Latest news with #CallumPowell
Wales Online
29-06-2025
- Health
- Wales Online
Tragic story behind flag spotted at Glastonbury
Tragic story behind flag spotted at Glastonbury Callum Powell was diagnosed with oesophageal-gastric cancer in May 2021, and died 12 months later aged 28 A Costa d'El Porto' flag was spotted flying high at the Glastonbury festival A vibrant flag seen soaring above the Glastonbury crowd carries a heartbreaking tale. Callum Powell, hailing from Ellesmere Port, was an avid festival-goer alongside his mates, always bringing along a Spanish flag bearing the words 'Costa d'El Porto' - a fond tribute to his hometown. Tragically, Callum succumbed to oesophageal-gastric cancer three years ago at just 28 years old. Since his passing, his family have continued to fly the flag in honour of the young man who "lived life to the full," reports the Liverpool Echo. Nicola, from Hoylake, previously shared with the ECHO: "Callum loved life and lived it to the full and prior to the diagnosis he was fit and well. "Cal started going to Glastonbury with friends in 2016 when he was 22, taking with him the newly created flag, 'The Costa Del Porto'. For our free daily briefing on the biggest issues facing the nation, sign up to the Wales Matters newsletter here . "He tried every year to get tickets with his mates and most years they were lucky. He would come home full of amazing stories of bands he had seen. I would always watch Glastonbury on the TV trying to spot his flag flying high. I felt like I was part of it. He managed to go three times in total." Chloe Powell with her brother Callum Powell (Image: Chloe Powell ) Article continues below Before the event was postponed for two years due to Covid-19 restrictions, Callum had secured tickets to Glastonbury 2020, during which time he fell ill. In March 2021, Callum first noticed something was amiss when he began having trouble swallowing, leading doctors to initially suspect glandular fever or a stomach ulcer. However, following further tests in May that year, Callum received a diagnosis of terminal oesophageal-gastric cancer and sadly passed away 12 months later. The 28-year-old's funeral took place ten days before he was due to attend the rescheduled Glastonbury festival in June 2022. During the BBC's coverage of Glastonbury, Callum's 'Costa d'El Porto' flag was visibly flying high, and an image was shared by a member of the Pride in the Port Facebook group. Over the years, the flag has undergone changes, much like the festival itself. This included the addition of Liver Birds in honour of Liverpool Football Club, while stars at the top signified the years Liverpool won the European Cup. The stars below represented the years Callum and his friends attended Glastonbury. Nicola described Callum's flag as a "true reflection of his character" as someone who was "always bringing everyone together for fun times during the most special moments, giving us memories that will last a lifetime." Article continues below
The Guardian
16-02-2025
- Business
- The Guardian
Fantastic specialities from Australia and New Zealand
Neudorf Rosie's Block Moutere Chardonnay, Nelson, New Zealand 2022 (from £34.99, If you asked wine-drinkers in Britain to pick a red and a white grape variety to represent each of Australia and New Zealand, I reckon most would plump for chardonnay and shiraz for the Aussies, and sauvignon blanc and pinot noir for the Kiwis. But there are plenty of winemakers on either side of the Tasman Sea who make fantastic wines from the neighbouring country's specialities – a fact that was confirmed at a tasting in London recently in which 10 examples of each of those big four varieties, five from New Zealand and five Australian, were lined up for comparison. Standout wines for me were evenly spread across the two countries, and included the pure, fluent Seifried Estate Aotea Nelson Sauvignon Blanc 2023 (£17.75, and the luminous peach and crème-fraiche savoury complexity of Neudorf chardonnay from New Zealand; and, from Australia, the mouthwateringly taut, clean lines of Ministry of Clouds Adelaide Hills Chardonnay 2023 (£39.95, and the tranquil soft red fruit of Mac Forbes Yarra Valley Pinot Noir 2023 (£28.95, Agricola Ebenezer Syrah, Barossa Valley, Australia 2023 (£70, The comparative tasting was just one feature of an event that illustrated the new spirit of cooperation between the New Zealand and Australian wine industries in the UK: for years each had hosted their own large-scale tasting for the trade in January, but this year brought dozens of importers and producers representing each country under one roof. A sign of just how hard things are getting for exporters to the UK amid the mounting costs of spiralling post-Brexit red tape, and ever-more complex and expensive duty regulations? Perhaps. But it also made for a much more compelling (and busy) event, with some outstanding wines dotted among the inevitable also-rans. At the top of my list the next time I'm planning a special occasion, are the wines of the Barossa Valley producer Callum Powell. Powell, who is steeped in Barossa wine culture as the son of the founder of the excellent Torbreck and who spent time working at the top Rhône Valley producer JL Chave, makes a handful of tiny-production wines from very old vines, among them the enchantingly, endlessly fragrant, elegant, rosehip-tangy Ebenezer Syrah. Vasse Felix Classic Shiraz, Margaret River, Australia 2023 (£12.50, Tesco) Of course, you don't need to spend a fortune to find good and characterful wine from either New Zealand or Australia – although, like most countries these days, the quality-value sweet-spot does tend to be in the £10 to £20 range (exceptions such as Aldi's darkly spicy Specially Selected Australian Shiraz 2022 at £6.99 notwithstanding). Antipodean wines that hit that spot that I've tried recently include the plump, juicy but freshly balanced shiraz from Western Australia's Vasse Felix; Yealands Estate Grüner Veltliner Reserve, Awatere Valley, Marlborough 2023 (£12.99, Waitrose), a bright, gently herbal and spicy, lime-citrussy New Zealand version of Grüner that shows how the country's winemakers are increasingly getting the hang of Austria's signature white grape variety; the gently beetroot-earthy, strawberry-juicy, light, fresh red of Kumeu River Village Auckland Pinot Noir 2023 (£12.50, and the gracious but vivaciously citrussy, subtly sweet but refreshing Pegasus Bay Riesling, North Canterbury 2020 (£19.50, Waitrose).
