Latest news with #SmallSchool
Sky News
3 days ago
- Sky News
Red House: 62 people now say they experienced abuse at children's home run by a 'cult'
"It was like hell on Earth." Warning: This article includes references to sexual abuse and suicide that some readers may find distressing. Colin (not his real name) is one of 19 alleged abuse victims who has come forward following a Sky News investigation into a closed children's home in Norfolk. The total number is now 62. Numerous people have told us that they experienced physical, emotional and sexual abuse at The Small School at Red House run by a Danish organisation called Tvind, which has been described as a cult. Colin was taken into care after being a victim of sexual exploitation, but when he arrived at The Red House at 15, his personal, painful history was used against him. "A couple of the lads grabbed hold of me," he said. "They'd been told that I was a rent boy before I got there, they wanted to knock me into shape. I contemplated killing myself. I'd never experienced that humiliation." Children were sent to The Red House from all over the country. Some have told Sky News that violent staff broke their fingers, threw them down the stairs and even locked them in rooms with Alsatians. Sadly for Colin, his experience of sexual exploitation continued at the home. "They put these three lads in my room, they squeezed me round my neck and I passed out," he said. "When I came round they were sexually abusing me. I was screaming and screaming. The next day I ran and I never went back there." The home was run by the Tvind School Cooperative of Denmark. A controversial group founded in the late 1960s, they opened around 30 radical schools in Denmark, mostly for disadvantaged children, and two in England. Many have since closed. Inspections by regulatory bodies reveal growing concerns about The Red House. In 1990, the Social Services Inspectorate wrote to directors of local authorities warning them against sending children to the home. An inspection report made by Norfolk County Council in 1994 shows they were aware of alleged "sexual abuse" and "physical abuse" involving 20 children. Yet the home continued to operate and three years after that inspection report, Norfolk County Council sent a teenage boy to the Red House. "Red House was this black hole where they could just dump people and not worry about them," he says. "Whilst I was there I can't even think of one instance when my social worker turned up to come and check on me." He is one of the many alleged victims in the process of suing Norfolk County Council and the local authorities which sent children to the home. Daniel Lemberger Cooper is representing victims on behalf of Imran Khan and Partners. "[We] urge Norfolk Council, who are the centre of this and whose geographic area Red House was based, to tell the truth. They were aware very early on ... about abuse and allegations of abuse and they failed to act." Victims are also being supported by the Shirley Oaks Survivors Association who are urging any more people to come forward. The home was shut down in 1998. Norfolk Police have done two investigations into allegations of abuse but no one has been charged. Those still working for Tvind in Denmark say they are not associated with the former cooperative. Norfolk County Council says: "We continue to investigate and respond to those private claims through the appropriate legal channels. "Our thoughts are with all survivors of abuse but, as there is an ongoing legal claim relating to Red House, we cannot comment further at this time."
The Guardian
05-03-2025
- Climate
- The Guardian
Schools, airports, businesses closures: everything that's shut as Tropical Cyclone Alfred approaches
Tropical Cyclone Alfred is expected to make landfall somewhere between Maroochydore on the Sunshine Coast and Coolangatta on the Gold Coast on Friday morning, bringing severe weather. People in south-east Queensland and northern New South Wales have begun battening down the hatches, with governments closing schools and some airports. Here's a guide to what's closed, and what's staying open. On Wednesday morning, the Queensland premier, David Crisafulli, announced that schools in south-east Queensland would be closed on Thursday and Friday. The Queensland government has a list of schools that are closed because of the cyclone. As of 3.30pm on Wednesday, 663 state schools, 120 independent schools and 180 Catholic schools had been shut. Many schools in northern NSW have also been closed, with the state government publishing a rolling list. As of 3.30pm on Wednesday, 122 public schools were non-operational. Five independent schools had been shut, including the Small School in Murwillumbah and Byron Community Primary School. Airlines have cancelled many flights and several airports located in Tropical Cyclone Alfred's path have been closed. Gold Coast airport closed at 4pm local time on Wednesday. Jetstar, Qantas and Virgin Australia cancelled all flights in and out of Ballina airport on Wednesday. Flights to Coffs Harbour airport, farther south on the NSW coast, will stop from midnight on Wednesday. The Brisbane and Sunshine Coast airports remained open as of 4pm Wednesday, but travellers have been advised to check with their airline for any potential changes to their flights. Sign up for Guardian Australia's breaking news email It was unclear when the airports would reopen. Brisbane city council has advised that all CityCat and ferry services have been suspended. Bus services will be suspended from the last service on Wednesday, until further notice. Rubbish collection in Brisbane was restricted to red bins only on Wednesday, then suspended entirely from Thursday, along with the kerbside collection of large rubbish. Council libraries, community halls and golf courses will be closed from Thursday. The state library closed at 5pm on Wednesday. Transport for NSW has advised people to avoid unnecessary travel through areas affected by the cyclone, including NSW TrainLink north coast services. TfNSW said that, until at least midnight on Friday, all of these train services will terminate at Taree. There is no guarantee of rail replacement buses or coaches north of Taree and they will only operate as far as Casino if safe to do so, TfNSW said. A number of sporting, music and other events have also been postponed or cancelled. The two AFL season openers due to be played in Queensland this weekend have been called off. Brisbane's match against Geelong at the Gabba in Brisbane on Thursday night and Gold Coast's game against Essendon at People First Stadium on the Gold Coast on Saturday afternoon will now be played later in the season. The AFL has yet to decide when the matches will be played. The Friday night NRL game between the Dolphins and South Sydney Rabbitohs was meant to be played in Brisbane but it has been relocated to Sydney's CommBank stadium. The American rock band Green Day cancelled its Saviors concert due to be held in Brisbane on Wednesday night. In a statement, the band said: 'We know how excited fans were for the concert and we share your disappointment'. Bluey's World – which replicates lifesize sets from the Australian children's TV show – will close from Thursday. As of Wednesday evening, all Queensland hospitals were due to remain open 24/7 for emergency care. No NSW health services or hospitals had been closed. Coles will keep its stores open for as long as it is safe to do so. A spokesperson for the supermarket said it was working to ensure its stores across south-east Queensland remained well-stocked, especially with essentials such as canned goods, milk, bread, meat, baby formula and toilet paper. 'We have plenty of stock in our supply chain,' they said. 'We just ask that customers shop as they normally would and be patient with our hard-working team members as they keep our shelves stocked.' Woolworths was contacted for comment. Fourteen evacuation centres opened in northern NSW on Wednesday evening, including in Murwillumbah, Uki and Mullumbimby. A full list is available on the NSW State Emergency Service's website. The Brisbane city council is expected to update its live emergency dashboard with information on evacuation centres.
