Latest news with #RichardSmith
BBC News
21-07-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Art therapist aims for fastest Bristol Channel swim
A woman who swam the Bristol Channel between Penarth and Clevedon is hoping to be named the fastest Briton to do so. Mairi Benton, from Bristol, is waiting for ratification after completing the feat in five hours, 22 minutes, earlier in July. "I had no intention of going fast, just trying to get from A to B, but halfway through it the crew told me 'you need pick up your pace because you could you could be quite fast and get a record'," she Bristol Channel has the second highest tidal range in the world, with 15.24m (50ft) variance between high and low tide, complicated with extremely strong currents. Once her achievement is ratified by the Bristol Channel Swimming Association, Ms Benton will receive a badge reading "bridges are for wimps".She said she took up swimming to help deal with the stress of her work as an art therapist for people with learning disabilities."It completely empties your mind. You just have a great feeling afterwards and you do not regret coming for a swim, ever."I think of it like a filing cabinet, going through everything in my mind and putting everything away neatly and then it's a bit like meditation," she said. She is now planning to swim across Loch Ness in a few years' Smith, her coach at Vobster Quay in Radstock, Somerset, said Ms Benton's "mental strength" was her biggest asset."When you're taking on a significant long-distance swimming challenge, it's very different to, for example, the Olympic swimming in the pool or even open water," he said. "It was that mental strength that really assured me that she could take on a challenge like this," Mr Smith added.
Global News
03-07-2025
- General
- Global News
B.C. man riding e-bike felt heat on his leg. Moments later its battery caught fire
A B.C. man was shocked when his e-bike burst into flames, with little warning. He was also able to capture it on camera. Richard Smith had just set out for a ride on his e-bike from his home in Castlegar to the local Canada Day festivities when he said he felt heat near his leg. Within seconds of realizing what was happening, he hopped off the bike and it immediately burst into flames, shooting sparks and flames in every direction. 'It was probably 30 seconds, that's when everything started popping, and I knew enough to back away and stay away,' Smith told Global News. 'And then people started coming out because they thought it was fireworks going off.' 0:39 Surrey e-bike and e-scooter store ravaged by fire Smith said one neighbour brought out a hose to douse the flames but Smith cautioned against it, as he didn't know how water would react with a battery fire. Story continues below advertisement 'I just know enough to let it ride, make sure no one's going to get hurt, nothing's going catch on fire,' Smith added. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy When the flames finally died, Smith said the bike was melted to the road. He said the battery came with the bike and he read up on charging times and how to properly handle them so he thought he had done everything right. 'As soon as it started to catch on fire, I said, I was only at my house, you know like five minutes ago,' Smith added. 'That could have been my house going up.' Fires involving rechargeable batteries are becoming more common. Last Saturday, an e-bike store in Surrey caught fire and two weeks before, a Vancouver home was significantly damaged after an e-bike caught fire in the basement. 2:13 Fatal e-bike battery fire lawsuit launched by widow According to the City of Vancouver, in order to care for a battery, people should: Story continues below advertisement
South Wales Argus
07-06-2025
- Business
- South Wales Argus
Brown Bear Games turns Pokémon cards into positivity
In an area with better transport links than their prior Barry store, dedicated customers to the cult trading card game Pokémon can indulge in anything and everything associated with the hobby within the shop's walls. The colourful and eye-catching shop floor is just the beginning, as upstairs houses an exclusive gaming area that sees frequent use from players across Newport and competitors from the rest of the UK. Brown Bear's competitive Pokémon team is through to the world championships in California and, as one of a small minority of teams in South Wales that are sponsored by a store, they are spreading the Brown Bear name not just in the UK but across the world. Members of Brown Bear's tournament team see consistent success (Image: Supplied)For a business owner, the team isn't a financial decision. Instead, it's a positive force for people of all ages to get out and socialise. Team members are aged between 14 and 40, showing the clear resurgence of the hobby for the younger generations in recent years and the dedication of those who pioneered it. Owner Richard Smith said: 'There's a massive sense of camaraderie, particularly among the older players who joined because they wanted a hobby and to enjoy themselves. 'They hold a lot of pride for themselves and their teammates, even win they don't win, because they feel as though they've contributed to their teammate's win.' This business is so much more than just the packs on the shelves, teaching that what many judge as a reclusive hobby is in fact a way for all generations to get out of their homes to enjoy themselves as part of a group of like-minded individuals. It sees a varied customer base every single day, from collectors and hobbyists to streamers and people who make a living from Pokémon cards. Like most things, the Pokémon hobby dips in and out of popularity but Brown Bear is there with a quick gesture to the customers who stay loyal throughout. When the latest set of Pokémon cards was released at the tail end of last month, a queue of around 100 people had formed outside the store. As a thank you to all those who had waited in the hours long queue to buy products from Brown Bear, Richard cracked 3 booster boxes of the new release for customers to open while they waited in line – for those not up to date on their Pokémon, that's 108 packs or over £450 worth of stock. Richard said: 'We always make sure that our customers who come in here week after week, who's names we know, are looked after. 'This business is a long-term venture, so acts like that keep people coming back and remembering us.'
National Observer
05-06-2025
- General
- National Observer
BC First Nation builds small island, fisheries officials check for possible habitat damage
A British Columbia First Nation has built up a small artificial island in the tidal shallows of Coles Bay off Vancouver Island, triggering an investigation by fisheries officials into whether it involved habitat destruction and if authorization should have been required. Two yellow excavators could be seen at work last week in the bay, heaping up stones and gravel on top of an existing rock outcrop, in a project the Department of Fisheries and Ocean said was linked to a "clam garden." Nearby resident Richard Smith said he watched dump trucks carry loads of rock to the shore, where the excavators hauled it into the bay, also building a temporary land bridge during the construction process. He said the rock outcrop was previously visible at low tide, but the island is now exposed at all times after the construction, which lasted from May 26 to May 30. The Canadian Press watched the excavators at work on May 30, then saw that they had left the scene later that day. That afternoon, about 20 workers, some wearing outfits with the logo of the Pauquachin First Nation, were on the bay's mud flats spreading what one described as "shell hash." The worker declined to be identified. Shell hash, made of finely ground sea shells, is used in some aquaculture operations to promote growth of mollusks, such as clams. The Department of Fisheries and Ocean was asked by The Canadian Press about the construction last Friday, and on Tuesday the department said in a statement it was "aware of work being undertaken involving excavators and dump trucks to move and stockpile rocks in Coles Bay, BC, to facilitate construction of a clam garden," a traditional form of aquaculture. It said fisheries officers and biologists visited the site on Monday to evaluate the work. "Assessment of the work will determine whether there has been any harmful alternation, disruption or destruction of fish and fish habitat that would require authorization under the Fisheries Act," the statement said, adding that "it would be premature to comment further at this time." Work above the high-water mark occurred on Pauquachin territory, maps show. The First Nation did not respond to questions about the work. But it had previously announced an event in August to build a "traditional sea garden" in Coles Bay, with guests invited to help construct a 250-metre long wall on the tidal flats using "mindfully sourced and prepared rocks" from a quarry. "A traditionally designed sea garden will nurture clam beds, welcome the return of numerous sea life, provide food sustainability, awaken sleeping traditional teachings, harvesting practices and sharing to future generations," a description says on a Pauquachin First Nation website. Shellfish harvesting in Coles Bay was prohibited in 1997 on health grounds because of pollution from septic systems. The Pauquachin First Nation of 423 people along the western shore of the Saanich Peninsula has said the prohibition represents an "infringement" of traditional fishing rights granted under an 1852 treaty. Chief Rebecca David said in a June 2023 letter to the provincial government that government-authorized septic systems represent the "primary source of pollution," calling on Ottawa and Victoria to fulfil obligations under the 1852 treaty by cleaning up the bay so shellfish harvesting can resume. The University of Victoria's Environmental Law Centre said in a report attached to David's letter that the closure of shellfish harvesting had deprived families of a critical food source and "failure to redress the pollution" represents "a grievous breach of treaty rights." David's letter calls for the decontamination of Coles Bay to serve as a "pilot project for developing a systemic approach to decontaminating shellfish beaches in British Columbia." The Ministry of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship said in a statement the province "has supported Pauquachin's efforts to rehabilitate shellfish harvest in Coles Bay through regularly scheduled meetings and other technical support." It did not respond directly to questions about the construction in Coles Bay. The lack of public information about the work has frustrated Smith, who said he is a 'big supporter of reconciliation' and supports 'anything that we can do to assist, co-operate and partner' with First Nations in almost any sphere. "My frustration is really with the enforcement people or the people that are supposed to be governing this, who provide me with no information at all," he said. Smith said this uncertainty is weighing heavily on him given the environmental stakes. "It's the ocean and we all have to protect the ocean," he said. "That's part of our lives … theirs (the First Nation's), everybody's, and I'm constantly out on the beach, cleaning it, pulling tires out of the water." North Saanich Mayor Peter Jones said on Tuesday that neither he nor the council received any notice about the work, but would have to confirm whether the First Nation contacted the municipality. "I know for myself, I have not been contacted," he said, adding the municipality has a "very, very positive and very open" relationship with the First Nation. Jones said he does not know what the First Nation is doing, but said it has been working for a long time with Victoria, Ottawa and the Capital Regional District on restoring clam beds. "This council is very, very hopeful that the (First Nation) can, in fact, restore the clam beds to a level that would make them very, very useful to them," he said. "Again, I hope they are successful, and with regard to what's happening there right now, council and I have no idea." This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 4, 2025.
CTV News
05-06-2025
- Politics
- CTV News
B.C. First Nation builds small island, fisheries officials check for habitat damage
An excavator is seen on the shores of Coles Bay, B.C., where it was used to help build a small island and a land bridge. May 30, 2025, handout photo. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-Richard Smith, *MANDATORY CREDIT* VICTORIA — A British Columbia First Nation has built up a small artificial island in the tidal shallows of Coles Bay off Vancouver Island, triggering an investigation by fisheries officials into whether it involved habitat destruction and if authorization should have been required. Two yellow excavators could be seen at work last week in the bay, heaping up stones and gravel on top of an existing rock outcrop, in a project the Department of Fisheries and Ocean said was linked to a 'clam garden.' Nearby resident Richard Smith said he watched dump trucks carry loads of rock to the shore, where the excavators hauled it into the bay, also building a temporary land bridge during the construction process. He said the rock outcrop was previously visible at low tide, but the island is now exposed at all times after the construction, which lasted from May 26 to May 30. The Canadian Press watched the excavators at work on May 30, then saw that they had left the scene later that day. That afternoon, about 20 workers, some wearing outfits with the logo of the Pauquachin First Nation, were on the bay's mud flats spreading what one described as 'shell hash.' The worker declined to be identified. Shell hash, made of finely ground sea shells, is used in some aquaculture operations to promote growth of mollusks, such as clams. The Department of Fisheries and Ocean was asked by The Canadian Press about the construction last Friday, and on Tuesday the department said in a statement it was 'aware of work being undertaken involving excavators and dump trucks to move and stockpile rocks in Coles Bay, B.C., to facilitate construction of a clam garden,' a traditional form of aquaculture. It said fisheries officers and biologists visited the site on Monday to evaluate the work. 'Assessment of the work will determine whether there has been any harmful alternation, disruption or destruction of fish and fish habitat that would require authorization under the Fisheries Act,' the statement said, adding that 'it would be premature to comment further at this time.' Work above the high-water mark occurred on Pauquachin territory, maps show. The First Nation did not respond to questions about the work. But it had previously announced an event in August to build a 'traditional sea garden' in Coles Bay, with guests invited to help construct a 250-metre long wall on the tidal flats using 'mindfully sourced and prepared rocks' from a quarry. 'A traditionally designed sea garden will nurture clam beds, welcome the return of numerous sea life, provide food sustainability, awaken sleeping traditional teachings, harvesting practices and sharing to future generations,' a description says on a Pauquachin First Nation website. Shellfish harvesting in Coles Bay was prohibited in 1997 on health grounds because of pollution from septic systems. The Pauquachin First Nation of 423 people along the western shore of the Saanich Peninsula has said the prohibition represents an 'infringement' of traditional fishing rights granted under an 1852 treaty. Chief Rebecca David said in a June 2023 letter to the provincial government that government-authorized septic systems represent the 'primary source of pollution,' calling on Ottawa and Victoria to fulfil obligations under the 1852 treaty by cleaning up the bay so shellfish harvesting can resume. The University of Victoria's Environmental Law Centre said in a report attached to David's letter that the closure of shellfish harvesting had deprived families of a critical food source and 'failure to redress the pollution' represents 'a grievous breach of treaty rights.' David's letter calls for the decontamination of Coles Bay to serve as a 'pilot project for developing a systemic approach to decontaminating shellfish beaches in British Columbia.' The Ministry of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship said in a statement the province 'has supported Pauquachin's efforts to rehabilitate shellfish harvest in Coles Bay through regularly scheduled meetings and other technical support.' It did not respond directly to questions about the construction in Coles Bay. The lack of public information about the work has frustrated Smith, who said he is a 'big supporter of reconciliation' and supports 'anything that we can do to assist, co-operate and partner' with First Nations in almost any sphere. 'My frustration is really with the enforcement people or the people that are supposed to be governing this, who provide me with no information at all,' he said. Smith said this uncertainty is weighing heavily on him given the environmental stakes. 'It's the ocean and we all have to protect the ocean,' he said. 'That's part of our lives … theirs (the First Nation's), everybody's, and I'm constantly out on the beach, cleaning it, pulling tires out of the water.' North Saanich Mayor Peter Jones said on Tuesday that neither he nor the council received any notice about the work, but would have to confirm whether the First Nation contacted the municipality. 'I know for myself, I have not been contacted,' he said, adding the municipality has a 'very, very positive and very open' relationship with the First Nation. Jones said he does not know what the First Nation is doing, but said it has been working for a long time with Victoria, Ottawa and the Capital Regional District on restoring clam beds. 'This council is very, very hopeful that the (First Nation) can, in fact, restore the clam beds to a level that would make them very, very useful to them,' he said. 'Again, I hope they are successful, and with regard to what's happening there right now, council and I have no idea.' This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 4, 2025. Wolfgang Depner, The Canadian Press
