Latest news with #Swift-themed
South Wales Guardian
02-05-2025
- General
- South Wales Guardian
Swift nesting boxes installed at Pontardawe Library
The boxes at Pontardawe Library are part of a nationwide effort to increase swift numbers. Neath Port Talbot Council's Countryside and Wildlife Team collaborated with the council's Library Service to put up the boxes, which will provide additional nesting space for up to 10 pairs of breeding swifts. The boxes are a human solution to the long-term loss of traditional nest sites in buildings, caused by renovations and sealing up of gaps in roofs. They are screwed into the external walls of a building to provide a space in which a pair of breeding swifts can raise their young. These boxes are designed to last decades, and an information panel at the library explains what a swift is and what the boxes are for. Swifts are on the Red List of Birds of Conservation Concern in recognition of the fact that populations across the UK have declined by 58 per cent since 1995 and by 75 per cent in Wales. Swifts spend the winter in Africa and return to the UK in May to breed. Swifts nest almost exclusively in buildings, making use of holes to raise their young. However, with lots of old buildings being renovated to improve insulation or simply demolished, swifts are losing their nesting sites. The Countryside and Wildlife Team secured funding from the Welsh Government Local Places for Nature Fund to get the boxes. This fund aims to make local areas more nature-friendly and raise awareness of wildlife to residents. Recording by members of the NPT Local Nature Partnership has revealed Pontardawe is a hotspot for sightings of swifts in the county. Councillor Cen Phillips, Neath Port Talbot Council's cabinet member for nature, tourism and wellbeing, said: "Providing additional nest sites in this location could provide a vital opportunity to boost the swift population. "Visitors to Pontardawe Library will also be able to enjoy seeing the swift boxes, hopefully the swifts investigating and nesting in the boxes and learn more about this declining bird." The library also has Swift-themed resources for children.
Yahoo
27-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Fathers Whose Daughters Were Killed at Taylor Swift-Themed Dance Class Run London Marathon in Their Honor
Sergio Aguiar and David Stancombe, the dads of two young girls killed at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in England in July, ran the 2025 London Marathon in their daughters' honor 'This is an incredible way to honor the memory of your precious daughters, and the entire nation is in awe of your courage and resilience,' said UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer Aguiar's daughter Alice, 9, Stancombe's daughter Elsie, 7, and a third victim, 6-year-old Bebe King, were fatally stabbed by Axel Rudakubana, who has been sentenced to life in prison The fathers of two of the three young girls killed at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in 2024 ran the 2025 London Marathon in their honor. On Sunday, April 27, Sergio Aguiar and David Stancombe took on the 26.2-mile course in a moving show of love for their late daughters and to raise money for charity. They completed the race, with London Express reporting that Aguiar was visibly emotional as he crossed the finish line and fell to the ground. Aguiar was pictured smiling and holding a medal after the completion the marathon, while wearing a shirt with a portrait of his late daughter Alice Dasilva Aguiar, 9. The shirt featured information for a GoFundMe to raise money to build a playground at Churchtown Primary School in honor of his daughter and another stabbing victim Bebe King, 6. Related: Taylor Swift at a 'Complete Loss' After Southport Stabbing That Left 3 Children Dead at Swift-Themed Event Stancombe was photographed flashing a thumbs up at the end of the race. Similar to Aguiar, he wore a white shirt promoting the charitable trust Elsie's Story — created for his late daughter Elsie Dot Stancombe, 7. Prior to the race, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer shared a video to voice his support for the two marathoners. 'David and Sergio, I want to wish you the very best of luck in the London Marathon this weekend,' he said. 'I know how much it means to you and your families. This is an incredible way to honor the memory of your precious daughters, and the entire nation is in awe of your courage and resilience,' Starmer added. 'We'll all be with you every step of the way. Good luck." Related: King Charles Privately Meets Families of 3 Girls Killed at Taylor Swift-Themed Dance Class On July 29, 2024, David's daughter Elsie, Sergio's daughter Alice and King were fatally stabbed at a Swift-themed dance class at The Hart Space community center in Southport, England. In January, Axel Rudakubana, 18, was sentenced to life in prison with a minimum of 52 years after admitting to his role in the deadly attack, Merseyside Police announced in a press release. During the attack, Rudakubana, who was 17 at the time, also wounded eight other children and two adults, including event organizer and yoga teacher Leanne Lucas. 'There were 26 children at the party, all of them happy and enjoying themselves," Judge Julian Goose said during Rudakubana's sentencing hearing. "He targeted those children for the horrific, extreme violence he was intent upon. It was such extreme violence of the utmost seriousness [that] it was difficult to comprehend." Sergio did not have much running experience before training for the marathon. He told BBC Breakfast that he talks to his late daughter Alice while out on runs. "I tell her to keep going with me, that we're going to do this together, you're going to be with me — always," said Sergio, who was raising money to build a new playground at Churchtown Primary School, where Alice was a student. Jinnie Payne, the school's headteacher, offered to run alongside Sergio in the marathon. Bebe's parents, Lauren and Ben King, planned to attend the race to cheer on David and Sergio, according to the outlet. "It is just incredible what they are both doing," Lauren said. "And we want to be a part of it every step of the way." David told the outlet that around 40 other friends and family members would be on the sidelines to support him, wearing T-shirts and sweatshirts bearing the Elsie's Story logo. "I want to enjoy the day. I want to do it for me and I want to do it for Elsie," he said. Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. His wife, Jenni Stancombe, told BBC Breakfast that she had no doubt he would complete the marathon, noting, "I know it will be Elsie who'll be the one to carry him over that finish line." Sergio was equally determined to finish the course. "Twenty-six miles, I've never done anything like that before. But for my girl, I would do 26 or 50 — whatever," he told the outlet. "The pain doesn't matter. I'm going to do it." Read the original article on People
Yahoo
24-02-2025
- Yahoo
Yoga Teacher Who Led Taylor Swift-Themed Class for Kids Speaks Out About Deadly Southport Attack
Leanne Lucas, the instructor whose Taylor Swift-themed children's dance and yoga class became the target of a deadly stabbing in Southport, England, last year, is speaking out about the attack for the first time. In a sit-down interview with BBC posted Monday (Feb. 24), Lucas recalled from start to finish how then-17-year-old Axel Rudakubana — who in January pleaded guilty to the murders of three young girls and the attempted killings of 10 other people at the July 2024 class — burst into her studio with a knife. As he began attacking the children in the room, Lucas sprang into action calling the police and urging the rest of the class to run to safety. More from Billboard Teen Pleads Guilty to Murder in Stabbings at Taylor Swift-Themed Dance Class Marc Anthony Kicks Off 2025 Viña del Mar Festival: 'There's No Country Like Chile' Justin Bieber Wants to Get Baby Jack Blues on Skates 'As Soon as Possible' That's when she says Rudakubana turned on her, leaving her spine, head, ribs, lung and shoulder blade severely injured. 'I just knew that if I didn't get out, everyone was going to die,' Lucas told the broadcaster with tears in her eyes. 'I thought that he wasn't going to stop until he killed everyone. I thought that he wanted to kill us all.' Rudakubana was sentenced to 52 years in prison, with Judge Julian Goose adding in his January ruling that the teenager would likely 'never be released.' In addition to critically wounding multiple people, Rudakubana killed 9-year-old Alice Da Silva Aguiar, 7-year-old Elsie Dot Stancombe and 6-year-old Bebe King. In the interview, Lucas recalled the agony of helping the rest of the children escape while enduring the pain of her injuries, for which she was later hospitalized. She noted that police have told her that the surviving children would not have made it out of the class alive if not for her and fellow organizer Heidi, who also assisted the fleeing children at the scene — but Lucas still feels guilt over the three girls she couldn't save. 'That gives nothing for the children who did die … that doesn't take that away,' Lucas told the BBC. 'I just don't know what else I could have done.' The dance class was just one of countless Swift-themed events local organizers all over the globe put together during the 'Anti-Hero' singer's Eras Tour last year and in 2023. Before the attack started, Lucas remembers her students happily making friendship bracelets and chatting in a circle, with 9-year-old Aguiar apparently saying shortly before her death, 'This is the best day of my life.'' Swift personally spoke out about the killings one day afterward, writing in a statement, 'The horror of yesterday's attack in Southport is washing over me continuously, and I'm just completely in shock …' 'The loss of life and innocence, and the horrendous trauma inflicted on everyone who was there, the families and first responders,' she added at the time. 'These were just little kids at a dance class. I am at a complete loss for how to ever convey my sympathies to these families.' About a month later, Swift hosted some of the survivors and their families at her London Eras shows and personally greeted them backstage at Wembley Stadium. Lucas told the BBC that she still has to take life 'an hour at a time' amid her grief, but that Aguiar, Stancombe and King are the reasons she keeps going. 'The only reason to survive is the fact that I did get out, and I am alive,' the instructor said. 'The fact that the girls aren't, I've got to stay alive for them. Otherwise, what's the point?' Best of Billboard Chart Rewind: In 1989, New Kids on the Block Were 'Hangin' Tough' at No. 1 Janet Jackson's Biggest Billboard Hot 100 Hits H.E.R. & Chris Brown 'Come Through' to No. 1 on Adult R&B Airplay Chart
Yahoo
08-02-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Snowplow Named 'Taylor Drift' May Be Coming To Clear A Road Near You
Massachusetts has a new snowplow superstar, and no matter what winter brings, it's ready for it. Thanks to a group of first-grade Swifties, a Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) snow vehicle is now officially dubbed 'Taylor Drift' - a name that slid past hundreds of other entries in a state-wide contest. At a lively ceremony attended by the MassDOT Undersecretary of Transportation and Deputy Administrator, the newly-named plow was decked out in true pop royalty fashion, complete with a disco ball wearing a hat. (MORE: The Best Weather Moments Of The Eras Tour) The young fans in Miss Perry's class at Dighton Elementary School got the full VIP experience, climbing inside the plow, honking its horn, and unveiling the Taylor Drift name and logo—featuring a snow cloud styled with blonde hair and bangs, just like the singer herself. 'We had over 900 entrants and you are one of 12 that won,' Undersecretary Hayes Morrison told the class. Snow drifts are the result of wind pushing lighter snow around in the same way that sand is blown into dunes in the desert, according to meteorologist Jonathan Belles, 'You'll often see piles of snow pushed several times higher up against buildings or trees.' Read more about the inspiration behind Taylor Drift here. Other cleverly named plows joining the fleet this season include "Ice Ice Baby" and "Snowana." The full list of winners is posted on the MassDOT website. Massachusetts isn't the only place embracing Swift-themed winter road warriors—Minnesota recently crowned its own Taylor Drift, where the name was the runaway winner in a similar contest. (Runner-up? The frosty-fantastic Clark W. Blizzwald.) With a train of winter storms ahead for the U.S., Taylor Drift will no doubt need to be fearless in its mission to clear snow and ice, creating a safe path fit for your wildest dreams. MORE ON Some Cities Are Seeing An Unusual "Snow Hole" Crew Saves Golden Retriever Swept Out To Sea Large Chunk Of Ice Smashes Through Florida Roof
Yahoo
06-02-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
What is Thundersnow? Rare weather anomaly recorded in Astoria
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — A rare weather event known as 'thundersnow' was documented in Astoria on Wednesday. According to the National Weather Service data, a bolt of lightning was recorded during a snowstorm at about 1:15 p.m. 'This is not often seen in this area, but how cool is that?' Portland's National Weather Service shared on social media. Semi-truck roll over blocks traffic through Portland Thunder and lightning are typically associated with thunderstorms known as 'convective systems,' KOIN 6 Meteorologist Josh said. However, similar storm conditions can occur inside a heavy snowstorm. 'The sound of thunder is produced by the rapid heating of air parcels surrounding a bolt of lightning,' Cozart said. 'On rare occasions, thundersnow can occur. That's where lightning is produced inside of a snow shower.' Oregon Lottery preps for Super Bowl LIX (Taylor's Version) with Swift-themed bets Thundersnow is less likely to occur than the average thunderstorm, and when it does occur, it's also harder to perceive. 'Thundersnow is rare because you have to be close to where the lightning originated,' Cozart said. 'Snow is a great sound absorber, so the sound of thunder can't travel as far as it would in a typical thunderstorm. That makes it difficult to hear far away from the source of lightning.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
