Latest news with #Ceri
ITV News
18-07-2025
- Health
- ITV News
Proposal for law supporting parents of critically ill children blocked by Labour
A law proposed to give parents of critically ill children workplace rights and financial support has been blocked by Labour in the House of Lords. Under current law, parents of newborn babies who become unwell within the first 28 days of life are entitled to paid leave and job protection to be by their child's bedside. But if their child is diagnosed with cancer at 29 days old, the parents no longer have the right to financial support. Ceri and Frances Menai-Davis, who lost their young son to cancer, are campaigning for the government to bring in Hugh's Law, which would give parents statutory rights if their child is critically ill. It would have given parents the right to statutory paid leave and job protection from day one for parents whose child is diagnosed with a critical or terminal illness, up to the age of 16. The campaigners had been hopeful that the Employment Rights Bill could be amended by the lords after positive meetings with government officials - but to their disappointment, Labour ordered its peers to vote against the proposal. Asking for an explanation, Ulster Unionist MP Robin Swann said Employment Rights Minister Justin Madders MP had "turned his back" on the parents. Responding, the minister said: "We're not turning our back on parents or children. We're actually having the biggest expansion in workers' rights and family-friendly policies that we've seen in a generation. "Clearly, we're not going to be able to satisfy every issue in this area. But that's the point of this review. We're looking at the system in the round. It needs improving, needs modernising. And that's what we intend to do." Why did Labour block Hugh's Law? Minister Justin Madders MP responds Ceri said it was "deeply disappointing" to see Labour reject the proposals, given they appear to have cross party support. Despite ordering peers to reject the amendment, Labour whip Lord Katz suggested in the House of Lords that the government could still bring in Hugh's Law at a further date. "We will consult on support for parents of seriously ill children, including the proposal for Hugh's Law," he said, describing the campaign as an "extremely important matter". Ceri and Frances set up the charity It's Never You and began campaigning for a law change in memory of their six-year-old son Hugh, who died of cancer in 2021. "After he passed away, and during the time that he had treatment, we witnessed parents just going through the worst time, obviously looking after their child, but also the worst time financially. "And we realised at that point there is nothing in place in the UK that provides support, financial support to parents of a sick child." At present, parents of critically ill children must rely on unpaid Carer's Leave, which is capped at just one week per year. Disability living allowance is available to claim on behalf of the child, but parents must wait 90 days before applying and an application can take up to 20 weeks to be processed. Ceri and Frances say the situation means there is a "cruel gap in support", not based on the severity of a child's illness but the date they are diagnosed. But the government's offer of a consultation does not fill them with much hope. "While we welcome the government's offer of a consultation, we are concerned that this could become yet another review that fails to deliver real change. "The proposed consultation won't begin until 2026, with no guaranteed outcome or legislative timetable. That is simply not good enough for families in crisis right now." Ceri added: "We have again reached out to ministers in the Department for Business and Trade and to the deputy prime minister, whose bill this amendment was part of, requesting a meeting and open dialogue. To date, we have had no response. "The fight for Hugh's Law continues. This is no longer a niche policy concern. It is becoming a matter of public conscience. Families deserve urgent action and Hugh's Law must be addressed with the seriousness and speed this crisis demands." A government spokesperson said: "We recognise the challenges that parents face when caring for seriously ill children, and we know many employers will show compassion and understanding in these circumstances. 'We pay tribute to the tireless campaigning from It's Never You in memory of their son, Hugh. We will continue to work with them as part of our review of carer's leave, which will look at further support for parents of seriously ill children.'
ITV News
24-06-2025
- Health
- ITV News
'No one should be forced to beg for time off when their child is fighting for their life'
"No one should have to beg for time off when their child is fighting for their life," two parents have told ITV News in a plea to Keir Starmer to change the law in the name of their late son. Ceri and Frances Menai-Davis are campaigning for the government to bring in Hugh's Law, which would give parents statutory rights if their child is critically ill. Under current law, parents of newborn babies who become unwell within the first 28 days of life are entitled to paid leave and job protection to be by their child's bedside. But if their child is diagnosed with cancer at 29 days old, the parents no longer have the right to financial support. Ceri and Frances say it means there is a "cruel gap in support", not based on the severity of a child's illness but the date they are diagnosed, leaving many parents without income or job security at the worst possible time. Hugh's Law "would offer families stability in their darkest hours, it's a moral obligation, not a luxury," Ceri said, adding that parents are often forced to quit their jobs to stay by their poorly child's side. "Parents are being forced to sell homes, clothes and chose whether they can eat or feed their child," he said. Ceri and Frances were inspired to start the charity It's Never You and campaign for a law change in memory of their six-year-old son Hugh, who died of cancer in 2021. "Those are the first words that Frances said to me when he was diagnosed back in 2020: 'You always think it's someone else. It's never you'," Ceri said. "After he passed away, and during the time that he had treatment, we witnessed parents just going through the worst time, obviously looking after their child, but also the worst time financially. "And we realised at that point there is nothing in place in the UK that provides support, financial support to parents of a sick child." They are hoping to amend the Employment Rights Bill, which is making its way through Parliament, to enshrine a new right to statutory paid leave and job protection from day one for parents whose child is diagnosed with a critical or terminal illness, up to the age of 16. 'This is about basic equality,' said Frances. 'All Parents of sick children face emotional devastation and financial stress and yet there is no guaranteed support. Help should not be cut off when a child turns 29 days old, the stress, the anxiety and the worries are still all the same.' Their local MP, Chris Hinchliff of the Labour Party, urged Prime Minister Keir Starmer to listen to the couple. "We've got to get this done. We can't just keep kicking the can down the road." He added: "We've got support for children up to 28 days, but from 29 days that day one financial support that families desperately need at the worst possible time isn't there. "But these are still children that need their parent with them when they're sick by their bedside. And we've got to have the support that makes that possible. So I really hope that the government will listen to us and we'll take these proposals forward." He added that the financial implications for the government of bringing in the support would be "tiny". "We're thinking about seven million pounds a year. In the grand total of government spending, that is minuscule. But I'm absolutely certain that given everything that we are doing as a government to try and support working people, we can find that money." At present, parents of critically ill children must rely on unpaid Carer's Leave, which is capped at just one week per year. Disability living allowance is available to claim on behalf of the child, but parents must wait 90 days before applying and an application can take up to 20 weeks to be processed. Ceri and Frances have had several meetings within government to push for the law change and the disability minister has acknowledged their campaign but Sir Stephen Timms said there are "there are no current plans" to introduce the law. But former Paralympian Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson has tabled an amendment to Employment Rights Bill in the House of Lords where it appears to have support. Lord Katz - a Labour whip in the House of Lords - responding to the amendment in the chamber, suggested the government were considering the proposals. "The government is reviewing an existing... entitlement to carer's leave and considering whether further changes may be helpful in supporting those who provide care to loved ones alongside work and employment," he said. Ceri and Frances are hoping a majority of peers back the amendment so the bill is sent back to the Commons for reconsideration. Minister for Employment Rights Justin Madders said: "We recognise the difficulties that parents face when caring for critically ill children, and we know many employers will show compassion and understanding in these circumstances. "We will look at further support for parents of critically ill children through our Carer's Leave review to help modernise the world of work and provide good jobs for carers through our Plan for Change."
Wales Online
26-05-2025
- Wales Online
Devastation after forest nursery targeted twice by vandals
Devastation after forest nursery targeted twice by vandals The leader of the forest school said it is 'devastating' to feel as though they have been 'targetted' The leader of a pre-school forest nursery arrived at work to find equipment missing and the remnants of a fire (Image: Ceri Samuels ) The leader of a forest pre-school nursery which aims to give young children "a unique, nature-based learning experience" was left "devastated" after the outdoor classroom was targeted by vandals on two separate occasions, just weeks apart. Forest Friends has been running for over a year and a half in Pentrebach, near Merthyr Tydfil, without any problems until the Easter break, when Ceri Samuels, who runs the school, arrived to find that someone had climbed over a fence and smashed the window of the outdoor classroom. Nothing was taken and Ceri thought little more of it, until two weeks later when she arrived on Monday, May 12, to find equipment missing and the remnants of a fire. Stay informed on everything Merthyr Tydfil by signing up to our newsletter here She said: "Someone had climbed over the metal see-through fence, and it's obvious when you look through that it's a preschool, and taken my wooden bird table, a bug trap door, a tyre which we had in the digging area, some balance beams, a little wicker seat." Two weeks before equipment was stolen and a fire was started, somebody broke a window at the outdoor classroom (Image: Ceri Samuels ) The equipment was then thrown back over the fence, where a fire was lit. Some of the equipment was expensive and purchased with limited funds, while other items had been kindly donated or gathered in Ceri's spare time. Article continues below She said that police are investigating the incidents, but have been unable to identify the culprits using CCTV. Ceri said: "It was devastating to find that when I was setting up on the Monday morning. I noticed the bird table was gone and thought one of the children may have moved it but that's when I saw the remnants of the fire. "I did cry, not about what we lost but because of the principle. I felt like I was being targeted. I set all this up for the children to enjoy and learn but then someone is trying to take it away from me by destroying things." She has worked in early years for 15 years and and has "always had a passion for nature and the outdoors". The forest school, which gives children a chance to learn outdoors with natural resources and away from technology, was set up as a "labour of love". The forest school was the first of its kind to be set up in Merthyr (Image: Ceri Samuels ) "For me, I wanted to pass that passion on to the children to really get them connected with nature at a young age," Ceri said. "You can see they enjoy it so much and the smile on their face when they come through in the morning just says it all." Forest Friends are looking to get a taller, anti-climb fence to ensure that no further damage is done to their equipment or facilities, and a GoFundMe has been set up to help with the cost. It says: "Sadly, our special space has recently suffered two acts of vandalism within just two weeks. First, a window in our outdoor classroom was broken, and shortly after, individuals climbed the fence, stole wooden resources, and started a fire. Many of these natural materials were either costly to purchase or kindly donated and gathered in my own time. "We are also in the process of looking at a taller, anti climb fence for extra security. The cost of this and any repairs, places a significant strain on our limited funds—money that should go towards enriching the children's learning. "We've set up a GoFundMe page to help cover the repair costs, and we would be incredibly grateful for any support or contributions to help us restore this valuable space for our little learners. "We want to extend a heartfelt thank you to all the parents of our preschool and members of the wider community for your kind messages of support during this difficult time. Your words of encouragement and solidarity have truly lifted our spirits and reminded us of the strength and care that surrounds Forest Friends. It means so much to know that our little outdoor preschool is valued and supported by such a compassionate and generous community. Thank you for standing with us—we are deeply grateful." Article continues below South Wales Police have been contacted for a statement about the damage at Forest Friends outdoor school.
Yahoo
25-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
St. Ubaldo Day highlights faith, family and tradition in Jessup
Jessup may be a small quiet borough, but every year on Memorial Day weekend, it blossoms into a celebration of faith, family and tradition during the St. Ubaldo Festival or 'Festa dei Ceri.' Saturday was no exception, as the faithful gathered early in the Midvalley borough, for a day of activities culminating in the 'La Corsa dei Ceri,' where participants race through the streets carrying the the 'ceri' or wooden pillars dedicated to one of three saints. The day opened with a special Mass service and then the throwing of hand-painted vases by the captains of three teams, dedicated to Saint Antonio, Saint Giorgio and Saint Ubaldo. Laurie Marino, Jessup (right), prepares for the St. Ubaldo festival Saturday with Emma Anuszewski and her granddaughter, Francesca Valenzano. (GERI GIBBONS/STAFF PHOTO) Participants scrambled to pick pieces of the broken vases, which are believed to provide a year of good luck. The festivities are Jessup's version of the observance of La Festa dei Ceri in Gubbio, Italy. Italian immigrants brought the tradition of the Corsa dei Ceri, or the running of the saints, from Gubbio to Jessup in the early 1900s. Genie Lupini, of Jessup, is more than familiar with the day's activities, having participated for over 60 years. Lupini, of the Jessup 21st Century Association, even travelled to Gubbio in 2013, especially for their version of the festival. She pointed out many Italians attend the Gubbio festival in their country, where it has its roots. But, in Jessup, she said, everyone of every ethnicity and religion comes out for the celebration, with many even travelling hours for the special event. And, the tradition has been passed down through the generations, with many young people stepping into the roles their parents previously filled. The most heart-stopping part of the event, she said, is when the runners make their way down a steep hill during the 'La Corsa dei Ceri' procession. * Members of Sant'Ubaldo carry his Ceri up Church St. in Jessup during the Saint Ubaldo festivities on Saturday, May 24, 2025. (JASON ARDAN / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER) * Members of San Giorgio run with the statue of San Giorgio to affix it to their Ceri during the Saint Ubaldo festivities in Jessup on Saturday, May 24, 2025. (JASON ARDAN / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER) * Participants in the Saint Ubaldo festivities parade through the streets of Jessup with a statue of Sant'Ubaldo, San Giorgio, and Sant'Antonio on Saturday, May 24, 2025. (JASON ARDAN / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER) * Dave Valvano, member of the family of The Family of Sant' Antonio, and Scott Hall, president of the Saint Ubaldo Society, point out some of the relics that make up the cultural significance of Saint Ubaldo Day in the Saint Ubaldo Cultural Center Friday, May 23, 2025. (SEAN MCKEAG / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER) * The upper level of the Saint Ubaldo Cultural Center where artifacts are kept. (SEAN MCKEAG / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER) Show Caption 1 of 5 Members of Sant'Ubaldo carry his Ceri up Church St. in Jessup during the Saint Ubaldo festivities on Saturday, May 24, 2025. (JASON ARDAN / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER) Expand Travelling for tradition Gina Pascolini and Terri Yanoski both were recently back from this year's festival in Gubbio. Pascolini has travelled to Italy for the event four times, always impressed by the solemnity of the event and its continuing sense of tradition. It's was Yanoski's first time making the trip overseas for the event. She was overwhelmed with the sheer number of people attending the event, numbering in the tens-of-thousands. Pascolini, Valley View High School choral director, was especially proud of the school's band, which comes out annually to provide a musical backdrop for the event's festivities. Music is also a very important part of Gubbio's event, she said. Band director Ryan Berry said band members really enjoy the opportunity to participate in the day's activities, reflecting the event's appeal to every generation.
Wales Online
15-05-2025
- Health
- Wales Online
I used to walk for miles. When I got out of breath walking upstairs I knew something was wrong
I used to walk for miles. When I got out of breath walking upstairs I knew something was wrong Ceri from Aberdare had to wait six weeks for urgent double bypass surgery due to pressures on the NHS Ceri had to wait six weeks for life saving heart surgery due to pressures on the NHS on Saving Lives in Cardiff (Image: BBC/ Saving Lives in Cardiff ) A man from Aberdare had to wait six weeks for double bypass surgery because of pressures on the NHS. Ceri, 68, reached the top of the waiting list for urgent and necessary lifesaving heart surgery but faced delays for the lifesaving treatment he needed. Ceri was speaking on the BBC fly-on-the-wall series Saving Lives in Cardiff, set in the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff. In the recent episode it revealed the waiting list for cardiothoracic surgery was 106 at the time of recording. Ceri, a former police officer and father of two, had unstable angina and had been suffering with pain in his chest for more than a year. It became noticeably worse during a rugby trip to watch the Six Nations in Edinburgh with his son Iestyn. He explained: "A lot of steep hills in Edinburgh and I was gasping for breath. The pains were particularly bad, really severe and my son Iestyn was mega concerned and probably a little bit scared as well, because I was. "He made me promise that as soon as I came home I went to see the doctor and one of the nurses said '99.9% certain that you have angina'." The man described having heart problems as being "debilitating" as he used to enjoy going for long walks but his condition was making him out breath just walking up the stairs. Article continues below Whilst wearing an Ospreys rugby shirt he joked that he was "looking forward to being able to watch the rugby and doing a bit of shouting and cheering, because I haven't been able to do that." He added: "I've had to go to the rugby and sit quietly whilst the Ospreys were scoring, and that's not natural.' Scans revealed that Ceri had previously had a heart attack that he was unaware of and that two of the main arteries that supply blood to his heart were severely blocked leaving it damaged and weakened. If this had regressed any further then could have died, which showed the urgency of the operation, especially after the delays caused by the problems facing the NHS. Ceri, who is also a full time carer for his 92-year-old mother was concerned how his health was impacting her too. He explained: "She occasionally falls and I have to pick her up and put her back into bed, or back on to the chair where she's fallen from and almost inevitably then I have an angina attack. 'I think it's really important for her that my operation goes well, I need to be back home looking after her basically.' As with all surgeries there are risks, but with surgery as invasive as this there would be an increased risk .But for Ceri, the benefits outweighed the risks. Before the surgery Ceri said he was nervous but also excited to get better 'to start enjoying life again'. The type of surgery that Ceri needed would usually use a bypass machine, but in the programme the lead surgeon Dheeraj Mehta often uses a beating heart technique as it is less risky and allows patients to recover quicker. He is one of only 10 surgeons to regularly do beating heart surgery and hasn't used a bypass machine for over 15 years despite having one on hand just in case. It means he works around the beating heart rather than putting it on bypass, which can be more difficult but means an easier recovery for patients. After surgery Ceri said: "I'm feeling surprisingly better than I thought I would be. I'm not as short of breath as I was. I could have died yesterday, and that's the bottom line, and I didn't, so that's a reason to skip and dance already." In the programme Dheeraj expressed his frustration with the significant issues that face the NHS. He said: "Being the lead surgeon is a mixed bag of emotions, having challenges coming at you from every direction on a daily basis can be somewhat overwhelming." Stay informed on the latest health news by signing up to our newsletter here . He continued: "We have significant issues without surgical waiting lists, staffing, facilities, and any one of these can mean we are unable to undertake all the operations that we might be able to otherwise perform. It's a real challenge but we must continue to work to resolve it." During the programme we see that over £172 million worth of improvements are needed across the health board. In Ceri's instance, they were not sure if they were going to be able to proceed with the surgery as leaky roofs in the ICU meant that there were less beds, meaning his operation could be cancelled just minutes before he meant to go down. The surgeon continued: "At the end of the day it's not cricket, we shouldn't be dependent on the case of rain stops play, but sadly that's the case in the NHS. I know we're not alone in this experience, the infrastructures in certain hospitals around the country are very old and in need of repair, and this is the day-to-day reality of that." Dheeraj added: 'To see a patient who has had bypass surgery sitting out of bed, engaging in normal conversation with people the morning after their surgery, is absolutely what my objective is with this beating heart approach.' Three weeks after his surgery, Ceri was discharged and returned to his home in Aberdare to care for his mother Enfys, who said she was 'over the moon' to have him home. He said: "I was glad to get home, even though when I came home I could do next to nothing. Least I could see she was well, and coping with everything that was going on. As time goes past, I can do more and more." Article continues below
