Latest news with #southwestFrance
BBC News
20-07-2025
- Health
- BBC News
University of Brighton nursing students to care for Lourdes pilgrims
Nursing students from Sussex will join a week-long pilgrimage to Lourdes, supporting people living with serious health needs and disabilities as part of a international year, between four and six million pilgrims visit Lourdes in south-west France, one of the world's most significant Catholic pilgrimage sites, many while living with illness, disability, or students from the University of Brighton will accompany The Catholic Diocese of Arundel and Brighton's pilgrimage, offering hands-on care to support more than 700 Ryan, from the university, said: "Opportunities like this offer students life-shaping experiences." The pilgrimage, taking place from 25-31 July, will be part of a new clinical placement for the university's nursing students. According to the university, the programme offers rare professional experience in delivering round-the-clock, holistic care to people with complex needs in a deeply personal, faith-based will support pilgrims with daily personal care, medical needs, and emotional support throughout the Hao, a third year nursing student, said: "As someone who isn't religious, I was curious to understand what this journey means to others."After the training day, I realised it's about belief, faith and hope – qualities that help people face life's biggest challenges. That resonated with me, reminding me of my own journey through nursing." Natalie Timmerman is one of the seven nurses travelling to Lourdes, said it was a "privilege'. "As nurses we provide holistic, person-centred care for our patients, that includes spirituality and emotional wellbeing alongside their physical wellbeing," she added. The initiative is part of a wider drive by the University of Brighton to diversify placement opportunities for health students. Alongside established NHS and community partnerships, the university is expanding its international placement offer – including programmes in Kenya and other Moon, chief nurse for the Arundel & Brighton Lourdes Pilgrimage, said: "Nursing on pilgrimage is a truly rewarding experience – offering care to those who might not otherwise be able to travel."
The Guardian
02-07-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
French PM François Bayrou failed to act on abuse at Catholic boarding school, report says
The French prime minister, François Bayrou, failed to act to prevent physical and sexual abuse at a private Catholic school in south-west France when he served as education minister between 1993 and 1997, a parliamentary report has said. The damning report issued by French lawmakers on Wednesday comes after a long parliamentary inquiry into allegations of decades of physical abuse, rape and sexual assault at the Notre-Dame de Bétharram boarding school near Pau in south-west France. The lawmakers also heard from survivors' groups from many other schools across France, describing how children had been subjected to 'monstrous [and] terrible crimes' of 'unprecedented severity and of absolute sadism.' The report found what it called 'persistent' violence in public and private schools across France and accused the state of failing to act. Bayrou, 74, has in recent months faced accusations from opposition lawmakers in parliament that as education minister he knew of physical and sexual abuse at the Notre-Dame de Bétharram school, to which he sent some of his children and where his wife taught catechism. He has denied any wrongdoing, saying he only found out about the allegations of abuse from the media. The two co-rapporteurs of the parliamentary inquiry, the centrist MP Violette Spillebout and the leftwing MP Paul Vannier, said he had not acted to address the issue of violence at Bétharram when he was education minister in the 1990s. The report said: 'In the absence of action that the former education minister … had the means to take, this physical and sexual violence against the pupils of Bétharram continued for years.' Vannier told a parliament press conference on Wednesday that there had been major 'failings' by the French state, the justice system and the education ministry, which failed to implement proper checks and controls. He said these failings were at every level 'from the local level right up to the highest levels of state'. Vannier said the report found that Bayrou would have known about physical violence at the Bétharram school from 1995 and sexual violence from 1998. Vannier said: 'At the time he had all the means to act and he didn't act.' Vannier told the state broadcaster France Inter: 'Many of the testimonies we received were beyond my imagination. I couldn't imagine acts of torture, children being injected with water, children being deprived of sleep, children being deprived of food to punish them in endless sadistic games for years and years, devastating entire lives.' A member of Bayrou's team rejected the findings accusing the prime minister of inaction. 'It's exactly the opposite,' the official told Agence France-Presse on condition of anonymity. 'No minister after François Bayrou organised any verification checks or inspections.' Bayrou, a centrist who was appointed prime minister by the president, Emmanuel Macron, in December, has denounced what he calls a political campaign of 'destruction' against him. In mid-May, Bayrou was questioned for five and a half hours by the parliamentary inquiry, in one of the most delicate moments of his time in office. He struck a defiant tone at the time, telling the hearing: 'I had nothing to hide.' The report found the violence at Bétharram school was systemic. The violence 'was – at least in part – institutionalised', with 'a community of prominent figures providing unwavering support', the lawmakers found. They stressed that the abuse at Bétharram was 'far from being a unique case'. Such violence still persisted in private schools, particularly Catholic establishments, the authors said, pointing to a 'strong code of silence'. The report warned of 'virtually nonexistent' checks and an inadequate system of prevention and reporting by the state. They called for a compensation fund for victims and an end to all time limits on filing a legal complaint for child sexual abuse. Alain Esquerre, a former Bétharram pupil who exposed abuse at the school and brought together survivors to fight for justice, said it was urgent that all victims of school abuse got state recognition and parliament must pass a law removing a time limit for legal complaints over child sexual abuse.
The Independent
26-06-2025
- Climate
- The Independent
Storms in France leave 2 dead, 17 injured and cause parliament to spring a leak
Two people were killed and 17 injured during torrential storms in France that toppled trees, flooded Paris streets and caused parliament's roof to spring a leak as the prime minister was speaking. "Have you noticed that it was raining?' Prime Minister François Bayrou pointed out, looking up at the National Assembly 's leaking domed ceiling after delivering a speech on the Middle East as a deluge fell outside, quickly inundating Paris boulevards on Wednesday evening. The assembly vice president, Roland Lescure, suspended the debate so fire officers could check out the problem. When he restarted the session about 15 minutes later, Lescure told lawmakers that absorbent mats were used to patch up the leak. The French civil defense agency said one person was critically injured in the storm, which broadly swept France after a heat wave. The agency said power was also cut to 110,000 homes. A falling tree killed a 12-year-old child in southwest France and a man died when his quad-bike hit a toppled tree in the northwest, French media reported.
The Independent
26-06-2025
- Climate
- The Independent
France storms leave two dead and many injured as Paris floods
Torrential storms in France resulted in two fatalities and 17 injuries, following a heatwave. A 12-year-old child was killed by a falling tree in south-west France, and a man died in the north-west when his quad bike hit a toppled tree. The storms also caused power outages for 110,000 homes and led to a leak in the French parliament's roof during a speech by Prime Minister Francois Bayrou. In the UK, thunderstorms are forecast for Thursday, with heavy showers expected in some areas, particularly the south-east. Unsettled weather is predicted to continue into Friday for the UK, with warm, humid air persisting in the south and east.
The Independent
26-06-2025
- Climate
- The Independent
Deadly storms hit France as Paris streets flood and parliament springs a leak
Two people have been killed and 17 injured during torrential storms in France that toppled trees and flooded Paris streets. The French civil defence agency said one person was critically injured in the storm, which broadly swept France after a heatwave. The agency said power was also cut to 110,000 homes. A falling tree killed a 12-year-old child in south-west France and a man died when his quad bike hit a toppled tree in the north west, French media reported. The rain also caused parliament's roof to spring a leak as the prime minister was speaking. "Have you noticed that it was raining?" Prime Minister Francois Bayrou pointed out, looking up at the National Assembly's leaking domed ceiling after delivering a speech on the Middle East as a deluge fell outside, quickly inundating Paris boulevards on Wednesday evening. The assembly vice president Roland Lescure suspended the debate so fire officers could check out the problem. When he restarted the session about 15 minutes later, Mr Lescure told legislators that absorbent mats were used to patch up the leak. In the UK Thunderstorms could hit parts of the UK on Thursday as hot and humid weather looks set to continue, forecasters said. It follows heavy showers and thunderstorms in some areas on Wednesday, with the worst of the stormy weather predicted in south-east England. Significant rain could fall in the north and west of the country, the Met Office said. Warm, humid air is set to linger in the south and east, with maximum temperatures of 27C in eastern England. But temperatures are unlikely to feel 'quite as muggy', Met Office presenter and meteorologist Honor Criswick said. 'For the first part of the day, it is set to be unsettled (with) outbreaks of quite heavy rain at times, particularly across Scotland,' he said. 'But it's fairly fast moving, so by the time we reach the afternoon, particularly from the west, we're going to see the return of those bright and sunny spells. 'And behind this area of rain, a much fresher feel to the air as well.' On Friday, forecasters said the unsettled conditions look set to continue. According to the Met Office, rain could be heavy in the west, while the east of England could remain dry, escaping with some sunny intervals. Parts of the south and east may also remain very warm, with highs potentially reaching 28C as the muggy air returns. Mr Criswick said: 'For the rest of the week, we do have a ridge of high pressure building to the south, so once again pushing in a return of that warmer air. 'So, that fresher feeling day as we head into Thursday, it's going to be quite a brief interlude. 'And low pressure is never too far behind, so still some rain on the cards to finish off the week and as we head into the weekend.'
