Latest news with #KevinPotts
Daily Record
3 days ago
- Health
- Daily Record
Local veterans celebrate Health for Heroes Award at VE Day Event
East Renfrewshire Culture and Leisure invited veterans for afternoon tea at Barrhead Foundry to celebrate the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day. Veterans were recently invited to an afternoon tea at Barrhead Foundry to celebrate the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day and efforts to support them in East Renfrewshire. The special gathering saw East Renfrewshire Culture and Leisure receive the Armed Forces' Covenant Employer Bronze Award, in recognition of its support for the armed forces community. As part of this support, the leisure team developed the Health for Heroes scheme. The initiative launched in 2019 as the first programme of its kind in Scotland, offering free fitness memberships to support local veterans in partnership with East Renfrewshire Council. Veteran Kevin Potts was in the Royal Air Force as a photographic specialist for 22 years. His wife, Fiona, is also a veteran and they are Health for Heroes members. Kevin told the Paisley Daily Express: 'The Health for Heroes initiative is important because there is very little support for veterans when they come out, whether they've served for a short period or had a longer period of service. 'They're left going from a massive family environment to very little, so any support outside is massive to them. It means a lot and makes them feel like they're still part of the veteran family. 'Getting like-minded people together who may have lost touch with the military family gives veterans an opportunity to tell their stories. Having the Health for Heroes environment allows them to pass information on and keep the rhetoric.' James McEwan, from Barrhead, joined the army at the age of 18 and served in Germany and Northern Ireland. The 70-year-old veteran, added: 'There are so many soldiers with so many needs when they come out of the army. I try to push the message that it's not weak to go to combat stress. 'It's not a 'manly' thing to stay away from it - get help if you're struggling with your mental health. 'It's always good if you can do physical exercise. 'I'm just getting back into the gym again and usually come down to use Barrhead Foundry's gym once or twice a week, when I can manage.' Captain David Hanley, 102 Field Squadron's PSAO (Permanent Staff Administration Officer), presented the recognition award at the event, which was attended by veterans, local partners who support the armed forces community and local councillors, including council leader Owen O'Donnell and councillor and veterans champion Kate Campbell. Councillor Campbell said: 'I'd like to congratulate East Renfrewshire Culture and Leisure for achieving the bronze award. 'They have been undertaking fantastic work in supporting our local armed forces community, both internally with their employees and across East Renfrewshire. 'Having spoken with a number of veterans, it is clear that the Health For Heroes scheme has been a success and is making a real difference to the lives of local residents. I would encourage anyone from our armed forces community to get involved and see how it could help and support you.' East Renfrewshire Culture and Leisure's chief executive Anthony McReavy said: 'We are very proud to receive the Armed Forces' Employer Recognition Bronze Award and for our Health for Heroes programme, recognising the positive impact it has in supporting veterans in our community.'
Yahoo
11-04-2025
- Yahoo
New sniper tower, range to be built at Fort Indiantown Gap
FORT INDIANTOWN GAP, Pa. – A new snipe tower and training range are currently under construction at Fort Indiantown Gap. The more than 500-acre combined-arms live-fire range is being built on an underutilized former tank gunnery range, while the sniper tower is being added to an existing sniper range. Both will be located between Blue and Second Mountains. 'This range and sniper tower will just add to the many diverse training options we have here at Fort Indiantown Gap,' said Col. Kevin Potts, garrison commander. 'And the fact that we were able to build them with a relatively small amount of money makes it even better.' The live-fire range will be similar to one at Fort Bliss in Texas, which will allow for platoon live-fire. 'The western end of the training area was a blank slate, and it's just underutilized land,' said Lt. Col. Gordon Kinneer, Fort Indiantown Gap's director of plans, operations, training and security. 'We have a couple ranges there, but when those ranges aren't used, all that maneuver land just doesn't get used. So we saw it as an opportunity to get more usage out of it and build another capability.' The three-story sniper tower is built from shipping containers welded together and shaped into rooms with different dimensions and configurations. 'It adds elevation, it adds realism,' Kinneer said. 'Yes, sniper teams can stalk through the woods, but they also operate out of urban terrain, and that's what we're seeking to replicate with that facility.' The sniper tower is expected to be completed around September and the range by Spring 2026. It is usable now, but only at the squad and platoon level. 'We are continually assessing what we can do to enhance training opportunities for units that come to Fort Indiantown Gap to train,' Potts said. 'We do anything we can to ensure units are receiving top-notch training here.' Download the abc27 News+ app on your Roku, Amazon Fire TV Stick, and Apple TV devices Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Chicago Tribune
18-02-2025
- Sport
- Chicago Tribune
Rugby rematch coming to Soldier Field, with Ireland facing New Zealand in November
For those wondering what might become of Soldier Field if the Bears follow through on plans to move to Arlington Heights or an adjacent domed stadium, circle Nov. 1 on your calendar. That's when rugby powers Ireland and the New Zealand All Blacks are set to return to Chicago to face off in a much-anticipated rematch of a seminal 2016 contest between two heated rivals in front of a stadium likely to be packed with international fans. Who needs the Packers? 'This match showcases our city's ability to host premier global sporting events, drawing fans from around the world, boosting tourism, and reinforcing Chicago's reputation as a top destination for sports, culture, and entertainment,' Mayor Brandon Johnson said in a news release Tuesday. The teams both have a storied history, with the New Zealand All Blacks, one of the oldest and most successful in the sport, holding three World Cup championships and a dominant record over the years. For many, the All Blacks are well-known for performing an intimidating pregame haka dance, a Maori ritual used to fire up the players and fans before a match. While the Ireland national rugby team has a 150-year history, it had never beaten New Zealand until the inaugural meeting in Chicago on Nov. 5, 2016, when it pulled off a stunning 40 to 29 upset in front of 64,000 fans at Soldier Field. It was Ireland's first victory over New Zealand after 29 losses spanning more than a century. Since then, Ireland has split 10 games with New Zealand, establishing one of the biggest rivalries in modern rugby. 'The 2016 encounter at Soldier Field is one of the greatest moments in Irish Rugby history, and the rivalry that has grown between our two teams since then is a testament to the quality, passion, and the respect that Ireland and New Zealand have for each other,' Kevin Potts, CEO of the Irish Rugby Football Union, said in the release. From the Premier League soccer fan fest in September, which drew a record 15,646 English soccer fans to Lincoln Park for a weekend TV watch party, to the NASCAR Chicago Street Race during July Fourth weekend, the city is hosting major sporting events for an increasingly diverse fan base. The city is expecting the high-profile rugby rematch in November to boost tourism by attracting many out-of-town fans – both domestically and internationally. 'We're excited to be taking the All Blacks back to Chicago, and for it to be against Ireland is especially fitting,' New Zealand Rugby CEO Mark Robinson said in the news release. 'Both teams have passionate fans who will be keen to make an occasion of travelling to the game at such an iconic venue.' Born from soccer and the father of American football, rugby – a 200-year-old sport – is a fast-paced game where players run, lateral, tackle and emerge from scrums trying to move an oval ball over the opponent's goal line. There are no pads and no forward passes – kicking is the only way to advance the ball through the air. Rugby is gaining traction in the U.S., with USA Rugby reporting there are 110,000 members playing in more than 2,500 clubs nationwide. Colorado-based USA Rugby, founded 50 years ago in Chicago, is the national governing body of the sport. As a sign and perhaps a catalyst of its growing interest, the U.S. will host the 2031 Men's Rugby World Cup and the 2033 Women's Rugby World Cup tournaments for the first time in the sport's history.
Reuters
18-02-2025
- Sport
- Reuters
Ireland and All Blacks return to Chicago for rematch in November series
Feb 18 (Reuters) - Ireland will return to the scene of their first win over New Zealand when they take on the All Blacks at Soldier Field, Chicago after an action-packed November 2025 International Series was announced on Tuesday. In November 2016, Ireland were 40-29 winners over New Zealand in Chicago, their maiden victory coming in the 29th meeting between the sides. The teams will return to the same venue on November 1 for what is being dubbed the 'Rematch'. The two countries have met nine times since, with Ireland winning four while New Zealand have won five, including their most recent fixture, a 23-13 success in Dublin last November. "The 2016 encounter at Soldier Field is one of the greatest moments in Irish Rugby history," Kevin Potts, CEO of IRFU said. "The rivalry that has grown between our two teams since then is a testament to the quality, passion and the respect that Ireland and New Zealand have for each other." After their clash with Ireland, New Zealand will head to Britain where they face Scotland, England and Wales in the Autumn Nations Series, while Ireland take on Japan, Australia and South Africa in Dublin. Ireland beat South Africa in their Pool match at the 2023 World Cup but the Springboks went on to become world champions, retaining their title with a 12-11 win over New Zealand in the final. South Africa will also come up against France in their first meeting since the French lost 29-28 on home turf in a thrilling World Cup quarter-final. The Springboks will take on Italy and Wales in their other series fixtures. England, aside from the All Blacks, will face Australia, Fiji and Argentina, hoping to improve on last year's series when they lost to New Zealand and Australia, as well as South Africa, with their only win coming against Japan.
BBC News
18-02-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Soldier Field to host Ireland and All Blacks again
Ireland will play New Zealand at Soldier Field in Chicago on 1 meeting is a repeat of the 2016 fixture at the same venue when Ireland ended an 111-year wait for a first men's Test victory over the All Blacks. Ireland have also played Italy at the home of the National Football League (NFL)'s Chicago Bears, winning 54-7 against the Azzurri in 2018."We are delighted to see international rugby return to Chicago for this historic 'Rematch' between Ireland and New Zealand," said Kevin Potts, chief executive of the Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU)."The 2016 encounter at Soldier Field is one of the greatest moments in Irish rugby history, and the rivalry that has grown between our two teams since then is a testament to the quality, passion, and the respect that Ireland and New Zealand have for each other."The game is expected to be a return to the Ireland coaching box for Andy Farrell after he leads the British and Irish Lions in a three-Test tour of Australia this coach Simon Easterby is currently in charge of the team for the Six Nations and will be interim head coach again for Test matches in July. Ireland have not yet confirmed opposition or dates for those games, or the remainder of their autumn schedule.
