Latest news with #BlueDoor
Yahoo
11-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Former Royal Marine completes world's longest triathlon with Everest climb
A former Royal Marine has climbed to the summit of Mount Everest to complete the world's longest triathlon. Eight months after setting off from Dover, Mitch Hutchcraft's mammoth expedition saw him swim the English Channel, cycle through Europe and Asia and trek across the 31-year-old then turned his attention to the highest mountain on Earth, after arriving at its base camp. He reached the Everest summit on Sunday at 7.30am Nepalese time. Speaking afterwards, he said: 'It was more magical than I could have ever dreamed it would be. 'Although I lost my dad 11 years ago, he was with me every step of the way. 'It's been tough. Really tough. The most difficult thing I've ever done. But I couldn't be happier and more proud of finishing this epic adventure.' He paid tribute to his father, father-in-law and other friends and family by unfurling a flag with the message reading: 'We miss you' and pictures of those who had inspired him. 'It's been a dream of mine since I was eight years old to climb Everest, ever since I saw it in a book,' he added. 'Never in a million years did I think this would be how I'd get here. 'Years of preparation, eight long months of physical endurance, swimming across the Channel, cycling across 19 countries, running 900km (560 miles), and following in the footsteps of the first ever climb of Everest to reach base camp. It's been one hell of a journey.' Mr Hutchcraft and his climbing team are healthy and expected back at base camp some time on Monday. Molly McDonald, the founder and producer of Blue Door Productions, which has been following and documenting the adventure, said: 'It's been a long road since Mitch first pitched his dream to us. 'As a small team, without funding or a social following to support the expedition, we knew it was a big risk, but we saw a real magic in who Mitch is and the message he wanted to share.'Thanks to the incredible support of amazing partners – and a massive online community – that distant dream has become a reality. I'm incredibly proud of this adventure, though for Blue Door, the finish line is not the summit, but when we get our team back home safely.' In what was called Project Limitless, Mr Hutchcraft swam 21 miles across the Channel, cycled nearly 7,500 miles through Europe and Asia to Digha in India and ran 560 miles to Kathmandu, Nepal. He was forced to take a detour through Iran after being denied a visa and was further delayed by a military lockdown in Iraq. At just 20, Mr Hutchcraft faced the sudden loss of his father, a tragedy said to have become the driving force behind his decision to follow a long-held dream of joining the Royal Marines. He had previously been told a full knee reconstruction would make it impossible to even join the military, let alone complete a challenge of this magnitude. But he served for six years before leaving in 2021 to pursue new challenges driven by an overwhelming desire for adventures. While this has been described as the biggest challenge of his life, it was not his first adventure. Mr Hutchcraft spent the last few years rowing 3,000 miles across the Atlantic Ocean, cycling across North America and climbing some of the most challenging mountains in the world before the dream for Project Limitless was born. He said the swim across the Channel was the 'hardest day of my life'. The former Marine has also been raising money for SAVSIM – a non-profit organisation supporting wildlife conservation. 'This has been the most painful, but fulfilling, adventure,' he added. 'I just want it to inspire others to believe that whatever they're dreaming, however small, they just need to get out there and smash it.'His challenge will officially end when he gets back to base camp. Everest was first conquered by New Zealander Edmund Hillary in 1953. Since then, thousands have tried to scale the mountain and several other Himalayan peaks. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
CBC
10-05-2025
- Business
- CBC
GTA non-profit introduces women's cohort in construction training program
Seven women in the Greater Toronto Area are on their way to new careers in the skilled trades, thanks to a local, specialty training program. Blue Door's Construct program graduated its first cohort of all women last month — a milestone moment for the housing and employment non-profit, which aims to create more opportunities for women in the skilled trades. "I really enjoy using the machines and being able to create something with my own hands," said Nikki Wallis, who recently completed the program in Aurora, Ont., funded in part by the federal government's Canadian Apprenticeship Strategy. "I'm not a very confident person, I'm quite shy, but learning the trades I was able to open up more and try new things," she said. The eight-week program includes in-class training, on-the-job work experience and wraparound supports to help vulnerable people secure long-term, well-paying careers in the construction trades. Since women made up about five per cent of construction workers on-site nationally in 2024, according to the Canadian Association of Women in Construction — and despite industry efforts to hire more women — the program's leaders are hoping the women's cohort will create more opportunities to bring women into the industry, while learning in a safe space. The Construct program is expected to have around 270 participants total this year, says Emmy Kelly, chief operating officer of Blue Door, and the next women-only cohort is slated to begin in June. "We want to increase the number of women who have the opportunity to move into the labour trades and to do so this program provides support with child care, with transport, with any other needs that they might have to engage in the workforce," she said. Kelly says the program also recognizes a void in the labour market, with the federal government saying in a March news release that the construction industry needs to recruit more than 350,000 new workers by 2033 to meet the demand of infrastructure, housing and industrial projects. Employers need to focus on retention, women in the industry say More programs that support training and recruitment have been making strides the last few years, but industry leaders say employers need to prioritize retaining female employees as well. "Often women have the caregiver role in a family and so that can prevent them from engaging meaningfully because of barriers that are put there by employers," Kelly said, adding that the hours and lack of flexibility can make it difficult to support a family. Constanza Maass, an environmental specialist, says she co-founded Women on Site to help address this issue. The non profit's website said it was founded in 2022 by four women in the industry who recognized the need for connection and support within the building industries. The group encourages women and gender diverse individuals to stay and thrive in their male-dominated careers through networking, mentorship and community building opportunities. "Once we all got out into the field and started working, we realized that all the support that we had once we were done training wasn't really there anymore," Maass said, adding she was close to leaving to industry. "Women need to feel like they have a community, support and people that they can talk to, so that we're not losing all these people that we spent a lot of work and money and effort into training," she said. Narin Ismail, who also graduated from the first women's cohort last month, says her goal is to become a carpenter — something she says she would have pursued earlier if more programs like this existed. But she says when she was in high school, there wasn't the same push to get women into the trades that there is now. She encouraged any other women interested in the field to check out Blue Door's program. "If you're a woman and you want to get into the trades, it's not too late," she said. "I think there are many opportunities for women out there, we can do it."
Associated Press
19-02-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Blue Door Realty Group Joins Property.ca to Strengthen Growing Talent Roster
Inc. Brokerage ( is pleased to announce the latest milestone in its ongoing expansion: the integration of Blue Door Realty Group (Blue Door). As of December 4, 2024, Blue Door has fully transitioned into meeting all Toronto Regional Real Estate Board (TRREB) and Real Estate Council of Ontario (RECO) compliance requirements. 'The addition of this incredible team represents another step forward in our commitment to bringing together top-tier real estate professionals,' said Blair Anderson, Broker of Record and VP of Operations for Inc. Brokerage. 'Blue Door's reputation for excellence and strong presence in both residential and commercial markets make it a natural fit for our brokerage as we continue to grow.' This integration follows a period of rapid expansion for which continues to attract high-performing teams through its cutting-edge technology and data-driven insights. Jeff Benoliel, General Manager for Inc. Brokerage, emphasized the strategic fit between Blue Door and 'We are highly selective about the teams we bring into our brokerage, ensuring they align with our culture of professionalism, innovation and client service,' said Jeff. 'From our first conversations with Blue Door, it was clear that their values and approach to real estate were in perfect alignment with ours. We are delighted to welcome them.' Founded by Dimitri Kalkounis, Blue Door has supported over 550 families since 2017, building a reputation for integrity, expertise and a client-first mentality. The team brings 15 experienced agents to further strengthening the brokerage's talent roster. 'Our priority has always been to provide the best possible service to our clients while fostering a collaborative and supportive environment for our agents,' said Dimitri. 'Joining allows us to maintain our unique identity while benefiting from the brokerage's unparalleled technology and resources. The synergy between our teams has been evident from day one, and we are excited for this next chapter.' As part of its ongoing commitment to equipping agents with industry-leading tools, continues to enhance its proprietary technology suite through myAbode. Being able to leverage a fully integrated real estate technology ecosystem allows agents to optimize their workflow, access real-time market data and insights and provide an enhanced client experience. The integration of Blue Door further strengthens growing network of real estate professionals. With more expansion opportunities on the horizon, the brokerage remains committed to providing its agents with the best opportunities to thrive in Canada's competitive real estate landscape. To learn more about joining and unlocking new opportunities for your team, visit About Inc. is a licensed real estate company with over 300 agents and six offices across the Greater Toronto Area. It operates three high-traffic real estate websites: and created to offer buyers and sellers rich information that enables clear, informed decisions. made The Globe and Mail's Canada's Top Growing Companies list, after merging the and brands in 2018. SOURCE: Inc. PUB: 02/19/2025 08:05 AM/DISC: 02/19/2025 08:06 AM
What's On
31-01-2025
- Entertainment
- What's On
Blue Door, the Anatolian restaurant has just opened on Bluewaters
From the creative minds of Delano Dubai came the viral Maison Revka and La Cantine Beach, now they have just opened another impressive addition to the collection, Blue Door. Blue Door is inspired by the original Blue Door restaurant, a celebrity hotspot which opened in the Delano hotel in Miami and attached is an iconic legacy since it opened in 1995. The Dubai version, now open in Bluewaters brings a new elegance to the Dubai dining scene. It's gently nestled within a tranquil garden area, near Delano's private beach, so you'll feel as if you're in a different world completely. An Anatolian restaurant, Blue Door invites guests to savour the harmony of land, sea, and culture in every bite. > Sign up for FREE to get exclusive updates that you are interested in
