Latest news with #ChrisButler
BBC News
22-05-2025
- Business
- BBC News
New £20m Thanet Earth glasshouse to grow 150m tomatoes a year
A large glasshouse complex is set to build a seventh structure, adding 6.5 hectares (16 acres) of growing space for 150 million extra tomatoes a Earth in Birchington, Kent, has begun work on £20 million plans for further growing space, taking its total area to over 50 hectares (124 acres).The new glasshouse, the last approved for the site under its current planning permission, is aimed to be "planting-ready" by Butler, managing director of Thanet Earth, says the glasshouse is a "significant milestone" for the site and "strengthens our capacity to grow more fresh produce". The new glasshouse will take the growing capacity for Thanet Earth, which was first built in 2009, up to about 550 million tomatoes, 33 million cucumbers and 24 million peppers each year.A specifically reinforced gable will make the new glasshouse more wind resistant and will be protected by a new line of trees which will also minimize the visual impact of the project, a Thanet Earth spokesperson said.
Powys County Times
18-05-2025
- Health
- Powys County Times
Herefordshire man raises £6k for children's charity
A Knighton marketing manager has raised more than £6,000 for a children's charity. Chris Butler, who works for Radnor Hills, completed a 177-mile walk along Offa's Dyke in six days. The father of one took on the challenge to raise money for Abbie's Army, a charity that funds medical research into DIPG, a children's brain cancer. The 35-year-old, who lives in Herefordshire, said: "It was an incredible journey, and I'm delighted to have smashed my fundraising target. "I'd like to thank everyone who donated and supported me, including my best mate Michael Cresswell who took time out to tackle a huge chunk of the walk. "Special thanks also go to my dad, Paul, who followed me all the way down the trail keeping me topped up with supplies and kept me going in the heatwave, and to my wife Holly and our son, Arthur, who inspired me to take on this challenge and who have kept my head in the game throughout. "Abbie's Army is a remarkable charity dedicated to funding vital research into this devastating disease and offering support to families facing this life-altering challenge." Abbie Mifsud was just six years old when she died of Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma (DIPG), an inoperable and incurable cancer in her brainstem. DIPG is a highly aggressive form of cancer with no effective treatment currently available. It almost exclusively affects children under the age of eleven. Abbie died in 2011, just five months after being diagnosed. Mr Butler added: "As the dad of a three-year-old, I can't even begin to imagine what families living with DIPG are going through and I just knew I had to do something to help.
Powys County Times
25-04-2025
- Health
- Powys County Times
Powys worker raises £2,600 for children's brain cancer fund
A marketing manager is training for a 177-mile charity walk. Chris Butler, who works for Radnor Hills, is preparing to walk the length of Offa's Dyke over the course of six days. The award-winning Powys-based soft drinks producer employee is hoping to raise money for Abbie's Army, a brain cancer charity which funds medical research to give hope to families. Abbie Mifsud was only six years old when she died from diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG), an inoperable and incurable cancer in the brainstem. DIPG is a highly aggressive form of cancer that primarily affects children under the age of 11 and currently has no effective treatment options. Abbie passed away in 2011, just five months after being diagnosed. Mr Butler,35, will set off from Prestatyn on the North Wales coast on Tuesday, April 29, and is expecting to arrive in the south at Sedbury Cliffs on the Severn Estuary on Sunday. He said, "The average survival time from diagnosis for a child with Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma remains staggeringly low at just 9-12 months, and heartbreaking,gly families are forced to watch as their child loses their vital functions and abilities before their eyes. "Abbie's Army is an amazing charity that raises funds to support crucial research into this cruel disease and supports families going through this horrific, life-changing ordeal. "I'm a lucky father to my three-year-old son Arthur, and I've been following the stories of families affected by DIPG for a while. "I can't imagine the suffering such young children that are affected have to go through and the distress this causes their loved ones. "Inspired by the stories on @abbies_army's page, I decided to take on this challenge to raise money. "I've been training for it since November with lots of 28 mile plus walks in mid Wales." Mr Butler has already raised more than £2,600 for the charity.
Yahoo
10-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Homeschooling, transit reform hot button issues as Springfield faces May deadline
CHICAGO (WGN) — Lawmakers in Springfield continue to debate hot button measures before their session ends in May, including a proposal that would change homeschooling in Illinois and another to bail out Chicago-area transit agencies. Among the most controversial bills this session has been House Bill 2827, which would require home school parents to report information to regional offices about academic progress and, in some cases, health and vaccination records. Bill would create Illinois framework to regulate homeschooling Advocates in favor of regulation argue it could prevent abuse and educational neglect, but some home schooling parents for months have slammed the proposal. 'HB2827 criminalizes parents for doing the right thing on behalf of their children and their education,' said Juan Rangel, CEO of The Urban Center. The bill would require the State Board of Education create a home school 'declaration' form and set requirements for homeschool administrators. 'A person who is, for some tragic reason, hellbent on abusing a child would decide not to do that because they have to fill out a declaration form,' said Chris Butler. 'Nothing about what we know of the human experience suggests there's that kind of easy solution to these big problems.' Lawmakers are also considering a bailout of Chicago-area transit agencies. Set to run out of federal COVID relief money, the Regional Transportation Authority, Chicago Transit Authority, Metra and Pace need nearly one billion dollars combined, but lawmakers are demanding reforms. 'I agree, completely agree, money can't come unless you've got real reform, Gov. JB Pritzker said. 'I would add: Whatever we do with regard to transit, there has to be a component that focuses on downstate transit. This can't just be about Chicago and surrounding areas.' Proposal would merge Chicago's four transit agencies into one Chicagoland transit heads push back on proposal to combine agencies A plan to merge all four transit agencies has so far stalled at the statehouse. Instead, a coalition of labor groups and lawmakers are throwing support behind a separate bill that would put the RTA in charge of streamlining transit fares. There's also a push to create a transit police force. 'We come across individuals who are mentally unstable or who are under the influence of drugs or alcohol and simply struggling with every day life issues,' said CTA employee Cassie Collins. State Rep. Marcus Evans has said her mother would not ride the CTA's Red Line 'under any circumstances,' citing safety concerns. 'Ask yourself: Are you putting your daughter or sister on the Red Line south and riding it? You're not doing it. Correct?,' he said. Chicagoland transit agencies detail 'doomsday' scenarios without state help Transit riders decry potential cuts to CTA, Metra, Pace at RTA board meeting The RTA says 40 percent of local train and bus routes could be cut if Springfield doesn't act by the end of May, but state money is already tight. And ss lawmakers negotiate a final state budget behind closed doors, the governor says any additional spending will have to be matched with cuts. 'I'm happy to discuss how we might change the balanced budget that I introduced, but again you're got to just figure out how to make the numbers work,' Pritzker said. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
12-03-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
NRL boss takes action after furore over Ivan Cleary's 'terrible' comment in presser
The NRL has sent a memo to all 17 clubs warning them that players and coaches will face harsher sanctions this year for comments made about referees or officials. And it effectively means Ivan Cleary and Wayne Bennett were very lucky not to cop a $10,000 fine in 2024. Chief executive Andrew Abdo reportedly sent an email to the clubs this week declaring the NRL will crack down on disparaging remarks made about officials. It comes after a number of coaches appeared very lucky to escape sanction last season. The email states: 'You may recall the club CEOs meeting during Magic Round last year where we discussed the public focus on officiating and comments by coaches that at times only serve amplify fan and media attention on what in many cases are simply differences of opinion. The consensus at the meeting was the NRL should more strictly enforce the public comment rules in relation to match officials. 'Please can I ask you to advise your head coaches and all club officials, that the existing public comment provisions of the NRL rules will be more strictly enforced in 2025. This includes, but is not limited to, post-match media conferences, radio and television interviews, and club or personal social media posts.' The most controversial example of a coach escaping a sanction last year came when Panthers coach Cleary declared Bunker official Chris Butler shouldn't be picked for the grand final the following week after a "terrible" decision in the prelim. Cleary was left fuming after Butler denied the Panthers a try, even though they went on to beat Cronulla to make the grand final. "That was a terrible decision, and that gives me a lot of anxiety around next week if that Bunker official (is there again)," Cleary said. "I think it was Chris Butler. That was wrong, and it's been happening all year. That worries me about next week if that same Bunker official (is there) or, if he or someone else is going off the same script, then I'm concerned." Not so fast Penrith fans, the bunker is bringing this one back.📺 Watch #NRLFinals on ch.502 or stream on Kayo: ✍️ BLOG MATCH CENTRE — Fox League (@FOXNRL) September 28, 2024 The fact Cleary named Butler by name opened him up to public ridicule, and it also seemed to cross a line that the coach called for him not to be selected. But Abdo and NRL officials were lenient on Cleary because it was a rare outburst, and he dodged a $10,000 fine. "Ivan is a great coach. After the game he doesn't like to talk about match officials, which is something everyone should observe," Abdo said at the time. "Coaches or players making comments about individual match officials and speculation on appointments are unhelpful and detract from the focus being on the clubs and the players in the lead up to the grand final." RELATED: Dylan Brown 'disaster' amid key detail about Kalyn Ponga's exit Latrell Mitchell act towards teammate that might see him lose job Discussing the situation afterwards, leading commentator Andrew Voss was gobsmacked Cleary wasn't fined. 'Ivan has to pay $10,000 for that,' Voss said on SEN radio. 'There was nothing wrong with saying that it was a terrible decision. However, he then said he had anxiety if Chris Butler (is refereeing) next week. 'It attacks his integrity saying that and being critical of him. We (commentators and fans) can say it but coaches can't. I don't know how accepting the NRL will be during grand final week but if it was Ricky Stuart that had said that, it would be $10,000." Wayne Bennett also appeared lucky to avoid a fine when he criticised a call that went against the Dolphins in a loss to Newcastle that knocked them out of finals contention. "It's just crazy," Bennett said. "I feel sad for the teams going forward in the next four weeks (in the finals) because someone else is going to pay the price for it." Abdo responded at the time: "I don't have an issue with him expressing his views. I don't necessarily agree with him but that's his right. Wayne is one of the all-time coaches of our game. He's just been inducted into the Hall of Fame, he's entitled to his opinion."
