Latest news with #UniversityOfBristol
Yahoo
a day ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Swimming society improve safety after student death
A university student union says it has improved safety measures after a "heroic" student drowned while rescuing three women from the sea. Jack Lees was just days away from turning 21 when he embarked on a four-day trip with the University of Bristol Students' Union Wild Swimming Society on 4 June 2024. The aspiring brain surgeon died after being swept away by the strong currents off Northcott Mouth beach in Bude, Cornwall. His body was recovered two weeks later. The student union say the coastal event has since been banned, and club members must complete a mandatory risk assessment and water safety training. Wild swimming, also known as cold-water swimming, involves natural bodies of water like rivers, lakes and the sea. Despite its inherent risks - including cold-water shock, rips and currents, submerged obstacles, unknown depths and unpredictable weather conditions- there is no evidence a risk assessment was carried out at the beach on the day of Mr Lees' death. An inquest into his death revealed Mr Lees, from Crediton in Devon, swam out 150m (500ft) with a male friend to save their three fellow students, who were spotted struggling to stay afloat in the outgoing tide. Two of the women eventually managed to reach the shore with the help of Mr Lees and his friend, but after bravely returning to help the third, the 20-year-old never resurfaced from the rough tide. Assistant Cornwall coroner Emma Hillson ruled his death as misadventure. Ben Pilling, CEO of the student union, said new health and safety measures have since been implemented to help prevent another senseless loss. "Following the tragic accident last year, we've worked with relevant student groups to further enhance their approach to water safety," he told the BBC. "All our student groups are required to submit a risk assessment for their activities, which is reviewed by the SU. "In partnership with the university, we are running a water safety campaign which has been produced with support from the RNLI. "We are also working on a project with the National Union of Students that will aim to develop and share best practice across the sector. "We continue to take all matters of student safety extremely seriously, and work with our student groups to ensure that this is a priority for them." In the wake of her son's death, Dr Dawn Lees has pioneered the development of a Safe Society Chartermark, providing a safety framework for student societies that partake in outdoor activities. She said the news he had selflessly jumped in to save others came as no surprise, describing him as "a gentleman in his life and in his death". Dr Lees also thanked the RNLI for their tireless efforts to locate her son and bring him home. Follow BBC Bristol on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to us on email or via WhatsApp on 0800 313 4630. Student died trying to save lives, inquest hears Cold water dips and swims: the benefits and risks How to stay safe in the water this summer University of Bristol
BBC News
a day ago
- Sport
- BBC News
Jack Lees: Bristol wild swimming society improve safety measures
A university student union says it has improved safety measures after a "heroic" student drowned while rescuing three women from the Lees was just days away from turning 21 when he embarked on a four-day trip with the University of Bristol Students' Union Wild Swimming Society on 4 June 2024. The aspiring brain surgeon died after being swept away by the strong currents off Northcott Mouth beach in Bude, Cornwall. His body was recovered two weeks student union say the coastal event has since been banned, and club members must complete a mandatory risk assessment and water safety training. Wild swimming, also known as cold-water swimming, involves natural bodies of water like rivers, lakes and the its inherent risks - including cold-water shock, rips and currents, submerged obstacles, unknown depths and unpredictable weather conditions- there is no evidence a risk assessment was carried out at the beach on the day of Mr Lees' death. An inquest into his death revealed Mr Lees, from Crediton in Devon, swam out 150m (500ft) with a male friend to save their three fellow students, who were spotted struggling to stay afloat in the outgoing of the women eventually managed to reach the shore with the help of Mr Lees and his friend, but after bravely returning to help the third, the 20-year-old never resurfaced from the rough Cornwall coroner Emma Hillson ruled his death as misadventure. Ben Pilling, CEO of the student union, said new health and safety measures have since been implemented to help prevent another senseless loss. "Following the tragic accident last year, we've worked with relevant student groups to further enhance their approach to water safety," he told the BBC."All our student groups are required to submit a risk assessment for their activities, which is reviewed by the SU."In partnership with the university, we are running a water safety campaign which has been produced with support from the RNLI."We are also working on a project with the National Union of Students that will aim to develop and share best practice across the sector."We continue to take all matters of student safety extremely seriously, and work with our student groups to ensure that this is a priority for them." In the wake of her son's death, Dr Dawn Lees has pioneered the development of a Safe Society Chartermark, providing a safety framework for student societies that partake in outdoor said the news he had selflessly jumped in to save others came as no surprise, describing him as "a gentleman in his life and in his death".Dr Lees also thanked the RNLI for their tireless efforts to locate her son and bring him home.
Telegraph
4 days ago
- General
- Telegraph
Professor prosecuted over tweets calling for Jews to be ‘de-Zionised'
An academic is facing a private prosecution over social media posts calling for Jews to be 'de-Zionised'. The Campaign Against Antisemitism (CAA) has brought three charges against Prof David Miller over posts on X. They allege that he used a public communications network to send messages of a menacing character, contrary to the Communications Act 2003. Prof Miller was previously found to have been unfairly and wrongfully dismissed by the University of Bristol in October 2021 after making comments criticising Israel. 'Zionist subversion' The CAA said the first message was posted on Nov 8 last year in relation to a discussion on violence in Amsterdam after a football match involving an Israeli team. It said: 'Last night's response by the brave Muslim communities of Amsterdam was necessary, but extremely measured and not at all proportional to the genocidal violence unleashed by Zionist terrorists on the Levant, on Muslims worldwide, or indeed in the provocations that preceded the measured response. Future incidents will likely involve a more proportional response. 'As well as being unwelcoming to Zionist colonists coming from Occupied Palestine, Europe must be unviable as a base for Zionist terror by Jewish supremacists who have infiltrated and are camouflaged among us. 'Zionist terrorist entryists must be expunged from European institutions, whether political parties, media, think tanks or elsewhere. Again, either institutions take the lead and conduct this work in orderly fashion with advice from experts on Zionist subversion, or the people will take care of it for them.' '#DismantleZionism' The first hearing is set to take place at Westminster magistrates' court on July 2, HM Courts & Tribunals Service confirmed. Prof Miller is alleged to have sent another message on March 20, saying: 'Every genuinely anti-Zionist Jew can count on being kept safe by the movement, when the time comes. Every Zionist Jew must be held accountable and de-Zionised. #DismantleZionism.' On March 24, he is said to have made another post saying: 'Protests are not enough. Listen to our brothers and sisters in Gaza. 'Those who are interested in ending this genocide must begin by targeting those responsible near them: the entire Zionist movement globally must live in fear of accountability until it is dismantled and its ideology eradicated. And let's be clear, there are Zionists everywhere. In every town and city. Find out where they are. #DismantleZionism.' He successfully claimed at an employment tribunal last year that he experienced discrimination based on his anti-Zionist belief. The CAA describes itself as an organisation of volunteers that works to 'expose and counter antisemitism through education and zero-tolerance enforcement of the law'.
Times
22-05-2025
- Health
- Times
Bristol fire: Mothers and newborns evacuated from hospital
Mothers at a maternity hospital in Bristol had to evacuate the building carrying their babies after a large fire broke out on the roof. Black smoke was seen rising over St Michael's Hospital in the city centre shortly before 4.30pm on Thursday. Firefighters from Avon Fire and Rescue Service quickly extinguished the blaze. Mothers and their babies were taken to a nearby University of Bristol building. Outside, Matt Burden, from Weston-super-Mare, told BBC News that he was in the maternity unit with his wife when the fire broke out. She was in labour with their third baby and he was 'really eager to get back' to her, he said. 'I went out to get some food, came back and the alarm went off,' he said.
BBC News
20-05-2025
- General
- BBC News
Sheep brought in to maintain ancient Bristol Downs grazing rights
A flock of sheep has been enjoying one of Bristol's popular open spaces for the day to help keep an historic grazing law ewes and three lambs joined primary school children and residents on Durdham Down so that local groups and householders could exercise their rights to graze their sheep on the to the Downs Act of 1861, commoners must tether at least one sheep for one day every five years to keep the privileges Stevens, from Avon Gorge and Downs Wildlife Project, said: "There's always been a bit of mystery about exactly how often it has to be done - however we go with every five years because it's easy to remember." Nearly 450 acres of open grassland was bought by the Society of Merchant Venturers (SMV) and the city council between 1700 and 1860, according to Robert Bournes from the SMV."The Merchant Venturers bought what was called the Manor of Clifton and the city council bought the Manor of Henbury and they're alongside each other here on the Downs," he said."In 1861 [they] decided to put their resources together under the Downs Act - to look after the Downs for the benefit of the people of Bristol." Under the act, 13 groups or individuals who have property bordering the Downs have the right to let loose up to 1,885 sheep on the include the University of Bristol Botanic Gardens, Badminton School, Trinity College, St Monica Trust as well as individual hundreds of sheep were grazed on the Downs and up until 1925 a full-time shepherd was employed to look after as the volume of motor traffic increased it started putting livestock at risk and the flocks were removed. Shepherdess Melinda Baker, who travelled up to Bristol from Somerset with her small flock of sheep, said it was a "historical right of commoners"."The sheep look very fitting here," she said."Unfortunately in modern-day life, we can't have them here free ranging, but in a pen for today it's just perfect." 'Stepping in poo' In a bid to keep the medieval rights of pasturage alive, the flock of of black Welsh mountain sheep were joined by more than 80 children from local Ted, said the school trip to the Downs had been "very cool"."We've been exploring the place and some people have been feeding the lambs and sheep," he said."[The sheep] are very clumsy and we keep stepping in their poo and everyone finds it very disgusting."
