Latest news with #BenSpencer
BBC News
2 days ago
- Politics
- BBC News
Cuts to South Western Railway summer services criticised by MP
An MP has criticised a rail operator for timetable changes that will reduce services over the Western Railway (SWR) has introduced changes for the summer holidays that will mean fewer services on some lines, including only one train an hour between 0700 BST and 09:00 on the Chertsey to Weybridge Ben Spencer, Conservative MP for Runnymede and Weybridge, said commuters trying to get to work were being treated with "contempt".SWR said the reduction to "quieter, off-peak" trains between July 28 and August 29 affected fewer than 5% of its daily services. 'Treated with contempt' Spencer, who has previously raised concerns about transport networks in the area, told BBC Radio Surrey he was also unhappy about a lack of consultation."Only in SWR's mind could between 07:00 and 09:00 be 'off-peak' services," he said."This is a really important route for people to get in to work, to get across my constituency, and to commute into London. People depend on this. It's already the worst performing line on SWR. "These changes have been brought in without consultation. Do people not need to go to work over the summer? Do we not need, you know, reasonable rail services over the summer? "Quite simply, I think SWR are treating commuters, and my constituents, with contempt."He added that, because SWR was nationalised in May, the government now had "direct control and accountability" for the service. A spokesperson for SWR said the reduction accounted for less than 5% of its 1,600 daily services."Over the summer holiday period, customer numbers drop by 12-17% and the services we have removed are those with the lowest forecast demand," they spokesperson added the reduction would help complete a driver training programme for new trains being introduced to the service.A Department for Transport spokesperson said "the issues causing these reductions were inherited from previous private sector ownership under the flawed franchise system" and that the new managing director of Great British Railways "will be setting out a plan to drive up performance".
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Community group raises money to buy woodland
People in Stroud have successfully raised £66,000 to purchase a local woodland. The community benefit society, Stroud Woodland, are now in the process of purchasing Slade Wood, with the hope of protecting it for future generations. Slade Wood forms part of continuous woodland beginning above Summer Street and extending along the Slad valley to Swifts Hill. Co-director of Stroud Woodland , Ben Spencer describes the wood as "a little pocket of woodland which is really treasured". More news stories for Gloucestershire Listen to the latest news for Gloucestershire The Stroud Woodland Community Benefit Society was set up in 2010, to purchase Folly Wood, just north of Stroud. "What people really enjoy is having the opportunity to spend time in the space on their own or with their family, at Folly Wood," said Mr Spencer. This week, the group announced it had raised the necessary £66,000 to buy Slade Wood, a steep three-acre piece of woodland on the edge of the Slad Valley, on the outskirts of Stroud. "Because it's tucked away, it's a bit of a hidden gem," Mr Spencer said. Members of the public who bought shares to fund the purchase will get no financial return. Mr Spencer insists the benefit is social and environmental. "It's for people taking some time out. People locally have grown up and visited it over the years, as kids and teenagers, as well as parents of young children," he said. Once they have taken ownership of Slade Wood, the group plans to keep it open to the public, as it was under the previous owner. "We thought there was a danger it could be bought privately and fenced off with people no longer able to have access to the space," Mr Spencer said. On the environmental side, the group points to successes at Folly Wood where the creation of clearings and ponds has increased biodiversity. Follow BBC Gloucestershire on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to us on email or via WhatsApp on 0800 313 4630. More on this story Campaign launched to buy waterfall beauty spot We bought woodland where we walk our dogs for £900k Woodland at Unesco site for sale after 300 years
BBC News
3 days ago
- General
- BBC News
Slade Community group raises money to buy 'hidden gem' woodland
People in Stroud have successfully raised £66,000 to purchase a local woodland. The community benefit society, Stroud Woodland, are now in the process of purchasing Slade Wood, with the hope of protecting it for future generations. Slade Wood forms part of continuous woodland beginning above Summer Street and extending along the Slad valley to Swifts Hill. Co-director of Stroud Woodland , Ben Spencer describes the wood as "a little pocket of woodland which is really treasured". The Stroud Woodland Community Benefit Society was set up in 2010, to purchase Folly Wood, just north of Stroud. "What people really enjoy is having the opportunity to spend time in the space on their own or with their family, at Folly Wood," said Mr Spencer. This week, the group announced it had raised the necessary £66,000 to buy Slade Wood, a steep three-acre piece of woodland on the edge of the Slad Valley, on the outskirts of Stroud. "Because it's tucked away, it's a bit of a hidden gem," Mr Spencer said. Members of the public who bought shares to fund the purchase will get no financial return. Mr Spencer insists the benefit is social and environmental."It's for people taking some time out. People locally have grown up and visited it over the years, as kids and teenagers, as well as parents of young children," he they have taken ownership of Slade Wood, the group plans to keep it open to the public, as it was under the previous owner. "We thought there was a danger it could be bought privately and fenced off with people no longer able to have access to the space," Mr Spencer said. On the environmental side, the group points to successes at Folly Wood where the creation of clearings and ponds has increased biodiversity.
The Independent
18-07-2025
- Sport
- The Independent
We're the first people in history to cross the Alps in wheelchairs – here's what we learnt
On the banks of Lake Geneva in late June, Ben Spencer and Peter Smorthit looked out towards the Alpine peaks. Over the next 18 days, the friends would embark on a 262 mile-journey across one of Europe's most extreme landscapes, reaching heights of 6,500 metres. Unlike other hikers, however, they would be setting themselves apart – by becoming the first to make the journey using only manual wheelchairs. Their aim was to inspire other wheelchair users to take on more outdoor activities, all the while raising awareness of a rare neurological condition Ben has called progressive cerebellar ataxia. 'Coming from a point where I didn't want to travel, to doing this, has been a big journey. It's shown me – and I hope other disabled people – that you can do it,' Ben said, reflecting on the colossal expedition. Ben was only diagnosed in 2022 after experiencing symptoms for 15 years. Since then, Ben has been raising awareness of the condition by competing in the London Marathon, as well as enduring a 16-and-a-half-hour journey up Mount Snowdon in 2023. After summiting the Welsh peak, however, it was time to take on an even larger challenge. Hence the trip to the Alps to raise awareness for Ataxia UK, a charity which researches treatments for the condition. Not long into starting their journey in Vevey, Switzerland, the pair were hit by an 'absolutely brutal' heatwave. It meant the extreme climbs of the Rhône Valley took two days, which was much longer than expected. After that, the temperatures started to drop, but the challenges continued. The athletes used EuroVelo routes through the Alps, which are designed for cyclists. The network comprises a mixture of roads, cycle paths, and trails, but a few says into the journey, the pair came across a less-accessible rough gravel track, complete with stones, boulders and tree roots. At that point, Peter had no choice but to drag himself up the hill, pulling his chair behind him for over a kilometre. The athlete had drawn on this sort of determination before. Peter sustained a spinal cord injury at the age of 19 following a scaffold collapse on a building site, and is now paraplegic. In the years since, he has completed over 200 marathons and 150 ultramarathons, all from his wheelchair, and last year pushed himself from Land's End to John O'Groats. How to do it Ben and Peter's journey was an extreme challenge, and they recommend that wheelchair-users who want to replicate their journey undergo some extensive preparation beforehand. Peter advises hill-training, while Ben explained they also built up their stamina by doing multiple marathons over a year. Yet this level of groundwork is not necessary for every trip to the region. 'People in wheelchairs can certainly go out to the Alps and enjoy themselves,' Ben said. Along their route, the pair discovered some remarkably beautiful, wheelchair-friendly routes. The Wysswasser Trail, in Switzerland, was a particular favourite – maintained as part of the Switzerland Mobility scheme. And Zugspitze, the highest mountain in Germany, can be summited via accessible cable car. The reality of accessible travel Ben and Peter stopped at campsites along the way, staying in a campervan. While a few of the facilities along the route were sufficient, some did not have the requisite disabled toilets or washrooms. They found that even though some were labelled as accessible, they were not optimal for wheelchair-users. At a site in France, Ben found the water was stone cold. He had to find someone to turn on the hot water, believing it was likely left off as standard. Other elements of travelling can be intimidating, too. Ben explained that when he first started using a wheelchair, he was scared of getting on a plane with all the equipment because he thought it could be easily damaged. 'The barriers to travel for disabled people are physical, they're mental, and they're psychological. 'You're leaving the comfort of your environment and what you know is safe at home,' Ben said. 'If you can mentally prepare yourself that there are going to be issues, you get used to accepting that there are going to be barriers, and that gets you halfway. 'There shouldn't be barriers. The world should be accessible. But the reality is you have to overcome those.' The financial implications can also be prohibitive. 'When I look at disabled travel adventures, the cost is just enormous,' Ben explained. Peter agrees, and advises would-be adventurers to create their own holiday package rather than relying on ready-made options. The next adventure On 8 July, over two and a half weeks since they set off, Ben and Peter reached the finish line at Lake Como, Italy. This was not, however, the end of the journey. For their next challenge, the pair are considering crossing Canada or heading from northern to southern Europe in their wheelchairs. But for now the athletes hope their journey has motivated others to see what they are capable of. As Peter explains: 'It wasn't just to change ourselves, but to change people's perceptions of what's possible from a wheelchair.'
Daily Mail
06-07-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mail
Argentina 12-35 England: Steve Borthwick's side claim impressive victory over the Pumas despite being without 13 players on Lions duty
Chelsea fan George Ford celebrated England's victory on his 100th cap having been inspired by messages from Frank Lampard, John Terry and former prime minister Tony Blair. Fly-half Ford received video tributes from the trio as well as adventurer Bear Grylls, cricket stars Freddie Flintoff and Joe Root and team-mate Owen Farrell on the eve of his big day. He responded by kicking 15 points as England, with four second-half tries by Tom Roebuck (2), Freddie Steward and Cadan Murley, ran out winners in the opening game of this two-Test series. 'We just wanted to perform well and win tonight,' said Ford. 'We were under pressure in the first half, gave away too many penalties and could not get out of our half. We have to back it up next week and we know Argentina will come back at us.' The joy of Ford, the nation's third-highest points scorer in a Red Rose career dating back to 2014, was shared by half-back partner Ben Spencer, who also breathed a huge sigh of relief. The Bath scrum-half had failed to register a single victory in eight previous caps since his debut seven years ago. Spencer, 32, would have been only human to wonder if he had somehow upset the rugby gods as one loss followed another. Some wondered if he was cursed during a run which saw England blow a 31-0 lead against Scotland in 2019 and, last autumn, cough up victory to Australia on the final play of the game. In all, 10 scrum-halves have been used by England since Spencer came on the scene and all but he savoured the taste of victory. Until the second half, however, it was by no means certain Spencer's misery would end. England played the opening 40 on the back foot. The home crowd smelled blood and it came, literally, moments later as Alex Coles caught ball-carrying No 8 Facundo Isa head on head and was sent to the sin bin. Down to 14, England looked there for the taking, yet held firm. Time and again Argentina were held up over the try line, first by prop Joe Heyes, then a combined effort of Jamie George, Tom Willis and Seb Atkinson, then again by George and Sam Underhill. When Santi Carreras missed a sitter in front of the posts, they may have thought back to Marseille and the 2023 World Cup where, despite a man advantage for 75 minutes, they were well beaten. They certainly were beaten a minute later when Ford slotted a drop goal with that dependable right boot. Felipe Contepomi's men kept coming and England were quickly back manning the pumps. The pressure told, with Atkinson following Coles to the bin for an offside, yet even down to 13 men they somehow kept their hosts at bay. England emerged after half-time full of belief and they made the Pumas pay. Within two minutes Roebuck had his first, put over in the corner by Ford and Steward. Five minutes later Ford zinged a pass to Steward for the second. And Roebuck then helped himself to his second from a Heyes pass. Argentina finally found a cutting edge. Pablo Matera and Pedro Rubiolo pulled back tries before Murley came off the bench to score England's fourth.
