Latest news with #MartinClark
Daily Record
6 days ago
- Sport
- Daily Record
Tributes paid to Lanarkshire journalist Martin Clark
The Uddingston man, who was a hockey umpire and stalwart of the local club, has been fondly remembered following his death aged 69. Warm tributes have been paid to well-respected Lanarkshire journalist and long-serving hockey umpire and coach Martin Clark following his sudden passing. Martin was sports editor at the Wishaw Press for 26 years, later going on to become editor of the Motherwell Times and a host of Scottish weekly newspapers during a media career spanning more than four decades; and was actively involved in a host of sports, especially hockey where he was an international-standard official. Journalism colleagues remembered his hardworking commitment to his newspaper titles and the communities they served, along with his support for colleagues and new staff; while Uddingston hockey club called him 'a much-loved member of the Uddy family', of which he had been a key part since his schooldays in the area. Uddingston resident Martin, 69, died suddenly last week. Hundreds of messages of condolence have been shared with his beloved wife Gina, daughter Fiona and her partner John, and across social media by his many friends, journalism and sporting colleagues. Martin had begun his journalism career on leaving Uddingston Grammar in 1973, initially at the Evening Times in Glasgow and later as a trainee journalist position at the Rutherglen Reformer while studying at Napier College in Edinburgh. He transferred three months later to sister title the Wishaw Press – marking the start of 26 years at the newspaper, where he became a well-known community figure as he served as community reporter, sports reporter and deputy editor, including playing a key role in the production process of the weekly title. Among the many highlights of his years at the title were covering Motherwell's 1991 Scottish Cup victory, the early career and rise of young Wishaw snooker player John Higgins to becoming world champion, and his running of a hugely-popular annual schools' football festival. He moved on in 2000 to become editor of the Lanarkshire People, later Lanarkshire Extra; then took the helm of the Motherwell Times and Bellshill Speaker, later adding responsibility for further titles including the Cumbernauld News & Kilsyth Chronicle, as well as being appointed deputy editor at the Falkirk Herald and Linlithgow Gazette. Martin concluded his 47-year journalism career as editor of the JPI Media group's portfolio of small Scottish weekly titles, responsible for 22 local newspapers across the country, ranging from Fraserburgh in the north-east to Galloway in south-west Scotland. Former colleague and Wishaw Press editor Elaine Singer said: 'I had known Martin since student days, then as a colleague with Scottish & Universal Newspapers in Lanarkshire [now Reach]. His advice and guidance was always wise, with the Wishaw community at its heart, his loyalty and commitment steadfast. 'Every year he organised a schools' football tournament; I remember the then-Motherwell manager, Alex McLeish, was so engrossed watching the teams play he stayed all afternoon at Wishaw sports centre! 'When Martin got his editor's job, he coached his replacement as sports editor so the transition was seamless – he was a total team player and was active in the National Union of Journalists for many years. He recently met up with retired colleagues and shared stories including exploits of strikes in the 1970s and 1980s.' She added: 'Everyone who knew Martin has expressed shock at his untimely passing, pass on condolences to wife Gina and daughter Fiona, and will cherish the fondest memories of a highly respected colleague.' Martin first met future wife Gina through a local badminton club, and the couple were married at Viewpark parish church in May 1983, later going on to welcome daughter Fiona. His family have been inundated with messages and 'amazing' support since his sudden passing – and told how he had still been actively involved in sports and activities including hockey, walking, gym sessions, aqua aerobics, yoga and dog walking and had been 'loving retirement and making the most of each day' since stepping down from his media career five years ago. Martin had been a valued member of Uddingston hockey club for more than half a century, as a player until well into his 60s and serving for decades as a respected umpire, gaining accreditation from world governing body the FIH and travelling all over the UK and to Gibraltar to officiate and share his skills. He coached new umpires and mentored them through sporting qualifications, and was heavily involved with the club's walking hockey team, leading players to festivals and sharing his love of the sport with generations of club members. Uddingston players and members observed a minute's silence ahead of their final summer games in Martin's memory, with the club saying they have been 'deeply saddened' by his death and remembering his 'life and lasting impact'. The club posted on Facebook: 'Martin's love for sport was unwavering. Whether playing cricket, umpiring or playing hockey, or supporting others in their sporting journey, he brought warmth, kindness, and a generous spirit to everything he did. 'He was a well-loved member of the Uddy family for over 50 years – a dedicated coach, a thoughtful mentor, and a true friend to many across the club and wider sporting community. [He] gave so much to our community, and [his] presence will be greatly missed.' Martin's funeral will take place on Thursday, August 7, at Daldowie Crematorium at 1.45pm, and thereafter at Uddingston hockey club. * Don't miss the latest headlines from around Lanarkshire. Sign up to our newsletters here.
Daily Mirror
25-06-2025
- Daily Mirror
UK farm at heart of car smuggling ring linked to London crime epidemic
Baldwins Farm, in Essex, has been associated with organised crime where stolen cars have ended up with arrests taking place where criminals have ended up in prison for drug and firearm charges. An Essex farm has found itself at the heart of a car smuggling ring that is linked to London's crime epidemic. Baldwin Farm sits on the green belt inside the M25 where it is surrounded by a crumbling industrial estate that is filled with old cars that have been stripped apart for scrap. The site has since attracted fresh attention after it was found to be at the heart of an international car smuggling ring. The farm has been associated with gang activity since the 1980s with drug smuggling and gun selling taking place at the site. A recent documentary showed how an Audi A4, stolen from a North London driveway on March 15 ended up at the farm and was tracked by a car leasing company. The tracker switched off but activated again about 30 miles away near Baldwins Farm. It later emerged the tracker could have been interfered with due to possible GPS jamming equipment. It later emerged in Kaunas, Lithuania, and ended up in a business in the outskirts of the city called Baltic Car Trade. Channel 4 Dispatches filmed police raiding the property but they ended up finding little more than some wires as the car had been torn apart. Scrapped parts of cars stolen from Britain's streets typically end up in the Middle East and Africa. Dispatches identified Martin Clark as the company director of the firm that owns the lease on part of Baldwins Farm. He was jailed for six years in 2007 for his role in a £4 million car theft ring. Stolen cars have been found on Baldwins Farm with Essex Police having carried out a raid in 2020 where three Range Rovers and a Land Rover Discovery were recovered. Several of the cars were being broken apart for scrap. Though, there are also legitimate businesses that now operate at the site, including a cement business run by the Bromley Family, although the site's association with organised crime has stretched back decades. David Bromley and their son Simon were jailed for thee years and eight years, respectively, in 2006 over supplying cocaine with the latter also being convicted of firearms supply offences. But Simon Bromley's 29-year-old son, Jake, said whatever happened in the past has nothing to do with how Baldwin's farm operates today. Speaking to MailOnline, he said: "My grandad has died and my nan is very ill at the moment. "That stolen Audi has nothing to do with us and we have nothing to do with the land where the Lithuanians are." When referring to Martin Clark, who Dispatches previously reported as having the lease on the land where the stolen Audi was tracked, he added: "We rent land to Martin. "He has a contract until 2026 and then we will review that. We do not like how he has run it down there." Jake added he and his sister Lily Tiger were attempting to make a legitimate living and feared any negative publicity could drive away clients in the future. "I'm a legitimate man who's worked hard his whole life. I worked fitting windows for over ten years and my sister is a make-up artist and runs her business here. "My sister and I are both young. What happened years ago was not great, but as time has gone on we both have strong heads on us." A family friend has insisted the younger generation would have been unaware of any illegality that had been going on. Britain's Car Theft Gangs Exposed: Dispatches is available to watch on 4oD.
Scottish Sun
24-06-2025
- Automotive
- Scottish Sun
UK farm said to be at centre of car thefts – graveyard of ‘100s of stolen motors dumped & stored before sold overseas'
A web of criminal activity claimed to be uncovered at unsuspecting UK farm CAR-NAGE UK farm said to be at centre of car thefts – graveyard of '100s of stolen motors dumped & stored before sold overseas' Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) AN Essex farm has found itself at the centre of an alleged car theft epidemic after being linked to an international car smuggling ring. Baldwins Farm in South Essex has recently been exposed in a Channel 4 documentary for allegedly being a hotbed of organised crime. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 8 Baldwins Farm was involved in crime since the 1980s Credit: Channel 4 8 A large number of stolen cars are sent to Lithuania 8 According to Dispatches, they are taken apart and sold on as individual parts However, according to the MailOnline, this is far from the first time that the farm has been accused of illegal activity. Channel 4's recent Dispatches instalment featured Baldwins Farm, and began with an Audi A4 that was stolen from a driveway in North London on March 15th. Unbeknown to the thieves, the car leasing company had previously fitted the vehicle with a hidden tracker. The tracker showed the Audi's journey from London to a patch of woodland in Baldwins farm, which is tucked away in an area of green belt just inside the M25. Possible GPS jamming or blocking equipment was thought to have prevented the tracker from working at the farm, however, five weeks later, it reappeared in Kaunas, Lithuania. Dispatches then tracked it to a business in the outskirts of the city called Baltic Car Trade. The documentary showed police as they raided the property, but all that was left was a bunch of wires - the car has been torn apart, like many others that are stolen off of British streets. Organised gangs of criminals steal thousands of cars each year to then ship abroad as parts destined for scrap yards in the Middle East and Africa. The Dispatches investigation also revealed that at least two other stolen cars with trackers had ended up at Baldwins farm, in a part of the farm nicknamed 'Lithuanian end.' However, this allegedly isn't the first time the site has come under fire. Luxury automaker to convert once-beloved sports bar left abandoned for years into an 'exclusive' motorcycle dealership In 2020, Essex Police conducted a raid that recovered three Range Rovers and a Land Rover discovery. Some of the vehicles were already in the process of being broken down for parts. Dispatches identified Martin Clark as the director of the company that owns the lease to the part of Baldwins that the car was found on. Clark was jailed in 2007 for six years for his part in a £4million car theft ring. After being tracked down to a large house in Essex with several parked luxury cars on the drive, Clark told journalist, Matt Shea, to 'F*** off.' 8 The tracker led them to the stolen Audi A4 which had already been taken apart 8 Thousands of cars are stolen from British driveways every year Credit: Channel 4 8 Journalist, Matt Shea, in Channel 4's Britain's Car Theft Gangs - Exposed Former police officer, Neil Thomas, told the MailOnline that he wouldn't be surprised if Baldwins Farm had been used to store stolen vehicles. Thomas, who now works for a private track and recovery service for stolen cars, said: 'The access in and out is quite restricted, it's quite close to London, quite close to the docks, so if you are exporting vehicles it's a really good location.' According to the MailOnline, who visited the farm last week, there is only one road in and out in the form of a dusty track, and the whole site is brimming with CCTV cameras. Drone images of the farm show rows of parked vehicles and shipping containers, as well as piles of scrap metal. There are plenty of legitimate businesses renting units at the farm, including window companies, car repairers and a cement business run by the Bromley family. However, the MailOnline claims that the site has also long attracted criminal clientele. Like many semi-rural parts of Essex, the area saw an influx of criminals from the East End during the 1970s and 1980s. Gangsters found it useful due to it being relatively isolated while still being close to London. The current Channel 4 investigation focuses on allegations of stolen cars tied to an international smuggling ring. The family who now run the site, insist that any criminality is a thing of the past. Jake Bromley, 29, told the MailOnline: 'That stolen Audi has nothing to do with us and we have nothing to do with the land where the Lithuanians are.' In reference to Martin Clark, who Dispatches reported as holding the lease to the land that the vehicle was tracked to, he said that he simply rents the land to the businessman and will review the contract when it ends in 2026. Jake explained that himself and his sister, Lily Tiger, 25, are keen to make an honest living and are fearful of this negative publicity. The pair were made directors of the new company Baldwins Farm Limited in February this year. 8 Drone footage shows parked cars and shipping containers on the site Credit: Channel 4
Zawya
29-05-2025
- Business
- Zawya
King's College Riyadh welcomes Jacqueline Doran-McGuinness as new Principal
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia: King's College Riyadh is delighted to announce the appointment of Mrs Jacqueline Doran-McGuinness as its new Principal, effective August 2025. Her appointment follows a meticulous international recruitment process led by the King's College Board, Interim Headmaster Mr Martin Clark, and the leadership team at King's College UK. With over twenty years of teaching experience and seventeen years in senior leadership roles across the UK and the Middle East, Mrs Doran-McGuinness brings a wealth of expertise to the role. A University of Glasgow graduate in Biosciences, she began her career in England before moving into leadership positions at premium British curriculum schools in the UAE, including a recent seven-year tenure with a leading education group. Her appointment marks a significant milestone in the continued growth of King's College Riyadh, the first British independent school to open in the Kingdom through a direct partnership with a UK institution. The school blends over 145 years of academic excellence and heritage from King's College UK with a dynamic, forward-looking vision at the heart of Diriyah. Commenting on her new role, Mrs Doran-McGuinness said: " It's a real privilege to be stepping into the role of Principal at King's College Riyadh. I'm honoured to be part of such a vibrant community and am committed to working closely with pupils, families and staff to ensure every child benefits from an exceptional education grounded in the values and vision of King's College.' Mr Martin Clark, who has served as Interim Headmaster for the 2024–25 academic year, will remain in post until the end of the academic year. His close collaboration with incoming Mrs Doran-McGuinness throughout the year, including her recent campus visit, has ensured a structured and seamless leadership transition. The school's ethos is anchored in six core values, the 'golden thread' that binds together all pupils who walk through the gates of a King's College school: Academic Focus, Curiosity, Care for Others, Respect and Tolerance, Endeavour, and Leadership and Enterprise. These values are woven into all aspects of school life, from a thriving co-curricular programme with over 110 clubs, to innovative initiatives such as the Drone and Architecture Clubs, the Junior Dukes Award, and global learning experiences through international trips. As part of its continued growth, the school will open its senior phase with the addition of Year 7 in the 2025/26 academic year, alongside the extension of specialist teaching from Year 5, enhanced Arabic and Islamic Studies and an expanded programme of residential trips and competitive sport. These developments are complemented by ongoing campus enhancements to the school's art and science labs, sports facilities, and recreational areas. The appointment of Mrs Doran-McGuinness represents a continued commitment to academic excellence, character development, and cultural awareness, ensuring that every pupil is equipped with the confidence, curiosity, and compassion to succeed. For more information and media enquiries: Plus 1 Communications / Nachwa@ About King's College Riyadh King's College Riyadh is a premium British international school for boys and girls aged 3 to 11, offering a world-class education in the heart of Diriyah. Opened in August 2021 as part of the Royal Commission for Riyadh City's International Schools Attraction Programme, it is the first British private school to establish a presence in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in partnership with a prestigious UK school. Affiliated with King's College UK, the school draws on over 145 years of academic excellence and tradition, delivering a British curriculum enriched with Arabic language, Islamic Studies, and Saudi Social Studies. King's College Riyadh prepares pupils to achieve their full potential while maintaining a strong connection to their cultural heritage.
