Latest news with #NorthEastEngland
Yahoo
2 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Meet the North East dad and daughter duo saving lives on the job
The North East Ambulance Service (NEAS) has praised a father and daughter who are volunteering side by side to help save lives in their community. Andrew and Jade Park, who live in Seahouses, are trained community first responders (CFRs) with the NEAS, and deliver lifesaving care in the critical minutes before paramedics arrive. Their work is being celebrated as part of National Volunteers' Week, which runs from June 2 to 8. Mr Park was inspired to volunteer after seeing a post on Facebook shared by the widow of a respected CFR who had helped his family. He said: "Having experienced the care of community first responders first hand, I was aware of the vital role they can play with early intervention, especially in a more rural community. "Having witnessed a serious car accident a few months earlier, I wanted to be more helpful than I had felt in that situation. "Also, if I could help to get the Seahouses kit operational again, it would be great for the community." Since becoming a CFR, Mr Park has decided to change careers and will begin training as an apprentice ambulance support practitioner next month, with hopes of one day joining his daughter on shift. He said: "I've had the opportunity to attend multiple calls with my daughter who is the other community first responder in Seahouses. "It fills me with pride to watch her interact with the patients and crews that we meet." Miss Park became a CFR after finishing sixth form, hoping to gain experience before applying to university. She said: "Having just finished sixth form and going on to apply to university after a gap year, becoming a CFR fit in perfectly with my desire for more experience towards my course. "On top of this, past experiences where a first responder had come into my home to help a family member has greatly influenced my choice. "Seeing the importance of a CFR up close made me realise how I could positively impact someone's health and wellbeing. "Being a volunteer within NEAS is something that I carry with great pride. "Being able to give back to the community that you were brought up in is the most amazing feeling." CFRs are trained volunteers who respond to 999 calls in their area, delivering immediate care such as CPR and defibrillation while ambulance crews are en route. They are particularly vital in rural areas, where response times may be longer due to distance. Paul Brolly, community resuscitation officer at NEAS, said: "Historically served by local volunteer responders, coastal areas have recently experienced a gap in CFR coverage. "We recognised the need for volunteers in these areas, particularly given the county's rural nature and tourism levels, which are high especially in the summer. Read more: County Durham shops warned of £200 fines if found selling disposable vapes after ban Fresh off the block, market place chippy latest in Echo's top ten Demolition plans lodged for County Durham primary school's swimming pool "Our service has worked proactively to reintroduce CFR volunteers, and the return of responders to Bamburgh and Seahouses in the shape of Andrew and Jade marks an important step in strengthening emergency response capabilities across Northumberland." In 2024/25, NEAS CFRs responded to more than 1,850 patients across the service's 3,200-square-mile patch. To find out more about becoming a community first responder, visit the NEAS website.
BBC News
3 days ago
- Business
- BBC News
Chester-le-Street's post office temporarily saved from closure
A high street post office, which is one of only a handful to feature the cypher of Edward VIII, has been temporarily saved from Front Street branch in Chester-le-Street, County Durham, was among 115 to be put at risk as part of a business restructure. The Post Office has now confirmed the branch will be taken over by franchisee Richard Fleetwood who already runs sites in Newcastle, Hebburn and Washington. It said the branch would continue to operate on the same site until "long-term arrangements" were finalised. North Durham Labour MP Luke Akehurst said he had been told any move to a new location was unlikely to happen before spring 2026 and this would be subject to a local public previously said the building, which dates back to 1936, holds "historical significance" due to its links with the king who was never crowned and who abdicated later that year to marry Wallis shake-up of the Post Office's branch network was revealed by the company's chairman Nigel Railton in government-owned business has 11,500 branches across the most sites are franchises, 108 of them are currently owned directly by the was feared some branches would be permanently shut but in April the firm announced the sites would be taken over by franchisees subject to government funding. Other Crown Post Offices being taken over by Mr Fleetwood in north-east England include branches in South Shields and Sunderland.
BBC News
7 days ago
- General
- BBC News
County Durham women first in North East to have heart procedure
A patient who was one of a region's first to have a new heart procedure says it helped her get her life Wells, from Peterlee, and Lindel Carre, from Durham, were the first in north-east England to receive a tricuspid transcatheter edge-to-edge repair (TEER), at Middlesbrough's James Cook University is designed to treat tricuspid regurgitation, a condition where one of the heart's valves becomes leaky, causing fatigue, leg swelling, and breathlessness. Ms Wells said she felt she "didn't have a life" before the procedure but she "didn't think that way now – that's the difference it's made to me". The retired nurse previously had a successful mitral valve replacement using open heart surgery in 2021. However, she began experiencing increasing breathlessness in recent years."Leading up to Christmas, I was wrapping presents with family, and I was thinking 'this is the last time I'm going to be doing this'," she said."I could barely walk three or four steps without having to stop to get my breath back." Tricuspid regurgitation is usually difficult to manage with medication alone and open heart surgery can be too high risk for older is a safer alternative and involves inserting a small clip through a vein in the groin to reduce the leak in the valve. 'Incredibly rewarding' Ms Wells and Ms Carre had the procedure on 6 Carre, 83, said she saw a lot of improvements almost straight retired teacher had been suffering with the heaviness of her legs caused by her worsening valve condition. "I have much more energy, no breathlessness, and I can drive further than I could before – I'm more confident and more independent," she procedures were performed by the hospital's TEER team, led by cardiology consultants Paul Williams, Seth Vijayan and Richard Williams said it was "incredibly rewarding" to see patients experience such an improvement in their quality of life. Follow BBC North East on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.
BBC News
25-05-2025
- Business
- BBC News
North East England among hardest hit for youth unemployment
Towns and cities in north-east England are among the hardest places for young people to find work or training, according to a recent was ranked fifth from bottom on the Youth Opportunity Index 2025, while Newcastle, Sunderland and County Durham were also among the toughest places for young people to start a career. The report, led by the Learning and Work Institute, analysed a range of factors, including education, apprenticeships and the quality of jobs available to 16 to comes as the Tees Valley Combined Authority has been given £5m by the government for a Youth Guarantee Trailblazer scheme. Ranked out of 100 on the index, Sunderland scored 44, County Durham 43, Newcastle 40 and Middlesbrough received 31. Alfie is among those searching for apprenticeships or a part-time job in Sunderland, to earn money while at college."Me mam says back in the day there used to be loads of jobs, you just couldn't not have one, but now it's just impossible," the 17-year-old said."I look every night, every single day and night, I'm on my phone constantly looking and there is nothing at all."In Middlesbrough, 17-year-old Katie said finding even part-time work is incredibly hard."I've looked on many websites and applied for many, many jobs and haven't heard back from any," she said."They want someone who is more experienced, but it is difficult to get that experience if no one is willing to employ me." 'Tackling generational poverty' The government has funded Youth Guarantee Trailblazer schemes across the region to try to tackle the pilot aims to stop people aged 18 to 21 from falling out of the jobs Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen said he was confident it would bring results."The five million pounds will largely go towards paying for placements for young people who are not in education, skills or employment, who were much further away from the jobs market, that have other challenges to be able to get into work," he said."Give them confidence and hopefully get them the skills and that means that we are tackling the issue of generational poverty." The North East Combined Authority is one of nine where a Trailblazer scheme would focus on the health impact of economic Evans, from the Learning and Work Institute, hopes the programmes will help address the problems identified in the Youth Opportunity Index."One of the really shocking findings that came through this research is that more than half of young people who are not in education, employment or training say they've never had a job at all," he said."So we need to change that because they need the skills, but you also need to them gain the experience of work." Follow BBC North East on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.
Free Malaysia Today
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Free Malaysia Today
Turnover XXV sets the scene for a cinematic shake-up
Founded by actor-director Craig Conway, Turnover XXV will champion regional storytelling and open doors for Southeast Asian creatives through the Independent Film Production Partnership. PETALING JAYA : A new indie film company from North East England has landed in Malaysia, bringing with it a suitcase full of drama, heart – and an ambitious mission to shake up the screen. Drawn by the country's cultural richness and cinematic charm, Turnover XXV has chosen Malaysia as its creative home away from home, with a clear vision to tell stories that connect people. Founded by actor-director Craig Conway and business strategist Amita Krishna, who serves as the company's chief commercial officer, the duo believe Malaysia is the perfect stage for their bold new act. 'Malaysia, culturally, is very diverse. There are a lot of people working together, coming together, and in the British independent scene for film, we need to attract more of that,' Conway told FMT. The seeds of Turnover XXV were planted over four years ago, born out of a desire to rebuild the industry after Covid-19 hit. 'During the pandemic, the industry didn't know where they were going or how it was going to come through, so it was a perfect opportunity,' Conway said. 'Whenever there's a block or a wall, you have to find ways to either climb it, go around it, or knock it down and build a new one. Instead of walls, we're building bridges.' Stories with heart Turnover XXV is all about stories with heart: Conway says the company will shine a light on the human condition and overlooked voices. 'The North East of England has always had a strong working-class culture. Everybody always looked to London, the capital, the big city. But the North East represents many people who built that country. 'Malaysia is the same. There are a lot of people here who work very hard, but their voices aren't heard. Turnover XXV wants to enrich people's voices and look at how as a society, we can come together and tell stories that unite us.' It's not just the stories that move him – it's Malaysians themselves. 'When I walk into a room or a hotel, Malaysians put their hand over their heart. That gesture says everything to me. That's the heart of Malaysia, and that's what we want to take back to North East England,' he said. Turnover XXV is partnering with KL-based award-winning integrated creative agency Ampersand Advisory to launch a landmark collaboration that will champion regional storytelling, and open doors for Southeast Asian creatives through the Independent Film Production Partnership. Together, Conway and Ampersand Advisory's CEO and co-founder, Sandeep Joseph, will co-develop projects, train emerging filmmakers, and build cross-border talent pipelines. The company also has backing from UK business platform ISS Airview, which supports international creative ventures and helps smoothen the landing for new businesses. (From left) Turnover XXV head of SEA partnerships Thomas Cherian Anneseri, Conway, and lead talent agent for Newtown Artist Management Andrea Davison, with Ampersand Advisory's Sandeep Joseph during their Malaysia visit. Rethinking the rules Turnover XXV is rewriting the script on how indie films get made, embracing new ideas, diverse voices, and fresh approaches to storytelling. The name itself reflects a few things: a goal of five films a year for their first five years (adding up to 25), the idea of turning over a new leaf, and the industry term 'turnover' – the cue for cameras to start rolling. What makes the company different is how it works. Inspired by Conway's background in theatre, they rehearse more and shoot less, ensuring every shoot is focused and efficient. 'The Hollywood system has long led the way. This is our time to disrupt the model that we've been told and sold for so long about how things should be done and how things should operate.' He also called out the opacity in film finance, where investors are often left guessing. In contrast, Turnover XXV aims to bring openness to the forefront – not just in how films are financed and produced, but in how stories are developed and distributed. 'It's not just about how many people go to the cinema: it's about how we get those stories and that content to people, whether it be on your phone or your home screen,' he added. Two-way street for investment, creativity By anchoring themselves in the UK and Malaysia, Turnover XXV is creating a two-way street for creativity and investment. They are making the most of the UK's booming film tax credits and regional incentives, while creating a model that supports both inward investment to the UK and collaboration with Malaysia. This partnership opens the door for Malaysian creatives and investors to gain exposure abroad, while sharing skills, stories, and opportunities across borders. 'There's nothing better than supporting, mentoring, and giving exposure to people, and allowing them to be heard in creative ways,' Conway said. Turnover XXV's plans for 25 films in its first five years include exploring genres from comedy to supernatural thrillers and, yes, horror. To that end, they are cooking up a major international co-production with renowned genre director Neil Marshall ('Hellboy', 'The Descent', 'Dog Soldiers'). 'It will bring together talent both in front of and behind the camera, featuring a great mix of UK, international, and Malaysian stars all working side by side,' he concluded.
