Latest news with #HoleintheWall
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Global Collaboration Creates Playbook to Support Character and Leadership Development in Youth with Disabilities and Illnesses at Medical Specialty Camps
MARTINSVILLE, Ind., June 24, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The American Camp Association (ACA), in partnership with Abt Global and SeriousFun Children's Network, proudly announces the culmination of a three-year initiative: Promoting Character Through Counselors-in-Training Programs at Medical Specialty Camps. Supported by the John Templeton Foundation, this groundbreaking project has advanced the field of youth development by exploring how character strengths can be cultivated in adolescents and young adults living with disabilities and illnesses. For more than 100 years, character development has been a cornerstone of the camp experience. This project recognizes the extraordinary resilience demonstrated by youth in medical specialty camps — spaces where overcoming adversity is part of everyday life — and examines how these settings uniquely nurture leadership and growth through counselor-in-training (CIT) programs. ACA Senior Director of Innovation and Learning Laurie Pearson shares, "Medical specialty camps provide a transformative environment where young people not only heal and thrive but also grow into community leaders. This initiative deepens our understanding of how character is built in these powerful, adaptive spaces." The initiative joined 12 medical specialty camps from around the globe — including programs in the United States, Ireland, India, and Haiti — in a vibrant community of practice. These camps included: Double H Ranch (New York) Camp Rainbow Bangalore (India) Barretstown (Ireland) Kan Etwal (Haiti) Flying Horse Farms (Ohio) The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp (Connecticut) Camp Ho Mita Koda (Ohio/Michigan) Camp High Hopes (Iowa) PA Lions Beacon Lodge (Pennsylvania) Camp Aldersgate (Arkansas) Melwood (Maryland) Camp TLC (Texas) Together, they codeveloped a Character Development Framework and an accompanying Playbook of Character in C.I.T. Programs at Medical Specialty Camps to guide camp practitioners in fostering character strengths tailored to their campers' unique experiences and challenges. These tools empower youth with disabilities and illnesses to "give back" by becoming role models and leaders within their camp communities. As a result of the project, a suite of practical and accessible deliverables was produced and is now available to the general public free of charge. These resources include a series of educational activity videos designed to promote character strengths while incorporating medical accessibility accommodations, facilitator guides to support program implementation, and a comprehensive Playbook of Character in C.I.T. Programs at Medical Specialty Camps. Together, these tools provide adaptable, research-informed strategies for cultivating character in camp settings worldwide. "This project is a significant contribution not only to the study of summer camps but also to the broader youth development ecosystem," said Ann Gillard, PhD, director of research and evaluation at SeriousFun Children's Network. "By understanding how character is cultivated in resilient populations, we open doors for more inclusive, impactful programming across the world." About American Camp AssociationThe American Camp Association® (ACA) is a national organization serving the more than 20,000 year-round and summer camps in the United States that annually serve 26 million campers. ACA is committed to collaborating with those who believe in quality camp and outdoor experiences for children, youth, and adults. ACA provides advocacy, evidence-based education, and professional development, and is the only independent national accrediting body for the organized camp experience. ACA accreditation provides public evidence of a camp's voluntary commitment to the health, safety, risk management, and overall well-being of campers and staff. For more information, visit About SeriousFun Children's Network SeriousFun Children's Network is the leading network of medical specialty camps in the world, comprised of 30 camps and programs serving children with serious illnesses and their families, always free of charge. Following the founding of The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp by Paul Newman in 1988, he and other like-hearted individuals opened similar camps around the world, ultimately joining together to form SeriousFun Children's Network. Thanks to a shared vision and collective contributions, the Network has evolved to become the leader in medical specialty camps, delivering over 1.9 million life-changing experiences to children and families from over 50 countries. Each member camp is an independent, not-for-profit organization dependent upon private funding to serve all children at no cost to their families. To learn more about SeriousFun, visit View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE American Camp Association
The Irish Sun
6 days ago
- Health
- The Irish Sun
It was worst pain of my life – Kate Lawler reveals secret health battle and frantic hospital dash on Greek holiday
FOR five years, Kate Lawler battled debilitating stomach pain. But doctors repeatedly told the TV personality, 45, 'everything is fine', so she assumed it was nothing to worry about. 5 Kate Lawler battled debilitating stomach pain for years before being diagnosed with pelvic congestion syndrome (PCS) Credit: Rex 5 PCS is a little-known condition caused by hidden varicose veins around the ovaries and womb 5 Kate was treated with pelvic vein embolisation, saying the procedure changed her life Credit: Instagram It wasn't until she was rushed to hospital while on holiday in Greece that she began to suspect something serious might be wrong. But even then, it took numerous scans back home in the UK and several misdiagnoses for her to discover the truth. Kate, who won Big Brother in 2002, tells Sun on Sunday Health: 'My symptoms started in December 2017. 'The abdominal pain was worse than any pain I've ever had. 'It was crippling - sometimes too unbearable to even get out of bed - and it felt even worse during menstruation and sexual intercourse. 'It was a sharp, stabbing pain that would last from 10 seconds to several hours. 'Then we were on holiday in 2018 and I thought I had a serious hernia or something was wrong with me, to the point that I went to hospital. 'But doctors thought I was just going mad. They just said, 'You're fine,' and left it at that. 'I was made to believe it was simply caused by my hormones, or ovulation.' The mum-of-one, from London, visited her GP twice and was told it might be a The 5 causes of pain in the pelvis all women should know Desperate for answers, she visited a private gynaecologist in November 2021. 'She did internal scans and all the tests and said, 'Absolutely everything is fine',' Kate says. 'All she could tell me was that everything was clear, which was a relief. 'But also, when you're told everything looks normal but you're still experiencing intense pain, you then start to think, 'Am I making this up in my head?' 'I didn't want to be a burden and keep going to the doctors, but I was so desperate to get it sorted. 'In the end I literally felt like I was going to have to live with the pain forever.' In the end I literally felt like I was going to have to live with the pain forever Kate Lawler It was only during a chance conversation at a routine appointment for her varicose veins in August 2022 that she discovered she had It's most common in women aged 20 to 45 who have given birth more than once, as well as those with varicose veins, a family history of them, or Most patients experience dull, achy or heavy pain in their pelvis. It may feel worse at the end of the day, before or during your period, during or after sex, and when you stand or sit for long periods. Some people also need to use the toilet more urgently, or have pain when they pee. Most Brits have never heard of PCS, but it affects around 1.5million people in the UK. 'We're a very veiny family' Kate, who has appeared on Hole in the Wall, Celebrity 'I was getting the varicose veins on my legs treated and he started talking about PCS and I said, 'Sorry, what are you talking about? Because I can relate to all the symptoms you're saying.' 'I felt like that was exactly what I had. 'I had never linked my 'My mum's got varicose veins, my grandparents had them, and my dad's got them all over his leg. We're a very veiny family. 'Eventually your varicose veins and your legs can cause pain and discomfort and you can end up having ulcers, which my grandma had. 'Varicose veins and PCS are often interlinked. And once I'd had the test, it transpired that I had both.' 5 The condition affects around 1.5million people in the UK Credit: Getty The most common treatment for PCS is pelvic vein embolisation - a walk-in-walk-out procedure which involves placing tiny coils, thinner than human hair, inside the damaged veins under X-ray guidance. Kate says the procedure in November 2022 was 'uncomfortable but not painful' - and it has changed her life. 'Suffer in silence' 'I was holding a stress squeezer and cursed a few times, but once it was over it was amazing,' she says. 'I realised, 'God, I was in a lot of pain before'. I would wake up and immediately be in pain, and no amount of painkillers would get rid of it. 'I just learnt to live with it - though I didn't want to be on painkillers my whole life. 'I can't explain how much I've improved and how I no longer feel crippled by this pain that would strike at any time.' Like thousands of others, Kate is frustrated by the lack of awareness around the condition. 5 No woman should suffer in silence, says Kate Credit: Getty She says: 'So many women go to the NHS or private doctors and they're just not given enough training when it comes to women's health, and that includes things like menopause, perimenopause and PCS. 'They get trained in a bit of everything, but unfortunately it's not enough. 'What Prof Whiteley is doing is incredible, and we just need to get the word out there. 'I want women to be able to find out exactly what's wrong with them if they're experiencing the same things I did, because most are misdiagnosed. 'I've spoken to many different people who have suffered from it, and most of them will go into hospital, have loads of scans, and then just be sent home. 'One woman was actually told to have a hysterectomy unnecessarily. The gynaecologist didn't know what was causing the pelvic pain so he thought, 'Oh, I'll take out your uterus.'' A lot of the women we see will have been suffering from pelvic pain for many years but their conditions will remain undiagnosed Dr Sophie Strong She adds: 'Women's health is so underfunded and doctors need to be more informed. 'There needs to be more money and awareness so that when a woman goes to the GP in pain, it's not brushed aside.' Despite the challenges, Kate is urging women not to be shy about asking for help or thinking they're making a fuss. 'No woman should suffer in silence,' she says. Dr Sophie Strong, consultant gynaecologist at The Whiteley Clinic, adds: 'A lot of the women we see will have been suffering from pelvic pain for many years but their conditions will remain undiagnosed. 'Our new Pelvic Pain Clinic is a place for women who have been told there's no hope and there's nothing that can be done for them. We can make a real difference.' WHEN TO SEE A GP Dr Strong recommends getting medical attention for: Periods that are so painful they stop you from doing normal activities, like work or school. Painful sex or severe pain after intercourse. A change in vaginal discharge. An aching feeling in the pelvis. Irritable bowel syndrome. Irritable bladder (sudden urges to urinate without a full bladder). Lower back or hip pain. Bulging veins near the vaginal opening.
Metro
22-04-2025
- Business
- Metro
Pub open when King Henry VIII divorced his fourth wife closes after 485 years
One of Britain's oldest pubs has called last orders after nearly 500 years pulling pints. First opened in 1540, the Hole in the Wall, in Torquay, Devon, is older than Shakespeare and the United Kingdom. It's survived two World Wars and 22 monarchs, spanning from King Henry VIII to the the invention of Bitcoin and the iPhone. But the 485-year-old pub hasn't survived the rising costs plaguing Britain. Hole in the Wall just can't afford its rent. 'I'm very, very sad, of course I'd like to carry on', pub landlord Richard Rossendale-Cook, 81, told ITV News last month. 'But unless somebody comes up – a Russian oligarch or someone will give me £360,000 to go and pay off the bill, you know – you're gonna shut and that's the end of it.' More than 400 pubs closed across England and Wales last year, despite consumer spending at bars, pubs and clubs rising 3.6% from 2023. Rossendale-Cook blames changing habits and competition from low-price chains for declining footfall. Even being a historic landmark and tourist destination doesn't appear to have helped. He said: 'It might be that the world is just totally changing. [People say] 'oh I love your pub, I've never been anywhere like it' – but they don't come back. They've been in here, they've got the T-shirt and that's it. 'It might just be the costs and everything, unless the government steps in and helps publicans out or breweries out or whatever, it could really be the end.' Hole in the Wall closed its doors on Sunday, April 13, prompting an outpouring of grief from locals. One of them, Malcolm Gleave, wrote on Facebook: 'You were one of the reasons we chose Torquay. I am so disappointed. The food was great.' Another, Richard Beasley, said: 'Gutted, wishing you all the very best for the future! Thank you for all the great memories over the years where we've spent each night whilst their.' Announcing the closure on Facebook last month, the pub said: 'We'd like to thank you all for your loyal custom over the years, with many great memories created, to add to the centuries' more storied history here at the Hole.' One of London's historic pubs unexpectedly closed in February. Ye Olde Swiss Cottage had been a fixture on the Finchley Road roundabout since 1830. The British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA) called on government intervention to halt the 'avoidable' scale of closures. Its CEO Emma McClarkin said in February: 'The scale of these closures is completely avoidable because pubs are doing a brisk trade. 'Consumer demand is there, however, profits are being wiped out with sky high bills and pubs are facing yet more rates and costs come April. 'We're right behind Labour's mission to supercharge growth and can deliver this economic boost across the UK, but only if it is easier for pubs to keep their doors open. 'Government must urgently bring in meaningful business rates reform and phase in new employment costs so pubs can keep boosting the economy, supporting local jobs, and remaining at the heart of communities.' Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: Major supermarket confirms store closure in latest blow to struggling high street MORE: Popular discount store announces more store closures in blow to high street MORE: When is VE Day 2025 and what celebrations are planned for the 80th anniversary?
Daily Mail
21-04-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
Last orders at one of Britain's oldest pubs as it is forced to close because of increased running costs after nearly 500 years
One of the oldest pubs in the country has been forced to close after nearly half a millenium in business. Hole in the Wall in Torquay, Devon, first opened its doors in 1540 but has closed due to increased running costs. Pub landlord Richard Rossendale-Cook, 81, said rising costs had forced his hand in the decision. Speaking last month, he told ITV News: 'I'm very very sad, of course I'd like to carry on.' 'But unless somebody comes up - a Russian oligarch or someone will give me £360,000 to go and pay off the bill, you are going to shut and that's the end of it.' The brewery-owned pub is being closed down as Mr Rossendale-Cook is no longer able to afford the rent. On March 26, the pub's Facebook page posted: 'It is with great sadness that we announce that the Hole In The Wall will cease trading from the close of Sunday, 13th April 2025. 'We'd like to thank you all for your loyal custom over the years, with many great memories created, to add to the centuries' more storied history here at the Hole.' Richard estimated he had paid the brewery £1.2million in rent and beer over the past seven years. But he said declining numbers of people eating in the pub restaurant had contributed to financial difficulties. The pub was known for live music being played in the premises on seven nights a week. The Hole in the Wall has survived the English Civil War and the Second World War and Richard said he hoped that this would not be the end for the pub. Last year the number of pubs in the country fell to its lowest level in a century. More than one pub a day closed its doors to leave just 38,989, the smallest figure since records began in 1990. But the British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA) believes the scale of the crisis is far greater – estimating the last time there were so few watering holes in England and Wales was a century ago. Some 412 pubs were demolished or converted into shops or flats over the year to December, according to analysis of Government statistics by property consultancy Altus. This is the sharpest plunge in pub numbers since 2021, when venues were crippled by Covid rules and rampant energy prices. Disappointed punters reacted to news of the historic pub's closure on X. One user wrote: 'Surely the town council should protect these sorts of things? 500 years, gone. People will stop visiting these places if we allow all the history to be erased.' Another said: 'Hopefully it gets bought and remains the knocked down for a Turkish barbers or vape shop.' Another user wrote: 'An absolute disgrace. Does this pub not constitute a historic building to be preserved?' Taking to Facebook, more locals spoke of their disappointment at the loss of the pub. One said: 'So we are loosing a real pub, one without big sports screens and gambling machines dominating the place. A place to chat with people from around the country and around the world who have found the Hole. 'The local musicians brought great atmosphere to this unique pub in Torquay; it will be greatly missed.'
Yahoo
31-03-2025
- Yahoo
10 arrested for trespassing after gunfire investigation in Patterson's 'The Hole in the Wall' tunnel
( Patterson Police Services announced the arrest of 10 people after deputies discovered their recreational vehicles were not only on private property but that the individuals had also driven through the forbidden tunnel, known as 'The Hole in the Wall' on Saturday. Video Above: Property Crime Statistics Deputies with Patterson Police Services and Stanislaus Sheriff responded to reports of gunfire coming from the unincorporated area around 2:00 p.m. on March 29. After deeming the shooting activity to be lawful, deputies air unit found the group of trespassers in the area west of I-5, according to Patterson Police. Modesto man convicted of committing violent crime spree in Stanislaus County The tunnel is located in an unincorporated area of Patterson, where trespassing is not allowed, officials said. A total of nine vehicles including trucks, trailers, side-by-side vehicles and 1 quad were towed from the area. Patterson Police Services said all occupants were arrested and taken to jail. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
