Latest news with #EmilyDean
South Wales Argus
08-07-2025
- Sport
- South Wales Argus
Volunteer to use award as platform for women and girls' rugby
Emily Dean has been recognised in the 'Connecting the Community' category at the Honda Volunteer of the Year Awards, which celebrate those who have had a major impact in their clubs and communities and demonstrated their commitment to the game. Dean has been fundamental in growing opportunities for female players of all ages at Driffield, organising regular fixtures for girls' teams and fostering a growing relationship with the Women's Institute to make the club more approachable. 'When I took [the volunteering] on, I didn't expect to be recognised for it, but it is a platform that allows other clubs to see what is possible,' she said. 'It gives you the opportunity to say, making rugby more community based rather than just being a rugby club has worked, and it is working really well. It gives us a platform to shout about that. 'I love what rugby has given me. A team sport like rugby gives you so much more than the team aspect. You walk into a club and you are a part of a family automatically. 'When you get the opportunity to share that with other clubs and with other women, that's something that I feel very passionately about. It's given me so much more than just a team sport.' Dean was driven to start a now flourishing girls' section in order to ensure the women's team could continue running long into the future. It means that what was formerly a male-oriented community at the rugby club has become an inclusive space that is now promoting opportunity for all through sport. Yorkshire seal the Gill Burns Women's County Championship division 1! 🔥 June 21, 2025 'We wanted to future proof the women's game,' Dean added. 'We had enough for a team when we started, but it was obvious to me that we didn't have anyone coming through. 'The girls could play up to under-11s, but then they had nothing in the juniors, so we didn't want to lose them. 'We started the girls' section, and we have pulled players from all over. We've built such a good pathway. 'We had two girls from under-18 picked for PDG (Player Development Groups) and two girls at under-16. They're growing the game themselves because they're showing the younger girls that this can happen for you.' Such is the success of the club, Driffield now make sure they can play competitive matches by taking additional players to lend to the opposition. Dean has also ensured there is a female presence across the whole club by bringing the Women's Institute on board to build a community at the club that extends off the pitch to volunteers and supporters. 'When you have put multiple people together, you can come up with so many more ideas. They've had lunches, they've had dance classes and there's things in the pipeline to be part of a breast cancer awareness afternoon tea in August,' added Dean. 'We noticed that we haven't got many women within the club who are over a certain age, but actually through increasing that footfall, some of them have come and watched us play. 'We've also worked with a Syrian refugee group through the WI. During half term, they came with their children, and we had a group of 20 outside playing a game of football together even though they didn't necessarily understand each other's language. It's increasing the depth of community.' Volunteers are the backbone of grassroots rugby in England. If you'd like to get involved and make a difference at your community club, visit:
Daily Telegraph
07-07-2025
- Lifestyle
- Daily Telegraph
Women freediving for the escape at Gordons Bay, near Coogee
Don't miss out on the headlines from NSW. Followed categories will be added to My News. Forget fitness trackers, pilates or even run club, freediving has begun to surface. The sport, which involves diving deep underwater without a dive tank or other breathing apparatus, is growing in popularity among harbour city fitness fans. Searches for 'best freediving fins', freediving wetsuit' and 'fins freediving' have all doubled within the past five years, according to Google Trends data. Immersion Freediving instructor Emily Dean has found the sport's popularity is 'booming' especially among women. 'The desire for connection is drawing in a strong female crowd,' Ms Dean said. 'The sport's appeal lies in its inherent equality — you don't need to be the fittest, fastest, or biggest. 'That aspect is what drew me in, and has attracted many others, we're all supported by a community where individuals connect and share their journeys. Sydney freedivers, Emily Deans (red wetsuit) and Jasmine Brinsmead pictured in Gordons Bay, near Coogee this week. Picture: Eddy Price Ms Dean started freediving two years earlier herself, but it wasn't as simple as diving into the deep blue with her snorkel and flippers. 'It began with my mental health journey. I needed a new sport and a way to connect with a community … I was looking for something to test my resilience in a healthy way that also applied to everyday life,' she said. Sydney freediver Jasmine Brinsmead pictured in Gordons Bay. Picture: Eddy Price 'I had a massive fear of sharks … but it became exposure therapy for my anxieties, and through the sport, I was able to confront my fears and gain a whole new perspective of the underwater world.' Sydney freediver Jasmine Brinsmead pictured near Coogee. Picture: Eddy Price Jasmine Brinsmead, 27, who works alongside Dean as an operations manager at Immersion Freediving, said she too started freediving to experience the ocean differently. 'I experienced a sense of freedom I'd never felt before. It's almost meditative and calming, yet you're physically testing your body to its limits,' Ms Brinsmead said. 'The interactions with marine life are incredible and without a tank, you feelmore connected to them.' Descending deep into the ocean's depths mean it's not for the faint-hearted, but the pair have gone on to dive across the world, including the Maldives and Galapos Island, and now teach freediving safety courses to others keen to give it a go. Ms Dean said for those considering taking the plunge, to go 'all in.' Sydney freedivers, Jasmine Brinsmead (left) and Emily Deans, pictured at Gordons Bay. Picture: Eddy Price 'It's all you. You'll find a deep understanding of yourself, how your bodywork, and how it responds,' Dean added. Do you have a story for The Daily Telegraph? Message 0481 056 618 or email tips@
Daily Mail
25-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
BBC Breakfast's Naga Munchetty defiantly stands her ground as trolls track her down in person and take vile swipes at her looks and hosting skills
BBC Breakfast's Naga Munchetty has defiantly stood her ground at trolls who have approached her in person and taken vile swipes at her looks and hosting skills. The news presenter, 50, recently featured on Emily Dean's podcast Walking The Dog With Emily Dean. She opened up about medical misogyny and how she handles criticism while being in the public eye. Emily asked Naga how being known by so many people from her work on the BBC impacts her personally. She said: 'Firstly this is not a woe is me conversation but what happens is you are mindful of your behaviour in public more so than I think most people who aren't on air. Not that I want to go and, I don't know, take a dump in public or something like that. 'But look, when you work for the BBC or work for any organisation, you are representing them because people recognise you. The news presenter, 50, recently featured on Emily Dean's podcast Walking The Dog With Emily Dean. Pictured: Naga, right, with co-host Charlie Stayt, left 'And if you're seen as the face of the BBC, you unconsciously, but necessarily uphold certain values.' She added: 'When you watch Breakfast, you feel like you've got some trusted friends who are getting you through the day and through the news. 'There would be a slight disappointment, I think if you saw me, rip roaring drunk, rolling around the floor and shouting profanities.' The broadcaster admitted she does 'watch' herself because of that. Later on in the conversation, Naga revealed that she felt having a public profile 'amplified' things 'really quickly'. 'Things can be amplified really quickly when you have a public profile and being criticised, people don't think really,' she explained. 'People believe they can say whatever they want to say and hurt and not think if they're hurting someone's feelings and not think if what they're doing is actually productive or just saying things for the sake of things.' Naga revealed she has even had members of the public approach her and make comments about her. She said: 'I've had people come up to me saying, 'I don't like you on telly. Your radio show's, all right, it's quite interesting, but I don't like you on telly. I never watch you'.' Though Naga has changed the way she responds to such situations. 'I kind of don't even rise to it now. I don't engage in it. Whereas before, I think when I was younger, I'd have said, 'what don't you like?' I don't care,' Naga said. 'You think your opinion is so important that you get to tell me you don't like me? Some stranger, I'm a stranger to you. Or people who just say, 'I don't like what you're wearing today.' Alright, I'm not wearing it for you, I'm just wearing clothes ... They've chosen to say something about me and it's affecting me. I can't be comparing myself to everyone else.' Naga revealed other things people have said to her including, 'The best thing people say is, 'Oh, you're not as fat as you look on telly.' She went on to recall how a woman recognised her in public once and commented 'on the television you look so wide, so wide on the television' and asked her 'What size are you?'. Naga added: 'Now I would not blink at having that conversation. I probably even told her my size ... and I was so polite, whereas now I'd say, 'I don't think I need to tell you what size clothes I wear, do I?'. 'And I'd say it in a nice-ish way with a bit of a smile, irony. But I have a lot more confidence about that now.' It comes as BBC Breakfast staff defended their 'overwhelmingly loved' boss under fire from Naga - and claimed 'he's not a bully at all and the truth will come out'. It was revealed last week that editor Richard Frediani has reportedly taken an extended period of leave, after an internal review of bullying and misconduct allegations was opened into the show. It was previously claimed that the show's staff are feeling increasingly 'uneasy' around Frediani, and just last week it was claimed that Naga and other presenters no longer speak to their 'loathed' boss. But now some have rushed to defend Frediani. One of those members of staff told The Mirror: 'He is not a bully at all and the truth will come out. 'He's a great boss and was - and is still - overwhelmingly loved by the team, who respect his drive, expertise, and journalistic ambition. 'He has delivered great audiences and the first ever Bafta for Breakfast. 'He can be brash and opinionated but works so hard for his team and allows people to flourish.' Another said: 'Yes, he is old-school and can rub people up the wrong way but it's always in the pursuit of great television. 'It's the best-rating breakfast show in the country - it's not supposed to be a walk in the park. 'Some - Naga included - need to understand this. It feels like it's a case of presenter power turfing out a brilliant journalist.' A BBC spokesperson said: 'While we do not comment on individual cases, we take all complaints about conduct at work extremely seriously.' Last week the BBC have reportedly launched a bullying probe into BBC Breakfast, which has been branded 'toxic' behind the scenes in the latest crisis for the corporation. Back in April, MailOnline exclusively revealed some staff had expressed unhappiness with the show's editor Richard Frediani, accusing him of being on occasion 'aggressive' and 'belittling' towards his underlings. BBC Breakfast star Naga Munchetty, pictured with her co-host Charlie Stayt, who present the show Monday to Wednesday Now, tensions are said to be 'rife' between hosts and Charlie Stayt and Naga, who has already expressed her uneasiness about Frediani's behaviour, with the probe said to have left the newsroom 'divided'. A source told The Sun at the time: 'To the viewer BBC Breakfast is a warm, gentle programme, one that is flourishing in the ratings. But beyond the cosy red sofa it is a very different picture. 'Several people — crew, production and even presenters — have been very unhappy'. 'Tension between Charlie and Naga is rife. 'Fredi is very old-school and has some slightly tyrannical tendencies. 'He is very cerebral but also quite aggressive in his methods. Some people think a recent promotion has gone to his head'. 'Meanwhile, Naga, who is passionate about speaking up if she believes something is wrong, has spoken to people who are unhappy. 'Formal complaints have been lodged, so the BBC has to be seen to act. 'The probe has really divided the newsroom'. More recently BBC Breakfast staff have reportedly compared the studio to 'the Hunger Games' after an internal review of bullying and misconduct allegations was opened into the show. BBC Breakfast has been on our screens since 2000 and Fredani joined the show in 2019.
Daily Mail
19-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE Sunday Brunch BANS guests from being photographed holding cutlery in case it celebrates knife crime, Frank Skinner says
Comedian Frank Skinner says Channel 4 has banned guests on Sunday Brunch from being photographed holding cutlery because it could be seen as 'celebrating knife crime '. Skinner, 68, appeared on the Sunday morning show - hosted by Tim Lovejoy and Simon Rimmer - in June last year, alongside fellow guests Kellie Shirley, Steven Moffat, Yvette Fielding and Alexandra Burke. Speaking about his experience on his podcast Frank Off The Radio with co-hosts podcaster Emily Dean and comedian Pierre Novellie, he revealed the weekly publicity shots have strict rules on how they are taken. The trio were discussing chef encounters when Skinner revealed that bosses on the show fear sharing photos featuring knives over a potential backlash. He said: 'When you do Sunday brunch and you pose for the photos, the publicity photos, they always say ' you have to put the knife down.' 'You can't be photographed holding a knife because of current sensitivities and like celebrating knife crime.' His co-hosts erupted into laughter and Emily Dean said: 'Is that right?' Pierre Novellie said: 'Well they're not going to use that photo on the news when you go on a rampage.' Skinner responded: 'They might be glad, it might come in handy if you go on a rampage.' Previous promo shots for the show have seen celebrities posing with branded mugs, sometimes with cutlery on a napkin nearby. But they are never pictured digging into meals, and the chefs are not seen with knives. When Skinner appeared on the show last year, he horrified viewers as he shared a favourite snack he enjoys tucking into on a silver platter. The lid was lifted to reveal a dish of bananas with a side of mustard powder. Describing the recipe, he said: 'I was on a show where we had powdered mustard and just for the hell of it, I dipped a banana in to see what it would be like – and it actually tasted great. 'Sort of a sweet and sour thing going on.' He previously also appeared on the show in 2019, alongside former One Direction band member Liam Payne, who died after plunging from a balcony on October 16 last year. The reluctance to show knives on screen comes as figures show there were 50,500 criminal offences recorded involving a knife or other sharp object in England and Wales in the year to March 2024. This was a 4.4 percent increase on the year before, but still 2.8 percent lower than the record high of 2019/2020. There were 244 murders involving a knife or sharp object in the same regions in the year to 2023, the latest data available. Skinner's podcast Frank Off The Radio followed his departure from Absolute Radio after 15 years, bringing his Saturday morning breakfast show with Dean and Novellie to a close. He said at the time he had not wanted to leave but was asked to depart by radio bosses. Speaking during his final show in May last year, he apologised to listeners, saying he was sorry the team was leaving, and added: 'It's pretty well-documented, I don't want to go.' Joking he'd spent his redundancy money on Lego Avengers, he then signed off for good, saying: 'You've been the best audience ever. I can't do the 'we'll be back next week', because we won't, we'll never be back. But I love you all. Bye bye.' A spokesperson for Banijay, the production company behind Sunday Brunch, declined to comment.
