Latest news with #homelesssupport
BBC News
18-06-2025
- BBC News
Victim of Flore mobility scooter crash was 'our whole world'
The family of a woman who died after a crash involving her mobility scooter have described her as "our whole world".Debbie Martin, 61, died on Saturday, 31 May following a collision between her scooter and a Range Rover in Flore, say she was often seen around the village and everyone there knew police have appealed for anyone who saw the incident or has dashcam footage to get in touch. The crash happened on Flore Hill at about 17:00 BST.A grey Range Rover Evoque, heading north-east towards Weedon, collided with the scooter which was travelling in the opposite Martin died at the a tribute released via Northamptonshire Police, her three children said she was "a mothering soul, not just to her own children, but to anyone who needed help or a bit of support"."She was our biggest cheerleader and supporter, having our backs no matter what. She was our whole world," they added. The family described how Ms Martin loved to visit Weedon Depot, a former military barracks with part of a canal on site, just off the Grand Union "loved the depot because she could see swans there, and we went together just a few weeks ago so she could feed the ducks and show me the cygnets, which she was thrilled about".She had worked as a hairdresser before becoming a mother, but spent much of her later life helping homeless people and others in was also a music-lover, listening to the likes of Abba and Placebo, and would "laugh at us telling her to turn her headphones down".The tribute ended: "Life is going to be so tough without her. We miss her so much and will love her forever." Follow Northamptonshire news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
CTV News
15-05-2025
- General
- CTV News
Downtown Toronto shelter without running water for almost a week
An outside shot of a shelter at 545 Lake Shore Blvd. W. in Toronto. (City of Toronto photo) A shelter in downtown Toronto has been without water for nearly a week and there is currently no timeline for when it will be restored. In a statement provided to CP24, the City of Toronto said that on May 9 a 256-bed shelter at 545 Lake Shore Blvd. W., at Bathurst Street, experienced 'both plumbing issues and a blocked sewer, which resulted in basement flooding.' The spokesperson said that portable toilets and hand washing and water bottle filling stations have been onsite all week while the issues are being addressed, adding that additional staff have also been assigned to 'support the people in the shelter' in the meantime. However, there remains no timeline for when water will be restored to the building. 'Repairs started immediately while staff worked to ensure people staying at the shelter were affected as little as possible. Crews continue active repair work and water operations in the building are expected to resume soon,' Elise von Scheel wrote in an email. 'We understand this situation has caused inconveniences to those cared for in the shelter. We thank staff for their dedicated work and everyone on site for their patience.' The city spokesperson said that 'proactive work will be undertaken to monitor and analyze the stability of the plumbing to minimize the likelihood of another leak in the future.' Some residents, however, are expressing frustration as the situation drags on. Two people who live at the shelter, who asked to not be named out of fear of reprisal, told CP24 that in first 24 or so hours after the issue was first discovered the washrooms there remained open and toilets quickly filled up causing a smelly mess. They also said that portable toilets – three for women and five for men – weren't brought in until Saturday afternoon but quickly filled up and weren't cleaned out until Wednesday. The whole situation has been quite chaotic, they added, as several men who were staying in the basement were moved to other parts of the building, including the dining room. They also say that they have not been offered any concrete details about where they can shower or do laundry, among other things. CP24 has put in a request with the city to respond to these concerns but has not yet heard back. Greg Cook, a long-time outreach worker at Sanctuary Toronto, has supported residents at the shelter for several years and is aware of the almost week-long no-water situation there. He said this is just the latest in a series of problems at the shelter. 'I've heard about many bad experiences for a long time at this location,' Cook told CP24. 'I just can't imagine what it's like there now, with no water. The conditions are already bad and this on top of it. … If this was my rental, I'd expect it to be fixed in 24 hours.' Calling the situation a 'huge public health issue,' Cook said a fulsome plan of action should have been put in place shortly after the plumping issue happened, with 'concrete options' for residents, even putting them up in hotels temporarily until the water is turned back on. 'There's lot of solutions in the short term. There's just a bunch of options they're choosing not to take,' he said. 'I, frankly, think the Board of Health needs to get involved. … This is just awful.' The shelter at 545 Lake Shore Blvd. W. is a temporary facility that was opened in 2019 and is operated by a third party that is contracted by the city.
