tom said he wouldn't be in the band 'if it stays the way it is'. 'I had to relent because I realised there would be no band otherwise. So, I gave everybody what they wanted, then it fell apart anyway.' Tom Fogerty was first to leave and sadly died aged just 48, never reconciling with his younger brother. John says: 'When Tom left, it broke my heart. 'He was clearly disliking me and even said publicly that Saul Zaentz was his best friend. That hurt me and drove my anger. 'When Tom passed away, we had not come to grips with the situation but, years later, I made a point in my heart and my mind to forgive him. 'I realise we both messed up but I expect to meet Tom in the afterlife, and that everything will be joyful.' Speaking of joyful, it's the perfect word to describe John Fogerty's return to Glastonbury. Festival-goers will be surprised at how many of his songs they can sing along to. Big wheel keep on turnin' Proud Mary keep on burnin' JOHN FOGERTY ★★★★☆ 5
Telegraph
30 minutes ago
- Telegraph
Kate Winslet becomes King's Foundation ambassador
Kate Winslet has joined The King's Foundation after telling the monarch she has 'got his back'. The Academy Award-winning actress, 49, is joining the charity as an ambassador, following in the footsteps of Sir David Beckham, Sienna Miller and Sir Rod Stewart. It comes after she joined the King, 76, at the foundation's awards ceremony in St James's Palace a fortnight ago, where she told him: 'Don't worry, I'll be all in – I've got your back.' The Titanic star said she was thrilled following the announcement of her new ambassadorial role and noted her and Charles's shared passion for protecting the environment. Winslet said: 'One of my passions is exploring ways that we can protect and promote the natural world – something I have in common with His Majesty.' In a video marking the news, the British actress added that the foundation's work protecting the planet and encouraging young people to learn about the 'beautiful' countryside was 'deeply important' to her. She said she was looking forward to collaborating with the other ambassadors on ways to make a difference through the charity's work. 'I am so thrilled to become an ambassador for The King's Foundation, particularly as the charity celebrates its 35th anniversary this year,' Winslet said. She added: 'The King's Foundation does such fantastic work to prioritise and protect nature and our wonderful planet, in particular championing field to fork farming, as well as getting young people outdoors and learning about our beautiful countryside and how we can all play a part in protecting its future, all things that are deeply important to me and to so many of us. 'And it's been fascinating learning about what the foundation does over these past few months, and I am really looking forward to collaborating with the other ambassadors so we can discuss ways in which we can collectively make a positive difference.' She joins fellow ambassadors Alan Titchmarsh, presenter Jay Blades, TV property expert Sarah Beeny and rugby player Maro Itoje, among others. The ambassadors are expected to use their expertise and reach to support the King's charity's mission in its vision and strategy. The King's Foundation works to support people and the planet through a sustainable and holistic approach, including education courses in preserving endangered traditional skills – such as millinery, embroidery and woodworking – and helping to revitalise communities through urban regeneration and planning. Kristina Murrin, the charity's chief executive, said: 'It has been fantastic to get to know Kate and we are thrilled she was able to spend time with our students, alumni and Royal Founding President at The King's Foundation Awards earlier this month. 'We look forward to working with Kate to promote our work over many years to come.' The charity, previously known as The Prince's Foundation, was founded by Charles in 1990 and aims to 'advocate for the change His Majesty wants to see in the world'.
Daily Mail
39 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Helen Flanagan rants about loss of her driving license after being banned for speeding before revealing she and ex Scott Sinclair are back 'co-parenting in the same house' despite bitter split
ranted about the loss of her driving license and numerous parenting woes in a chaotic social media post on Thursday, five months after she was banned for speeding. The ex Corrie actress, 34, who in January t old the court ex-footballer boyfriend Robbie Talbot was driving her £66,000 Audi Q7 when it was caught speeding twice, complained what a 'pain in the a***' it had been without a car and had been unable to run errands or go shopping for essentials due to living so remotely. Helen was banned from the road for six months, despite claiming she was struggling financially and would not be able to afford taxis to get her children to school. Taking to her Instagram Stories she explained her ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) had caused her to mix up paperwork to reapply for her licence, meaning the process would now be delayed further. 'I literally can't tell you what a pain in the a*** not having [my driving licence] because I live in the middle of nowhere, and of course I have't been driving'. 'It's just been so b****y annoying, for example we are out of loo roll now and I can't pop out to the shops to get loo roll so my friend has to bring me loo roll'. She also revealed that she an ex Scott Sinclair, with whom she shares, Matlida, nine, Delilah, six, and Charlie three, were back 'co-parenting in the same house' despite their bitter split. Helen, who has been forced to put their former £1.5M family home on the market, split from the footballer, 36, in 2022 after 13 years and earlier this month took a vicious swipe at him ahead of Father's Day. Explaining the situation she said: 'So it's Matilda's birthday and Delilah's birthday, they had the same due date, and there is seven days between their birthdays and that's like hectic. 'So Scott is off at football but we are back co-parenting in the same house, which we don't usually do,'. Taking a deep breath she continued: 'But it actually went OK, so obviously we have to do that because it's the kids birthdays'. In court Helen said her isolated moorland home meant it was a 10-minute drive even to go to the shops to buy bread and milk, and that she would 'really struggle without a car' in the remote location. The actress, who lives near Bolton, Greater Manchester, said she earned £70,000 last year – but said her income varies and that she could not afford a £10 taxi to take her son to nursery. Prosecutor Stephen Kirk told how Helen, who already had six penalty points for speeding, failed to declare who had been driving the car when it was caught speeding at locations on Merseyside in June last year, doing 42mph in a 30mph limit and 51mph in a 40mph limit. Earlier this month the stunner set pulses racing in sexy black lingerie before taking a swipe at Scott. Helen's eye popping lace outfit boasted a bra that barely contained her surgically enhanced assets, with matching knickers, stockings and suspenders. Taking to her Instagram Stories Helen shared a meme which read: 'What are you getting your baby daddy for Father's day' alongside a clip of Whitney Houston dramatically singing 'nothing' in a scene 1992 film The Bodyguard. On her failed romance with ex Scott, Helen revealed she was the one to call time on their relationship. She said they 'were always quietly breaking up and then getting back together' until one day she called it quits for good. Helen told The Sun: 'In the end, it was me who decided [to break up]. I'll always be sad it didn't work out, and we still have love for each other, but we're happier apart.' Speaking to Charlotte Dawson on her Naughty Corner podcast, Helen said: 'I still love him very much, I care about him deeply, but we don't like each other. 'We don't like each other at all, we don't get on. I do know that Scott - he'd never admit it - cares about me too and he does love me. Taking to her Instagram Stories Helen shared a meme which read: 'What are you getting your baby daddy for Father's day' alongside a clip of Whitney Houston dramatically singing 'nothing 'But I'm so done, I could never have another relationship again where we would always be bickering. I haven't got another argument in me. As women we try and do anything we can to make it work with the father of your children and I did. But I think for me if I was in a relationship with someone else it would have to be easy because I haven't got the energy in me again, I've done all that with the father of my kids.' Helen went onto say co-parenting is 'hilarious' as she revealed the pair try and avoid each other so they don't 'argue' in front of their kids. She continued: 'I've been a single mum for two years now. Co-parenting is hilarious, we were together for 13 years. 'The last time I saw him, I thought it was quite funny, I was taking the p*** out of him because he had a bucket hat on. I think he was trying not to laugh. 'He lives in Bath and I live in North Manchester so its about five hours and we meet in Birmingham to exchange things and the kids. 'He's throwing things in my boot and I just started taking the mickey out of his bucket hat to lighten the mood. 'We just try and not be in the same house together because the children are the priority and I want a good environment for them and I don't want them to see us arguing.'
