Latest news with #Lomas
The Citizen
24-05-2025
- Politics
- The Citizen
KZN humanitarian braves drone strikes to help war victims in Ukraine
Chris Lomas from Salt Rock on the Dolphin Coast, KZN, risked his life to deliver aid just 400m from Russian forces in war-torn Kherson, Ukraine. According to The North Coast Courier, the 54-year-old founder of British NGO Hope4 braved drone strikes and frontline shelling to reach devastated communities, determined to remind the world that the war – and its victims – have not disappeared, even if media coverage has. Hope4 responds to poverty, human trafficking, conflict and natural disasters across Moldova, Ukraine and Turkey. Despite being a small team of just five, Hope4 has raised nearly £30m (R725m) in aid and more than £750 000 (R18m) in cash donations over the past four years. In 2021, Lomas and his wife Zoe, a language teacher, moved from England to Moldova with the initial goal of caring for orphans. At the time, Lomas ran a business supplying office equipment, but when Covid-19 struck, demand collapsed – igniting a shared passion to launch Hope4. In March this year, the couple relocated to Salt Rock, with plans to extend their mission into South Africa and tackle the deeply rooted issues of poverty and human trafficking. Just days later, Lomas returned to recently liberated Kherson – a journey many described as a 'suicide mission' – navigating missiles and drone strikes to deliver aid to some of the most affected communities. Soldiers at Kherson's checkpoint warned him and his team that entering the city could cost them their lives, with Russian forces launching up to 2 000 drone attacks a week. Lomas believes they survived only because of heavy mist that unexpectedly descended over the city, momentarily halting the assault during their visit. 'It was important we reported from the front lines,' said Lomas. 'People think the war is over just because it's no longer on TV. I met families who'd lived through absolute hell. There would be a knock at the door, and people would just disappear. It's scary and surreal.' The couple are no strangers to danger. From their home in Moldova, they experienced the early days of the war as Russian missiles pounded targets just across the border. Death threats soon followed, including a chilling warning from someone claiming to be a former Russian scientist, who told them they were on a Russian watchlist and should flee the country. 'When the war began, we started delivering aid to the front line. Our first major stop was President [Volodymyr] Zelenskyy's hometown of Kryvyi Rih. We stayed at the same hotel several times, and I remember lying awake at night listening to air-raid sirens – it became normal. 'Every place we stayed or worked was targeted by missiles or drones. That hotel has since been destroyed, and all the staff we knew were killed. It's sobering.' For more information visit Hope4 on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube or to donate go to Breaking news at your fingertips… Follow Caxton Network News on Facebook and join our WhatsApp channel. Nuus wat saakmaak. Volg Caxton Netwerk-nuus op Facebook en sluit aan by ons WhatsApp-kanaal. Read original story on At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
Sydney Morning Herald
07-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Sydney Morning Herald
From The Cheap Seats to Q+A, here's how to see your favourite shows live
It's late on a warm autumn afternoon in Melbourne as we head across busy St Kilda Rd to join the live studio audience for musical comedy quiz Spicks and Specks. Hosted by Adams Hills, it's the first taping for the show's new season, airing on the ABC from June. We're marshalled past security into the foyer where warm-up man Ben Lomas welcomes us and asks us to send him a question via his Instagram page. Lomas lays down the ground rules: Don't blurt out the answers, turn off our phones and laugh and clap loud and hard. I can't name the guests because the fine print on my ticket tells me not to share details of the taping. Being part of a live studio audience has long been a privilege for any TV fan, the ultimate insider access. Once upon a time that meant sitting in the audience for The Midday Show or Hey Hey It's Saturday, where you might see radio broadcaster Ron Casey and singer Normie Rowe punching on, or US crooner Harry Connick Jr's disgust at a blackface act on Red Faces in a 2009 episode. These days it's a tamer affair. Nothing outrageous happens at Spicks and Specks. The banter is risque, but I expect some of that is destined for the cutting-room floor. Hills is friendly and welcoming, while team captains Myf Warhurst and Alan Brough are at home on the set. There are lots of laughs. The seats are uncomfortable, and Lomas pops up to fill the gaps, answering the audience questions, which are left-field. Taping finishes with a live song by a 1990s band. The audio isn't right, so they sing the song again. Hills wants to highlight local talent because there are few platforms on television. Having also been to Tom Gleeson's Hard Quiz last year, I'm becoming a pro, but how do you score a seat? These days it's mainly comedy and quiz shows on offer, but you must be quick because audience spots are in demand. Audience callouts are made via the network and show websites or on social media. On ticketing platforms such as Eventbrite you can sign up for mailing lists with production companies such as Working Dog and Thinkative Television. You can also subscribe to That's The Ticket, which manages tickets to everything from The Masked Singer to Celebrity Letters and Numbers. Some shows, such as Taskmaster or Guy Montgomery's Guy-Mont Spelling Bee, are filmed months before broadcast, while others, such as The Weekly, are shot either the day before or the afternoon of broadcast. Tapings usually take two to three hours. For shows that are filmed live for broadcast, such as T he Front Bar, there are lots of instructions around ad breaks, being quiet and when to clap uproariously. Loading If you have scored a seat, give yourself plenty of time on the day of filming and don't be late. For Hard Quiz, I went to a 5pm session and backed up for a 7pm taping. The second taping was a Battle of the Duds episode, which was more relaxed as the contestants weren't like rabbits caught in bright lights. Like Spicks and Specks, you cannot so much as murmur answers because the microphones will pick it up, and they will have to edit and do repeats which means you have to stay longer. How to get tickets to your favourite shows Q+A Moderated by journalist Patricia Karvelas, the ABC's town hall-style program features a panel of experts with questions from the audience and people watching at home. It is filmed on Mondays in Melbourne and Sydney ABC studios but also travels occasionally. To get in, you must fill in a form, which includes questions as to whether you are a member of a political party. To register, go to Talkin' 'Bout Your Gen Hosted by Anne Edmonds, a new series of Ten's quiz show is taping on May 12 and 14 at NEP Studios in Eveleigh in Sydney. The reboot pits generations X, Y and Z against each other (sorry, Boomers). There are two sessions, starting at 3.45pm and 7.15pm. Taping takes more than three hours. To book tickets, go to The Project Ten's current affairs/talk show broadcasts live weeknights at the Como Centre, South Yarra, Melbourne. Arrive 5.45pm for a 6.30pm start. Ends 7.30pm. It tapes in Sydney's Pyrmont studios on Sunday nights. To book tickets, go to Insight SBS's popular debate forum, hosted by journalist Kumi Taguchi, explores topical social, political and economic topics. It is filmed on Wednesdays at the SBS's Artarmon studio in Sydney from 5pm and takes up to three hours. You need to answer questions about your age, gender, occupation, ethnicity. To register, go to Spicks and Specks The long-running panel and quiz show is taping season 17 at the ABC's Melbourne studios during May. There are two sessions from 5pm and 7.45pm. Taping takes 2½ hours. To book, go to and search Spicks and Specks. House of Wellness Former Sunrise host Melissa Doyle teams up with former AFL player Shane Crawford for Seven's rebooted health and lifestyle series. This season is taping on Thursdays until May 15 at the NEP Studios in South Melbourne. There are two tapings a day and each takes up to 2½ hours. It then returns between August and November. To book tickets, go to and search House of Wellness. The Front Bar Featuring Mick Molloy, Andy Maher and Sam Pang (when he hasn't got commitments on other shows), Seven's AFL footy panel show is filmed at Melbourne's Docklands Studios. It is usually on a Wednesday and doors open 7.50pm for an 8.30pm start. Tickets appear to be as rare as hen's teeth, and you must enter an audience ballot: audience@ The Cheap Seats Hosted by Melanie Bracewell and Tim McDonald, The Cheap Seats takes a comic look back at the week that was. The Ten show, which is produced by Working Dog, is taped in Melbourne at noon on Tuesdays. To register, go to Have You Been Paying Attention? Tom Gleisner's Logie award-winning quiz show on Ten – also featuring Sam Pang! – is taped in Melbourne on Sundays. To register, go to Tipping Point Australia The last Melbourne taping of Todd Woodbridge's game show, which screens on Nine*, in June is sold out. To register for upcoming shows, email tpaudience@ Sam Pang Tonight The in-demand Pang has just finished the first season of his comedy talk show on Ten. Registrations are being taken for the return season in October. The show is filmed on Mondays in Melbourne. To register, go to Gruen Wil Anderson's panel show, which puts a blowtorch to the advertising industry, records on Tuesdays at the ABC's Sydney studio in Ultimo until July 15. Doors open at 4.30pm for a 5pm start. To book, go to and search Gruen. The Weekly Charlie Pickering's irreverent look at news and current affairs is filming series 11. It is taped on Tuesdays between 6pm and 8pm at ABC Southbank in Melbourne. There are limited tickets left for May,
The Age
07-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Age
From The Cheap Seats to Q+A, here's how to see your favourite shows live
It's late on a warm autumn afternoon in Melbourne as we head across busy St Kilda Rd to join the live studio audience for musical comedy quiz Spicks and Specks. Hosted by Adams Hills, it's the first taping for the show's new season, airing on the ABC from June. We're marshalled past security into the foyer where warm-up man Ben Lomas welcomes us and asks us to send him a question via his Instagram page. Lomas lays down the ground rules: Don't blurt out the answers, turn off our phones and laugh and clap loud and hard. I can't name the guests because the fine print on my ticket tells me not to share details of the taping. Being part of a live studio audience has long been a privilege for any TV fan, the ultimate insider access. Once upon a time that meant sitting in the audience for The Midday Show or Hey Hey It's Saturday, where you might see radio broadcaster Ron Casey and singer Normie Rowe punching on, or US crooner Harry Connick Jr's disgust at a blackface act on Red Faces in a 2009 episode. These days it's a tamer affair. Nothing outrageous happens at Spicks and Specks. The banter is risque, but I expect some of that is destined for the cutting-room floor. Hills is friendly and welcoming, while team captains Myf Warhurst and Alan Brough are at home on the set. There are lots of laughs. The seats are uncomfortable, and Lomas pops up to fill the gaps, answering the audience questions, which are left-field. Taping finishes with a live song by a 1990s band. The audio isn't right, so they sing the song again. Hills wants to highlight local talent because there are few platforms on television. Having also been to Tom Gleeson's Hard Quiz last year, I'm becoming a pro, but how do you score a seat? These days it's mainly comedy and quiz shows on offer, but you must be quick because audience spots are in demand. Audience callouts are made via the network and show websites or on social media. On ticketing platforms such as Eventbrite you can sign up for mailing lists with production companies such as Working Dog and Thinkative Television. You can also subscribe to That's The Ticket, which manages tickets to everything from The Masked Singer to Celebrity Letters and Numbers. Some shows, such as Taskmaster or Guy Montgomery's Guy-Mont Spelling Bee, are filmed months before broadcast, while others, such as The Weekly, are shot either the day before or the afternoon of broadcast. Tapings usually take two to three hours. For shows that are filmed live for broadcast, such as T he Front Bar, there are lots of instructions around ad breaks, being quiet and when to clap uproariously. Loading If you have scored a seat, give yourself plenty of time on the day of filming and don't be late. For Hard Quiz, I went to a 5pm session and backed up for a 7pm taping. The second taping was a Battle of the Duds episode, which was more relaxed as the contestants weren't like rabbits caught in bright lights. Like Spicks and Specks, you cannot so much as murmur answers because the microphones will pick it up, and they will have to edit and do repeats which means you have to stay longer. How to get tickets to your favourite shows Q+A Moderated by journalist Patricia Karvelas, the ABC's town hall-style program features a panel of experts with questions from the audience and people watching at home. It is filmed on Mondays in Melbourne and Sydney ABC studios but also travels occasionally. To get in, you must fill in a form, which includes questions as to whether you are a member of a political party. To register, go to Talkin' 'Bout Your Gen Hosted by Anne Edmonds, a new series of Ten's quiz show is taping on May 12 and 14 at NEP Studios in Eveleigh in Sydney. The reboot pits generations X, Y and Z against each other (sorry, Boomers). There are two sessions, starting at 3.45pm and 7.15pm. Taping takes more than three hours. To book tickets, go to The Project Ten's current affairs/talk show broadcasts live weeknights at the Como Centre, South Yarra, Melbourne. Arrive 5.45pm for a 6.30pm start. Ends 7.30pm. It tapes in Sydney's Pyrmont studios on Sunday nights. To book tickets, go to Insight SBS's popular debate forum, hosted by journalist Kumi Taguchi, explores topical social, political and economic topics. It is filmed on Wednesdays at the SBS's Artarmon studio in Sydney from 5pm and takes up to three hours. You need to answer questions about your age, gender, occupation, ethnicity. To register, go to Spicks and Specks The long-running panel and quiz show is taping season 17 at the ABC's Melbourne studios during May. There are two sessions from 5pm and 7.45pm. Taping takes 2½ hours. To book, go to and search Spicks and Specks. House of Wellness Former Sunrise host Melissa Doyle teams up with former AFL player Shane Crawford for Seven's rebooted health and lifestyle series. This season is taping on Thursdays until May 15 at the NEP Studios in South Melbourne. There are two tapings a day and each takes up to 2½ hours. It then returns between August and November. To book tickets, go to and search House of Wellness. The Front Bar Featuring Mick Molloy, Andy Maher and Sam Pang (when he hasn't got commitments on other shows), Seven's AFL footy panel show is filmed at Melbourne's Docklands Studios. It is usually on a Wednesday and doors open 7.50pm for an 8.30pm start. Tickets appear to be as rare as hen's teeth, and you must enter an audience ballot: audience@ The Cheap Seats Hosted by Melanie Bracewell and Tim McDonald, The Cheap Seats takes a comic look back at the week that was. The Ten show, which is produced by Working Dog, is taped in Melbourne at noon on Tuesdays. To register, go to Have You Been Paying Attention? Tom Gleisner's Logie award-winning quiz show on Ten – also featuring Sam Pang! – is taped in Melbourne on Sundays. To register, go to Tipping Point Australia The last Melbourne taping of Todd Woodbridge's game show, which screens on Nine*, in June is sold out. To register for upcoming shows, email tpaudience@ Sam Pang Tonight The in-demand Pang has just finished the first season of his comedy talk show on Ten. Registrations are being taken for the return season in October. The show is filmed on Mondays in Melbourne. To register, go to Gruen Wil Anderson's panel show, which puts a blowtorch to the advertising industry, records on Tuesdays at the ABC's Sydney studio in Ultimo until July 15. Doors open at 4.30pm for a 5pm start. To book, go to and search Gruen. The Weekly Charlie Pickering's irreverent look at news and current affairs is filming series 11. It is taped on Tuesdays between 6pm and 8pm at ABC Southbank in Melbourne. There are limited tickets left for May,
BBC News
21-03-2025
- BBC News
'Dangerous' Oxfordshire man jailed for sexually abusing girl
A "dangerous" man has been jailed after sexually abusing a Lomas, 59, of High Furlong, Banbury, was sentenced at Oxford Crown Court on Friday to three years and nine months in prison and made the subject of a sexual harm prevention order for previously pleaded guilty to engaging in sexual activity with a girl under offending took place in Oxfordshire in the past five years. Lomas was arrested in July 2023 and charged in January last year. Det Con Samantha Hunter, from the child abuse investigation unit at Thames Valley Police, said: "I am pleased that Lomas has been sentenced to jail and will be the subject of a prevention order for life."He is clearly a dangerous offender who is a danger to children."I would like to pay tribute to the victim in coming forward and I hope that the conviction allows her and her family to move on with their lives." You can follow BBC Oxfordshire on Facebook, X, or Instagram.
Yahoo
20-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Microlight crash led to death of charity campaigner
A campaigner who raised more than £1m for charity after she was paralysed died following a microlight crash in Jordan, an inquest has heard. Claire Lomas, 44, was paraplegic and flying an adapted microlight in the Middle Eastern country on 15 July when it veered off a road after landing and collided with a rock. Ms Lomas was then taken to the King Hussein Medical Centre where she died on 22 August. A number of charities paid tribute to Ms Lomas following her death, which is still under investigation ahead of a full inquest hearing expected to take place later this year. Ms Lomas, from Melton Mowbray in Leicestershire, raised almost £1m for charity after she broke her back, neck, ribs and punctured a lung when she was thrown from her horse during the Osberton Horse Trials in 2007. She was dubbed "The Bionic Woman" after she famously took part in the London Marathon in a robotic suit in 2012 and finished the 26-mile course in 16 days. In a tribute posted online after her death, British Microlighting wrote that Ms Lomas gained her licence in 2022. Speaking in a video about microlighting three years ago, Ms Lomas said: "I was paralysed in a horse riding accident in 2007 and it was the smallest error that turned my life upside down. "I have found a lot of things that I am able to do, flying being one of them, and I love the fact that I can get out of the wheelchair and can be like any other pilot - and also the freedom it gives me." Miss Lomas was also a friend of ex-England and Leicester Tigers rugby player Matt Hampson, who set up the Matt Hampson Foundation after he was paralysed during rugby training. His charity funded the suit which Ms Lomas used to take on many of her challenges and he was among the people who paid tribute to her following her death. He said: "She didn't let anyone stop her and she always wanted to push the boundaries and show people you could live a great and fulfilled life. "She was a great ambassador and she liked to do things her own way. "I was really shocked when I heard she had died." The exact circumstances of Ms Lomas's death are still being investigated and a further pre-inquest review is expected to be held in July ahead of a full inquest into her death. Follow BBC Leicester on Facebook, on X, or on Instagram. Send your story ideas to eastmidsnews@ or via WhatsApp on 0808 100 2210. Charity campaigner dies after accident in Jordan Funeral held for campaigner who died in Jordan Marathon suit campaigner 'was a dreamer' Inquest opens after campaigner dies in Jordan
