Latest news with #Bradbury
West Australian
3 days ago
- West Australian
Mt Barker winery 3drops, founded by Joanne and John Bradbury, celebrates 25 years of grape-growing excellence
If you can hear the clink of glasses, it's probably the 3drops winery, just south-west of Mt Barker, celebrating the bottling of another successful vintage. A beacon of quality and consistency, it's clearly worth raising a glass or two as the Wragg Road vineyard is also toasting 25 years of producing some of the best grape varieties in the Great Southern. It's a business which started through a combination of family loyalty, optimism and naivety — a heady mix for sure, but ultimately a successful one. The winery is owned by Joanne and John Bradbury and its name echoes the couple's three most precious liquids: wine, water and olive oil. It's also reflected by the olive trees nestling alongside the vines, all thriving thanks to a large wetland on the property. The vineyard is 15 fertile hectares planted with varieties of reisling, sauvignon blanc, chardonnay, pinot noir, merlot, cabernet franc and shiraz. The olive trees are Spanish, Italian and Greek. However, this idyll did not flourish by magic and it has not been a 25-year picnic. The journey started in 1999 when the Bradburys decided to keep 101ha of Mrs Bradbury's 809ha family farm. The decision came despite them living in Perth where they were focused on careers and young family. 'My parents were planning to sell most of the farm and retire but we began thinking, could we keep part of it and do something?' Mrs Bradbury said. 'At the time, olives were quite on trend, and we saw them as a promising, lower maintenance crop compared to vines, so we started there and planted 1000 olive trees in 1998. 'By the next year, we were gaining momentum, and people began asking 'Are you going to plant a vineyard too?' 'We already knew the land was well-suited for viticulture, and my father, who had dreamed of planting vines but never pursued it, was quietly encouraging us. 'He offered to help us get started, and in 1999 we planted our first vineyard blocks. 'Sadly, he passed away in 2003 but he saw the beginning of that dream come to life. 'We went down that path because we were very naive, and it simply sounded like a lovely idea.' With the help of winemaker Robert Diletti and viticulturist Ray Williams, the business started to flourish but Mrs Bradbury has always resisted the pressure to open a cellar door. 'There was a time just after we started when having a cellar door seemed to be the bar by which you were judged but I feel I'm in the wine business, not the tourism business,' Mrs Bradbury said. 'When I'm at tastings in Sydney, there's probably only one in five or 10 people who have been to the Great Southern, and that, I think, gives us a bit of mystique, an extra bit of appeal.' Proud moments have included winning the cabernet franc trophy and the best red wine trophy at the 2021 Global Fine Wine Challenge as well as the best aromatic white wine at the Royal Melbourne Show. However, there have been bumps along the way, notably COVID and then Chinese tariffs, which lasted from 2020 until March last year. 'COVID was a tough period, especially as our focus had been on small bars and restaurants, rather than retail,' said Mrs Bradbury. 'But it pushed us to pivot, and that shift opened up fantastic opportunities particularly with regional wine stores here in WA. 'The Chinese tariffs were another major hurdle but we acted quickly when the market reopened and it's exciting to be back.' The couple now export to South Korea and Hong Kong while those not wanting to travel quite so far can find 3drops in BWS and other large bottle shops. Mrs Bradbury said it was hard to forecast long term but that her focus would be on sustainability. 'The farm has been in the family for more than 50 years so looking at it operating sustainably for generations to come is very important,' she said. 'If there is a trend, it's away from heavy, highly alcoholic wines to wines with more finesse, which are more food-friendly, and we are certainly aware of that. 'With each vintage, we reassess, making decisions based on the fruit in front of us, rather than locking ourselves into long-term plans.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Woman singing for postmistress mum in BGT final
A singer who is part of a choir performing in the final of ITV's Britain's Got Talent this weekend said she would be singing in memory of her late mum, who was a sub-postmistress. Gemma Ellison, from Coventry, is part of the 40-strong Hear Our Voice choir, which is made of up of people affected by the Post Office Horizon scandal. She joined the choir to represent her mother Janet Bradbury, who ran a Post Office in Shropshire and was one of the original group of 555 sub-postmasters and sub-postmistresses who took part in group legal action. In a statement, the Post Office has previously said it was "deeply sorry for the suffering caused to so many people" by its past actions. Speaking to BBC CWR, Ms Ellison said her mother took on a Post Office in 2003 but did not tell her or her sister until 2010. "It was meant to be their happy ever after," she said of the business. "After a couple of years that's when the shortfall started to happen and they put [their own] money in." Ms Ellison said he mother was eventually forced to move back to Warwick after losing her business and home and struggled to find permanent accommodation. "She'd always worked hard to own her own home and she'd lost everything and we were angry," she said. "I think for many years she was frightened that the police were going to knock on her door and drag her away." Ms Bradbury was diagnosed with motor neurone disease (MND) in September 2022, with the family saying that doctors told them that it made worse by long-term stress. MND is a debilitating and terminal condition, which affects people's ability to move, talk and breathe. Ms Bradbury died last year, one day after her grandson was born. After joining a support group for people affected by the scandal, Ms Ellison said the idea for a choir was born. She described the experience as "absolutely amazing" and said she had "found a new family". "Being in the choir, is something I'm doing for my mum," Ms Ellison told the BBC. "I think she'd be really proud and I think she's be so happy at last, that finally, people's voices are being heard and people are being recognised for what they've gone through. "She'd definitely be in the audience cheering on." The Post Office/Horizon IT scandal saw more than 900 sub-postmasters wrongfully prosecuted after faulty software suggested money was missing from their branch accounts. The Post Office said it acknowledged that victims of the scandal needed answers, as well as justice and redress. A spokesperson added: "The business failed to put postmasters first, did not listen to postmasters, and did not act on concerns postmasters raised with us. "We are doing all we can to help get victims answers, including fully co-operating with police investigations to help try to put things right." Fujitsu Group, which developed the software Horizon, said it offered its deepest apologies to the sub-postmasters and their families. A spokesperson added: "Fujitsu Europe's boss has previously said that the firm has a 'moral obligation' to contribute to compensation for sub-postmasters wrongly prosecuted as a result of its faulty IT software." Follow BBC Coventry & Warwickshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram. BGT Post Office scandal choir 'waiting for redress' Post Office choir delivers moving BGT performance Why were hundreds of Post Office workers wrongly prosecuted?
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
R.I. Senate confirms Karen Bradbury to open spot on PUC
Karen Bradbury and her husband Patrick Crowley smile after the Rhode Island Senate vote on Tuesday, May 27, confirming Bradbury's appointment to the Rhode Island Public Utilities Commission. (Screenshot/Capitol TV) Rhode Island's three-pronged state utility panel is back to full power, with the Rhode Island Senate unanimously voting to confirm Karen Bradbury to the open seat on the Rhode Island Public Utilities Commission. The chamber's 30-0 vote Tuesday fills the vacancy left by former commissioner John Revens, who resigned in December, midway through his six-year term. Supporters of Bradbury touted her experience in state and federal government and renewable energy as qualifications for her appointment. Bradbury most recently served as program administrator for Rhode Island's Office of Energy Resources, overseeing the rollout of federally funded tax credits and incentives to help homeowners and small business owners pay for high-efficiency electric heat pumps, among other renewable energy programs. Much of her 20-year policy career was spent working under U.S. Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, where she left as projects director in December 2022. 'She is committed to finding solutions that provide Rhode Islanders with clean and affordable energy,' Sen. Robert Britto, an East Providence Democrat, chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, said of Bradbury. 'Her track record makes her an excellent selection to serve on the PUC.' Sen. V. Susan Sosnowski, a South Kingstown Democrat, also gave high praise to Bradbury. 'We are so fortunate to have someone with her expertise and her knowledge, and not only that, she's great to work with,' Sosnowski said. Bradbury did not address the chamber, but waved in response to standing applause after the vote. She was accompanied by her husband, Patrick Crowley, the president of the Rhode Island AFL-CIO. McKee's administration previously defended against inquiries about whether Bradbury's appointment was related to her husband's influential role with a major labor union, instead focusing on Bradbury's own qualifications for the job. Bradbury's high-profile appointment to the regulatory body carries extra weight amid rising frustration over utility costs and profits reported by Rhode Island Energy. Addressing lawmakers during a May 20 panel hearing, Bradbury pledged to protect families and businesses grappling with soaring utility bills while also advancing the state's renewable energy mandates, which are one of several costs contributing to monthly utility bills. The utilities commission by law cannot reject the state utility provider's proposed supply-side prices, as long as they do not include an extra markup beyond what it costs to purchase power directly from third-party suppliers. However, the commission has more authority over service-side charges and has scaled back Rhode Island Energy's proposed investments in capital infrastructure projects in acknowledgement of the extra costs to customers. Bradbury will serve out the rest of Revens' term, which ends on March 1, 2027. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Senate panel advances McKee pick to open PUC seat
Karen Bradbury appears before the Senate Committee on Commerce Tuesday, May 20, 2025. The committee voted unanimously to advance Bradbury's nomination for a seat on the Rhode Island Public Utilities Commission. (Screenshot/Capitol TV) Gov. Dan McKee's pick to fill the open seat on the Rhode Island Public Utilities Commission (PUC) won easy approval from a Senate panel Tuesday. The Senate Committee on Commerce's unanimous vote advances Karen Bradbury's nomination to the full Senate for a confirmation vote, likely next week, said Greg Pare, a Senate spokesperson. If approved, Bradbury, who works as a program administrator for the Rhode Island Office of Energy Resources, would fill the $139,000-a-year post on the PUC, left vacant after former commissioner John Revens resigned in December. Bradbury's experience and leadership in government and energy programs drew praise during the brief Senate panel hearing Tuesday. Supporters spanned her 20-year career in state and federal government work, including 14 years with U.S. Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, according to her resume, obtained by Rhode Island Current. She joined the state energy resources office in December 2022, earning $108,900 as legislation and programs administrator. Neither Bradbury nor state lawmakers mentioned her marriage to Pat Crowley, president of the influential Rhode Island AFL-CIO. Crowley in an interview Wednesday declined to comment on her appointment. Crowley referred additional questions to McKee's office. 'Ms. Bradbury's qualifications spoke for themselves,' Olivia Da Rocha, a spokesperson for McKee's office, said in response to questions Wednesday. DaRocha did not comment on how many other candidates were considered for the position. Former colleagues from Providence law firm Duffy & Sweeney Ltd, where Bradbury worked as a paralegal from 2004 to 2008, also spoke and wrote in favor of her nomination to the PUC. 'I've known Karen over 20 years,' Jean Harrington, partner at Duffy & Sweeney, told the committee Tuesday. 'She has an uncanny ability to enter a chaotic situation, stand back, and say, 'OK, this is what we need to do.' She doesn't get frazzled.' That calm-under-pressure personality proved particularly important during her two-and-a-half years with the state energy resources office, which included overseeing renewable energy rebates funded through Biden-era congressional spending. Chris Kearns, acting director for the energy resources office and Bradbury's boss, described her ability to manage abrupt federal funding cuts, grant applications on tight deadlines, and readying fuel supplies with local terminal providers ahead of winter snowstorms. 'Karen has all the personal and professional attributes you would want in a commissioner for the PUC,' Kearns told the Senate committee. The high-profile appointment to the three-person regulatory body carries extra weight amid rising frustration over utility costs and profits held by Rhode Island Energy. Addressing the panel Tuesday, Bradbury acknowledged the struggles faced by working families and frontline communities while advancing the state's greenhouse gas emission reductions. 'If confirmed, it will be my job to ensure all the pieces fit together in a way that is beneficial to ratepayers and businesses,' Bradbury said. However, she stopped short of making promises on rate cuts when Rhode Island Energy submits its biannual electric rate prices this fall. 'I don't want to prejudice any proceeding,' Bradbury said in response to questions by Sen. Victoria Gu, a Westerly Democrat. 'I will keep all of that in mind, and look at the evidence presented before the commission.' The utilities commission by law cannot reject the state utility provider's proposed supply-side prices, as long as they do not include an extra markup beyond what it costs to purchase power directly from third-party suppliers. However, the commission has more authority over service-side charges and has scaled back Rhode Island Energy's proposed investments in capital infrastructure projects in acknowledgement of the extra costs to customers. In announcing Bradbury as his pick to the commission on May 14, McKee touted her experience in state and federal energy policy. 'Karen's expertise in energy policy, combined with a proven track record of delivering real results for Rhode Island—from securing major federal funding to launching innovative programs—makes her uniquely qualified to take on this role,' McKee said in a statement. 'Her commitment to advancing clean, affordable energy will be an asset to the Commission.' A lifelong Rhode Islander, Bradbury has a bachelor's degree in political science from Providence College and a master's degree in labor and industrial relations from the University of Rhode Island. If confirmed, Bradbury will fill the rest of Revens' six-year term, which expires March 1, 2027. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Barbie club teaching children positive messages
A primary school has started a Barbie-themed after-school club and has had to set up a waiting list for places because of its popularity. Teaching assistant Claudia Bradbury at Newport Infant School in Shropshire came up with the idea and said she wanted to use the dolls to teach the children they "can do anything" and about equality. She grew up with a love of the dolls and said she wanted to "throw a little bit of sparkle in there as well". Parents have said it has improved their children's confidence and social skills. Ms Bradbury said the idea came to her after staff were invited to come up with ideas for after-school clubs. She described herself as a "big Barbie advocate" who had grown up loving them when "it maybe wasn't cool to like Barbie". Since becoming an adult she said she had rediscovered her love for them and thought they could be used to pass on positive messages. "She's had so many careers, she can be anything and it proves to us and teaches us from an early age that we can do anything as well," she said. Ms Bradbury said she wanted to help the children become more confident communicators, to learn to take turns and that it was about "just embracing everybody's uniqueness". She said she also wanted to teach the children about things like feminism from a young age. The club, which is held every Monday, is into its second week and Ms Bradbury has been appealing for donations of unwanted Barbies and Action Men. Six-year-old Clara is one of the members of Barbie club and said she enjoyed helping "younger children learn more about Barbies". Ava, 7, said "It's really exciting because lots of young children love Barbies and they can come here and play with all their friends after school." One parent, Steph, said she thought it had been "absolutely fantastic" for her Barbie-loving daughter. She had been "struggling socially", she said, and the group was helping her build confidence. Another mum, Becky, said her daughter was learning to express herself through her appearance. "Her personality is coming through even more now, which is really nice to see," she added. Follow BBC Shropshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram. Barbie that's been to space to go on show for the first time Why are we all obsessed with the Barbie movie? The Barbie collector with 800 dolls in her house Can Barbie help beat teen smartphone addiction? Newport Infants School
