Latest news with #Moravian
The Guardian
07-04-2025
- General
- The Guardian
Betty Webb obituary
Betty Webb, who has died aged 101, was recruited to Bletchley Park, the government's wartime codebreaking centre in Buckinghamshire, as a teenager in 1941. Initially registering encrypted enemy communications, after two years she was promoted to transcriber and paraphraser of Japanese messages. Betty was posted to the US in 1945, as the only member of Britain's female army, the Auxiliary Territorial Service (ATS), to be selected to work in the Pentagon building after VE Day. In 1940 Betty had given up her domestic science course in Shrewsbury and joined the ATS aged 18. At the Wrexham training camp her natural abilities as a soldier were quickly identified and rewarded with promotion to corporal. Betty believed it was her German language skills that led to her being recruited by Bletchley Park (Station X) as one of the few selected from the ATS by an organisation that prioritised recruits from the Women's Royal Naval Service (the 'Wrens') and Women's Auxiliary Air Force (WAAF). Organised, disciplined and bright, Betty had by 1943 been transferred from her first humdrum job registering morse code enemy messages in Maj Ralph Tester's military section to the Japanese section, where she enjoyed 'more meaty work', paraphrasing and transcribing communications concerning Japanese troop movements in Burma (now Myanmar). This meticulous and time-sensitive role involved rewriting enemy messages to disguise the fact they had been intercepted and decoded, before the intelligence was shared for use in the field. With her imperturbable personality, Betty was singled out for transfer to the Pentagon in May 1945. She crossed the Atlantic in a Sunderland flying boat and worked in America's enormous new military headquarters, where she witnessed Gen Dwight Eisenhower doing a victory lap in his tank and recalled that steaks were served on the day the atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima. Betty's work as a paraphraser ended when Japan surrendered in August and she was transferred back to Britain that October. Betty was born in the village of Richard's Castle, on the Herefordshire-Shropshire border; her father, Leslie Vine-Stevens, commuted to Lloyds Bank in Ludlow daily and her mother Charlotte (nee Harris) home-schooled the couple's two daughters (a son, David, died in infancy). There was no electricity or running water, but aspiration abounded. Charlotte, both musical and a linguist, sent 14-year-old Betty on a foreign exchange near Dresden in Germany in 1937, and in later life Betty vividly recalled the disquiet of the modest Moravian host family over the tense political situation and compulsory youth camps on Sunday mornings. It was her father's first world war service in the Royal West Kent Regiment that inspired Betty to sign up for the ATS. Adjusting to postwar life in Britain proved an anticlimax, with reduced job prospects for women compounded in Betty's case by the secrecy that shrouded her war work. A secretarial course eventually helped her land an office job at Ludlow grammar school before she returned to army life. A Territorial Army officer throughout the 1960s, she led recruitment in the West Midlands and pushed internally for equal pay for servicewomen. In 1970 she married Alfred Webb, a construction manager. When he died nine years later, she returned to work, at the Birmingham Law Society, a job she combined with her role as a Conservative parish councillor for 32 years in Wythall, Worcestershire. It was in late retirement that Betty really came into her own. With the veil lifted in the 70s on Bletchley Park's wartime role and attention finally focused on the female heft behind the codebreaking nexus in the 2000s, She was given an unexpected platform to shine, hosted events at Bletchley Park and the National Army Museum, presented Pick of the Week on Radio 4 and appeared as a 'cover-girl' on National Geographic. Betty readily admitted that Bletchley Park's codebreaking was a 'team effort'; the retrospective attention never went to her head, but took her on extraordinary adventures, including attending King Charles's coronation and enjoying a 100th birthday party at Bletchley Park, followed by a Lancaster fly-by. She and I first met in 2014 when I was writing The Bletchley Girls (2015), and Betty, then in her 90s, had just published her first book, Secret Postings (a second, No More Secrets: My Part in Codebreaking at Bletchley Park and the Pentagon, came out in 2023). When I asked her if the war was the most exciting time of her life, she stopped the car, pulled on the handbrake, and said: 'Now is the best time of my life.' Betty was made MBE in 2015, and in 2021 her wartime service was recognised by the French Légion d'honneur. She is survived by a niece, Jane, and nephew, Michael. Betty (Charlotte Elizabeth) Webb, servicewoman, born 13 May 1923; died 31 March 2025
Axios
26-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Axios
NC bill would name official state hip-hop song
A new Senate bill proposes adopting the song "Raise Up" as North Carolina's official state hip-hop song. Why it matters: All my fellow North Carolinians know the 2001 hit by Petey Pablo. We've all, at some point, whipped a towel or other fabric above our heads and belted along: "This one's for North Carolina! Come on and raise up. Take your shirt off, twist it 'round your hand. Spin it like a helicopter." You've heard it at Panthers and Hurricane games, Lovin' Life Music Fest and on the radio. If passed, the bill would give "Raise Up" official recognition, paying it the same respect our state shows the dogwood flower (state flower) and the cardinal (state bird). North Carolina has a list of state symbols: Milk is our state beverage. Sweet potatoes are our vegetable. Honeybees are our insects. What they're saying: "'Raise Up' was released in August 2001 as a tribute to the people of North Carolina and maintains its cultural significance as an anthem for the State," the bill reads. The big picture: The bill acknowledges the worldwide celebration of the 50th anniversary of hip hop in 2023 and highlights HBCUs' influence on the genre: "North Carolina's Historically Black Colleges and Universities have helped shape the rich and diverse sound of North Carolina's hip hop artists," it states. Context: Petey Pablo was born and raised in Greenville, as were other hip hop icons mentioned in the bill, including J. Cole, Rapsody, 9th Wonder, Phonte and Big Pooh. Grammy-nominated, Pablo was inducted into the North Carolina Music Hall of Fame in 2024. Between the lines: The bill was filed by Democratic Senators Natalie S. Murdock (Chatham, Durham), Kandie Smith (Edgecombe, Pitt) and DeAndrea Salvador (Mecklenburg). It's not the first state symbol up for debate this year. The House passed bills to add the Moravian cookie as the official state cookie and the Moravian star as North Carolina's official state star. Bill sponsor Rep. Donny Lambeth told Carolina Journal the bills were light-hearted, "feel-good" legislation. A Tepper Sports & Entertainment spokesperson confirmed to Axios in January that they had had conversations with DaBaby about music.
Yahoo
25-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Private school to shut after 270 years of teaching
A private school has announced its imminent closure after more than 270 years of teaching. Fulneck School in Pudsey, Leeds, which dates back to 1753, blamed "a continued decline in enrolment, combined with rising operational costs" for the decision. The day and boarding school which provides education for children aged between three and 18 is set to shut after the academic year ends, prompting uncertainty amongst pupils and parents. Tom Spikings, whose seven-year-old daughter attends Fulneck, said: "The whole school is like a family and we're just devastated." In a statement, the school said it was with "deep regret" that it would close on 8 July. "Despite the dedicated efforts of the school and trustees to sustain pupil numbers, a continued decline in enrolment, combined with rising operational costs, has made it increasingly challenging to maintain financial viability," Fulneck said. Founded by the Moravian church, Fulneck is one of a number of independent schools to announce closure since the government's VAT on tuition fees came into effect. In a statement, the government said: "Fulneck School have been clear they have had a sustained decline in pupil numbers since 2012. "Local authorities and schools commonly support children and parents in these circumstances, we are confident in local state schools' ability to accommodate new pupils." The school is situated within the Leeds West and Pudsey constituency of chancellor Rachel Reeves, who has been approached for comment. Mr Spikings, 37, who lives in Pudsey, said his daughter Abigail had thrived since joining in nursery. "As parents, we have been trying hard to raise funds and awareness for the school but the knock-on effect with changes to employment taxes and VAT has made the school unsustainable," he said. "We're very much a hard-working family who have made sacrifices to send Abigail to an independent school and while we're looking at other options of where we can send her, it might be the case that other privates schools are unaffordable." The closure also affected his mother and step-father, he said, who have worked at the school for more than 20 years. "They're both very sad," Mr Spikings said. "They met at the school and in their minds they would be there until retirement but now they're going to start looking for other jobs." Tony Singh, whose two children attend Fulneck, said he was "extremely saddened" by the news. "It's such a shame that a school that has performed so well for pupils and staff is no longer going to be there," he said. "At the minute we don't have the answers as to where our children will go and I'm sure the next couple of months are going to be an emotional time for everyone." He added: "This school is at the foundation of the community - it has been here for hundreds of years so to see it close is such a huge loss for the wider area too." Shireen Gould said her children were both "very upset" at the news, adding: "It's thrown us into turmoil, we don't know what to do next. "We knew with Covid we had lost boarders, so financially it had been more difficult, but we didn't think it would happen." Ms Gould said parents now faced a "race for places" at other schools. Councillor Simon Seary, Leeds City Council's Conservative representative for the Pudsey ward, said he had been contacted by many concerned families. "It's so close to the end of the school year so parents haven't got long to find new placements," he said. "It's very raw in the community at the minute and we've got to support families through this process." A spokesperson for the school said: "Following a comprehensive strategic review and the exploration of all possible alternatives, the trustees have made the difficult decision to plan for the school's closure. "We understand that this announcement will be distressing for our pupils, parents, staff, and the wider school community." The statement said teaching would continue until the end of the school year and pupils would complete "public and internal examinations as intended". They added: "We are also committed to ensure a smooth transition for all affected and will offer support to our pupils, parents, and staff throughout this process." Leeds City Council said it would provide "full support" for those looking to apply to state-funded schools and said it would be working directly with families of pupils with education, health and care (EHC) plans to find alternative placements. A government spokesperson said: "Ending tax breaks for private schools will raise £1.8bn a year by 2029/30 to help fund public services, including supporting the 94% of children in state schools to achieve and thrive. "On average, around 50 mainstream private schools typically close each year due to a range of reasons, including financial struggles and falling pupil enrolments." Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North Why is VAT being added to private school fees? Private school calls VAT increase the final straw Private school to close after 137 years over losses
BBC News
25-03-2025
- General
- BBC News
Pudsey's Fulneck School set to close after more than 270 years
A private school has announced its imminent closure after more than 270 years of School in Pudsey, Leeds, which dates back to 1753, blamed "a continued decline in enrolment, combined with rising operational costs" for the day and boarding school which provides education for children aged between three and 18 is set to shut after the academic year ends, prompting uncertainty amongst pupils and Spikings, whose seven-year-old daughter attends Fulneck, said: "The whole school is like a family and we're just devastated." In a statement, the school said it was with "deep regret" that it would close on 8 July. "Despite the dedicated efforts of the school and trustees to sustain pupil numbers, a continued decline in enrolment, combined with rising operational costs, has made it increasingly challenging to maintain financial viability," Fulneck said. Founded by the Moravian church, Fulneck is one of a number of independent schools to announce closure since the government's VAT on tuition fees came into school is situated within the Leeds West and Pudsey constituency of chancellor Rachel Reeves, who has been approached for comment along with the Department for Education. Mr Spikings, 37, who lives in Pudsey, said his daughter Abigail had thrived since joining in nursery."As parents, we have been trying hard to raise funds and awareness for the school but the knock-on effect with changes to employment taxes and VAT has made the school unsustainable," he said."We're very much a hard-working family who have made sacrifices to send Abigail to an independent school and while we're looking at other options of where we can send her, it might be the case that other privates schools are unaffordable." The closure also affected his mother and step-father, he said, who have worked at the school for more than 20 years."They're both very sad," Mr Spikings said."They met at the school and in their minds they would be there until retirement but now they're going to start looking for other jobs."Tony Singh, whose two children attend Fulneck, said he was "extremely saddened" by the news."It's such a shame that a school that has performed so well for pupils and staff is no longer going to be there," he said."At the minute we don't have the answers as to where our children will go and I'm sure the next couple of months are going to be an emotional time for everyone."He added: "This school is at the foundation of the community - it has been here for hundreds of years so to see it close is such a huge loss for the wider area too." 'Smooth transition' Councillor Simon Seary, Leeds City Council's Conservative representative for the Pudsey ward, said he had been contacted by many concerned families."It's so close to the end of the school year so parents haven't got long to find new placements," he said."It's very raw in the community at the minute and we've got to support families through this process."A spokesperson for the school said: "Following a comprehensive strategic review and the exploration of all possible alternatives, the trustees have made the difficult decision to plan for the school's closure. "We understand that this announcement will be distressing for our pupils, parents, staff, and the wider school community."The statement said teaching would continue until the end of the school year and pupils would complete "public and internal examinations as intended".They added: "We are also committed to ensure a smooth transition for all affected and will offer support to our pupils, parents, and staff throughout this process." Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North
Yahoo
28-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Winston-Salem group of businesses, religious leaders, community partners help fulfill dreams of homeownership
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (WGHP) — A group of businesses, religious leaders and Winston-Salem community partners have come together to make the dream of homeownership a reality for those who need it most. The initiative is called the Winston-Salem Equitable Homeownership Project. Together, the group finances and builds new homes and helps disadvantaged families move into them. There are several moving parts. The project as a whole wouldn't have been possible without everyone involved, but this all started with the Moravian church. There is a long history between the Moravian church in Winston Salem and the Black descendants. 'The Moravian church … is functioning as the developer and taking on a lot of the financial risk and things like that with the project because of a history in this community of having displaced or at least been passive in the displacement of persons from historically Black neighborhoods, and these days, perpetuating marginalization in historically marginalized communities. Recognizing that history, the Moravian church feels led to be a part of this project in a risk-taking way, in accountability to the community kind of way,' said Moravian Pastor and founder of Anthony's Plot Russ May. The church is starting to right the wrongs of the past by helping people of color who are still disproportionately disadvantaged today become homeowners. According to the US Census Bureau, in Winston-Salem, the Black homeownership rate is 38.2% compared to white homeownership at 75.1%. This is due to a number of reasons, including systemic racism and discriminatory practices like redlining and urban renewal. 'So there's just a long and kind of continuous history with obstacles for persons of color becoming homeowners. As we look at the last 100 years and experience of Black folks in Winston-Salem in particular … we have to include familiar terms like redlining and the way that communities were given value based on who was expected to live there based on their race. We've seen the barriers to purchasing homes that came because of that,' May said. 'We've seen the history of urban revitalization and urban renewal. We know here in Winston … how that decimated the Happy Hills community.' Four brand new homes stand on South Sunset Drive in the Ardmore Neighborhood of Winston-Salem. They will soon be owned by people who never thought homeownership was in the cards for them. 'They will purchase a home at a price that is significantly less than what it's valued at, and they will be able to over time retain that full value,' May said. Though the Moravian church is taking on most of the financial responsibility, other people and organizations who are a part of the project are taking on other responsibilities. The homes are being built by Fine Line Homes, the Institute for Dismantling Racism is helping with the public messaging and the real estate perspective and guidance through the buying process is facilitated by Hawkins Real Estate Group with Allonda Hawkins leading the charge. Paul Robeson Ford, who is the co-executive director of the IDR, says the messaging around this project is just as important as the construction. 'This is not just a one-off. This is not just putting up a couple of houses that a church denomination decided to essentially donate and provide some philanthropic support for. This is part of a wider effort to and aligned with a wider effort to shift the conversation and transform the way we approach affordable housing,' Ford said. Allonda Hawkins of HREG says she's seen too many instances of people working hard and still not having the same opportunities. 'Specifically for people of color. Outside of just the historical disadvantages that a lot of us have faced, I've seen folks get unfair treatment when it comes to lending. Some of my clients who are homeowners, I've seen them experience unfair treatment when it came to the valuation of their homes,' Hawkins said. Her role with the project will involve one-on-one guidance through the buying process for families who qualify, but buyers are able to choose their own agent if they choose. Most of the people involved in this are giving their time and energy and getting nothing in return. They say the goal is not recognition or compensation but taking steps to even the playing field once and for all. The plan is to build more homes so that more families can benefit from this program. To qualify, you must live at 80% or below the median area income. This could vary depending on the size of your family. If you meet those income requirements, you can contact Hawkins at allonda@ for more information on how to proceed. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
