Latest news with #JohnMackie
Leader Live
7 days ago
- General
- Leader Live
Wrexham man urges others to volunteer for ambulance service
John Mackie, 56, from Rossett, volunteers with the Volunteer Car Service, transporting patients to and from hospital appointments in his own vehicle. He said: "I can honestly say it's one of the best things I have ever done, and it really is a rewarding role as I get to help people who are going through a very difficult time, just like my father was. 'It's so flexible and I can easily fit it in around my other hobbies and interests. "I give three days a week to being a VCS driver and I would encourage other people who have the spare time and a vehicle to consider becoming a volunteer." Mr Mackie, originally from Glasgow, spent 32 years working for frozen food retailer Iceland and was on the company's board of directors before taking early retirement. He said he was inspired to volunteer after supporting his father through cancer treatment. He said: "It all started for me after my father was diagnosed with cancer and I was taking him to and from the hospital for appointments and treatment. "I could see other patients in the waiting room who were waiting to be taken home and after seeing a post on social media about the VCS, it all fell into place, and I applied immediately." The Volunteer Car Service is one of several key roles supported by the Welsh Ambulance Service, which is celebrating the contribution of nearly 700 volunteers across Wales as part of Volunteers' Week. These include community first responders, community welfare responders, and volunteer car service drivers. Lee Brooks, executive director of operations, said: "Volunteers are an essential part of the Welsh Ambulance Service. "Their commitment and generosity directly impact thousands of patients every year, and we simply couldn't do what we do without them. "Volunteers' Week is a wonderful chance to recognise their incredible efforts, to celebrate the time and energy they selflessly give, and to thank them publicly for their continued support of their local communities." Community First Responders (CFRs) are trained to attend 999 calls and deliver life-saving first aid before an ambulance arrives. In 2024/25 alone, CFRs responded to more than 10,841 emergencies across Wales. Community Welfare Responders (CWRs) attend incidents that are not immediately life-threatening, providing live observations to control rooms so that patients can be monitored remotely by clinicians. CWRs recorded 1,045 attendances in the past year. The Volunteer Car Service supports patients attending regular medical appointments, including renal dialysis and oncology. Last year, VCS drivers completed 45,557 journeys and covered a total of 1,426,165 miles. Read more: Wrexham charity celebrates CEO's invitation to Buckingham Palace Wrexham baker receives award for 'outstanding contribution' to Welsh food industry Gareth Parry, operations manager for volunteering and community resilience, said: "Our fantastic volunteers play a vital role in supporting the trust, offering their time, skills, and compassion to strengthen patient care. "Their dedication ensures our service continues to provide the highest level of support to communities. "In return, they take on a challenging and highly rewarding role, becoming a vital part of #TeamWAST, while making a meaningful difference in people's lives." For more information on volunteering for the Welsh Ambulance Service, visit: Volunteer For Us - Welsh Ambulance Services University NHS Trust.
Toronto Sun
30-05-2025
- Business
- Toronto Sun
Hudson's Bay heads into last days of sale with lots of shoppers, little merchandise
Published May 30, 2025 • 1 minute read Female mannequins at the Hudson's Bay store at 674 Granville Street in downtown Vancouver, May 28, 2025. Photo by John Mackie / Postmedia Network Hudson's Bay is headed into its last weekend of liquidation sales with its Toronto flagship teeming with shoppers looking for one last treasure from the department store. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account Even before the Yonge Street location opened Friday, scores of shoppers waited in front of the doors, strategizing how to find the best deal. When they made it inside, they found $10 Levi's jeans for men, $5 corsets for women and $15 pajama sets. There were also plenty of furniture and fixtures for sale, including plastic fruit, stacks of woven baskets and row upon row of mannequins. Shopper Alysha Robinson considered herself lucky to have snagged decorative white and gold pumpkins and Easter eggs she will use for displays at her cannabis store, but said it was sad to see store shelves so empty. All 80 Hudson's Bay stores and 13 under its Saks banners are due to close by Sunday. Read More Crime World Olympics Sunshine Girls Toronto Raptors
Vancouver Sun
21-05-2025
- General
- Vancouver Sun
Letters to The Sun: Story of Empress of Asia resonates with B.C. residents
Re: This Day in History, 1942: The Empress of Asia is sunk during the Second World War I much appreciated John Mackie's story on the Empress of Asia. My grandfather, John Masson from Vancouver, was the second engineer on the ship for many prewar years during her trans-Pacific voyages, and was so when it was bombed in the Strait of Malacca. He and a number of shipmates escaped from Singapore in a 'borrowed' small vessel before the Japanese invasion, and about five months later arrived in Durban, South Africa, the first place from which they could safely send a message home that they were still alive. I have shared the few mementoes of his that I have with Dan Black, and am looking forward to his book. Thank you for bringing this story into the light of today. A daily roundup of Opinion pieces from the Sun and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Informed Opinion will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. Robert Allan, executive chairman, Robert Allan Ltd. Naval Architects and Marine Engineers I was very interested to read John Mackie's article. In the mid-1950s, I was a teenager living in Singapore with my parents. Somewhere around 1953-54, my father, Capt. Herring, was in charge of salvage operations on the Empress of Asia. He was a marine surveyor and I was able to accompany him on a couple of the salvage trips near Sultan Shoal. I will never forget watching them pull up the first cut section of the vessel's hull covered in several colours of coral. It was like watching a whole garden come up from the depths of the ocean. When we got back to shore, the crew pulled off several pieces of the coral to give to me. Sadly, the colours only lasted a few days once they got into daylight, but I still have a couple of the smaller pieces on my shelf here in Canada. Ann Ligertwood, North Delta Re. Douglas Todd: B.C.'s approach to housing mirrors a trend in the U.S. An arresting column. I hope a great many people are paying close attention to this issue. I suspect, however, that this is not the case. Todd's concluding sentence about the potential for yet more damage being done to our seriously diseased democracy goes to the heart of the issue. Interesting that the same edition of The Sun contains an article on B.C. Premier David Eby's expanding use of order-in-council appointees to centralize yet more power in his office. This is a disturbing trend that has been afflicting Ottawa as well as various provincial capitals in our country for a long time. Coincidentally, Globe and Mail columnist Andrew Coyne has written a recently published book, The Crisis of Canadian Democracy, which cogently addresses many of the systemic pathologies actively undermining our political institutions and processes. They are many and varied, but collectively lead to one outcome: a tyrannical administrative state and an oppressed populace. In Todd's column, he uses the term 'wavering trust' on the part of Canadians in their democracy. That's an understatement. As the estimable George Shultz correctly asserted, in a Wall Street Journal oped I believe it was, just before his death at age 100, 'Without trust you can accomplish nothing at all.' I suspect Eby et al. are about to discover the truth in this statement. It will be British Columbians, however, who end up paying the price for the NDP's bulldozer approach to governance. Same old, same old, with ideologues everywhere. Repairing and revitalizing our democracy ought to be Job 1 in this country. This is no esoteric subject for debate in a humanities faculty lounge. In a recent speech given at Regent College, Preston Manning argued that a 'well-ordered politics is an essential prerequisite to human flourishing.' Exactly so. David Marley, West Vancouver
Associated Press
06-05-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
AIP Precision Machining and Roboze to Showcase Strategic Manufacturing Partnership at OTC 2025
Houston, TX May 05, 2025 --( )-- AIP Precision Machining, a leader in precision thermoplastic component manufacturing, is pleased to announce its joint exhibition with Roboze at the Offshore Technology Conference (OTC) 2025, taking place in Houston, Texas. The two companies will co-host booth 667 to present integrated solutions that address critical challenges in the energy sector's supply chain and component performance. This collaboration merges AIP's precision machining expertise with Roboze's advanced additive manufacturing platforms, enabling a hybrid approach to producing mission-critical components for demanding environments. 'At AIP, we specialize in tight-tolerance machining of high-performance thermoplastics like PEEK, Torlon®, and VESPEL® — materials engineered for reliability in high-temperature, high-pressure conditions,' said John MacDonald, President at AIP Precision Machining. 'Together with Roboze, we're offering the energy industry a strategic shift in how critical parts are sourced and delivered.' Engineering Performance for Extreme Environments The oil & gas sector increasingly requires components that can maintain mechanical and chemical integrity under extreme conditions — while also navigating disruptions in global logistics. Through the deployment of Roboze's ARGO 500 additive manufacturing platform, paired with AIP's proven machining processes, customers gain access to localized, responsive production without compromising on dimensional accuracy or compliance. By combining on-demand 3D printing with AS9100- and ISO 13485-certified machining operations, the partnership enables faster lead times, reduced warehousing needs, and improved responsiveness in MRO (maintenance, repair, and operations) workflows. A New Model for Critical Parts Management At OTC 2025, AIP and Roboze will present real-world use cases demonstrating how this hybrid manufacturing model can: - Reduce downtime by enabling local, agile production of custom parts - Replace legacy metal components with lightweight, chemically resistant alternatives such as Carbon PEEK - Maintain precise tolerances and part reliability with post-processing and final machining - Digitize and decentralize inventory through validated part files and repeatable quality control Join them at Booth 667 – OTC 2025 Attendees are invited to explore how AIP and Roboze are redefining advanced manufacturing for the energy sector. Experts from both teams will be available to discuss application-specific requirements, material selection, and how to implement a hybrid production strategy that aligns with operational goals. To schedule a dedicated meeting during OTC or learn more about this partnership, please contact: John Mackie AIP Precision Machining [email protected] 724 Fentress Boulevard Daytona Beach, Florida 32114 Contact Information: AIP Precision Machining John Mackie (386) 274-5335 Contact via Email Read the full story here: AIP Precision Machining and Roboze to Showcase Strategic Manufacturing Partnership at OTC 2025 Press Release Distributed by
