Latest news with #Claire
North Wales Chronicle
15 hours ago
- Health
- North Wales Chronicle
Anglesey: Gwyddfor care apprentice wins new talent award
Claire Elizabeth Hughes, a health and social care apprentice based at Gwyddfor Residential Care Home in Bodedern, Ynys Môn, was named the winner of the Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol New Talent Award in memory of Gareth Pierce. The award honours individuals who have demonstrated exceptional talent and made a significant impact in their workplace. (L) Claire Elizabeth Hughes, with (R) Gwyn Arfon Williams, work-based learning assessor (Image: Llandrillo Menai) Mary Williams, care home manager, said: "Claire has worked for us since 2022 and has taken to her role – from junior to senior care practitioner – like a duck to water. "Previously skilled as a beauty therapist, she is now an asset to our home and highly respected by the whole team. "She takes a special interest in the well-being of every resident, going out of her way to ensure they are well-presented and always treated with dignity. "Promoting the Welsh language and its traditions is very important to her, and this is clear in her day-to-day work. "Speaking Welsh is a part of everyday life in our home, and the ability to communicate in Welsh enhances well-being and gives residents a sense of belonging and identity. "Claire understands the responsibility of helping to preserve and promote the language – ensuring it is valued and respected in everything she does." Ms Hughes was praised for her 'person-centred' approach to dementia care, delivered in both Welsh and English. Ms Hughes' assessor, Gwyn-Arfon Williams, said: "Claire is an exceptional learner who consistently exceeds expectations. "She works tirelessly to support individuals living with dementia, and what truly sets her apart is her bilingual communication – a vital bridge for residents who feel more comfortable in Welsh. READ MORE: Charity to pause care at its four-bedded hospice on Anglesey "She's not only a hardworking and compassionate apprentice, but also a role model in the workplace – demonstrating leadership, empathy, and a constant drive to learn. "This recognition is so well deserved." The Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol works to increase Welsh-medium and bilingual opportunities in post-16 education, supporting learners like Ms Hughes to use the Welsh language in their professional roles.
CNBC
15 hours ago
- Business
- CNBC
CNBC's UK Exchange newsletter: Britain was once known as a ‘nation of shopkeepers.' Now, not so much
England, Napoleon Bonaparte reputedly once said, is a nation of shopkeepers. These days, he might observe that it is more a nation of administrators, insolvency practitioners and restructuring advisors. Barely a day passes without news of another retailer going bust or closing dozens of stores. To take a handful of headlines from the last week: advisors have been appointed to salvage part of Claire's U.K., the British arm of the global accessories chain, which has 281 outlets nationwide; Hamleys, the world famous U.K. toy retailer, has closed 29 stores after shutting 40 in 2023; and Seraphine, the maternity retailer whose customers included the Princess of Wales, has stopped trading altogether. They are just the tip of the iceberg. Poundland, recently offloaded for just £1 by its Polish-listed former parent Pepco to the U.S. investment group Gordon Brothers, is widely expected to close dozens more stores on top of those already announced as its restructuring begins in earnest. Hobbycraft, the arts and crafts retailer, and the Original Factory Shop, a general retailer, are both closing scores of outlets following their acquisition by Modella Capital, the U.K. private equity firm currently in the process of buying the high street arm of WH Smith, the stationery retailer now best known for its outlets in airports around the world. Some of its branches are also likely to shut. The pain is being felt most acutely in fashion retail, reflecting increased competition from online competitors like ASOS and Shein. New Look, which has delighted generations of teenagers and 20-somethings for 55 years, is fighting for its life and earlier this year announced plans to shut 100 outlets, around a quarter of its total, when their leases expire. The even-older River Island — which dates back to 1948 and, in the swinging 1960s, rebranded itself Chelsea Girl as it rode the mini-skirt boom — has also called in advisors to help with a possible restructuring. It currently employs some 5,500 people across more than 250 stores. They follow a long line of well-known U.K. retailers to have closed their doors during the last decade or so — some still soldiering on as online-only brands — including Topshop, Dorothy Perkins, Ted Baker, Thorntons, Carpetright, Paperchase and Debenhams. Others, such as the Body Shop and Wilko, are under new owners, which tends to come with a vastly reduced store estate. The retail sector is not alone in suffering. Hospitality is also afflicted with even established names like Byron Burger, Chipotle, Frankie & Benny's and Papa John's closing sites across the U.K. The most recent casualty was Ping Pong, a popular dim sum chain, which closed for good last week after 20 years in business. There may also soon be closures at Côte, a brasserie chain which once had 100 outlets, whose private equity investors are now seeking new investment. In all, around 17,350 retail sites are expected to shut down this year, with the loss of almost 202,000 jobs, according to the Centre for Retail Research, a data provider. It estimates that, during 2024, some 13,479 stores closed, following 10,494 closures during 2023. To say the trend is accelerating is both accurate and worrying. There are several short-term reasons for this carnage and plenty of long-term ones. The most important of the former is the rise in employers' National Insurance Contributions (NICs), a payroll tax, introduced by Chancellor Rachel Reeves in April this year. However, more damaging than the increase in the rate — which rose from 13.8% to 15% — was a drop in the threshold at which it is paid from £9,100 to £5,000. That has increased the cost of employing people and, in particular, the part-time workers crucial to retail and hospitality. A number of employers have blamed it for both job losses and branch closures. Among them was Bob Wigley, co-owner of Margot, a popular restaurant in London's Covent Garden recently forced to close. Wigley, previously one of the City's best-known investment bankers, posted on LinkedIn that one of the restaurant's managers had told him: "We survived Covid but we can't survive Labour." The government told CNBC that its tax changes were "tough but necessary," and are needed to "protect working people's payslips from higher taxes," and invest in public services. The British Retail Consortium, the main industry body, has estimated that the hike in employers' NICs will cost the retail sector alone some £2.3 billion. Other near-term factors include the recent rise in the minimum wage from £11.44 ($15.38) an hour to £12.21. The age at which it kicks in was also reduced from 23 to 21 — making it more expensive to hire younger workers — while the rate for 18-20-year-olds rose from £9.60 an hour to £10. Wages have also been rising more broadly, following several years of above-average earnings growth across the economy, a result of the U.K.'s tight labor market and the rise in economic inactivity since the pandemic. But as unemployment — and with it, job insecurity — starts to rise, consumers are increasingly eating into their savings or becoming more frugal. The U.K.'s savings ratio, which spiked during the pandemic and remained high afterwards, is now falling for the first time this decade. As Clive Black, head of consumer research at the investment bank Shore Capital and one of the City's most renowned retail-watchers, put it in a recent client note: "U.K. consumers are low on confidence, fed up with broken Britain." Local councils have also pushed up parking charges and introduced so-called "low traffic neighborhoods," making high-street shopping tricky for those who rely on their cars, prompting many bigger operators —the likes of Next and Marks & Spencer — to shift to out-of-town retail parks. But there are also longer-term factors. Business rates — a tax dating back 400 years levied on the "rateable value" of most non-domestic properties such as shops, offices, pubs and warehouses — hit bricks-and-mortar retailers much harder than online retailers like Amazon, which is also blamed for sucking business away from the high street. In its election manifesto last year, the governing Labour Party promised to "level the playing field between the high street and online giants," but its solution — hitting larger properties more heavily to fund lower rates for smaller premises — has alarmed many in the sector, including supermarket multiples like Tesco, Sainsbury's and the Co-op. The government says its business rates system is designed to "protect the high street" and support investment. Regardless, the acceleration in store closures has raised fears that this is a structural downturn, rather than just cyclical. There is some evidence for this. In the past, when an established retailer was forced out of business, other operators stepped in to take its place. A good example is the U.K. arm of Woolworths, the much-loved variety store chain, whose 807 outlets closed — with the loss of 27,000 jobs — in late 2008 and early 2009 at the height of the financial crisis. New tenants were quickly found for many of these as rivals, such as B&M, stepped in to take the sites at a cheaper rent. Many of these, including the likes of Poundland, Poundstretcher and Original Factory Shop are now themselves struggling. However, more recently when a store has closed, it has remained closed, which, added to the exodus to retail parks, has left many high streets with a sense of decay. When a big retail destination closes or moves out, footfall is reduced. Accordingly, a typical British high street, which in the 1980s or 1990s boasted familiar names like Boots, Woolworths and Marks & Spencer, is more likely these days to be home to vape shops, American-style candy stores, tattoo parlors and charity shops (the latter of which benefit from significantly lower business rates). The sense that this is a structural change also reflects a shift in retail property ownership. The big U.K. commercial property players such as Land Securities and British Land, where they have exposure to the retail sector at all, will do so largely via retail parks or shopping centers. The typical high street landlord is more likely these days to be a "mom and pop" operator unable to offer tenants better terms when they run into difficulty. All of this sounds like a perfect storm, yet there is another, less frequently acknowledged factor at play: going into the 21st century, when Amazon began eating the lunch of the old bricks-and-mortar retailers, there were simply too many players. Many retailers will not countenance the idea, but perhaps what we have seen over the last quarter century is simply over-capacity being taken out of the Rachel Reeves faces mounting pressure Investors are looking for clues on how Reeves plans to fill a black hole in the budget as we approach the Autumn Budget, when next year's fiscal plans are announced. UK GDP underperforms on the month — what happens now? The U.K. economy unexpectedly shrank again in May and economists expect growth to slow in the rest of the year amid a weaker jobs market and ongoing economic uncertainty. JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon tells Europe 'you're losing' on competitiveness Jamie Dimon last week lamented Europe's lack of competitiveness in comparison to the U.S. and China. Listen in to see what he had to say, and how CNBC's anchors reacted to his an exodus of millionaires, businesses and workers, has London lost its spark? London has taken a bit of a battering lately. CNBC asked analysts whether the city is on downward trajectory, or just experiencing some bumps in the road. The UK's budget gap is widening and markets want to know Reeves' fix. Chancellor Rachel Reeves' Mansion House is a crucial opportunity to signal the steps she will take to inject growth back into the U.K. economy. UK economy contracts again in May, missing expectations for slight rebound. The U.K. economy unexpectedly shrank again in May, data showed Friday, failing to shake off the impact of U.S. tariffs and business uncertainty.U.K. stocks have been strong outperformers over the past week, with the FTSE 100 gaining 1.6%. The index notched a record intraday high above 9,000 points on Tuesday. London-listed companies have been boosted by the fact that the U.K. has already negotiated a trade deal with the White House, while business in the European Union remain mired in uncertainty — and under threat of 30% U.S. duties — heading into earnings season. Further support has come from a decline in sterling, which has dropped 1.5% against the U.S. dollar to $1.339 over the past week, as Bank of England Governor Andrew Bailey suggested the central bank would be more forceful with interest rate cuts if the labor market weakens. A weaker pound can be beneficial to FTSE 100 firms, a majority of which derive their revenue overseas. The gilt market has been relatively calm following its recent spell of volatility. The 10-year yield has eased to 4.62% from 4.63% over the past seven days, while the 2-year yield is down to 3.83% from 3.88%.
Daily Record
21 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
Outlander prequel stars shed light on key time travel detail
Outlander fans got an answer to one big question Outlander enthusiasts have finally received a conclusive response to one of the most intriguing mysteries on the Starz historical drama series, reports the Express. In a video shared on the Outlander Instagram account, stars Jeremy Irvine and Hermione Corfield, who portray Henry Beauchamp and Julia Moriston respectively, made a significant disclosure. The pair read out fan theories from the internet suggesting that both Henry and Julia were time travellers. They then confirmed these theories as accurate, with Corfield stating: "We both time travel. We also both get into a car crash," and Irvine chiming in with: "You nailed it." The video was captioned: "Nothing is more satisfying than having a long-awaited fan theory finally validated. #BloodOfMyBlood." Following this confirmation, many Outlander fans began speculating, with one individual proposing: "So what if Claire's parents conceived her in the past but had to go back to 1918 for whatever reason had her and she's actually the original 200 year-old baby?". Another speculated: "I'm theorizing here whether some Randall will disturb Henry and Julia's generation and make them move to France [sic]." A third fan pondered: "What if they raised Faith? What if they will be reunited at season 8 with Claire? What if ... OMG Can't wait [sic]." Yet another queried: "So are they still in the past could we meet an older couple that are Claire parents as they never made it back to her brianna with her maternal grandparents too [sic]." Another person chimed in: "One theory of time travel is the traveler is thinking of someone who's in the past so was Claire thinking of her parents? I don't think Jamie alone could have pulled her back in time." This clip has sparked further intrigue following years of fan theories about the fate of Claire Fraser's (portrayed by Caitríona Balfe) parents, who were presumed dead following a car accident in Outlander. The question of whether time travel runs in families within the Outlander universe has led to speculation about whether one or both of Claire's parents had the ability to traverse through the stones. Diana Gabaldon, the creator of Outlander, has previously expressed disinterest in delving into the backstory of Claire's parents, thus leaving much to fans' imaginations. However, it seems that the scriptwriters for Outlander: Blood of My Blood have decided to tackle this mystery head-on, with the new trailer revealing that Claire's parents indeed journey through the stones after their honeymoon in Scotland ends in a car crash. In the upcoming narrative, Henry is on a quest to locate Julia, who finds herself adrift in the 18th-century Scottish Highlands, where she meets Ellen MacKenzie (played by Harriet Slater), caught in the throes of a clandestine affair with Brian Fraser (Jamie Roy). Outlander: Blood of My Blood premieres on Starz on August 8 and on Prime Video via MGM+ on August 9
Economic Times
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Economic Times
Outlander season 7 release date on Netflix: When will series finale Outlander season 8 premiere?
Outlander season 7 release date on Netflix is nearing and makers will also drop Outlander season 8 soon. How to watch all episodes? Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads FAQs Outlander season 7 is releasing on Netflix albeit in two parts and two different release window. First eight episodes of Outlander season 7 will be released in August this year. The part 2 of Outlander season 7 is expected to premiere on Netflix in January, 2027, as per a report on Season 7 will see the epic continuation of Jamie and Claire's saga setting the stage for Season 8, confirmed as the series finale and is likely to be released in 2026 on regions like Belgium, France, Hong Kong, India, Japan, Malaysia, Poland, Singapore, and South Korea, Netflix has been streaming Season 7 weekly alongside Starz since June such as Australia, Canada, the Netherlands, Argentina, Brazil, South Africa, Mexico, and Sweden have to wait roughly 11–12 months post-premiere.U.S. Netflix follows a long-standing two-year delay policy relative to Starz's finale. That means if Outlander season 8 is released in 2026 on Starz, Netflix USA will get the show in you're in Canada, Australia, or similar regions, Outlander S7 may already be on your Netflix. But for U.S. fans, brace for a staggered arrival: Season 7A in mid‑2025, and the full season—Part B arriving in early 2027. Meanwhile, Seasons 1–6 remain readily available, and new episodes are on Starz, Prime Video, or Hulu with Starz add‑on.A1. Outlander season 7 is releasing in August this year on Netflix.A2. Netflix USA follows a long-standing two-year delay policy relative to Starz's finale.
Time of India
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Outlander season 7 release date on Netflix: When will series finale Outlander season 8 premiere?
Outlander season 7 is releasing on Netflix albeit in two parts and two different release window. First eight episodes of Outlander season 7 will be released in August this year. The part 2 of Outlander season 7 is expected to premiere on Netflix in January, 2027, as per a report on WhatsOnNetflix. Outlander Season 7 will see the epic continuation of Jamie and Claire's saga setting the stage for Season 8, confirmed as the series finale and is likely to be released in 2026 on Starz. In regions like Belgium, France, Hong Kong, India, Japan, Malaysia, Poland, Singapore, and South Korea, Netflix has been streaming Season 7 weekly alongside Starz since June 2023. Territories such as Australia, Canada, the Netherlands, Argentina, Brazil, South Africa, Mexico, and Sweden have to wait roughly 11–12 months post-premiere. U.S. Netflix follows a long-standing two-year delay policy relative to Starz's finale. That means if Outlander season 8 is released in 2026 on Starz, Netflix USA will get the show in 2028. Live Events If you're in Canada, Australia, or similar regions, Outlander S7 may already be on your Netflix. But for U.S. fans, brace for a staggered arrival: Season 7A in mid‑2025, and the full season—Part B arriving in early 2027. Meanwhile, Seasons 1–6 remain readily available, and new episodes are on Starz, Prime Video, or Hulu with Starz add‑on. FAQs Q1. When is Outlander season 7 releasing? A1. Outlander season 7 is releasing in August this year on Netflix. Q2. Why is Outlander season 7 releasing late on Netflix? A2. Netflix USA follows a long-standing two-year delay policy relative to Starz's finale.
