Latest news with #Sneddon
Press and Journal
30-04-2025
- Business
- Press and Journal
Are Aberdeen St Nicholas Kirk saviours taking over Peterhead's Carnegie building?
A new operator is poised to breathe fresh life into Peterhead's historic Carnegie Building – and the clues suggest it could be the group at work transforming an Aberdeen landmark. Aberdeenshire Council started looking for a new group to run the St Peter Street venue last summer. Dating back to the 1890s, it was most recently the home of the library and Arbuthnot Museum. But it is set to be transformed into a major new arts and cultural venue as part of the Blue Toon's ongoing Cultural Quarter project. Under the plan, Peterhead library and the museum will be moved to the refurbished and extended Arbuthnot House on Broad Street – freeing up the 19th century site. Plans are expected to be submitted to Aberdeenshire Council next month by the unknown operator showing proposed works to the much-loved site. But who is the 'mystery' group expected to take the reins of the Carnegie Building? All signs suggest it could be Scot-Art, the Edinburgh-based charity behind plans to reopen the historic St Nicholas Kirk in the heart of Aberdeen city centre. The urban regeneration group was recently given the go-ahead to turn the A-listed West Kirk there into a multi-purpose venue. The church, also known as the Mither Kirk, will be used to host various entertainment events and provide support to those in need. At an Aberdeen planning meeting last week, charity boss Iain Sneddon revealed the organisation had plans for a second venue in the north-east – only this time in Peterhead. However, the tight-lipped head was careful not to say too much – hinting that such an added operation would help fund the Aberdeen work. He explained that the charity had agreed terms for a 20-year lease of a building in the town, but did not let slip where. Mr Sneddon also said the organisation was pushing towards the lease being 'tightened up' in the next six weeks. It came at roughly the same time as Buchan councillors were given an update on the major Peterhead project. They were told that the preferred operator would use the Carnegie Building as a studio space and meeting area for 'creative workers and community organisations'. This could mean the historic site would open its doors to various groups, charities and start-up businesses. Council papers revealed the Carnegie Building will become a 'hub for cultural, recreational, and entrepreneurial exchange'. They also stated that a 'diverse' programmes of workshops, exhibitions and events would be held in the venue from 9am to 9pm. An application for funding to repair the building has been submitted to Historic Environment Scotland and is expected to be confirmed in the summer. Scot-Art has been approached for comment.
BBC News
10-04-2025
- General
- BBC News
Willenhall locals recall narrow escape from 1994 plane crash
A few days before Christmas in 1994, 22-year-old Clel Sneddon was standing in his parents' kitchen when the lights suddenly went off and chaos erupted outside."It was bedlam. It was like coming out on to a Hollywood film set - people just running around screaming and shouting," Mr Sneddon recalls.A Boeing 737 had crashed in Willenhall, a residential area on the edge of Coventry, killing all five people on board and narrowly missing houses as it went down in crash, a vivid event in many residents' memories, is being revisited as part of the BBC's Secret Coventry series. The Air Algerie aircraft had been leased by a company called Phoenix Aviation to export live animals from the UK to airports in France and the Netherlands, according to a government investigation report written after the was flying through fog as it made its descent into Coventry Airport and hit an electricity pylon just before 10:00 GMT, causing the power cut that made Mr Sneddon's parents' house passed over Willenhall's residential streets as it descended, before crashing in woods that run alongside a street called Middle Ride and bursting into flames. "We heard these mad revving noises," recalls Mr Sneddon, who had dropped into his parents' house on Field March, just off Middle Ride, that morning to pick up a last-minute Christmas shopping list."I remember one of the neighbours shouting, 'There's a plane crash!' And I thought, that can't be right."He added residents were shocked when they ran outside and saw an aircraft on fire, because "you knew there were people dying [inside] and there was nothing you could do". Syd Farley, who was an assistant divisional officer for West Midlands Fire Service at the time, was put in charge of firefighters' response at the scene and had to write the service's official report Farley, now 84, remembers he found the aircraft on fire and broken into "five or six pieces" when he also found many members of the public "in various states of shock".Three crew members and two passengers on board were killed in the government's investigation report, published in 1996, concluded the crew had allowed the plane to descend below the usual minimum height for its approach to Coventry report, written by the Air Accidents Investigation Branch, noted the foggy weather and also said the crew's performance was "impaired by the effects of tiredness" as they had completed over 10 hours of flight duty through the night. On the crash's 10th anniversary, Willenhall residents set up a brass plaque on the edge of the woods in memory of those who believe the pilot crashed in woodland to avoid coming down on their residential plaque's inscription says: "For the heroic crew of five, who gave their lives while saving ours."The government report states the plane's wingtip struck just one of Willenhall's terraced houses as it descended. Falling debris also caused minor damage to other houses that it passed over."We always say, to this day, how lucky we were - we really did escape with our lives," Mr Sneddon says."At the time they [said] it was a Christmas miracle." Follow BBC Coventry & Warwickshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
Yahoo
18-03-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Disasters spur investment in flood and fire risk tech
When Storm Babet hit the town of Trowell in Nottingham in 2023, Claire Sneddon felt confident her home would not be affected. After all, when she bought the property in 2021, she was told by the estate agent that a previous flood the year before, which had reached but not effected the property, was a once-in-a-lifetime event, and that flooding measures to protect the properties on the cul-de-sac would be put in place. However, when Storm Babet tore through the UK two years later, Ms Sneddon's home flooded after several days of rain. "We knew there would be water on the cul-de-sac but no one expected it to flood internally again. However, water entered the property for five hours," she said. "It reached to the top of the skirting boards. We had to have all the flooring, woodwork and lower kitchen replaced, which took nearly 12 months." Their final insurance bill was around £45,000. She says they were fortunate to have qualified for a government scheme providing affordable insurance for homeowners in areas of high-flood risk. Although she loves the area, her neighbours and the house, the weather is now a cause of stress. "We constantly worry about the weather, if it is going to rain longer than a couple of days or there is a named storm. "We do wish we had taken more steps to understand the risk. The survey showed that the property was in a medium flood zone but there wasn't much detail other than flood zone maps." Climate change is increasing the likelihood and intensity of natural disasters such as floods, wildfires and hurricanes. While it might be too late for Ms Sneddon and other homeowners, new tools are being developed to help people and companies assess climate risk. Last December, the UK Environment Agency updated its National Flood Risk Assessment (NaFRA), showing current and future flood risk from rivers, the sea and surface water for England. It used its own data alongside that of local authorities and climate data from the Met Office. It also brought up to date the National Coastal Erosion Risk Map (NCERM). They were both last updated in 2018 and 2017 respectively. The new NaFRA data shows as many as 6.3 million properties in England are in areas at risk of flooding from rivers, the sea or surface water, and with climate change this could increase to around 8 million by 2050. "We have spent the last few years transforming our understanding of flood and coastal erosion risk in England, drawing on the best available data... as well as improved modelling and technological advances," said Julie Foley, director of flood risk strategy at the Environment Agency. "When we account for the latest climate projections, one in four properties could be in areas at risk of flooding by the middle of the century." The Environment Agency plans to launch a portal where users can check their long-term flood risk. Similar resources exist for Scotland, Northern Ireland, and Wales through the ABI. "We can no longer rely on historical data," says Lukky Ahmed, co-founder of Climate X. The London-based climate risk firm offers a digital twin of the Earth, which simulates different extreme weather events and their potential impact on properties, infrastructure and assets under different emissions scenarios. It combines artificial intelligence with physics-based climate models. "While many climate models might tell you how much rainfall to expect, they don't say what happens when that water hits the ground," says "Our models simulate, for example, what happens when the water hits, where it travels and what the impact of the flooding will be. While banks are lenders are testing their product, property companies are currently using their services when considering new developments. "They log into our platform and identify locations and existing building stock and in return they receive risk rating and severity metrics tied to hazards," says Mr Ahmed. Many parts of the world have much more extreme weather than the UK. In the US in January, devastating wild fires tore through parts of Los Angeles. Meanwhile hurricane Milton, which landed last October, is likely to be one of the costliest hurricanes to hit west Florida. To help insurers manage those costs, New York-based Faura analyses the resilience of homes and commercial buildings. "We look at the different elements of a property to understand how likely it is to survive and pinpoint resilience and survivability of a property," says Faura co-founder Valkyrie Holmes. "We tell companies and homeowners whether their property will still be standing after a disaster, not just whether a disaster will happen in an area," he adds. Faura bases its assessments on satellite and aerial imagery and data from surveys and disaster reports. "Insurance companies technically have the data to be able to do this but have not build out the models to quantify it," says Mr Holmes. Other services are popping up for homebuyers. For the properties it markets, US firm Redfin, estimates the percentage chance of natural disasters, such as flooding and wildfires, occurring up to the next 30 years across each property. "If people are looking at two homes with the same layout in the same neighbourhood, then climate risk will make or break [their decision]," says Redfin chief economist Daryl Fairweather. As for Ms Sneddon, following her personal experience, she now works for flood risk company The FPS Group. "Flood risk is only going to get worse over the coming years so it is essential to find out as much as you can about the flood risk to a property," she advises. "Flooding has a huge impact on communities and mental health. You are supposed to feel safe in your home, it shouldn't be a place of worry and anxiety."
BBC News
18-03-2025
- Climate
- BBC News
Disasters spur investment in flood and fire risk tech
When Storm Babet hit the town of Trowell in Nottingham in 2023, Claire Sneddon felt confident her home would not be all, when she bought the property in 2021, she was told by the estate agent that a previous flood the year before, which had reached but not effected the property, was a once-in-a-lifetime event, and that flooding measures to protect the properties on the cul-de-sac would be put in when Storm Babet tore through the UK two years later, Ms Sneddon's home flooded after several days of rain."We knew there would be water on the cul-de-sac but no one expected it to flood internally again. However, water entered the property for five hours," she said."It reached to the top of the skirting boards. We had to have all the flooring, woodwork and lower kitchen replaced, which took nearly 12 months." Their final insurance bill was around £45,000. She says they were fortunate to have qualified for a government scheme providing affordable insurance for homeowners in areas of high-flood she loves the area, her neighbours and the house, the weather is now a cause of stress. "We constantly worry about the weather, if it is going to rain longer than a couple of days or there is a named storm. "We do wish we had taken more steps to understand the risk. The survey showed that the property was in a medium flood zone but there wasn't much detail other than flood zone maps." Climate change is increasing the likelihood and intensity of natural disasters such as floods, wildfires and it might be too late for Ms Sneddon and other homeowners, new tools are being developed to help people and companies assess climate risk. Last December, the UK Environment Agency updated its National Flood Risk Assessment (NaFRA), showing current and future flood risk from rivers, the sea and surface water for used its own data alongside that of local authorities and climate data from the Met also brought up to date the National Coastal Erosion Risk Map (NCERM). They were both last updated in 2018 and 2017 new NaFRA data shows as many as 6.3 million properties in England are in areas at risk of flooding from rivers, the sea or surface water, and with climate change this could increase to around 8 million by 2050."We have spent the last few years transforming our understanding of flood and coastal erosion risk in England, drawing on the best available data... as well as improved modelling and technological advances," said Julie Foley, director of flood risk strategy at the Environment Agency."When we account for the latest climate projections, one in four properties could be in areas at risk of flooding by the middle of the century."The Environment Agency plans to launch a portal where users can check their long-term flood risk. Similar resources exist for Scotland, Northern Ireland, and Wales through the ABI. "We can no longer rely on historical data," says Lukky Ahmed, co-founder of Climate X. The London-based climate risk firm offers a digital twin of the Earth, which simulates different extreme weather events and their potential impact on properties, infrastructure and assets under different emissions combines artificial intelligence with physics-based climate models."While many climate models might tell you how much rainfall to expect, they don't say what happens when that water hits the ground," says"Our models simulate, for example, what happens when the water hits, where it travels and what the impact of the flooding will be. While banks are lenders are testing their product, property companies are currently using their services when considering new developments."They log into our platform and identify locations and existing building stock and in return they receive risk rating and severity metrics tied to hazards," says Mr Ahmed. Many parts of the world have much more extreme weather than the the US in January, devastating wild fires tore through parts of Los Angeles. Meanwhile hurricane Milton, which landed last October, is likely to be one of the costliest hurricanes to hit west help insurers manage those costs, New York-based Faura analyses the resilience of homes and commercial buildings."We look at the different elements of a property to understand how likely it is to survive and pinpoint resilience and survivability of a property," says Faura co-founder Valkyrie Holmes."We tell companies and homeowners whether their property will still be standing after a disaster, not just whether a disaster will happen in an area," he bases its assessments on satellite and aerial imagery and data from surveys and disaster reports."Insurance companies technically have the data to be able to do this but have not build out the models to quantify it," says Mr Holmes. Other services are popping up for homebuyers. For the properties it markets, US firm Redfin, estimates the percentage chance of natural disasters, such as flooding and wildfires, occurring up to the next 30 years across each property."If people are looking at two homes with the same layout in the same neighbourhood, then climate risk will make or break [their decision]," says Redfin chief economist Daryl Fairweather. As for Ms Sneddon, following her personal experience, she now works for flood risk company The FPS Group."Flood risk is only going to get worse over the coming years so it is essential to find out as much as you can about the flood risk to a property," she advises."Flooding has a huge impact on communities and mental health. You are supposed to feel safe in your home, it shouldn't be a place of worry and anxiety."
Yahoo
26-02-2025
- Yahoo
17-year-old killed in crash, 2nd driver arrested
GOSHEN — The driver involved in a fatal crash with a motorcycle Tuesday was under the influence of cannabis, the Elkhart County Sheriff's Office said. Amelia Sneddon, 17, of Goshen, died at the scene, police said. The crash occurred at 3:11 p.m. at S.R. 15 and C.R. 26 north of the city. Police said a 2006 Ford Mustang, driven by Jodi Nagle, 54, of Goshen, was pulling out of a private drive at the intersection going west, while Sneddon, driving a 2014 Kawasaki Ninja, was traveling north on S.R. 15. The Ford failed to yield to the Kawasaki, the report said, with the motorcycle striking the rear driver's side of the car. Sneddon, who was wearing a helmet, was thrown from the motorcycle and suffered fatal injuries. Nagle, who was wearing a seat belt, was not injured. Nagle was later arrested on a preliminary charge of operating while intoxicated causing death under the influence of cannabis.
