Latest news with #Kenyon
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
‘We were promised we'd get our fishing grounds back – Starmer's Brexit deal is giving everything away'
It's quiet on the North Quay in Grimsby. There aren't many fishermen left, and those who remain don't have much hope for the future. 'We've all got grey hair down here, and we've only got a few more years [at it],' says Darren Kenyon, who's been fishing since he was 13. Now he's 58 and no longer believes that anyone will listen when he talks about the plight of those in the local industry, which once formed the backbone of the town. Grimsby used to be the world's premier fishing port, famous for its cod and haddock, but by 2018 there were just 20 trawlers left. Now there are only a handful. Some date the start of the industry's demise to the cod wars of the 1970s, while others blame the European Union (EU) common fisheries policy, which introduced strict catch quotas to preserve stock. Either way, Euroscepticism was common among fishermen and Brexit enjoyed a high level of support in the industry. In Grimsby, some 70 per cent of voters backed it in the 2016 referendum. Taking back control of our waters and liberation from EU regulations were meant to be among its chief selling points. But since Britain left the bloc, many fishermen have felt betrayed. New paperwork has created obstacles to selling to EU countries, which make up Britain's biggest export market. Credit: Reuters And now comes what they see as another blow, in the form of Sir Keir Starmer's new Brexit 'reset' deal. Under the terms agreed by the Prime Minister, EU fishing boats will continue to have access to UK waters until 2038. This access had been due to expire in June next year. The quid pro quo for the extension, says the Government, is that importing and exporting food and drink will be made easier as paperwork and checks will be reduced. Some checks on animal and plant products will be entirely scrapped. None of which seems to impress the fishermen in Grimsby, who don't sell to the continent anyway. 'It's just the same old story,' says Kenyon, who lands crabs, lobsters and whelks from his four boats and also owns a fish processing factory on the quayside. 'It's another good hiding for us, I'm afraid. The job's knackered now.' The promise of Brexit, as he sees it, has been broken. 'We were promised we were going to get our fishing grounds back,' he says. 'We've ended up with hardly anything. This deal is giving everything away.' The situation in Grimsby reflects the wider mood in fishing communities across the UK, as they try to come to terms with the catastrophic consequences of Starmer's new deal. Kenyon is standing on the dock, surrounded by the paraphernalia of his trade: the lobster pots and crab pots, coils of rope and rolls of netting. But he's one of the few still at it. Jim Walker, who's been fishing for 40 years, is another, but he works from a little estuary 20 miles down the coast 'because we can't afford to come in this dock'. He too is scathing about Starmer's deal, which was described by the Conservatives and Reform as a 'surrender' to the EU. 'They've just given the French, the Dutch, the Belgians free reign,' he says. Under the current rules, EU fishing boats are meant to remain outside a six-mile zone off Britain's coast. But they don't, claims Walker, who lands shellfish and sells them to Kenyon. Shellfish from Kenyon's 17-year-old factory on the Quayside is sold all over Britain. He took over the business from his father and had wanted to pass it on to his children but is no longer sure that will happen. 'The last 15 years [have seen a] big crunch, we've got a lack of crews – a lot have left to work for the wind farms because it's good money – and we're all of a certain age,' he says. 'I think the job is done and the industry is going to die pretty quick.' Red tape, he says, has stunted his ability to do his job. Besides which he feels certain that he and the other British fishermen are more heavily policed than their foreign counterparts fishing nearby. Under the new deal – also branded 'disastrous' by the Scottish Fishermen's Federation – it seems likely such resentments will continue to simmer. Would things have improved under the plan to deny EU vessels access after June 2026? 'I think it would have made a difference for the whole of England,' says Kenyon. In 10 to 20 years' time there could have been 'a sea full of fish, we don't let anybody in, we fish it for ourselves.'' But in Grimsby, he admits, 'we haven't got the vessels because we haven't had the help.' Most of those that sit on the shimmering water in the dock today are not fishing trawlers but boats working in the renewable energy industry. Offshore wind was meant to breathe life back into Grimsby (its home to one of the world's largest offshore wind farms) but there's little evidence of that in the streets of run-down or boarded up shop buildings. There's a sense of sadness about this among the fishermen, who are keenly aware of what has been lost here. 'We're an island,' says Kenyon. 'We should be farming ourselves and fishing ourselves.' But as he sees it, the new deal is another nail in the coffin of an already ailing industry. Rob Evans, who runs Taymore Ltd, a Grimsby-based shellfish company with one trawler, brands the agreement 'terrible'. He says: 'First [Starmer's] done the farmers, now he's done fishing. My biggest concern is it's another food source being smashed.' He's perplexed by Starmer agreeing to an extension of as long as 12 years 'because that's three future governments possibly.' If EU access to British waters had ended next year as originally planned, there would have been more fish available, which would have helped the local industry, he believes. As it is, there are European vessels that steam up from France 'and take tonnes and tonnes of whiting'. He adds: 'I can't see any fishermen in the country thinking it's a great idea to have more boats turning up and taking fish that, if left alone, will breed.' Fishing is a small but politically sensitive part of the British economy, estimated to make up just 0.03 per cent of GDP. In Grimsby, though, it still forms an important part of the local identity. Seafood processing provides 6,000 jobs in the town, even if the numbers of men going out to sea has dwindled to near zero. The Government has announced a £360 million investment fund in coastal communities and the fishing industry. But it isn't enough to reassure the fishermen in Grimsby, who feel they have been sold out by successive governments. 'The Government doesn't care about the fishing industry,' says Walker. Behind him, some of the buildings are no longer in use, or have been demolished. 'It was unreal,' sighs Kenyon. 'You could get anything here, you didn't have to go out of the dock. It was like its own little mini-town, I loved it. The dock was alive. There were thousands of people working night and day… Nobody seems to want it any more.' That thriving place has gone now and no-one seems to believe there's much of a chance of it ever returning. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
I'm Gen X: The Money Lessons I Wish I'd Learned as a Kid
Many Gen Xers grew up 'feral' — unsupervised and without a lot of limits or lessons, like how to take care of their finances. Check Out: Read Next: While some Gen Xers may have been lucky to get financial advice from their parents or other adults, many made it to adulthood by figuring things out for themselves, the hard way, and some are still paying the price for that. Here, two Gen Xers discuss the money lessons they wish they'd learned as kids. For Julie Schwietert Collazo, 47, an American living in Mexico, her parents were 'quite poor' and had a single-minded focus of getting her and her brother to college. 'It was not a question of whether we were going to college; we were definitely going,' she said. Without much family money to bolster her college experience, and with little financial literacy, she paid for college through a mix of scholarships, jobs and, eventually, credit. 'I had no idea what credit was,' she said. Her credit card debt eventually mounted to the point where she had to engage credit counseling to deal with it. Explore More: Now, closer to her 50s, she noted, 'I don't own property, I'm the sole breadwinner in my family, and living on the financial precipice constantly. I still joke that at 47 I'm paying off toothpaste that I bought when I was 19.' While she may have a sense of humor about it, she doesn't find the ripple effect of her poor lessons in credit funny today. Collazo advised, if you're a parent, teach your kid about credit as early as possible. Once you start accumulating credit-related debt, it tends to compound and follow you for years, affecting nearly every aspect of your life. She has talked at length with her kids about it since they were very little to the point that she imagines they are 'sick of it.' But she'd rather they be sick of her driving home the point, than find themselves in the same financial boat. Credit is also a theme for Courtni Kenyon, age 45, a senior account executive based in Washington. 'I didn't realize how significantly [a credit score] would affect major life decisions — from renting apartments to buying cars and homes,' she said. 'Good credit doesn't just determine if you qualify for loans; it affects the interest rates you pay, potentially saving — or costing — thousands of dollars over time.' Her realization that a credit score could impact 'unexpected areas like job applications, utility deposits, and cellphone plans,' was a rude awakening, she said. Had she known this earlier, she would have started building credit responsibly at a younger age and been more careful about payment history. 'It took years to correct this mistake, making it the financial lesson I most wish someone had taught me as a kid,' Kenyon said. Growing up poor, she said she had 'zero education' on credit much less even budgeting, money or investing. Kenyon said that her 'underdeveloped' relationship to money in her youth 'had lasting consequences,' in which she flew through her 20s 'financially blind' and unaware of the long-term impact of many of her financial choices. 'It wasn't until my 30s that I finally started developing financial literacy and making smarter money choices.' Even though she managed to turn things around later on, she described the cost of this late financial awakening as 'significant,' citing repercussions of earlier financial mistakes — such as debt she accumulated, investments she missed out on or savings she failed to build. 'When I finally 'woke up' to financial responsibility in my 30s, I found myself playing catch-up instead of building on a solid foundation,' she said. 'This delayed financial maturity means I'm essentially starting from behind, trying to make up for lost time and missed opportunities.' While she's now making better choices, she called it 'a sobering reminder that financial education and responsibility should start much earlier in life.' Kenyon recommended that younger people start disciplined budgeting early and follow through with it. 'A budget on paper is meaningless if you don't stick to it. And while you're building those good habits, prioritize investing in your future self — that means consistently contributing to both savings and retirement accounts, especially your 401(k),' Kenyon said. The power of compound interest means every dollar you invest in your 20s is worth significantly more than money invested later in she urged, 'Don't live beyond your means. Write that budget, and do your best to stick to it, even if that means missing out on something because you don't have the money. Pay yourself first — always, even if it is something as small as $20 per paycheck.' Lastly, credit is credit, not income, she stressed. 'Don't live on credit cards.' More From GOBankingRates 5 Luxury Cars That Will Have Massive Price Drops in Spring 2025 4 Things You Should Do if You Want To Retire Early How Far $750K Plus Social Security Goes in Retirement in Every US Region 12 SUVs With the Most Reliable Engines This article originally appeared on I'm Gen X: The Money Lessons I Wish I'd Learned as a Kid Sign in to access your portfolio
The Independent
30-04-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Quilts created during Covid pandemic to be celebrated in new exhibition
Quilts created during the Covid pandemic to show 'beauty can be born from terrible circumstances' are to feature in a new exhibition. When the Covid-19 pandemic began in 2020, Richard Kenyon, an employment lawyer at Fieldfisher, thought up a plan to create a sense of community and reduce isolation through quilting, which he first grew to love in 2014 after suffering a major heart attack and having a quadruple heart bypass. Initially hoping to bring together his work colleagues, the project grew to incorporate roughly 150 people from all over the UK and abroad, including Mr Kenyon's neighbour, British fashion designer Zandra Rhodes, who designed garments for Diana, Princess of Wales, and Freddie Mercury, among others. The group collectively made seven quilts which are roughly 1.5m wide and 2.5m tall (5ft by 8ft). 'The project was a little bit like the virus itself, but in a beautiful way – it took a while to get going and then more and more people got involved,' the 58-year-old, who is based in Bermondsey, south-east London, told the PA news agency. 'There's a big quilting community in Dulwich, south London, that took part and there was a teacher in Pudsey in Yorkshire whose nine-year-old class contributed to the quilts. 'I run a football team and we weren't able to play during Covid and so arranged Zoom calls which turned into a sewing circle and they all created their own strips for the quilts, some of which were inspired by Newcastle and Manchester United. 'Every day the postman was arriving with more and more of these contributions, which was lovely.' Speaking about the design of the quilts, Mr Kenyon said he hoped that, when viewed together, they highlight how the project provided a sense of community despite being born out of such isolation. 'Each quilt is made up a series of blocks and each one is A4,' he said. 'In the centre is a red square, which represents the home – so we're all at home in isolation – and then there are four legs that come out from that which represent the electronic communications network that was keeping us together. 'When you put all the quilts together, the electronic arms link each other with the homes in isolation and when you see them all together, you can see this community. 'There's so many materials and ideas and colours people have used for their blocks – it's beautiful.' Each quilt also features a verse from punk poet John Cooper Clarke's poem Arts 'n' Crafts because Mr Kenyon felt it perfectly encapsulated what the project was about. 'The poem came into my head when I knew lockdown could be a possibility as there's a line in the poem which goes 'Time, time, time to slay' which is about suddenly having time to spare,' he said. 'Everything just really flowed on from that.' Many contributors also sent Mr Kenyon handwritten letters or emails conveying their happiness at being involved. The seven quilts will be showcased together for the first time at Poulet, a restaurant and bar, at 37 Maltby Street in Bermondsey, south-east London. Everyone who has contributed has been invited, and the general public will be able to see the quilts from 12pm-5pm on May 28 and 29. 'The five-year lockdown milestone felt like the right time to finally show them off,' said Mr Kenyon. 'Lockdown is something people have very mixed memories of and I think we've come to think of it negatively and forget there were some positives, like when we were clapping for the NHS and there was a general sense of 'we're all in this together'. 'I want to remind people that positives and beauty can be born from terrible circumstances.' Following on from the exhibition, Mr Kenyon hopes the quilts find a 'permanent home or permanent loan'. 'They are a piece of history and the amount of people, including cultural icons alongside experienced quilters and absolute beginners who ended up contributing, means (they're) worthy of being kept and seen more widely,' he added.
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Quilts created during Covid pandemic to be celebrated in new exhibition
Quilts created during the Covid pandemic to show 'beauty can be born from terrible circumstances' are to feature in a new exhibition. When the Covid-19 pandemic began in 2020, Richard Kenyon, an employment lawyer at Fieldfisher, thought up a plan to create a sense of community and reduce isolation through quilting, which he first grew to love in 2014 after suffering a major heart attack and having a quadruple heart bypass. Initially hoping to bring together his work colleagues, the project grew to incorporate roughly 150 people from all over the UK and abroad, including Mr Kenyon's neighbour, British fashion designer Zandra Rhodes, who designed garments for Diana, Princess of Wales, and Freddie Mercury, among others. The group collectively made seven quilts which are roughly 1.5m wide and 2.5m tall (5ft by 8ft). 'The project was a little bit like the virus itself, but in a beautiful way – it took a while to get going and then more and more people got involved,' the 58-year-old, who is based in Bermondsey, south-east London, told the PA news agency. 'There's a big quilting community in Dulwich, south London, that took part and there was a teacher in Pudsey in Yorkshire whose nine-year-old class contributed to the quilts. 'I run a football team and we weren't able to play during Covid and so arranged Zoom calls which turned into a sewing circle and they all created their own strips for the quilts, some of which were inspired by Newcastle and Manchester United. 'Every day the postman was arriving with more and more of these contributions, which was lovely.' Speaking about the design of the quilts, Mr Kenyon said he hoped that, when viewed together, they highlight how the project provided a sense of community despite being born out of such isolation. 'Each quilt is made up a series of blocks and each one is A4,' he said. 'In the centre is a red square, which represents the home – so we're all at home in isolation – and then there are four legs that come out from that which represent the electronic communications network that was keeping us together. 'When you put all the quilts together, the electronic arms link each other with the homes in isolation and when you see them all together, you can see this community. 'There's so many materials and ideas and colours people have used for their blocks – it's beautiful.' Each quilt also features a verse from punk poet John Cooper Clarke's poem Arts 'n' Crafts because Mr Kenyon felt it perfectly encapsulated what the project was about. 'The poem came into my head when I knew lockdown could be a possibility as there's a line in the poem which goes 'Time, time, time to slay' which is about suddenly having time to spare,' he said. 'Everything just really flowed on from that.' Many contributors also sent Mr Kenyon handwritten letters or emails conveying their happiness at being involved. The seven quilts will be showcased together for the first time at Poulet, a restaurant and bar, at 37 Maltby Street in Bermondsey, south-east London. Everyone who has contributed has been invited, and the general public will be able to see the quilts from 12pm-5pm on May 28 and 29. 'The five-year lockdown milestone felt like the right time to finally show them off,' said Mr Kenyon. 'Lockdown is something people have very mixed memories of and I think we've come to think of it negatively and forget there were some positives, like when we were clapping for the NHS and there was a general sense of 'we're all in this together'. 'I want to remind people that positives and beauty can be born from terrible circumstances.' Following on from the exhibition, Mr Kenyon hopes the quilts find a 'permanent home or permanent loan'. 'They are a piece of history and the amount of people, including cultural icons alongside experienced quilters and absolute beginners who ended up contributing, means (they're) worthy of being kept and seen more widely,' he added.
The Guardian
25-04-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
‘I hate it': Manchester commuters back ban out-loud music on public transport
'Dread' might not be the first word Mancunians reach for to describe their daily commute, but for Ross Kenyon, 45, reluctantly waiting at a tram stop on a cloudy morning in central Manchester, it's the feeling clawing at his body. Why? He hates the tram. So much so, he refuses to take it to work, preferring a half-hour walk to his office instead. He says the the buses are even worse. He avoids them completely. The reason, he says, is antisocial behaviour. He's become increasingly bothered by people playing music out loud or vaping on public transport. 'You get on the trains or trams, especially on a Friday or Saturday night, and there are people with the speakers and music and it's just impolite … It just aggravates me,' said Kenyon, who works in trading. 'I go to Dubai quite a lot and everything's all nice. But here, it's like there's no rules any more. It's not that I'm the fun police. I just find it annoying.' Music to his ears, however, was the news that the Liberal Democrats are proposing to ban playing music and TV shows out loud on public transport. Under the plans announced on Wednesday, people booming out their favourite tunes or shows from their phone on public transport, or while at stations or bus stops, could face a maximum fine of £1,000. Reena, 41, a journalist sitting on a tram heading out of the centre towards the city's media hub, shared Kenyon's disdain for loudspeakers. 'I hate it. I think it's really unsociable,' she said. 'I have less tolerance for it now that I've got kids … I do understand when you're young and you want to listen to music together, but I just don't think it should be when there's lots of other people, especially if I'm with my kids and they're having a nap or something. It's unnecessarily loud.' For Sarah Hastings, a music teacher in her 50s, it was not playing music out loud that was the problem but the lyrics. 'If it's just background music, mood music, whatever, that's not going to offend anybody. It's not the music. It's the words. Sometimes there are young kids around and it's loud and it's language that they could do without hearing,' she said. To implement the ban, the Liberal Democrats are proposing amendments to the bus services bill, which is going through parliament. As transport policy is devolved, the move would only apply to England. Sign up to First Edition Our morning email breaks down the key stories of the day, telling you what's happening and why it matters after newsletter promotion Jessie Were, 28, who works for the local council, described his commute into the centre as relatively quiet. On the occasion he does hear music on a tram or a bus, it doesn't bother him. 'Sometimes I like music. If it's a song I like, I vibe with it,' he said. 'I think they [the Liberal Democrats] should have other things to focus on. Music on buses and trams. It's really a non-issue.' He was not the only one who felt at odds with the proposal. Kayes Syed, 48, a lawyer, said: 'I don't have a problem with it. It's not rude. It's quite nice, actually. I'm a bit grumpy in the morning, so things like that just cheer me up. I'd rather them [the Liberal Democrats] focus on homelessness, drug abuse or crime rather than playing music.'
