Latest news with #SouthWest
BBC News
14 hours ago
- Business
- BBC News
Robins targeting EFL return after Yeovil takeover
Yeovil Town executive chairman Stuart Robins hopes a change of ownership can propel the club back into the English Football League (EFL), but has warned it will take Prabhu Srinivasan completed a takeover of the club from the Hellier Trading Group this week, two months after it was put up for who has been interim chairman during the takeover, will work alongside Srinivasan and has big plans for the future. "I'm relieved and excited," he told BBC Radio Somerset. "We can get rid of all the uncertainty."Prabhu saw there was a good opportunity to make a difference. We've gone through difficult times since we were in the Championship; we are back on the way up and he can be part of that."We've been working behind the scenes to ensure a sensible budget. It is really important to build sensibly; we are not going to be Wrexham."We will be able to bring calm and stability. It has been difficult for the fans, the team, the people who work here. "We've got a big responsibility to make sure that stability runs right throughout the club. I firmly believe we should be a League One or League Two club - that is the vision."The Glovers have fallen from the Championship into non-league over the last decade, finishing 18th in the National League last said it was important the new owners had the right ideals for Yeovil both as a club and a town."I've had so many conversations with different suitors. What was exciting about Prabhu was that it was about the community, not just the football club," he said."Because this is is so close to my heart, it was important for me as a Yeovil boy to know it wasn't just about someone coming in just to be part of a famous football club. "It was somebody who wanted to build the club as part of the community and make it more inclusive for everyone."
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
South West to benefit from radical skills reforms
The South West is set to benefit from radical skills reforms aimed at boosting economic growth and creating opportunities for young people. The government has confirmed up to £25 million for Skills Bootcamps in the region, as part of a national effort to reduce reliance on migrant labour. This comes alongside new data showing that 1,120 more apprentices will qualify in the South West each year, thanks to changes in English and maths requirements for adult apprentices. Read more: Building 700 homes at old golf course 'best option' for the area The reforms are part of a wider initiative to create 120,000 new training opportunities across England, focusing on areas such as construction and healthcare. Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said: "A skilled workforce is the key to steering the economy forward, and today we're backing the next generation by giving young people more opportunities to learn a trade, earn a wage and achieve and thrive." The government is also set to implement a 32 per cent increase in the Immigration Skills Charge, which will deliver up to 45,000 additional training places to upskill the domestic workforce. Milton Walcott, HSEQ Manager at Complete Fixing Solutions Ltd, said: "I am excited to see the government's focus on expanding apprenticeships and skills training for young people. "The emphasis on getting more 16-18-year-olds into work-based learning is particularly important." The reforms come in response to a significant drop in the number of apprenticeship starts over the last decade, and recent statistics showing that one in eight 16-24 year olds are not in employment, education, or training. Sarah Yong, Director of Policy and Public Affairs at Youth Futures Foundation, said: "With stubbornly high youth unemployment and inactivity, rebalancing the apprenticeship system can encourage investment in youth apprenticeships and is a first step in enabling more young people to access good work." Read more: Wedding venue can continue to host events after planning appeal The government is also investing in teacher recruitment in further education, with around 6,000 teachers receiving Targeted Retention Incentive payments last year. This is part of a push to recruit 6,500 new teachers in schools and colleges across England. The reforms are a vital step in delivering the government's Plan for Change, which aims to address skills shortages and create better opportunities for young people and adults across England. Stephen Wilde, Managing Director at Southbourne Rubber Ltd, said: "This is a bold and vital step forward in building real opportunities for young people and adults to build skills that matter in industries that shape our future."
BBC News
2 days ago
- General
- BBC News
Pharmacy scheme helps 'quickens access' to services in South West
High street pharmacists in the South West have helped more than 540,000 patients with minor illnesses since January 2024, figures have England South West said following the Pharmacy First scheme's launch, which aimed to expand services offered by pharmacies, 220,000 people had received help without an appointment for seven common conditions such as sore added a further 191,639 consultations for minor illness referrals and 128,564 consultations for urgent medicine supplies had also been Ketiar, regional chief pharmacist, said the scheme had helped get patients quicker access to services. "Our local community pharmacies already play an important role in their communities and work closely with the general practices in their areas to support their communities' health and wellbeing," she said."Many people live just a short walk away from their local pharmacy so it is great to see so many in the South West benefiting from this easy and convenient way of managing and treating these common illnesses."
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
Revealed: The happiest area of the UK - where people are least likely to get depressed, according to new data
New data released by the Office of National Statistics has revealed Britain's happiest—and unhappiest—regions. Every year, since 2011, the statistics watchdog asks tens of thousands of people in the UK to rank their happiness, life satisfaction, anxiety levels and sense of worth out of 10. According to data released today, those living in the South West of England are most likely to be generally happy. Residents living in the mainly rural area, consisting of Cornwall, Dorset, Devon, Bristol, Gloucestershire, Somerset and Wiltshire, scored an average of 7.6 on the happiness index. And more than a third of residents reported very high levels of happiness, scoring between nine and 10. Overall, the UK scored an average of 7.43 out of 10 for happiness, with Northern Ireland being home to the happiest people, who rated their happiness at 7.7. Conversely, the North East, North West and West Midlands jointly claimed the bottom slot, with residents ranking their happiness score as 7.3 on average. Average happiness scores are on the rise in the UK, after scores dropped to 7.39 in 2022/23—the lowest figure logged since the pandemic. Interestingly, levels of happiness tend to increase as people get older, with 70 to 74-year olds obtaining the happiest scores. In reponse to questions about life satisfaction, the South West of England logged one of the highest rates, along with Yorkshire and the Humber and the East of England, with residents ranking contentment with life as 7.6 out of 10. At the other end of the scale came London and the West Midlands, where residents reported the lowest levels of life satisfaction. The West Midlands is home to the highest number of residents who reported very low levels of life satisfaction, with nearly one in 10 residents ranking between zero and four. The average UK anxiety levels meanwhile have remained the same between 2023 and 2024, hovering at around 3.2. Apart from the year Covid hit, this remains the highest figure on record. Residents in the East Midlands and London saw the highest levels of anxiety last year, from October to December, with over a quarter of East Midlands residents ranking their panic between six and 10. Millennials aged between 30 and 34 expressed the highest levels of anxiety. Whilst statisticians did not indicate what specifically could be behind this, the data covers a period in which Britain was facing a cost-of-living crisis, with millennials hit the hardest on an inflation-adjusted basis. The ONS also highlights limitations of the survey, which only features residents living at private addresses. It does not currently include most communal establishments—such as student halls of residence, hospitals, care homes and prisons.
The Sun
3 days ago
- Business
- The Sun
I tried supermarket Cornish pasties – my 99p own-brand winner tastes better and is cheaper than Ginsters
A WHOPPING 120 million Cornish pasties are baked every year in the UK, making them one of the nation's favourite snacks. Genuine bakes must be made in the namesake country, contain at least 12.5 per cent beef and 25 per cent root veg. 9 But not all of us can make it to the South West to try one, so how do the supermarket options measure up? LYNSEY HOPE finds out: Ginsters Original Cornish Pasty (227g) £1.95 (£1.95 each) Nutrition: 597 calories, 35g fat, 3.7g sugar, 2.1g salt Lynsey says: "Given the high price and the somewhat shocking calorie, fat and sugar content, I didn't want to like these. "But I did. "There was a good filling with 15% British beef as well as the traditional potato, swede and onion. "It was big with a staggering 35g fat and nearly 600 calories - and very filling - definitely a meal as opposed to a snack. "The pastry was rich and flavoursome though I didn't like the added turmeric. "Why mess with a classic?" Taste: 4/5 Value: 4/5 Overall score: 8/10 Shopping discounts - How to make savings and find the best bargains Tesco Cornish Pasties (520g) £2.50 for 4 (62.5p each) Nutrition: 364 calories, 23.3g fat, 9.5g fat, 2.6g sugar, 0.98g fat 9 Lynsey says: "These pasties came out smelling very appetising and they had a lovely pepperiness on the tongue. "They are huge, proper wedges, and I liked the flakiness of the puff pastry. "There's a good helping of beef at 18 per cent and these had one of the highest levels of swede, at nine per cent. "A crowd-pleasing family pack for a good price." Taste: 4/5 Value: 5/5 Overall score: 9/10 Asda Cornish Pasties (520g) £2.74 for 4 (68.5p each) Nutrition: 364 calories, 23g fat, 2.3g sugar, 0.86g salt Lynsey says: 'Not the tastiest but they are good value and they are filled with a generous 18 per cent beef. "The filling was dense but a lot of it was onion and it was definitely lacking in swede. "It's alright for a meal or snack but I fear pasty purists would not like this.' Taste: 2/5 Value: 2/5 Overall score: 4/10 Morrisons Cornish Pasties (520g) £3.20 (80p each) Nutrition: 373 calories, 25.1g fat, 2.1g sugar, 1.16g salt 9 Lynsey says: "Very similar to the Tesco pasties with a generous 19 per cent beef. "The pastry was well cooked and they gave a nice peppery hit on the tongue. "Perhaps too much spud - I'd have preferred more vegetables. "Whilst there was seven per cent swede, there was no carrot that I could detect and too much onion. "Overly salty, too. "Over 17p more each than the Tesco pasties and not as nice." Taste: 3/5 Value: 3/5 Overall score: 6/10 M&S Cornish Pasties (300g) £3.50 for 2 (£1.75 each) Lynsey says: 'Unlike lots of other pasties we tried, this one was made with flaky pastry. "It was a little fragile with lots of pastry breaking off when I tried to heat it in the oven. "It was incredibly tasty though. "The pastry was well-baked and the pasty itself was generously filled with heaps of meat, potato and swede. "The meat is beef skirt, as per the traditional recipe, which made this juicy and lovely. "Pricey - but a cut above the other supermarket options.' Taste: 5/5 Value: 4/5 Overall score: 9/10 Aldi Crestwood Beef and Vegetable Pasty (200g) 69p for 1 (69p each) Nutrition: 544 calories, 28.5g fat, 3.1g sugar, 1.55g salt Lynsey says: 'Aldi's pasty has a Devon 'crimp' which means it is sealed on the top rather than traditional Cornish-style on the side. "It looks great, very substantial and you can't argue with the price. "But the filling was bland and sloppy. "It was lacking meaty flavour and the chunky texture you'd expect. "Although there was 17 per cent beef, it was potato heavy and the carrots and swede inside were a bit mulchy. "Very high in fat and calorific too." Taste: 2/5 Value: 3/5 Overall score: 5/10 How to save money on your supermarket shop THERE are plenty of ways to save on your grocery shop. You can look out for yellow or red stickers on products, which show when they've been reduced. If the food is fresh, you'll have to eat it quickly or freeze it for another time. Making a list should also save you money, as you'll be less likely to make any rash purchases when you get to the supermarket. Going own brand can be one easy way to save hundreds of pounds a year on your food bills too. This means ditching "finest" or "luxury" products and instead going for "own" or value" type of lines. Plenty of supermarkets run wonky veg and fruit schemes where you can get cheap prices if they're misshapen or imperfect. For example, Lidl runs its Waste Not scheme, offering boxes of 5kg of fruit and vegetables for just £1.50. If you're on a low income and a parent, you may be able to get up to £442 a year in Healthy Start vouchers to use at the supermarket too. Plus, many councils offer supermarket vouchers as part of the Household Support Fund. Waitrose Mini Cornish Pasties (180g) £3.75 for 6 (63.5p each) Nutrition: 90 calories, 5.60g fat, 0.60g sugar, 0.19g salt Lynsey says: "Little pockets of delicious pastry but filled with air. "The filling was nice but there was really only a teaspoon in each one. "I enjoyed them immensely and loved the tiny size for a snack. "They were incredibly moreish and I kept eating one every time I opened the fridge. "I liked the meaty flavour of the beef and there was lots of swede. "Whilst they contained palm oil like many of the others, it was sustainable. "However, for the price, I'd have liked them to be fuller." Taste: 4/5 Value: 3/5 Overall score: 7/10 Lidl Chef Select Cornish Pasty (200g) 99p (99p each) Nutrition: 597 calories, 35g fat, 3.7g sugar, 2.1g salt Lynsey says: " Lidl 's pasty was hefty and one of the most appetising on offer. "After 20 minutes in the oven, the pastry was really nice and flaky and the filling was hearty and flavoursome. "The meat was tender and not chewy and there as no gristle. "Surprisingly, it was more expensive for a single pasty than many others, but it was huge so I still felt for less than a £1 it was excellent value for money. "You could easily make a meal out of this."
