Latest news with #SarahWilliams
BBC News
14-05-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Shropshire traders worried about town centre regeneration
Businesses in a Shropshire town centre that is being redeveloped have asked for extra support from their local in Oakengates, Telford, began in 2023, and traders have said it has caused shoppers to stay work, which also involves the building of a new theatre, is due to continue until the end of Carter, the leader of Telford and Wrekin Council has said the project will be a "real game-changer" for the town and has promised to listen to businesses and offer them support where possible. Sarah Williams, who runs Business Retreat Boutique in Oakengates, said the problem was not just the disruption caused by the building work, it was the perception of the town said: "The problem is people don't think there is anything here any more."Ms Williams said there needed to be campaigns to "highlight what we have in the town". Nigel Booth from All Floors and Rugs has been in Oakengates for 23 years and said recently he had noticed "people are not coming in to the shop to actually buy our rugs".He said: "We were told this rebuilding project was going to enhance the footfall, but to date it just seems to be deteriorating.""It just seems to be a continual building project," he added. Mal Johnson from Kings Fashion has a more optimistic view and said: "It is going to look really nice when it's finished, so we've just got to ride it out."But he said he had seen a decline in footfall. He also said he had met with the council to suggest more information signs to tell people how the work would improve said people needed to know it was "not just shutting down". Mr Carter said his authority was "committed to high streets", but the old Limes Walk precinct in Oakengates, which was built in the 1960s, had "seen better days".He said the redevelopment was part of a "huge programme" of investment, which included the £24m theatre, and that he believes it will give the town a "real bounce" when it is complete."The long term aim here is to make sure Oakengates is a thriving place," he the meantime, he told traders: "Just keep talking to us because we'll do as much as we can with whatever tools we've got available to help us to support businesses through this difficult period."That support could take the form of grants, he said, but he also wanted to hear their suggestions."We don't want to do this to affect footfall or affect businesses in any way," he said. Mr Carter also said he would push to make sure the work finished on time and within said his authority had a track record of making this happen. Follow BBC Shropshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
SBS Australia
10-05-2025
- Politics
- SBS Australia
'Stop killing us': Nationwide protests call for action on gendered and sexual violence
No More: National Rally Against Violence events were held in Australian capital cities and regional towns on Saturday. Source: Getty / Lisa Maree Williams Tens of thousands of men, women and children have marched across Australian capital cities and regional towns calling for determined action to end gendered and sexual violence. The No More: National Rally Against Violence saw attendees gather in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide, Canberra, Hobart and regional centres in between. Organiser Sarah Williams called for more funding, training, and law reform to combat violence. "We need to be able to stop it before it starts," she told a 2,000-strong crowd on the steps of Parliament House in Melbourne on Saturday. "We need more funding for primary prevention, more trauma-informed response training for police, increased crisis housing, bail law reform and uniform consent laws," she said. Similar rallies played out almost simultaneously in every state capital as well as several regional cities and towns. Hundreds met in Sydney's Hyde Park, while the regional centres of Newcastle and Wollongong saw a similar turnout, including the family and friends of Mackenzie Anderson, a young mother who was stabbed 78 times and brutally murdered by her former partner in 2022. Hundreds more rallied in Brisbane, carrying signs reading "We weren't asking for it" and "Weak laws cost lives". In the lead-up to the rallies, organisers urged more men to attend and take accountability for violence against women. "Men listen to men ... we need more male role models out there," Williams said. Consent and healthy relationship education should be expanded to more schools with additional funding, and community sporting clubs and major codes could also play a role in reaching different generations, she said. A total of 128 women have been killed since January 2024, according to the Australian Femicide Watch website. Its founder, Sherele Moody, read aloud the names of the women as images of their faces were laid before Melbourne's Parliament steps. "We're here because men keep killing us," she said. "Violence against women is primarily a male problem ... it's not a women's problem to solve but it's women who are the ones who do the work." Advocates say a government-run national domestic violence register is desperately needed to track the issue. Domestic and Family Violence Prevention Month, marked each May, is an opportunity to raise community awareness of the impacts of violence and the support available to those affected. The rallies also called for fully funded frontline domestic violence services, expanded crisis accommodation and increased funding for primary prevention programs. Mandatory trauma-informed training for all first responders should also be rolled out, organisers said. The re-elected Labor government previously promised to prevent domestic violence perpetrators from abusing the tax and superannuation systems. It has also pledged to invest more funding to stop high-risk perpetrators through electronic monitoring. But Moody said ministers and leaders needed to sit down with frontline services to figure out what works. "All the safety nets have holes in them, and the funding barely even hits the sides," she said. Williams also said the government should engage with a wider range of organisations and advocates in the sector. If you or someone you know is impacted by family and domestic violence, call 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732, text 0458 737 732, or visit . In an emergency, call 000.
Business Mayor
10-05-2025
- Politics
- Business Mayor
Rallies held around Australia against sexual violence, anger that crisis not properly addressed during election
Tens of thousands of people have marched across Australian capital cities and regional towns calling for determined action to end gendered and sexual violence. Advocates say the crisis was not properly addressed during the federal election campaign, with funding pledges 'barely even hitting the sides'. The No More: National Rally Against Violence saw protesters gather in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide, Canberra, Hobart and in many regional centres. Founder of support organisation What Were You Wearing, Sarah Williams, called for more preventive action. 'We need to be able to stop it before it starts,' she told a two-thousand-strong crowd on the steps of Parliament House in Melbourne on Saturday. 'We need more funding for primary prevention, more trauma-informed response training for police, increased crisis housing, bail law reform and uniform consent laws,' she later told AAP. People marching against sexual violence in Brisbane. Photograph: Darren England/AAP Similar rallies were held simultaneously in every state capital as well as several regional cities and towns. Hundreds met in Sydney's Hyde Park while the regional centres of Newcastle and Wollongong saw a similar turnout, including the family and friends of Mackenzie Anderson, a young mother who was stabbed 78 times and brutally murdered by her former partner in 2022. Hundreds more rallied in Brisbane, carrying signs reading 'We weren't asking for it' and 'Weak laws cost lives.' In the lead-up to the rallies, organisers urged more men to attend and take accountability for violence against women. 'Men listen to men … we need more male role models out there,' Ms Williams said. Read More Trowers & Hamlins blames inflation for 'unchanged' profits Consent and healthy relationship education should be expanded to more schools with additional funding, and sporting clubs and major codes could also play a role in reaching different generations, she said. Since 1 January last year, 128 women have been killed, according to the Australian Femicide Watch website. Its founder Sherele Moody read aloud the names of the women as images of their faces were laid before Melbourne's Parliament steps. skip past newsletter promotion Sign up to Breaking News Australia Get the most important news as it breaks Privacy Notice: Newsletters may contain info about charities, online ads, and content funded by outside parties. For more information see our Privacy Policy. We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. after newsletter promotion 'We're here because men keep killing us,' she said. 'Violence against women is primarily a male problem … it's not a women's problem to solve but it's women who are the ones who do the work.' Advocates say a government-run national domestic violence register is desperately needed to track the issue. The rallies also called for fully funded frontline domestic violence services, expanded crisis accommodation and increased funding for primary prevention programs. Mandatory trauma-informed training for all first responders should also be rolled out, organisers said. The re-elected Labor government previously promised to prevent domestic violence perpetrators from abusing tax and superannuation systems. It has also pledged to invest more funding to stop high-risk perpetrators through electronic monitoring. But Moody said ministers and leaders needed to sit down with frontline services to figure out what works. 'All the safety nets have holes in them and the funding barely even hits the sides,' she said.
SBS Australia
10-05-2025
- Politics
- SBS Australia
Some photos from the rallies against gendered and sexual violence held across Australia
No More: National Rally Against Violence events were held in Australian capital cities and regional towns on Saturday. Source: Getty / Lisa Maree Williams Tens of thousands of men, women and children have marched across Australian capital cities and regional towns calling for determined action to end gendered and sexual violence. The No More: National Rally Against Violence saw attendees gather in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide, Canberra, Hobart and regional centres in between. Organiser Sarah Williams called for more funding, training, and law reform to combat violence. "We need to be able to stop it before it starts," she told a 2,000-strong crowd on the steps of Parliament House in Melbourne on Saturday. "We need more funding for primary prevention, more trauma-informed response training for police, increased crisis housing, bail law reform and uniform consent laws," she said. Similar rallies played out almost simultaneously in every state capital as well as several regional cities and towns. Hundreds met in Sydney's Hyde Park, while the regional centres of Newcastle and Wollongong saw a similar turnout, including the family and friends of Mackenzie Anderson, a young mother who was stabbed 78 times and brutally murdered by her former partner in 2022. Hundreds more rallied in Brisbane, carrying signs reading "We weren't asking for it" and "Weak laws cost lives". In the lead-up to the rallies, organisers urged more men to attend and take accountability for violence against women. "Men listen to men ... we need more male role models out there," Williams said. Consent and healthy relationship education should be expanded to more schools with additional funding, and community sporting clubs and major codes could also play a role in reaching different generations, she said. A total of 128 women have been killed since January 2024, according to the Australian Femicide Watch website. Its founder, Sherele Moody, read aloud the names of the women as images of their faces were laid before Melbourne's Parliament steps. "We're here because men keep killing us," she said. "Violence against women is primarily a male problem ... it's not a women's problem to solve but it's women who are the ones who do the work." Advocates say a government-run national domestic violence register is desperately needed to track the issue. Domestic and Family Violence Prevention Month, marked each May, is an opportunity to raise community awareness of the impacts of violence and the support available to those affected. The rallies also called for fully funded frontline domestic violence services, expanded crisis accommodation and increased funding for primary prevention programs. Mandatory trauma-informed training for all first responders should also be rolled out, organisers said. The re-elected Labor government previously promised to prevent domestic violence perpetrators from abusing the tax and superannuation systems. It has also pledged to invest more funding to stop high-risk perpetrators through electronic monitoring. But Moody said ministers and leaders needed to sit down with frontline services to figure out what works. "All the safety nets have holes in them, and the funding barely even hits the sides," she said. Williams also said the government should engage with a wider range of organisations and advocates in the sector. If you or someone you know is impacted by family and domestic violence, call 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732, text 0458 737 732, or visit . In an emergency, call 000.
The Guardian
10-05-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
Large rallies held protesting sexual violence, anger that crisis not properly addressed during election
Tens of thousands of people have marched across Australian capital cities and regional towns calling for determined action to end gendered and sexual violence. Advocates say the crisis was not properly addressed during the federal election campaign, with funding pledges 'barely even hitting the sides'. The No More: National Rally Against Violence saw protesters gather in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide, Canberra, Hobart and in many regional centres. Founder of support organisation What Were You Wearing, Sarah Williams, called for more preventive action. 'We need to be able to stop it before it starts,' she told a two-thousand-strong crowd on the steps of Parliament House in Melbourne on Saturday. 'We need more funding for primary prevention, more trauma-informed response training for police, increased crisis housing, bail law reform and uniform consent laws,' she later told AAP. Similar rallies were held simultaneously in every state capital as well as several regional cities and towns. Sign up for Guardian Australia's breaking news email Hundreds met in Sydney's Hyde Park while the regional centres of Newcastle and Wollongong saw a similar turnout, including the family and friends of Mackenzie Anderson, a young mother who was stabbed 78 times and brutally murdered by her former partner in 2022. Hundreds more rallied in Brisbane, carrying signs reading 'We weren't asking for it' and 'Weak laws cost lives.' In the lead-up to the rallies, organisers urged more men to attend and take accountability for violence against women. 'Men listen to men … we need more male role models out there,' Ms Williams said. Consent and healthy relationship education should be expanded to more schools with additional funding, and sporting clubs and major codes could also play a role in reaching different generations, she said. Since 1 January last year, 128 women have been killed, according to the Australian Femicide Watch website. Its founder Sherele Moody read aloud the names of the women as images of their faces were laid before Melbourne's Parliament steps. Sign up to Breaking News Australia Get the most important news as it breaks after newsletter promotion 'We're here because men keep killing us,' she said. 'Violence against women is primarily a male problem … it's not a women's problem to solve but it's women who are the ones who do the work.' Advocates say a government-run national domestic violence register is desperately needed to track the issue. The rallies also called for fully funded frontline domestic violence services, expanded crisis accommodation and increased funding for primary prevention programs. Mandatory trauma-informed training for all first responders should also be rolled out, organisers said. The re-elected Labor government previously promised to prevent domestic violence perpetrators from abusing tax and superannuation systems. It has also pledged to invest more funding to stop high-risk perpetrators through electronic monitoring. But Moody said ministers and leaders needed to sit down with frontline services to figure out what works. 'All the safety nets have holes in them and the funding barely even hits the sides,' she said. In Australia, the national family violence counselling service is on 1800 737 732. In the UK, call the national domestic abuse helpline on 0808 2000 247, or visit Women's Aid. In the US, the domestic violence hotline is 1-800-799-SAFE (7233). Other international helplines may be found via Use the following endnote if a story is about a murder/suicide: In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is on 13 11 14 and the national family violence counselling service is on 1800 737 732. In the UK, Samaritans can be contacted on freephone 116 123 and the domestic abuse helpline is 0808 2000 247. In the US, the suicide prevention lifeline is 988 and the domestic violence hotline is 1-800-799-SAFE (7233). Other international helplines can be found via
