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Cision Canada
18-06-2025
- Business
- Cision Canada
Purolator releases 2024 Sustainability Report Français
Seventh annual report charts progress toward ambitious environmental, social and governance goals TORONTO, June 18, 2025 /CNW/ - Purolator has released its 2024 Sustainability Report, 'Driving Forward', showcasing the company's progress in supporting its employees, the environment and the community. "In 2024, we made significant progress on the road to reach net-zero by 2050. Our continued investment in fleet electrification set us up to reach a major milestone earlier this year, with more than four-million packages now delivered using electric vehicles," said John Ferguson, President and CEO, Purolator. "As always, we continue to prioritize our people and the communities we serve, supported by initiatives like employee wellness program Purolator Health and our annual Purolator Tackle Hunger efforts. This approach is key to our achievements and we're incredibly proud that Purolator Tackle Hunger recently hit 25 million pounds of food donated to Canadian food banks since 2003." Highlights of Purolator's 2024 sustainability achievements include: Delivering for our planet Achieved 14 per cent reduction in Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG emissions (2020 base year), with the goal of reducing by 42 per cent by 2030. Procured 150 last-mile all-electric delivery trucks and installed more than 260 electric vehicle (EV) chargers. Replaced more than 3.1 million litres of petroleum diesel with renewable diesel. Empowering our people Achieved a 49 per cent year-over-year reduction in collisions among Toronto linehaul drivers through delivery of new Linehaul Finishing Program. Delivered more than 160,000 training hours to frontline and professional staff. Continued expansion of our Mental Health First Aid Responders program, with an 80 per cent increase in designated employees, year over year, with 37,000 hours of mental health training delivered across the organization. Helping our neighbours Delivered 2.4 million pounds of food to Canadian food banks through its Purolator Tackle Hunger program. Provided more than $700,000 equivalent in-kind shipping services to Canadian food banks. Expanded our partnership with Food Banks Canada to provide transportation and logistics support, delivering to food banks in remote communities in northern Canada. Purolator's Sustainability Report is aligned with international standards including the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB), Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD), and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs). For more information on Purolator's sustainability performance, please read the 2024 Sustainability Report found on the corporate sustainability page of About Purolator Purolator Inc. is a leading integrated freight, package and logistics solutions provider. Delivering its customers' promises since 1960, Purolator continues to expand its reach and renowned service levels and reliability to more people, more businesses and more places across the country and around the world. Purolator is proud of its Canadian heritage and is focused on sustainably positioning itself for future growth and success. Purolator is also committed to contributing to the well-being of the communities it serves and where more than 14,000 of its employees live, work and play. SOURCE Purolator Inc.
ABC News
15-06-2025
- Entertainment
- ABC News
Shearers Shindig in Thargomindah brings outback community together after flood
Wool goes flying on stage at the Thargomindah Shearers Shindig as two people race to see who can shear a sheep the fastest. The atmosphere is electric, but behind the thrill of the challenge there's another factor drawing the outback Queensland community together. Two months ago the Thargomindah township, nearly 1,000 kilometres west of Brisbane, was almost entirely inundated by a record-breaking flood. Reminders of the disaster are everywhere — in the blue flood markers pasted around the arena, the drone photos scattered near the bar, and the stories exchanged over a beer. To resident Liz Riley, the weekend of festivities was just as important to the town's recovery as clearing away the debris. "It breaks that continuous monotony of cleaning mud, cleaning walls, looking at our insurances … it just gives you that break and that's what people need." Around 80 shearers travelled from across Australia and New Zealand to Thargomindah to compete in the quick shears with the lure of a $41,000 prize pool, one of the largest in the country for shearing. The event also hosted dachshund races, pig races, a colour run, and a flood debrief panel. Bullo Shire acting chief executive Tamie Warner said the flood panel was the first time many of the residents involved in the natural disaster had spoken about their experiences. "We worked together, did what we had to do and made it happen," she said. As mayor, John "Tractor" Ferguson handed out the cash prize for each category at the end of the night — several winners shook their heads and insisted the money be returned to the community recovery fund. Each time, a cheer went up through the crowd. The fastest time of the night was 25.52 seconds, taken out by New Zealander Hemi Power. In the women's event, Marites Woods was the quickest on the clippers, shearing her sheep in just 33.22 seconds. Though many residents are still living in caravans, the sight of more caravans rolling into town is a welcome one — it meant tourists. Bulloo Shire Council tourism coordinator Danielle Tuit said the visitors brought a much-needed boost to local businesses. "Our tourism industry would normally start on April 1, but that was the night the flood came through," she said. While the number of shindig attendees was down compared to previous years, those who came brought open wallets. Bruce and Noni Kerr were on a road trip to Sydney and stopped in Thargomindah when they heard about the event. Shearer Atareta Tekanawa-Semenoff was one of many New Zealand competitors who travelled for the quick shears competition. "I'm here because I love supporting local outback speed shears and I saw what happened with the flooding," she said. "Big ups to the community, what a way to come back."
The Herald Scotland
21-05-2025
- Politics
- The Herald Scotland
Church of Scotland reaffirms opposition to assisted dying
Delegates went on to vote 216-104 in favour of a counter motion which read in part: '[We] acknowledge the diversity of sincerely held theological views within our broad Church [and] re-affirm the Church of Scotland's opposition to assisted dying.' Representatives of the church's 283,000 members gather each year in Edinburgh to debate issues of church doctrine and practice. Previous assemblies have focused on topics ranging from same-sex marriage to the consolidation of churches with dwindling numbers. First Minister John Swinney attended the first day of the assembly in Edinburgh. (Image: Andrew O'Brien) The Church already broke tradition earlier in the week, as former Lord Advocate Eilish Angelini became the first Catholic to serve as King Charles' representative to the assembly. On Monday, delegates took part in a 'long and emotional' debate atop the Royal Mile — less than a mile from Holyrood, where the first stage of the Scottish Parliament's assisted dying legislation was approved last week. Rev Dr John Ferguson, convener of the working group which submitted the church's original proposal, said: "The General Assembly voted to maintain the Church of Scotland's historic position of opposition to the legalisation of Assisted Dying. Read more on assisted dying in Scotland: "The Working Group on Assisted Dying has investigated this subject over the last two years and we had recommended a position which would have meant recognising the integrity of the range of views that exist in the Church on this matter. "However, it was clear from the debate that there isn't consensus on this issue in the General Assembly and the tight margins of the vote today confirm that." A number of ministers and other church members spoke during the hours-long debate. John Williams was diagnosed with terminal cancer and has been on dialysis for seven years. He told the gathered delegates that the assisted dying legislation in the Scottish Parliament was a 'bad bill', adding that palliative care funding was 'a national disgrace'. Rev John Ferguson led the church's working group on assisted dying. (Image: Church of Scotland) Rev Janet McKellar, whose husband Gordon recovered from esophageal cancer in 2012 after having a prognosis of just four months, said: 'God gives life and God takes it away, we are the people of God and we need to stand with our brothers and sisters, particularly the stance the Roman Catholic Church has taken. "Stand up and be counted because people are looking to us as the Church.' Delegates also called on the Scottish Government to prioritise palliative care funding and ensure that 'robust safeguards' are in place for everyone involved. Dr Ferguson said: "We are pleased that the General Assembly recognised our concerns in regard to the need for robust safeguards should Assisted Dying be legalised and of the urgent need for the Scottish Government to increase funding for palliative care. "We remain, as a Church, committed to the pastoral support of those experiencing terminal illness with the disability and suffering that often accompanies it, affirming the value of every life, and advocating for the weakest and most vulnerable in society. "The Church of Scotland remains fully engaged in conversations on assisted dying and palliative care and will continue to share evidence and insights with the Assisted Dying Bill in the Scottish Parliament." Speaking after the vote, Rev Alistair Cook, who moved the successful counter motion, said: "I was surprised but very pleased that the counter motion passed. "It acknowledged the breadth of views but affirmed the Church's opposition to assisted dying." Religious groups are split on the issue. (Image: Derek McArthur/Newsquest) Scotland's religious groups hold a range of views on assisted dying. The Catholic Church, Scottish Association of Mosques, Baptist Union, and Free Church of Scotland all oppose the legislation currently going through Holyrood. The Quakers, Scottish Episcopal Church, Jewish Council of Scotland are split on the issue. Religious lawmakers have largely opposed efforts to legalise assisted dying. According to a study by the University of Liverpool, MPs of religious faith were more likely to vote against the assisted dying legislation being debated at Westminster. In November's vote, 57% of MPs who identify as Christian opposed the bill, while 74% of Catholics and 84% of Muslim MPs also voted against. By contrast, 76% of MPs with no religion voted in favour of the legislation. While similar analysis has not been carried out at Holyrood, a number of MSPs who hold religious views opposed last week's bill; including Humza Yousaf, who is a Muslim, Pam Gosal, who is of Sikh descent, and John Swinney, who is a member of the Church of Scotland.
The Sun
12-05-2025
- Business
- The Sun
Please spare us another jockeys league – punters love racing because they want to have a bet
SOMETIMES I wonder if it's just me. Maybe I'm just a miserable cynic and I need to brighten up. But surely I'm not the only one who thinks the idea of another jockey's league sounds about as appealing as a sledgehammer to the gonads? 1 Given the amount of time, money and effort that has been spent trying to think of ways to bring new fans into the sport, this is the best we can do? If you missed the news, 12 of the most famous Flat jockeys in the world have signed up to — and invested their own money in — a 'global jockey league' that they intend to launch next year. Co-founded by ex-Godolphin supremo John Ferguson and a former betting industry bigwig known as Lachlan Fitt, few details has been offered about how this new competition is supposed to work. But, by the sounds of it, they are hoping to raise £15million and each jockey will act as 'team principal' for their own 'franchise' across a handful of meetings, essentially giving the world's richest riders a chance to get even richer. Pass the sick bucket. Frankie Dettori (I thought he was bankrupt?) and Ryan Moore to have put their names and money down, as have some top US, Asian and Australian-based jocks. They tell us this new league is going to 'revolutionise' the sport but, here comes my cynical side again, I think the only thing the jockeys involved are interested in is revolutionising their bank balance. We saw it with this season's David Power Jockey's Cup over the jumps. The only people with any real interest — I say 'real' because there are lots of people out there who fake it — are a handful of men and women in the weighing room. And why wouldn't you when there is £1.5million up for grabs? It didn't float my boat and it didn't capture the imagination of a wider audience either — which was the whole idea in the first place. And it's no different with this proposed new jockeys league. It's just another gimmick, but this time one with an incredibly elitist feel. It's a competition by the wealthiest jockeys for the wealthiest jockeys — why would anyone from out- side the self-anointed top 12 riders in the world give two flying hoots? And they scored a tremendous PR own-goal even before the thing had launched by not including a single female rider in the designated dozen. If the goal really is to attract new, young fans, surely they should have included a jockey who can be a role model to 51 percent of the world's population? I don't know what the obsession is with turning racing into a team or league-based sport. Nobody cares about the Shergar Cup at Ascot but it's a one-day bit of fun (the event has never claimed to be more than that) and it's been going for donkeys years, so people just get on with it. The Racing League, however, is rammed down our throats and it's been a total failure in getting a new audience interested in the sport, which was one of it's main aims when it launched. We've been trying to use 'top' jockeys to sell the sport for years in this country and it doesn't work. Mainly because, bar a handful of obvious exceptions, they aren't exactly the most charismatic bunch. For some reason, those who come up with all these terrible ideas can't accept that the vast majority watch racing and go racing because they want to have a bet. I'd guess 90 per cent of people go to the races to escape from the real world for a few hours, to look at the horses and have a punt and a pint. Racing's ridiculous marketing bods seem to think it's because they want to see William Buick in the flesh. And until more time and effort is spent trying to tackle one of the real issues facing our sport — namely the impact of affordability checks which are seeing punters desert racing in their droves — then we are going to find ourselves in deep, deep trouble. So please, spare us another bloody jockey's league. Commercial content notice: Taking one of the offers featured in this article may result in a payment to The Sun. You should be aware brands pay fees to appear in the highest placements on the page. 18+. T&Cs apply. Remember to gamble responsibly A responsible gambler is someone who:
Metro
04-05-2025
- Metro
Explosive discovery helps family fun day at 13th century castle end with a bang
A family-friendly charity fun day ended with the arrival of a bomb squad after a Second World War grenade was discovered. The metal-detecting event at Thurland Castle near Tunstall, Lancashire, descended into chaos when the highly explosive weapon was unearthed. Cheshire Police's bomb disposal team rushed to the castle to diffuse the cast iron 36 Mk I grenade, also known as a 'Mills bomb'. A 330-foot (100m) cordon had to be erected around the site due to fears the 70g TNT device could explode. William Hargreaves, the chairman of the Lune Valley Metal Detecting Club which ran the event, said: 'We do like our events to end with a bang but loud explosions are not what we normally have in mind.' Find came a couple hours in the event at the 13th century castle. More than 60 people young and old were searching for treasure on the castle's back fields, raising £400 for a local charity. After picking up a number of Roman artefacts and Elizabethan coins, one detectorist stumbled upon the grenade at 11am last Sunday. Police then dispatched a bomb disposal unit to the castle, who confirmed the grenade to be dangerous at 2.30pm. The wartime relic was buried eight inches under the ground. All participants had to leave the area before a massive bang ricocheted across the castle grounds and shook nearby windows. John Ferguson, 82, a veteran committee member, said: 'It was found without a pin in it meaning it could have been defective – but we assumed it was still live. 'If it had gone off it could have killed the person who found it – it sends shrapnel flying 30 meters as it was on a mushy surface.' 'It was reported to the police, who demanded the site be cleared of all detectorists.' The 36 Mk I Grenade was introduced at the end of the First World War and remained the standard British fragmentation grenade until 1972. It was also used by Australian and other Commonwealth forces. More Trending The weapon's segmented body means it breaks into even pieces when it explodes. This is not the first time this year that an unexploded Second World War bomb wreaked havoc. All Eurostar trains from London to Paris were cancelled at the beginning of March following the discovery of an unexploded device on railway tracks. Just days later, rail services were suspended, roads were closed and people were urged to avoid the area after an explosive device was found in New Brighton, Merseyside. Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: Inside rare Cold War bunker which is selling for only £20,000 MORE: Spitfire plane crashes on field ahead of VE Day celebrations MORE: Best VE Day celebrations across the UK – from Red Arrows flypast to royals and street parties
