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BBC News
6 days ago
- General
- BBC News
WWT Washington at 50: Founder 'wouldn't recognise' site today
A nature reserve's founder would not recognise it today as it has been "completely transformed" in the 50 years since it opened, its current manager has said. Washington Wetland Centre, near Sunderland, welcomed visitors for the first time on 29 May a century later, what was once predominantly farmland has helped bring new species to the area including birds that were "virtually extinct". Reserve manager John Gowland said he hoped founder Sir Peter Scott would be proud of what the site has achieved. "It's kind of a double celebration for me," added Mr Gowland, who also turned 50 earlier this year. Over the past five decades the farmland has been turned into an array of ponds, waterways and lakes, all of which did not exist before."The wardens at the time and Pater Scott himself, I don't think they would recognise that," Mr Gowland said. "The layout is the same. The ponds and a lot of the wetlands were created by Peter Scott, so they are there. "It is just completely transformed, alive with wildlife as well, with the trees and the meadows."Hopefully they would be very proud of where we are." At least 120 bird species visit the site annually and thousands of different plants and insect can also be seen. Mr Gowland said the reserve had played important role in increasing the population of said the birds had been "virtually extinct" in the UK, but were breeding regularly at WWT Washington since 2016 and had expanded to 15 pairs. "No-one could imagine, even a decade before, that that avocets would be as common as they are," he said. "They are nesting elsewhere in the North East so that initial colonisation at Washington has allowed them to expand their range."Grey herons were another species that would not be in the area in great numbers if it had not been for the first chicks hatched on the reserve's Wader Lake in 1989 and there are 40 pairs now. The centre has welcomed three million people since it opened and has more than 70,000 visitors Gowland, from Sunderland, first visited WWT Washington when he was six and later became a volunteer and a worked at WWT London before returning to Washington as reserve manager in said climate change meant new animals - including bat species, butterflies and dragonflies - could move up to the area. Follow BBC Sunderland on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.
BBC News
25-05-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
London Wetlands Centre: 25 years of London's 'extra lungs'
Once the largest man-made wetland in any capital city of the world and described by Sir David Attenborough as an "extra lung for Londoners", the London Wetland Centre is now celebrating 25 its shallow pools home to birds, mammals, amphibians, reptiles and insects, the area remains a radical, transformative, oasis in the suburbs of Barnes in south-west London. But it could have been very different. In the 1990s, the defunct Victorian reservoirs on the banks of the Thames were marked for the lobbying of the Wildfowl and Wetland Trust as well as its founder Sir Peter Scott, over five years the site was redesigned into a nature site was owned by Thames Water and through a combination of Lottery money, donations and a partnership with Berkeley Homes it was bought and turned into this reserve and 280 homes. It was opened by Sir David who called it "sensational".Just two years later, Natural England designated it a Site of Special Scientific its tenth anniversary, Sir David - who was back to launch the 10-year celebrations - said: "The reserve is the ideal model for how humankind and the natural world may live side by side in the 21st century."And BBC's Springwatch presenter Chris Packham described the centre as "one of the most important conservation projects of the past century". It makes you wonder if such a project could be delivered now in an area where land is so valuable and housing is in such short supply. Everywhere you walk on the site there are groups of school children being shown round - education was a key part of why it was created. You can see why. A cacophony of bird song can be heard; reed buntings, blackcaps, sedge and reed warblers are all calling to each other. Noticeably, there are lots of insects including damsel and dragon flies. Its location on the Thames is helpful to migrating birds who use it to guide themselves. And all of this is probably just a couple of miles from busy Barnes. Reserve manager Adam Salmon has been here since the beginning."Back then we hoped it would turn into something like this. "It used to be old concrete reservoirs - biodiversity wasn't that great, there were a few ducks, but by putting in so many different habitats, we were hoping to send the biodiversity through the roof and that's what has happened." The site's transformation has been a success, he noted."Bird diversity has gone through the roof, we have amazing dragon fly assemblage here now with 19 breeding species. We have water voles, grass snakes, slow worms are flourishing and the wild flower meadows that came from nothing, that we had to seed, many of them are species rich," he said. She added: "Education is going to remain a core priority with this site being an amazing place for learning and enjoyment, and we have got so much potential to do so much more. "So I think forming those international networks, engaging with young people locally and further afield, we are going to continue being a really important site for learning in terms of how to create and manage wetlands." This rich diversity has proved popular with tourists."We engage quite frequently with international groups as we are the blueprint," said general manager Alexia Hollinshead. "We have had groups from Korea, from China, from Singapore, from Israel to see how we run an urban wetland site and how they can take that learning back to their countries."
Associated Press
14-05-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
BURN SECURES US$5 MILLION INVESTMENT FROM ELECTRIFI TO SCALE ELECTRIC COOKING IN KENYA
BURN secures $5M from ElectriFI to deploy 100,000 ECOA electric stoves in Kenya, cutting fuel costs & 1.4M tons of CO₂ via IoT & PAYC tech. 'Kenya's electricity grid is over 90% renewable, yet more than 15 million households still cook with polluting fuels. This investment helps close that gap.'— Peter Scott, Founder and CEO of BURN NAIROBI, NAIROBI, KENYA, May 14, 2025 / / -- BURN, Africa's leading clean cookstove manufacturer, distributor, and carbon project developer, has received a USD 5 million investment from EDFI Management Company (EDFI MC) through the EU Funded Electrification Financing Initiative (ElectriFI). This investment will allow over 100,000 Kenyan households to transition to clean, electric cooking—reducing household energy costs and eliminating an estimated 1.4M tons of CO₂ emissions over the product lifetime through BURN's IoT-enabled ECOA Induction Cooker (ECOA IDC). Across Africa, over 600 million people have access to the grid but do not use it, they instead spend US$12 per week on charcoal, wood, or LPG. A key barrier to accessing electric cooking is the high upfront cost. ElectriFI will help BURN by scaling up the distribution of its IoT-enabled ECOA Induction stove, allowing households to reduce their fuel bills by 40% to 60% while generating high-integrity carbon credits. The ECOA IDC is equipped with innovative Pay As You Cook (PAYC) technology, integrated directly with mobile money payment systems and the ECOA Mobile App. This allows users to pay small amounts via their mobile phones, achieving full ownership within a year. This flexible financing approach makes electric cooking accessible for low-income households. The ElectriFI investment aligns with the European Union's ambition to promote clean energy access, support local manufacturing, and foster climate resilience. It exemplifies how targeted, catalytic financing can mobilize broader investment and empower private businesses to drive sustainable impact at scale. Peter Scott, Founder and CEO of BURN, said, 'Kenya's electricity grid is over 90% renewable—yet more than 15 million households still cook with polluting fuels. This investment helps close that gap. With over 40,000 ECOA induction cookers already in homes across East and West Africa, we're proving that electric cooking—designed and built in Africa—can be the future of clean, affordable energy access at scale.' This investment aligns with the European Union's ambition to promote clean energy access, support local manufacturing, and foster climate resilience. It exemplifies how targeted, catalytic financing can mobilise broader investment and empower private businesses to drive sustainable impact at scale. Rodrigo Madrazo, CEO of EDFI Management Company, said: 'Access to clean and affordable cooking solutions is essential for sustainable development. Through ElectriFI, we are proud to support BURN's pioneering work that not only improves household health and reduces environmental degradation, but also strengthens local economies by creating manufacturing and distribution jobs across the value chain. Our investment underscores our commitment to driving private sector-led impact and accelerating the green transition in emerging markets.' To date, BURN has distributed over 5 million clean cookstoves across Africa, transforming the lives of ~25 million+ people and preventing ~26 million tons of CO2 emissions from entering the atmosphere. BURN MANUFACTURING BURN Manufacturing 790504698 ext. email us here Visit us on social media: LinkedIn Instagram Facebook YouTube TikTok X Legal Disclaimer: EIN Presswire provides this news content 'as is' without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
Rhyl Journal
09-05-2025
- General
- Rhyl Journal
80th anniversary of VE Day celebrated in Rhyl and Prestatyn
VE Day marks the end of the Second World War in Europe and the surrender of Nazi Germany, which was announced on May 8, 1945. People came together to mark the occasion with a host of events. At St Thomas' Church in Rhyl, people gathered for a concert of music and readings. A line up of artists from local choirs, bands and individuals took part, playing music from the WWII era. In addition to the music, the evening also featured inspiring readings, aiming to not only celebrate the victories of the past but also serve as a reminder of the values of unity and peace. Donations were also made towards various Armed Forces charities. Councillor Peter Scott, Chairman of Denbighshire County Council, said: 'It is an opportunity to reflect on our shared history, honour those who made the ultimate sacrifice, and celebrate the enduring spirit of hope and resilience that continues to shape our world today.' North Wales MS Carolyn Thomas attended the event, and said: "A lovely evening at St Thomas' Church in Rhyl with a wonderful concert to commemorate 80 years since VE Day." READ MORE: Blossom & Bloom: Petition set up to try to save Rhyl charity TfW offers tree travel to armed forces for VE Day events A spokesperson for Rhyl Town Council said: "VE (Victory in Europe) Day marked the end of the Second World War. "A day of celebration here in the UK, and in many of the countries that were part of the Allied Forces. "Today, 80 years on, we remember and give thanks." Elsewhere in Rhyl, Year 6 pupils at Ysgol Emmanuel visited Rhyl War Memorial and enjoyed a street party-themed lunch. Year 3 pupils were visited by Trevor Jones, a former Ysgol Emmanuel pupil, who recalled his memories of VE Day and showed the children pictures of his street party on Netley Road, Rhyl in 1945. The school said: "A big thank you to Trevor Jones who visited year 3 to talk about his memories of VE Day and having a street party in Netley Road where he lived at the time. "He showed us photos of his street party and his class photo from when he attended Ysgol Emmanuel. "It was very special for the children to be able to speak to someone who experienced VE Day and ask him questions. "Mr Jones even brought along his CBE and CVO medals that he received from the Queen." At Mahoney's Rhyl, charity Vale of Clwyd Mind were joined by Deputy Mayor of Rhyl, Cllr Cheryl Williams, and band Music in Mind for a day of celebration. The charity said: "A wonderful day of remembrance and celebration! "We were honoured to be joined by the Deputy Mayor of Rhyl and treated to a fantastic performance by Music in Mind. "A huge thank you to everyone who came—what a fantastic time had by all!" In Prestatyn, crowds gathered for music and dancing at the Festival Church, with performances from Chloe Hopkins and Dave The Sax. The below video, from Vale of Clwyd MS Gareth Davies, shows the party in full flow. Mr Davies said: "Enjoyed a cracking VE Day celebration down at the Festival Church this evening. "Brilliant performances from Chloe Hopkins and Dave The Sax as always. "Well done to all involved in organising this lovely event." Also celebrating in Prestatyn were the Prestatyn Visionaires, a monthly social group for visually-impaired adults in and around Prestatyn. On May 7, members gathered at Nant Hall Church for a spot of food and a street-style celebration. Prestatyn Town Council will host an all-day celebration at the Cookhouse pub tomorrow (May 10). This will include Punch and Judy Shows, a funfair, and musical performances from a host of different acts.
North Wales Live
04-05-2025
- General
- North Wales Live
Public toilet closures slammed as making North Wales 'unhappy and unhealthy'
North Wales Live has seen a surge of comments from readers expressing their frustration over the recent plans to shutdown of public toilets in North Wales, underlining the significance of such amenities. Denbighshire Council's cabinet members have decided to close public conveniences in St Asaph, Rhuddlan, and Dyserth. At a council meeting at Ruthin County Hall HQ on Tuesday, it was reported that a review had concluded there was "no identifiable need" for these facilities. Despite this, the closure plans faced substantial backlash, with over 1,400 locals voicing their concerns during a public consultation last year. Cllr Peter Scott remarked during the session: "St Asaph, the city in Denbighshire with no toilets, not a good look." He continued, highlighting the inconvenience for visitors: "You can visit St Asaph, but you can't go to the toilet. The cost of keeping the toilets open is a drop in the ocean really against the goodwill the council will lose." Cllr Scott also relayed the public's criticisms: "The things (criticisms) I've been listening to on the street - 'a disgrace, essential, elderly, health and safety, unacceptable, baby-changing facilities, people with disabilities'." One reader, Stephen 1964 writes: "The toilets in Wales are very clean to an high standard as a disabled man with IBS I can honestly say it's essential that these facilities are kept open for all to use council don't let the people down be proud of keeping them open and give the staff that clean and maintain them much respect." While Jonesey1 adds: "The Victorians were big builders of public conveniences. Previously the populace had to defecate in the open, not such a big problem in the countryside but a definite health and hygiene problem in towns and cities. So, councils got on with building conveniences and everyone was happier, and healthier. By taking the obviously retrograde step of closing down these essential public spaces the councils are ensuring that the populace are unhappy and unhealthy." Ofcourseitis says: "They must be so proud of themselves, failed to find a way to keep the toilets open, what an achievement. Not fit to be in office." G-jones asks: "What about pay per visit? Does this not work in Corwen and self-cleaning? Rhos On Sea has pay per visit?" Steamnut writes: "And yet we read today that a £1m fund has been made available to businesses to 'extend the tourism season'. Where are tourists going to relieve themselves I wonder? We all know the answer I'm sure. My point is that the £20k per business would be better spent on keeping the public toilets open. Older men often have prostate problems and need regular access to a toilet. A large percentage of our tourists, particularly out of season, are in the 60+ age bracket so public toilets are needed." Mrrogerdodger says: "I'm pretty sure there must be lower impact discretionary services that can be looked at rather than rendering everywhere stinking of wee and poo." Cooperman1927 believes: "Every council in North Wales is going backwards ." UXB adds: "Can't even run a toilet but they can waste public money."
