Lack of teachers hampering Irish-medium secondary sector
BBC Gaelcholáiste Dhoire had only 16 pupils when it opened in 2015, but numbers have trebled The development of Irish-medium secondary education is being hampered by a lack of suitably qualified teachers, it has been claimed. Representatives of the sector have called on the Department of Education (DE) to develop post-primary qualifications to address the […]
Bournemouth music rehab group helping improve mental health
Absolute Music Trust Gaynor (left) says the group, formed by Lorna Farmer (right), has given her something to look forward to Playing a saxophone again has given Gaynor “something to look forward to” after years of managing her schizophrenia. Having peformed with bands across Bournemouth, she said she no longer wanted to play after being […]
A woman’s choice – sexual favours or lose her home
BBC Khristen Sellers: “I was trying to fix my life. And this put a halt on it.” Across the US, sexual harassment at the hands of landlords, property managers and others in the housing industry can drive poor women and their children into homelessness. It is a problem badly understood and virtually unstudied. Khristen Sellers […]
Mystery over jigsaw puzzle piece-shaped earthworks near Jedburgh
FLS The feature – highlighted on this image – is not visible from ground level An appeal is being made to try to solve the mystery of three giant jigsaw puzzle piece-shaped earthworks uncovered in a Borders woodland. Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS) made the discovery at the Swinnie plantation near Jedburgh. A survey found […]
Swindon teenagers design huge puppet for folk exhibition
Swindon Borough Council A’nu the puppet is part of a folk exhibition project at Museum and Art Swindon A huge puppet designed by young people and more than 8ft (2.4m) tall is on display as part of an exhibition into folk stories, art, music and customs. Teenagers from the group Young Folk worked with artist […]
Ministers set to drop UK ban on foie gras and fur imports
Getty Images Foie gras is controversial because it involves force-feeding ducks to fatten their liver The UK government is likely to drop plans to ban imports of fur and foie gras, amid cabinet opposition. The measures were due to be included in the Animals Abroad Bill, to be introduced soon. But several cabinet ministers have […]
French sailor slashes around the world solo record
François Gabart was welcomed back to France by a flotilla of local boats escorting him home A French sailor has set a new world record for the fastest solo round-the-world navigation, beating the previous time by more than six days. François Gabart finished his circuit of the globe early on Sunday, in a time of […]
Light maker taking centre stage in Wicked film
Supplied Rachel Ashby said all the lights were made out of vaseline glass and are all handmade in Melbourne, Derbyshire When Rachel and Martin Ashby started their business, they could never have dreamed their work would be featured in a Hollywood film. But it all became a reality when the pair, from Melbourne in Derbyshire, […]
Chinese tech ‘threats’ must be understood
TASS / Getty Images The UK’s cyber-security agency has warned that Britain must understand the potential “opportunities and threats” of using Chinese technology. In a rare speech, GCHQ director Jeremy Fleming emphasised the need for better cyber-security practices in the telecoms industry. “It’s a hugely complex strategic challenge,” he said. The US is pressuring its […]
More than 90 Harris Museum exhibits renovated ahead of reopening
More than 90 museum artefacts are to undergo expert conservation, cleaning, and repair in preparation for a museum reopening. Lancashire Conservation Studios will be carrying out “the meticulous treatment” of the treasured objects from The Harris collection in the Harris Museum, Preston. The city council said the work included “glazing selected paintings to protect them […]