Latest news with #JohnMcFall
Scotsman
20-05-2025
- Politics
- Scotsman
Why Loch Lomond must be saved from Flamingo Land development
Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... As early as 1944, a government committee proposed Loch Lomond and The Trossachs as a national park due to its unique geology, history and beauty "comparable to the Italian lakes". But it took decades of campaigning and leadership from figures like Scottish Labour's John McFall and Hannah Stirling, founder of the Friends of Loch Lomond, before finally, in 2002, it became Scotland's first national park. The campaigners for the national park believed there was no contradiction in protecting the environment and boosting the local economy. They also wanted nature to be accessible – the fact Loch Lomond was on the doorstep of a big city like Glasgow made it more attractive as a national park, not less. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad And – in a country that had only just abolished feudalism – they wanted it to be democratically run with a board including local representation. But the founders also made it clear that if there was a conflict, the principle of conserving the park's natural and cultural heritage came first. An illustration showing what Flamingo Land at Loch Lomond would look like | contributed Shocking decision That's why I supported the National Park Authority's unanimous decision to reject the bid of the Flamingo Land resort in Balloch on the shores of Loch Lomond. Indeed I spoke at the meeting in opposition, reflecting the overwhelming views of the local community. And that's why the Scottish Government's decision to overrule the National Park Authority and approve it is so shocking. It's critical we speed up planning processes so that Scotland can get the affordable homes, infrastructure and developments we need. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad But they have to be the right developments in the right places – and this is where Flamingo Land falls short. The plan has been opposed by environmental organisations from the Woodland Trust to the Scottish Environment Protection Agency, due to the harm to ancient woodland and the risk of flooding. But it was not just a lack of environmental protections that raised alarm bells. Back in 2022, when I canvassed constituents about their concerns, many feared the scale of the resort would lead to even more congestion on the A82. Only one Loch Lomond Anyone who has taken a day trip to Loch Lomond over the past few sunny weeks knows just how bad that traffic can get. And while Flamingo Land says it will inject cash into the local economy, my constituents feared that the jobs would simply be low-paid, seasonal, hospitality roles. The majority of those surveyed were against it and even those in favour raised many of the same concerns. More than 150,000 people have objected to the plans, with some turning out onto the streets to protest. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad This is why Scottish Government ministers must step in to overturn the decision of the reporter who approved Flamingo Land. There is room for development, but it should be one that reflects the heritage of its surroundings and enhances the area rather than damaging it. I don't begrudge Flamingo Land running a business or finding a holiday park formula that it can replicate time and again. But there is only one Loch Lomond, and it's up to the Scottish Government to protect it. Scotland's first national park was designated at Loch Lomond for a reason. Let's not spoil our natural environment and history with an ill-judged development. Ministers must intervene.
Ammon
25-02-2025
- Health
- Ammon
British "parastronaut" becomes first person with a disability to be cleared for ISS mission
Ammon News - The world's very first astronaut with a physical disability has been cleared to head on a mission to the International Space Station (ISS) in the future. On Friday, The European Space Agency (ESA) announced John McFall, who is also a British surgeon and former Paralympic sprinter for Great Britain, had been given medical clearance for a longer mission on the ISS. The astronaut, who lost his leg in an accident when he was 19, said he was proud following the news. He hopes it'll change people's ideas about what those with disabilities are capable of achieving. "This is way bigger than me this is a cultural shift," the astronaut said at an online press conference. Since McFall was first announced as an ESA astronaut in 2022, the agency has been looking into how possible it would be for someone who uses prosthetics to become a crew member on a space mission. There isn't a set date for when McFall will become the first "parastronaut", but the The next phase of the process will look at what will be needed so he can best overcome any additional challenges he encounters in space.
Yahoo
22-02-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Paralympian John McFall could become 1st astronaut with a disability on ISS
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. This astronaut won't be letting his prosthetic leg ground him to the confines of Earth. European Space Agency (ESA) reserve astronaut John McFall has just become the first person with a physical disability to be medically certified to launch on a long-duration mission to the International Space Station (ISS). The surgeon and former Paralympian took part in a study to demonstrate the feasibility of the flight, which recently concluded. McFall was selected for ESA's Fly! Feasibility study in 2022, which aimed to demonstrate the technical viability of flying someone with a disability in space. Now that the study has concluded, McFall and the UK Space Agency are cheering him on toward his next steps: Fly! Mission Ready. McFall lost his leg when he was 19, as a result of a motorcycle accident. Since then, he's never considered himself a "passive amputee," he previously told He won a bronze medal in the 100-meter sprint during the 2008 Paralympics, and has earned a master's degree in biomechanics and gait analysis. "I'm quite involved in my care. I know how my prosthesis works. I'm a technology demonstrator," McFall said. Liz Johns, Interim Head of Space Exploration at the UK Space Agency, praised McFall for the milestone in a statement, saying, "it is fantastic to see that John and the team at ESA have proved it is technically possible for someone with a physical disability like his to live and work on the International Space Station. " Fly! Mission Ready, the next phase of the study, consists of three main components — the types of science that could be conducted during McFall's mission, final qualification of his prosthetics, and a final medical certification. In the statement, McFall hailed the certification as "a really important milestone in the history of human spaceflight." "It's great that we can say after a huge amount of work in the last 18 months that we have demonstrated that it's technically possible for someone with a disability like mine to fly on a long duration mission," McFall said. Related Stories: — Para-astronaut John McFall hopes to see an ISS astronaut with a disability fly by 2030 (exclusive, video) — Astronaut John McFall explains how the Paralympic Games shaped his space career (exclusive) — Astronaut John McFall carries Paralympic flag at opening ceremony McFall was selected as a reserve astronaut after a call for para-astronaut candidates was issued at the end of Phase 1 of the Fly! study, in 2022. The study was initiated jointly by ESA and NASA, and determined to focus the beginnings of their research on lower limb disabilities. "The Mission Ready phase is an important step in moving forward to realize a potential flight opportunity. This phase will include looking at hardware certification and moving further down that process ... should I get the opportunity to fly and importantly we're looking towards medical certification for me to fly on a long duration mission," he added. McFall does not yet have a mission assignment or timeline for when a potential launch might take place, but hopes to make it on the manifest before the ISS is decommissioned sometime after 2030.
Yahoo
22-02-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Paralympian John McFall could become 1st astronaut with a disability on ISS
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. This astronaut won't be letting his prosthetic leg ground him to the confines of Earth. European Space Agency (ESA) reserve astronaut John McFall has just become the first person with a physical disability to be medically certified to launch on a long-duration mission to the International Space Station (ISS). The surgeon and former Paralympian took part in a study to demonstrate the feasibility of the flight, which recently concluded. McFall was selected for ESA's Fly! Feasibility study in 2022, which aimed to demonstrate the technical viability of flying someone with a disability in space. Now that the study has concluded, McFall and the UK Space Agency are cheering him on toward his next steps: Fly! Mission Ready. McFall lost his leg when he was 19, as a result of a motorcycle accident. Since then, he's never considered himself a "passive amputee," he previously told He won a bronze medal in the 100-meter sprint during the 2008 Paralympics, and has earned a master's degree in biomechanics and gait analysis. "I'm quite involved in my care. I know how my prosthesis works. I'm a technology demonstrator," McFall said. Liz Johns, Interim Head of Space Exploration at the UK Space Agency, praised McFall for the milestone in a statement, saying, "it is fantastic to see that John and the team at ESA have proved it is technically possible for someone with a physical disability like his to live and work on the International Space Station. " Fly! Mission Ready, the next phase of the study, consists of three main components — the types of science that could be conducted during McFall's mission, final qualification of his prosthetics, and a final medical certification. In the statement, McFall hailed the certification as "a really important milestone in the history of human spaceflight." "It's great that we can say after a huge amount of work in the last 18 months that we have demonstrated that it's technically possible for someone with a disability like mine to fly on a long duration mission," McFall said. Related Stories: — Para-astronaut John McFall hopes to see an ISS astronaut with a disability fly by 2030 (exclusive, video) — Astronaut John McFall explains how the Paralympic Games shaped his space career (exclusive) — Astronaut John McFall carries Paralympic flag at opening ceremony McFall was selected as a reserve astronaut after a call for para-astronaut candidates was issued at the end of Phase 1 of the Fly! study, in 2022. The study was initiated jointly by ESA and NASA, and determined to focus the beginnings of their research on lower limb disabilities. "The Mission Ready phase is an important step in moving forward to realize a potential flight opportunity. This phase will include looking at hardware certification and moving further down that process ... should I get the opportunity to fly and importantly we're looking towards medical certification for me to fly on a long duration mission," he added. McFall does not yet have a mission assignment or timeline for when a potential launch might take place, but hopes to make it on the manifest before the ISS is decommissioned sometime after 2030.
Yahoo
19-02-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
'Hugely proud': UK Paralympian becomes 1st disabled astronaut to be cleared for ISS mission
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. A former U.K. Paralympian has been given the green light to undertake a future mission to the International Space Station (ISS), which would make him the first person with a physical disability to travel to space. John McFall, 43, is an orthopedic surgeon and former medal-winning Paralympic sprinter who has represented Great Britain at multiple competitions. He had his right leg amputated above the knee when he was 19 years old after a motorcycling accident. McFall joined the European Space Agency (ESA) in 2022 as part of the agency's "Fly!" program to assess the feasibility of someone with a prosthesis becoming an ISS crew member. On Friday (Feb. 14), ESA announced in an online media briefing that McFall has passed the medical tests needed to undertake a long-term ISS mission and is now on the waiting list to travel to the space station. McFall said that he was "hugely proud" to be cleared for a future ISS mission. "This is way bigger than me — this is a cultural shift," he said during the briefing. Related: 'Stranded' NASA astronaut Suni Williams photographed from Earth during record-breaking spacewalk. Can you spot her? McFall is now fully qualified to become an astronaut but is currently not scheduled for a specific mission. "Now he's an astronaut like everybody else who wants to fly to the space station, waiting for a mission assignment," Daniel Neuenschwander, the director of human and robotic exploration at ESA, said during the briefing. However, ESA has previously stated that the agency wants to send a disabled person to the ISS before the space station is decommissioned, which is currently scheduled to happen at some point after 2030. "At this stage, it's looking very positive," McFall told the BBC's Sky At Night Magazine in 2024. "I think [it could happen] within the next few years." McFall is now in line to become the first para-astronaut. However, he has previously pushed back against using the "para" prefix to describe himself. "I'm not a para-surgeon, I'm a surgeon. I'm not a para-dad, I'm a dad," McFall told The Guardian in 2024. "I think that if we continue to use [the 'para' prefix], it probably continues to create a divide, which isn't necessary." The new announcement comes during a period of uncertainty surrounding diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) in space, following a wave of controversial changes at NASA imposed by the new Trump administration. RELATED STORIES —Chinese astronauts make rocket fuel and oxygen in space using 1st-of-its-kind 'artificial photosynthesis' —ISS leaks among 50 'areas of concern' for astronaut safety: report —Astronauts could ditch diapers on spacewalks thanks to new device that let's them drink their pee "We are now entering a world which is changing a bit from a DEI perspective from one of our [ISS] partners," Neuenschwander said during the conference. In the last few weeks, NASA has been ordered to end all DEI initiatives, altered web pages celebrating female scientists and allegedly told workers to purge workspaces of LGBTQI+ symbols. However, all ISS partners — including the U.S. — cleared McFall for a future ISS mission, according to French news agency AFP.
