Latest news with #Arthur
Glasgow Times
an hour ago
- Health
- Glasgow Times
East Kilbride family to create change after horse's treatment bills
Joanna Cran bought Clydesdale beauty Arthur about five years ago for her daughter Kaitlin who suffers from anxiety and depression. (Image: Left to right: Riley Cran, Jack Cran, Louise McFarlane and Kaitlin Cran. Pictures by Gordon Terris) "Arthur has been a huge therapy for Caitlin," Joanna told the Glasgow Times. The 46-year-old added: "Caitlin has done so much work with him, especially in producing and showing him. "Arthur isn't just a horse, he's part of the family." Left to right: Riley, Jack, Louise and Nicole Cran pictured by Gordon TeeBut when Arthur became severely unwell, the family were left worrying about his welfare and the bills that came with it. It all started when Arthur had to get a few of his upper left teeth removed after some had cracked and went through to his root, causing a sinus infection. He had to have surgery on his sinuses to clear pus from the infected tooth. In order to carry out the surgery and drain his sinuses, the 'gentle giant' had to have a hole drilled through a bone in his forehead. A few days later, pus started to pour from the hole. Arthur was given antibiotics and a device was fitted which had to be flushed daily and was designed to drain the pus. But when the family flushed the mechanism, the pus was just coming out of his nose. From there, things began to get worse for Arthur. Joanna explained: "He became really sick and the bacteria in him was resistant to loads of antibiotics. "The vets put him on different medications but nothing worked and it was a struggle to get on top of the infection. "He had to go back into hospital for four weeks, where he then developed an oro-nasal fistulae and a fungal infection. "Some of Arthur's bone had become damaged and diseased, so the vets had to rebuild the bone with specific cement which is extremely expensive." (Image: Kaitlin Cran and Arthur, pictured by Gordon Terris, Newsquest) The family quickly set up a GoFundMe to desperately raise the money needed for essential medicines, scans and surgeries. Arthur's initial surgery and tooth extraction were over £2000 along with over another £1000 for veterinary aftercare. Meanwhile, the CT scan was around £1300 and the current bill for his ongoing treatment and inpatient care is around £2000 and climbing daily. Joanna added that insurance isn't an option, and even if it had been, the limit would already have been long surpassed by now. Over £3,000 has so far been donated via the crowdfunder. Speaking on the donations, an emotional Joanna said: "I can't believe how kind people have been. "There are strangers out there who do not know us but have been so unbelievably kind." (Image: Pictures taken by Gordon Terris, Newsquest) Due to how high the bills were, the family were asked if they wanted to consider putting Arthur down but the family knew he had more life in him and could not, in good conscience, euthanise him. However, this got the family thinking of how many horses could be put down due to people not having the money to treat their beloved animals. Off the back of this, the family plan to use any leftover money donated to set up a fund with the vets which someone in their position can use. They also plan to do some fundraising events to raise even more for the fund. Joanna said: "The thought of people putting their horses to sleep because they can't afford bills is heartbreaking. "Hopefully we have some money left and can raise some through events which can help whoever finds themselves in a similar position to us." (Image: Pictures taken by Gordon Terris, Newsquest) Arthur is now finally home. Joanna said: "He isn't in the clear yet, but hopefully this is a turning point." You can donate to the GoFundMe by visiting
The Star
5 hours ago
- Business
- The Star
Govt clearing path for more young farmers
Sowing seeds of progress: Saarani (centre) at a ceremony for Fama Fest 2025 @ Perak at the Gopeng Rural Transformation Centre, flanked by Arthur (left) and Fama chairman Aminuddin Zulkipli. — Bernama GOPENG: The Agriculture and Food Security Ministry is intensifying efforts to attract more youth into agriculture as the country grapples with an ageing farmer population, says Datuk Arthur Joseph Kurup. Acknowledging that many farmers were now in their 60s, the Deputy Minister said the issue was not unique to Malaysia but part of a global trend. The country is implementing targeted measures to address the issue, he added. 'We are taking proactive steps to attract more young people to take part in the agriculture sector,' he told reporters after joining Perak Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Saarani Mohamad to close the Fama Fest 2025 at the Gopeng Rural Transformation Centre, yesterday. Arthur was commenting on the preliminary findings from the 2024 Agriculture Census, which noted that Malaysians aged over 60 make up the largest segment of the country's farmers while around 90% of farmers had only completed their education up to the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia level. The census – the first in more than two decades – aims to provide a comprehensive picture of the country's agricultural and food production landscape. Arthur said among the key initiatives was organising programmes such as Fama Fest to create wider market access for young agropreneurs. He said these events not only helped promote and sell agricultural products but also highlighted the sector's potential for generating lucrative income. 'We want to show that the agriculture and agri-food industry is a viable and profitable career path. 'The ministry is also advocating for a shift away from conventional farming methods to modern, technology-driven agriculture,' said Arthur. 'This includes the use of innovation in every aspect of the industry, from production to operations, and creating a broader ecosystem of employment opportunities,' he added. Arthur said the ministry was also actively promoting agricultural Technical and Vocational Education and Training programmes. 'These courses, which cover areas such as livestock, fisheries and vegetable farming, are fully funded by the government, including accommodation and daily expenses, to make them more accessible to youth. 'There is also a need for cooperation from state governments. It is important that land and financing are made available to ensure young people have the resources to grow and expand their agricultural ventures.' Arthur said the ministry hoped that these combined efforts would revitalise the sector, ensuring food security and sustainability for the future.
The Irish Sun
14 hours ago
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
More loved than ever', gushes Virgin Media star Brian Dowling in heart-warming birthday tribute to Arthur Gourounlian
VIRGIN Media star Brian Dowling has shared a heart-warming tribute to his husband Arthur Gourounlian to mark his birthday The and his Six O'Clock Show host husband share two kids together, Blake, 2 and 11-month-old Blu. Advertisement 3 Arthur had his 45th birthday today Credit: Instagram 3 Arthur celebrated with Brian and their two kids Credit: Instagram 3 Brian gushed over his husband on social media Credit: Instagram The happy couple often share snippets of their day-to-day lives with their little ones on However, today the attention was turned to Arthur as he celebrated his 45th birthday surrounded by his loved ones. The family-of-four looked as happy as ever in their kitchen, which was decorated with birthday banners and balloons for Arthur's special day. Advertisement read more Arthur Gourounlian The pair embraced each other for a cute selfie in their kitchen where they donned cute birthday hats to mark the occasion. In another snap, Blake smiled from ear-to-ear as she held onto her dad's birthday balloon. Gushing over his husband, Brian wrote: " Happy Happy Birthday to my love @gourounlian . " You are another year older and more loved than ever. We see everything you do for us and there's not a day that goes by without us feeling blessed that you are with us. Advertisement Most read in News TV " Our babies Blake and Blu love their Papa so so much. Have the best day, Papa. We love you ." Friends and fans raced to the comment section to gush over the TV star as he marked his birthday. Arthur Gourounlian shares 'cutest' clip of daughter Blake after school Replying to his husband's post, Arthur wrote: "What a morning. Oh la la! Blu's first time celebrating Papa's birthday, and she is all confused. Blake keeps singing happy birthday. Je vous aime de tout mon cœur." Sinead commented: "Have a lovely birthday sending lots of love x." Advertisement Deirdre said: "Bon Anniversaire Arthur. What a fantastic way to start your day, surrounded by your loved ones who clearly adore you. Here's to you Papa Arthur, you enrich so many lives." 'BON ANNIVERSAIRE' Another fan added: " A very happy birthday to you Arthur. You are truly beautiful and so inspiring. Have a fantastic day." Ahead of his celebrations today, Arthur took to his Instagram yesterday to gush about his eldest daughter Blake after she styled her own outfit. The two-year-old looked cute as ever in a colourful floral tee paired with a pale pink skirt. Advertisement She finished off the outfit with blue wellies and bright bows in her hair. The celebrity judge shared a heart-warming video of Blake happily running around and showing off her outfit. He revealed that the outfit was all her idea as he captioned the clip: "Styled by Blake Maria Rose."
New Straits Times
a day ago
- Business
- New Straits Times
Fama Fest aims RM6mil sales, pushes for youth participation
GOPENG: The Agriculture and Food Security Ministry is targeting RM6 million in total sales through the Fama Fest programme organised by the Federal Agricultural Marketing Authority (Fama) in six states. Its deputy minister, Datuk Arthur Joseph Kurup, said the programme will be held in Sarawak, Johor, Perak, Selangor, Sabah and conclude in Negri Sembilan in September. "The Perak government remains one of the key contributors to the Fama Fest series, which is now in its seventh year. "Last year, the sales target for Perak was RM2 million, but due to overwhelming response, we surpassed that with RM2.6 million in total sales," he said when met after the closing ceremony of Fama Fest @Perak 2025 at RTC Perak here today. He said this year's target for Fama Fest @Perak had been raised to RM3 million, with 210 booths operating over five days from May 29. "Fama Fest @Perak is usually the top contributor, accounting for 30 per cent of total nationwide sales at last year's event," he said. Arthur said the programme is one of the government's initiatives to attract youths into the agriculture sector, which is currently dominated by individuals aged 60 and above. "Events like this create more marketing avenues for local producers and demonstrate that agriculture and agri-food are lucrative industries with strong income potential," he said. He emphasised the need to move away from conventional farming methods towards more modern approaches that incorporate technology and innovation, adding that this creates a long value chain, from production to operations and maintenance. He said the ministry strongly encourages participation in agriculture-related Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) courses offered under the ministry. "We will cover all expenses for these programmes, including courses, accommodation and daily allowances. This is part of our effort to attract young people into agriculture," he said. On May 29, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof, who is also energy transition and water transformation minister, revealed that 224,147 agricultural operators aged between 15 and 45 were recorded in the 2024 Agriculture Census, making up 22.2 per cent of the sector's workforce. – Bernama
New Straits Times
a day ago
- Business
- New Straits Times
Agriculture now lucrative, tech-driven sector for youth
GOPENG: Agriculture is no longer viewed merely as a traditional livelihood but has evolved into a lucrative sector offering high-income potential and modern opportunities. Deputy Agriculture and Food Security Minister Datuk Arthur Joseph Kurup said the agriculture and agri-food sector remains vibrant and promising, particularly for the younger generation. "The issue of ageing farmers is not unique to our country; it is a challenge faced globally. "The ministry has several initiatives to attract more young people to venture into agriculture," he told reporters after attending the closing ceremony of the Perak Fama Fest 2025. The event was officiated by Perak Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Saarani Mohamad at RTC Gopeng here today. He was commenting on Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof's remarks that there is a need to rejuvenate the agriculture sector by attracting more participation from the younger generation. This follows the findings of the 2024 Agriculture Census, which revealed that 458,395 agricultural operators are aged 60 and above; 326,287 are between the ages of 46 and 59; and 224,147 are aged between 15 and 45. Arthur also outlined several initiatives by the ministry to attract more youth into agriculture. "Our first initiative is expanding market opportunities through programmes like Fama Fest. This not only helps farmers market their products effectively but also highlights the sector's high-income potential. "Secondly, we are introducing modern farming methods. We encourage farmers to adopt technology and innovation rather than relying solely on conventional practices. "This approach not only enhances productivity but also appeals to young people by integrating elements like manufacturing, maintenance, and operations into the agricultural value chain," he added. He said other initiatives include providing technical and vocational education and training (TVET) courses. "The ministry offers fully funded TVET programmes in areas such as livestock, fisheries, and vegetable cultivation. These courses include accommodation and daily allowances to support participants," he said. He also emphasised the need for collaboration with state governments to ensure adequate funding and land availability to support young farmers in expanding and developing the agriculture sector. "Only through collaboration can we empower the next generation to lead the agriculture industry into the future," he said. Commenting on the event, Arthur said that Perak has been a key pillar of the Fama Fest programme, now in its seventh year. "Last year, our sales target for Perak Fama Fest was RM2 million. Due to the overwhelming response, we surpassed that target with RM2.6 million in sales. "This year, we've set a higher target of RM3 million. With 210 exhibitors participating over five days, we are confident of achieving this goal," he added. He added that Perak typically contributes the largest share of sales to the national Fama Fest programme, accounting for about 30 per cent of total sales last year. "This year, our target is RM6 million nationwide for the entire Fama Fest series," he said, adding that the festival will continue in other states, including Sabah, Selangor, and Negri Sembilan.
