Latest news with #Jilly
Business News Wales
24-06-2025
- Health
- Business News Wales
Children's Charity Unveils World-First Skatepark Aid Inspired by Swansea Boy
Children's charity Cerebra has unveiled an innovative solution to improve accessibility in skateboarding inspired by a little boy who was 'desperate' to skate. The harnessing system was revealed on the latest leg of Relay Your Way, a mass participation relay across Wales, Scotland and England involving more than 9,000 school children, participants, and supporters. Cerebra, the national UK charity dedicated to supporting children who have a neurological condition, created Relay Your Way to promote inclusivity in sports and ensure that no child is left on the sidelines. Over 33 days the baton will journey through towns and cities, bringing together thousands of people in a celebration of accessibility, adventure and inclusion. Cerebra's Innovation Centre, which designs bespoke products to help disabled children discover and engage with the world around them, revealed its new system to help children with reduced mobility take part in park skating at Exist Skatepark as Relay Your Way made its way through Swansea. Ollie, 12, inspired the creation of the new system after his mum approached Cerebra searching for a solution to help him give skating a try. Ollie has Down's Syndrome and some challenges with his balance that can make using a skateboard more difficult. 'Ollie had been absolutely desperate to try skateboarding but he had a few issues with balance that meant a regular skateboard just wasn't suitable,' Ollie's mum Jilly said. 'I contacted Cerebra and they developed a board that has two handles for him so he can push off, hold himself up and do it himself now.' Ollie has been using his new skateboard regularly, but the team at Cerebra felt they could develop another adaptation around park skating. The result is a first of its kind harness system which incorporates a gantry fitted above the park's obstacles and ramps. Some of Ollie's mental health challenges stem from the trauma of sadly losing his sister, Lily, who also had Down's Syndrome, a month before her tenth birthday in May 2019. Jilly says Ollie now has increased anxiety but taking part in sport helps him engage with others, socialise and keep fit. He now plays for a rugby team as well as making trips out on his skateboard. 'When my daughter was alive we had one of Cerebra's oxygen trolleys,' Jilly said. 'I'm just so grateful that they do this sort of thing to help children and parents.' Dr Ross Head, Cerebra Innovation Centre Lead, said: 'We wanted to enable Ollie to go skateboarding, but importantly, we wanted him to skate with other children and on equipment that looks the same as theirs. The gantry system was a huge undertaking, but we were confident that Ollie and many other children will be able to learn to skate and enjoy the comradery of the skatepark. 'Adaptive skateboarding will enable Ollie to learn a new sport, make friends and exercise – some really important aspects for living a healthy life and improving wellbeing.' Kate Leonard, Exist Skatepark owner, said: 'Exist skatepark is absolutely delighted to be a part of Cerebra's new inclusive innovation. 'This isn't just good news for our skatepark, it's good news for accessibility, inclusivity, Wales and the sport of skateboarding as a whole. We are honoured to be a part of this journey and cannot wait to see how it impacts the landscape of skateboarding and the children, young people and communities who will benefit from it.'
BBC News
22-06-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Swansea harness aid helps boy with Down syndrome to skateboard
A 12-year-old boy has trialled a world-first skatepark aid that will allow him to participate in the sport without the help of his who has Down's syndrome, used a harness system at Exist Skatepark in Swansea because he wanted to skateboard with his was created by the Cerebra Innovation Centre which designs and builds bespoke products to help disabled children take part in Leonard, who owns the skatepark, said she hoped the technology will make the sport more inclusive. Ollie's mum, Jilly, said the experience was "much more inclusive" than when he had tried other sports in the past."He has to have specialist equipment for that whereas, if he's skateboarding, he can join in with other children," she said she was "quite surprised" it had not been done before as there are plenty of children that need a "bit of extra support" when skateboarding."Not just children with disabilities either," she consists of a harness which helps Ollie keep his balance on a standard skateboard, with handles he can hold on the family is from Leicester which means trips to the Swansea skatepark will be rare due to the distance. They live opposite another skate park and after seeing other teenagers doing it, Ollie "really wanted to have a go"."He had a good time but I couldn't let go with him because he was too scared to do it," Jilly said the aid will help him to build up confidence to do it "without an adult holding him."Jilly would "definitely" like to see the equipment being implemented in other parts of the UK and, preferably, a bit closer to home."It would be beneficial to a lot of children across the country so if it could be expanded that would be great." Dr Ross Head, Cerebra Innovation Centre Lead, said the idea stemmed from seeing a video of Ollie skating in park."He didn't have very good balance so his mum was holding him up," he team developed a skateboard with handles which was "great", but Dr Head wanted to go a step further, as they attempted to tackle the "social stigma" of using equipment that is decided to create a brand new skatepark adaptation so Ollie would be able to use a harness system. "Exist Skatepark were over the moon to help," he new system has allowed Ollie to "have the same skateboard as everybody else" which was "really important for us," according to Dr charity Cerebra are set to unveil the new system for public use at Exist Skatepark on Sunday. Dr Head said Ollie has shown that it "definitely works" but there is "much more we can do"."I think we've just scratched the surface," he said."There's a huge amount we can do for disabled skateboarders.""It would work for anybody just learning to skate. It's going to be absolutely amazing and it could take around 30 people a day."The current framework is suitable for people that are new to skating, but Dr Head said he hoped it will be able to be used by more experienced skaters in the future. The Exist Skatepark has been owned by Kate Leonard and her partner since met Dr Head in December last year when he came to her with a proposition to feature the harness in her found it "really emotional" to see Ollie in the skate park and admitted she "cried a few times"."We do an awful lot of things in the community but this had such a new dimension to what we can offer," she said seeing Ollie's face was a "delight" adding that it "felt like a moment".Kate said that skateboarding has to "move forward" and the way to do that is to allow "everyone to do it.""I think it's massive for Wales," she said."There are only four indoor skate parks in Wales, which is crazy, but if you start making all of those accessible to everyone, then that creates a boom, you know."
The Age
16-06-2025
- The Age
Australia's newest four-day hike traces an ancient, stunning route
One of the best things about this walk is we're doing it pack-free, carrying only day packs and arriving at camp each afternoon to find everything set up for us: our roomy tents (each large enough to stand up in and containing two comfy camp beds, sleeping bags and real pillows), a shower tent, the camp kitchen and an undercover dining area full of snacks, treats and gourmet meals. Vision Walks' CEO Wendy Bithell is passionate about supporting local suppliers, so almost everything we eat and drink comes from the Northern Rivers, including Brookfarm muesli, Stone & Wood beers, Jilly wines, Nimbin Valley cheeses and chocolates from Love Byron Bay, all lovingly prepared by local caterer the Bloody Good Food Co. That night, rain drums on the roof above our table as we dine in a bubble of light from solar lanterns, feeling like the only people on Earth. There's no mobile reception, no Wi-Fi, no one else around; in four days we see only one young couple and an older group of three, all carrying big packs. Each day we walk for five or six hours – except on day two, which is an eight-hour, 18-kilometre epic. After climbing what feels like a thousand stone steps that morning, we reach the rim of the caldera, 800 metres above sea level. The rain is relentless, ditto the mud and the leeches (though they're mercifully small). At the five lookouts we pass, mist teases us with fragments of views – Wollumbin! The sea! I love the unexpected adventure of it all. I also love the hour of silent walking we do each morning, each of us falling into single file behind Skye, tuning in to bird calls, small details beside the track – like a tiny forest of mushrooms on a mossy log – and the simple, timeless act of moving through this landscape on foot. At other times, Skye points out how the Minjungbal people (and the Widjabul Wia-bal, when we enter their Country) use particular plants, the rainforest their pantry, medicine cabinet and shed all in one. (On future trips, a Bundjalung guide will meet the group one afternoon to offer an Indigenous perspective on the walk.) After a gentle descent on day three, we arrive at a spectacular lookout and the sun makes a guest appearance, spotlighting three gushing waterfalls on the far side of Wanganui Gorge. A few minutes later we arrive at our final campsite, where our dining table has the same view and our tents are dwarfed by tall eucalypts – blackbutt, bloodwoods and stringybarks. We hear the official end-point of the Gidjuum Gulganyi before we see it. Living in northern NSW, I know Minyon Falls well, but arriving on foot really dials up the glory. For most walkers, the viewing deck at the top is their finish line, but Vision Walks adds an extra six kilometres to include the trek to the base of the falls. It's the most difficult section of the entire walk, with a tricky creek crossing and a scramble over slippery boulders, but standing at the base of the thundering falls drenched in spray is exhilarating – and gives us a visceral sense of this landscape and all the water running through it. On our way back to Byron Bay in the shuttle, I ask Skye Weatherstone for her thoughts on the walk, since it was her first time doing it too. 'I thought about the old people a lot,' she says, 'how so many of the local elders are too old or unwell now to come up here any more and that the forest would have reclaimed these trails without the Gidjuum Gulganyi. It's bringing these trails back to life, and the forest gets to have humans in it again, people who can appreciate its beauty and hopefully act as caretakers into the future.' The details Loading Where The Gidjuum Gulganyi Walk starts at Unicorn Falls in Mount Jerusalem National Park near Uki in northern NSW and ends at Minyon Falls in Nightcap National Park, 45 minutes' drive from Byron Bay. Walk Vision Walks' guided pack-free glamping experience includes chef-prepared meals and drinks, bento-box lunches, snacks, transfers, camping gear and expert local guides, from $3200 a person. See Connect Adventures is the other operator licensed to run guided walks on this track and offers pack-free walks from $2165 a person and full-pack walks from $1855 a person. See The self-guided option, carrying your own food and camping gear, costs $173 for one or two people, for the three nights. Each public campsite has five hardwood tent platforms, a sheltered table, rainwater tanks and a composting toilet. See Drive All hikers must walk from north to south so you'll need to arrange transport at either end. Transfers are included in guided walks; Vision Walks also provides transfers for self-guided hikers for $38 from Mullumbimby, $61 from Byron Bay, $121 from Ballina Airport and $138 from Gold Coast Airport. See
Sydney Morning Herald
16-06-2025
- Sydney Morning Herald
Australia's newest four-day hike traces an ancient, stunning route
One of the best things about this walk is we're doing it pack-free, carrying only day packs and arriving at camp each afternoon to find everything set up for us: our roomy tents (each large enough to stand up in and containing two comfy camp beds, sleeping bags and real pillows), a shower tent, the camp kitchen and an undercover dining area full of snacks, treats and gourmet meals. Vision Walks' CEO Wendy Bithell is passionate about supporting local suppliers, so almost everything we eat and drink comes from the Northern Rivers, including Brookfarm muesli, Stone & Wood beers, Jilly wines, Nimbin Valley cheeses and chocolates from Love Byron Bay, all lovingly prepared by local caterer the Bloody Good Food Co. That night, rain drums on the roof above our table as we dine in a bubble of light from solar lanterns, feeling like the only people on Earth. There's no mobile reception, no Wi-Fi, no one else around; in four days we see only one young couple and an older group of three, all carrying big packs. Each day we walk for five or six hours – except on day two, which is an eight-hour, 18-kilometre epic. After climbing what feels like a thousand stone steps that morning, we reach the rim of the caldera, 800 metres above sea level. The rain is relentless, ditto the mud and the leeches (though they're mercifully small). At the five lookouts we pass, mist teases us with fragments of views – Wollumbin! The sea! I love the unexpected adventure of it all. I also love the hour of silent walking we do each morning, each of us falling into single file behind Skye, tuning in to bird calls, small details beside the track – like a tiny forest of mushrooms on a mossy log – and the simple, timeless act of moving through this landscape on foot. At other times, Skye points out how the Minjungbal people (and the Widjabul Wia-bal, when we enter their Country) use particular plants, the rainforest their pantry, medicine cabinet and shed all in one. (On future trips, a Bundjalung guide will meet the group one afternoon to offer an Indigenous perspective on the walk.) After a gentle descent on day three, we arrive at a spectacular lookout and the sun makes a guest appearance, spotlighting three gushing waterfalls on the far side of Wanganui Gorge. A few minutes later we arrive at our final campsite, where our dining table has the same view and our tents are dwarfed by tall eucalypts – blackbutt, bloodwoods and stringybarks. We hear the official end-point of the Gidjuum Gulganyi before we see it. Living in northern NSW, I know Minyon Falls well, but arriving on foot really dials up the glory. For most walkers, the viewing deck at the top is their finish line, but Vision Walks adds an extra six kilometres to include the trek to the base of the falls. It's the most difficult section of the entire walk, with a tricky creek crossing and a scramble over slippery boulders, but standing at the base of the thundering falls drenched in spray is exhilarating – and gives us a visceral sense of this landscape and all the water running through it. On our way back to Byron Bay in the shuttle, I ask Skye Weatherstone for her thoughts on the walk, since it was her first time doing it too. 'I thought about the old people a lot,' she says, 'how so many of the local elders are too old or unwell now to come up here any more and that the forest would have reclaimed these trails without the Gidjuum Gulganyi. It's bringing these trails back to life, and the forest gets to have humans in it again, people who can appreciate its beauty and hopefully act as caretakers into the future.' The details Loading Where The Gidjuum Gulganyi Walk starts at Unicorn Falls in Mount Jerusalem National Park near Uki in northern NSW and ends at Minyon Falls in Nightcap National Park, 45 minutes' drive from Byron Bay. Walk Vision Walks' guided pack-free glamping experience includes chef-prepared meals and drinks, bento-box lunches, snacks, transfers, camping gear and expert local guides, from $3200 a person. See Connect Adventures is the other operator licensed to run guided walks on this track and offers pack-free walks from $2165 a person and full-pack walks from $1855 a person. See The self-guided option, carrying your own food and camping gear, costs $173 for one or two people, for the three nights. Each public campsite has five hardwood tent platforms, a sheltered table, rainwater tanks and a composting toilet. See Drive All hikers must walk from north to south so you'll need to arrange transport at either end. Transfers are included in guided walks; Vision Walks also provides transfers for self-guided hikers for $38 from Mullumbimby, $61 from Byron Bay, $121 from Ballina Airport and $138 from Gold Coast Airport. See
Scottish Sun
30-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
Rangers cult hero and glam influencer Wag welcome new baby to the world baby as fans and pals say ‘love the name'
It's not a common name - but you could say it's still well-known NAME GAME Rangers cult hero and glam influencer Wag welcome new baby to the world baby as fans and pals say 'love the name' Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) MOTHERWELL star Andy Halliday and his wife Jilly have welcomed their new baby to the world. The Rangers cult hero and his other half revealed the exciting news that they were expecting a child together at the start of the year. Sign up for the Rangers newsletter Sign up 5 Jilly Halliday (nee Cross) posing just the other week before she gave birth Credit: @jillyisabella 5 Her and footie husband Andy have now welcomed their baby girl to the world Credit: @jillyisabella 5 Jilly shared a heartwarming post on her Instagram account Credit: @jillyisabella Fashionista Jilly has been keeping fans updated with her pregnancy journey along the way, including some snaps last week of her enjoying a day out at Crossbasket Castle in South Lanarkshire. Posing in a cream dress and jacket, she said: "Enjoying these last few weeks as just being Jilly." In the last few months, Jilly and her bump have enjoyed days out at the beach, shopping trips to Glasgow city centre and even a night at the BRIT Awards. Jilly, who bagged a role on the Capital FM Breakfast Show last year, shared the heartwarming news of the couple's new arrival on her Instagram page. And followers are already loving the name: Winnie. Jilly said: "10 fingers and 10 toes of perfection. "Winnie Anna Halliday." She later posted more pictures on her Instagram story, captioning one by saying: "The start of the rest of our lives." Comments from family, friends and fans alike poured in, including one from model and former Celtic Wag Helen Flanagan, who wrote: "Congratulations darling." Another pal said: "The most beautiful little girlie in the world, welcome Winnie. insanely proud and in awe of you, supermum! Let the crazy journey begin." Ex-Rangers star Andy Halliday ties the knot with Scots influencer girlfriend Jilly Cross While this person wrote: "Beautiful Winnie, congratulations and enjoy soaking it all in." Another reply read: "Perfect girl and perfect parents! Congrats guys" While this pal said: "Congratulations to you all! Love her name." And another replied: "Congratulations! Love the name." Jilly and footie ace Andy tied the knot last year in Glasgow. But Jilly revealed that she shunned a big flashy wedding, instead preferring to wore her own brand's dress for the occasion and keeping the guest list down to a small number of 30. 5 Jilly at the BRIT Awards earlier this year Credit: @jillyisabella 5 And on their visit to Crossbasket Castle recently Credit: @jillyisabella Keep up to date with ALL the latest news and transfers at the Scottish Sun football page
