Latest news with #Tracey
Sky News
6 hours ago
- Politics
- Sky News
'Everyone's on edge': Epping braces for another hotel protest
Tracey's cheese toastie is getting cold. She's explaining to me how hacked off she is about the asylum hotel in Epping, there is a lot to get off her chest. This Essex commuter town has seen a series of protests around the Bell Hotel where asylum seekers have been housed for the past few years. The catalyst last week was an Ethiopian man, who had only recently arrived on a small boat, appearing in court charged with three counts of sexual assault on a local girl. Tracey was in the crowd demonstrating last Thursday when things turned violent, with some protesters clashing with police. Eight officers suffered injuries along with two hotel employees. Tracey told Sky News: "I've been here since I was four years old, I'm sixty now and we've never had any trouble like this before. "I'm sick to the skin of it all, I can't wait for it all to be over. "Everyone's on edge now. There's a lot of hostility so I think they (the migrants) should go. "I'm not a racist and I'm not prejudiced but this has just gone too far for this town. "You shouldn't relocate them, you should send them back to where they came from, simple as that. "Then it will be restored, the peace." She's angry at the government's response and the way she feels communities have not been listened to. She told Sky News: "They are going to have a lot of protests on their hands if they don't do anything about it. "So watch this space!" She went back to her cheese toastie and chips. Essex Police officers are preparing for another demonstration in Epping later with a march planned from the hotel to the council offices, where local politicians are due to discuss the problems. The chief constable has promised that his officers will facilitate peaceful protest while warning troublemakers they will be robustly dealt with. As we walked along the main shopping street with our camera, a man wound down the window of his partner's Mini and shouted about the violence last week. We asked him to stop and explain what he meant. It turned out Keith was at the protest too, his son was arrested and charged with criminal damage. "My son is actually going to court because he shook the Bell hotel sign and they are trying to do him with criminal damage," he said. "If they arrest somebody there will be five people to take their place," he warned - suggesting that people will show up regardless. "It will go on until it stops, it'll stop when they (the migrants) get moved out." Not everyone feels the same way - another woman who did not want to give her name said she strongly disagreed with the protests at the hotel. She told us: "I don't think an angry mob outside somewhere where people are staying within our community is the right way to go about it. "They could be demonstrating outside the Home Office." It is a divisive issue that the government clearly can't solve quickly. They are aiming to stop using hotels to house asylum seekers by 2029. Very few people in Epping feel they can wait that long. They want solutions now.
Time Out
a day ago
- Time Out
Nothing but love: Tracey Lange on rallying behind stranded soccer tour
For radio personality Tracey Lange, having access to a platform and using it for good was a no-brainer when it came to a group of teens stranded overseas. What was meant to be the trip of a lifetime turned into a harrowing ordeal for this group of aspiring soccer players when travel planning a football tour to Spain went wrong. After competing in the Donosti Cup, more than two dozen players from Cape Town-based BT Football Academy found themselves stranded in Portugal, with no flights home. Parents, who had paid an estimated R50k for the trip, were left in shock as return flights failed to materialise — reportedly due to visa delays and inflated travel costs. As panic set in, Cape Town rallied. Enter radio personality Tracey Lange, who spotted a post on the Coloured Girls Rock Facebook page and jumped into action. She helped launch a public fundraising campaign that would ultimately become a lifeline. She joined forces with pastors Dane and Tersia Mesane of Christ Culture Church, whose compassion and leadership played a vital role in reuniting the children with their families. "I saw the post on Coloured Girls Rock page on Facebook and that to me was proof that this was legit. We got hold of someone who could assist with the contact details of one of the coaches. We wanted all information before going live on social media so that all questions could be answered. Avukile got onto the parents' WhatsApp group to make sure he had all the info from the parents,' recalls Tracey. "The response was immense from the get-go with someone suggesting that if just 1000 people donate R50 it would make everything possible,' she says. And just like that – within 24 hours – hope turned into action. It was confirmed: the children were finally on their way back home. The first group of boys are expected to arrive back in the Mother City this afternoon. Behind-the-scenes acts of kindness Further offers of assistance and posts celebrating Tracey's efforts are being shared far and wide, with some real homegrown flavour. One "aunty" has promised Gatsby sandwiches for the whole squad on arrival. "People have shown us just how good the world can be," adds Tracey. According to reports, the academy cited late visa appointments, last-minute flight costs, and a lack of funds as reasons for the failure. As a result, the group was moved by bus to Lisbon, Portugal, in search of cheaper flights, where they remained stuck without confirmed travel arrangements. View this post on Instagram A post shared by BT Football (@btfootball_sa) The ordeal serves as a stark reminder of the importance of proper travel planning, timely visa applications and documentation, along with the necessary travel insurance - all essential safeguards to prevent young travellers from being left stranded far from home.
Daily Record
3 days ago
- Health
- Daily Record
Mum walking 5,000 miles around UK for charity back in Scotland for first time in 9 months
Tracey Howe, of Bearsden, is raising money to support charities who helped her wife, Angela. A heartbroken Scots mum who is walking 5,000 miles to fundraise in memory of her tragic wife has crossed the border into Scotland - as she heads home for the first time in nine months. Tracey Howe, of Bearsden, began her journey in November last year in a bid to raise £100,000 for charities that supported her late wife, Angela, who bravely battled cancer. Tracey and their loved ones first thought Angela's symptoms were 'adjusting to retirement' - or early onset dementia. The 61-year-old began to notice a change in Angela's personality, as did their two sons. They were worried that she was struggling to adjust to retirement or suffering from early onset dementia. But after having a seizure, Angela was diagnosed with a benign brain tumour. After multiple operations, Angela began to return to her old self - but was soon diagnosed with myeloma, an aggressive form of blood cancer. Angela passed away in September 2023, six months after her diagnosis, aged just 58. Now Tracey has is walking 5,000 miles around the UK's coastline to fundraise in her memory. Tracey, from Bearsden, East Dunbartonshire, began her journey in November last year. She and Angela, who had spent 37 years together, had planned to take a trip around the British coastline in retirement. But now, Tracey is completing the 5,000 mile journey solo, to raise money for charities that helped Angela in her last months. Tracey said: "Angela and I were together for 37 years. We met in 1986 when I was a physiotherapist, and we were living in the same nurse's accommodation. In the last few years of Angela's life, her personality started to change a bit. "We couldn't quite work out why. We went on holiday and she couldn't remember going - things like that. I think she wasn't really present. Then in November 2022, she had a seizure and they found a brain tumour the size of a tennis ball. They said it must've been growing for about 10 years. Luckily, it was benign. "She had surgery and it was like a complete transformation. We got 'old Angela' back, which really made us realise how much she'd actually changed. But she developed complications and had to go and have more severe surgery. While recovering, she developed myeloma and amyloidosis, two rare forms of blood cancer. "It was the most aggressive form they'd seen and she was given a terminal diagnosis. They said she could live a year, maybe longer, but she just wasn't responding to any of the treatment. We wanted Angela to be at home when she died, and she did too, so we moved her home from hospital. They thought she would only last a few days, but she lasted quite a few weeks. She was tough. Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. "When Angela was really poorly, I was sat holding her hand for a while. I was listening to audiobooks - one was Wild and the other was called Coasting, about someone who ran around Britain. Angela and I's retirement plan was to buy a motorhome and drive round Britain, so the two things sort of merged together after Angela died. "I bought the motorhome and now I'm walking round Britain." She aims to raise £100,000, which will be split between the Beatson, Marie Curie, Brainstrust, Breast Cancer Now, and CoppaFeel - the latter included after her sister-in-law was diagnosed with breast cancer. Tracey is accompanied by her dog Poppy, and has been travelling in her motorhome, which she has named Priscilla. She believes the trek is allowing her to process her grief, while encouraging her to open up and talk to strangers she encounters on her journey. She said: "It's given me space and time to think. It's allowed me to process my anger about the cancer and everything - I've shouted at the weather. It's been tough. "You've got all these thoughts in your head, but it can be difficult to articulate them. I cry, and I've been able to talk to myself and say all the things out loud. It's quite hard, but when you're on your own and doing all that, it's quite cathartic. Someone said to me that grief is really hard because you've got all this love for someone and nowhere for it to go." While on her journey, Tracey has been handing out crocheted red hearts to strangers - all of which have been crafted by friends, family, and volunteers, including Olympian Tom Daley. She hands out one for each mile she walks, and encourages the receiver to take a moment to think of a loved one they have lost. She said: "I've told my story to people along the way, and I hand out little crochet hearts on the way and tell people that's to remember somebody they've loved and lost. We open up and have a conversation - often people burst into tears and tell me about someone they've lost. I think it's really about sharing the love, and it just felt right to do. I've got 5,000 - one for every mile." Tracey, who has recently been honoured at the Attitude Pride Awards for her fundraising, has just crossed the border into Scotland - on her way home for the first time in months. While the journey hasn't been easy, battling weather, injury, and solitude, Tracey is taking her trip one day at a time - and says the kindness of strangers helps to carry her through. She said: "It's been very varied in terms of the weather and the terrain. I walked south, down the west coast, in the winter - told everybody I was migrating south for the winter. That was quite tough - we had all of those big storms before Christmas, so walking through those was an interesting experience. I've had a few falls and injuries on the way. "It's a mixture - every day is different and every day brings its own challenges and its own memorable pieces. The standout thing has been the kindness of strangers. Kind people have let me stay in their homes, they've fed me, let me have showers, ferried me from one place to another, done my laundry, and just generally been amazing. "I'm about to cross the border into Scotland and it feels like it's been a long time coming - I crossed the border leaving Scotland in November, so this feels like a significant marker." So far, she has raised nearly £40,000 - and has walked 3,275 miles and taken over seven million steps. Tracey said: "All the charities have got a personal meaning. "The Beatson is where Angela received her treatment, and Angela was visited by Marie Curie healthcare assistants during her final nights. It enabled the family to have some rest. The Brainstrust is a small charity that were really helpful. Angela initially had a brain tumour that affected her personality. "At the same time Angela was ill, my sister-in-law developed breast cancer, so the other two charities are Coppafeel and Breast Cancer Now." Tracey still has nearly 2,000 miles left to go - but says she avoids thinking about the finish line, and spends her time trying to soak in every second of her journey. She hopes to reach her fundraising target by November this year - and says Angela, her "biggest cheerleader," would be proud of her achievement. She said: "When I look at the map of where I've walked, it's amazing really. Looking at the progress is crazy. What I've learnt is that there are fabulously generous people out there and we should never forget that. "I'm trying not to think about the finish, and trying to take every day at a time. That's one of the things I've learnt from this trip - to enjoy the moment and the experiences of every day, whether that's being soaking wet from the rain or boiling hot from the sun, just experiencing the scenery and being present in the moment. "Angela was always the biggest cheerleader for everybody - she'd be cheering me on." Richard Lee, Fundraising Director at end of life charity Marie Curie, said: "A massive congratulations to Tracey as she crosses the border and begins her final 2,000-mile stretch of the Scottish coast. "It really is an incredible feat, and we are all cheering her on here at Marie Curie. We're so grateful to have Tracey's support and the money she is raising will go towards helping as many people access the same vital end of life care and support that Tracey's wife Angela received before she died."
7NEWS
3 days ago
- Health
- 7NEWS
7NEWS Spotlight: How Glenn Collins is getting back on his feet after Avalon Airshow crash
Glenn Collin's survival was nothing short of miraculous. The Sky Aces aerobatic pilot was flying at 300km an hour when he crashed at the Avalon International Airshow in March. With the support of his devoted wife, Tracey, and his loving family, Glenn is pushing the boundaries of his physiotherapy to get back on his feet.. WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Cockpit footage of Avalon Airshow crash And it won't be too long before he and Tracey are heading back home to the Hunter Valley. However, their life will look different on their return with the pilot's spinal injury meaning there will be multiple lifestyle changes. These include renovating their house for accessibility. 'You need to allow for your worst days and my worst days might be that I'm not on my feet, so we need to make the house suitable for that,' Glenn acknowledges. Despite the ordeal, Glenn remains as positive as he can be and realised it could have been much worse. 'I'm one of the very, very lucky ones where my spinal injury is low, so I will hopefully be able to walk again,' he said. 'Many people don't.' For Glenn and Tracey, there are so many people who they want to thank. Among those are the pyro crew - Phil, Jay, Brooke, and Todd - whose rapid response in getting Glenn out of the wreckage to be treated by paramedics was critical. 'They are very much heroes. They saved my life,' he said. A long list of healthcare practitioners also contributed to keeping him alive and then helping with his recovery. From paramedics, to doctors, nurses and numerous other hospital staff; dozens and dozens of caring individuals helped put Glenn back together. Tracey feels particularly strongly about the regular Australians who donate blood. 'Glenn was revived using bloods and fluids, which saved his life,' she said. So, on the anniversary of Glenn's fateful flight, their whole family will donate blood themselves to mark the occasion. It's obvious that there's a deeply emotional connection between Paul Bennet and his crew member Glenn. After all, Paul is the one who straight away, initiated the GoFundMe page for the Collins family. Glenn recognises how valuable this will be in his getting him back walking - and maybe even back in the sky! 'It's amazing what he's done there, looked after me. And it'll also pass on through the family,'
Irish Independent
6 days ago
- Health
- Irish Independent
Wicklow weight loss consultant on why Ozempic can't replace ‘power of group support'
Having become a Slimming World member in 2008 and lost five stone after struggling with weight since her late teens, Tracey Delaney, who now runs groups in Baltinglass and Tullow, says that she and her members are 'living proof that lasting weight loss can be achieved without drugs'. Citing weight loss injections like Ozempic, Wegovy and Mounjaro as having 'undoubtedly changed the weight management landscape', Tracey said she understands the temptation to try something new that promises instant results when you're desperate to lose weight, but believes that drugs will 'never replace weight-loss methods based on lifestyle changes, like Slimming World'. 'The truth is, there's no magic bullet – losing weight and maintaining that weight loss requires change,' Tracey said. 'Weight loss drugs need to go hand-in-hand with making changes to your diet, activity and mindset. They're not a replacement for those changes. 'A recent University of Oxford study (at the European Congress on Obesity 2025) found exactly this. It showed that people who stop taking weight loss drugs typically regain the weight they lost within a year, with full weight regain expected in under two years, if they don't maintain a healthy lifestyle afterwards.' Highlighting how Slimming World's approach is focused on helping its members make lasting changes, Tracey explained that their eating plan encourages members to eat nutritious food every day, so they can lose weight without deprivation, while an activity programme helps members increase how much and how often they move, 'at their personal pace'. 'In our groups, members get behaviour change support, which helps them to understand themselves more deeply as a slimmer and change the way they think about food, activity and their weight,' Tracey said. 'We're committed to offering support to everyone, including providing wraparound care for members who are taking weight loss drugs alongside attending Slimming World. 'Many people join our groups after trying to lose weight beforehand, often alone and unsuccessfully. They understand they need support because it isn't easy, and it's even harder on your own. Whether you're using weight loss medication or have had surgery, lasting change needs real support. 'My members form strong friendships in group, and there's nothing quite like the motivation and accountability that comes from losing weight with others who understand the challenges. Being part of a group helps you to stay on track and committed until the changes you're making become everyday habits.' Despite more weight loss drugs now being available, a recent poll of a nationally representative sample of 2,000 UK adults revealed that 69pc of adults would still be unlikely to take weight loss drugs, with 25pc of those saying they don't want to change the way they eat, drink and socialise, 21pc worried they wouldn't be getting the nutrition they need for good health and 20pc said they love their food too much. Meanwhile, a survey of members of Slimming World's 13,000 community weight loss groups and online programme conducted in March this year found that 89pc "love losing weight while getting all the nutrients they need'. Over three-quarters (77pc) of the members questioned now make healthy, nutritious, filling meals that the whole family enjoys, and 76pc felt proud that they're passing on healthy habits to their families, with 56pc reporting being surprised at how quickly they've lost weight since joining Slimming World. Reflecting on the survey and her own weight loss journey at Slimming World, Tracey said that she often hears from new members how amazed they are that they can lose weight 'without feeling like they're missing out', adding that, 'in fact, in the recent survey of our members, 85pc told us they were surprised they could lose weight while still eating the foods that they loved'. 'I'm delighted with my weight loss. It's something I never dreamed I'd be able to achieve. While I wouldn't ever judge someone for going down the route of weight loss injections, I'm personally glad I didn't choose that option because I feel confident that I've learned how to make changes I can keep up forever, so I'll never go back to the old me. 'I've changed the way I think about food, and the expertise shared at group has helped me to see where and why my previous attempts at losing weight didn't work. 'Now I know my triggers, I can spot when something might have the potential to send me off track and put a plan in place to protect my weight loss. I'm so grateful to Slimming World.'
