Latest news with #WASP
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Work on new sports area underway
Buckhurst Field's multi-use games area is about to be transformed (Image: South Swindon Parish Council) Work is officially underway on Swindon's newest sports area which is being inspired by a sporting facility in Birmingham. Improvement works at Buckhurst Field in Walcot were first announced in June 2024, as South Swindon Parish Council promised more recreational activities for local residents. Advertisement Plans include restored football pitches, new changing rooms, a rebuilt skatepark, a new cycleway, a tarmacked car park and a play zone. Now, with almost all of these upgrades having been completed, work has begun on the Buckhurst Field PlayZone . Fencing has gone up at the site of Walcot's new PlayZone (Image: South Swindon Parish Council) A playzone is a term coined by the Football Foundation which describes a "safe, inclusive and accessible outdoor facility that brings communities together through recreational forms of football and a range of other sports". The programme, which is seeing playzones built across the UK aims to tackle inequalities in physical activity by investing money and resources into communities with the greatest need. Advertisement A mock-up plan for the site (Image: South Swindon Parish Council) Swindon's one, which is being built at the site of Buckhurst's old MUGA (multi-use games area), has been modelled off a similar sports facility in Birmingham after parish councillors visited the city's site. It will include provisions for football, basketball and volleyball. Parish councillors and WASP staff took inspiration from this sports area in Birmingham (Image: South Swindon Parish Council) The £600,000 Buckhurst Field improvement project, of which this play zone is a part, marks South Swindon Parish's largest-ever investment into recreation facilities in the town. Advertisement "The Birmingham PlayZone facility will be replicated at Buckhurst Field this year," said a spokesperson for South Swindon Parish Council. "Heras fencing has gone up around the Buckhurst Field Multi-Use-Games-Area to prepare for work to transform the site into a Football Foundation playzone." The parish council is working in collaboration with Football Foundation, WASP and Swindon Borough Council. A parish council spokesperson previously explained that the new PlayZone would provide an "improved play experience for casual football and basketball." Recommended reading: Advertisement Approved planning permission states: 'The purpose of the Play Zone Scheme is to invest in areas with the greatest need, to encourage specific priority groups to be more active. "The specific priority groups that The Football Foundation wished to prioritise as part of this scheme are lower socio-economic groups, women and girls, disabled people and people with long-term health conditions, and ethnically diverse communities.'
Scoop
04-06-2025
- Politics
- Scoop
Artist In Residence Opportunity Offered During World's Largest Climate Adaptation Event Being Hosted In NZ
Press Release – Adaptation Futures 2025 This three-month residency is a fantastic opportunity for Pacific artists to enhance their existing practice, develop an innovative art project of significance, and contribute to the enrichment of Pacific art culture Expressions of interest from Pacific artists are invited for the 2025 Artist in Residence programme based at the Macmillan Brown Centre for Pacific Studies at Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha | University of Canterbury (UC). The three-month residency, funded by Creative New Zealand, includes an exciting chance to participate in a public exhibition that will be part of the world's largest international climate change adaptation event – Adaptation Futures 2025 (AF2025). AF2025 co-convenor Distinguished Professor Steven Ratuva of the University of Canterbury said proposals are invited from Pacific artists whose work addresses climate change issues, such as the core themes for AF2025. 'This three-month residency is a fantastic opportunity for Pacific artists to enhance their existing practice, develop an innovative art project of significance, and contribute to the enrichment of Pacific art culture. They can also engage with other Pacific artists at the newly established Pacific Creative Hub at UC,' he said. Adaptation Futures will be held in Ōtautahi Christchurch at Te Pae Christchurch Convention Centre on 13-16 October. It is the flagship event of the United Nations World Adaptation Science Programme (WASP). It enables leading practitioners, policy makers, researchers, thought leaders and academics from across the globe to gather to collaborate and inspire urgent efforts to accelerate adaptation for a more resilient climate and fairer future. This year's event, which has a particular focus on Indigenous and Pacific innovation and leadership in response to climate change, is co-hosted by WASP and UC. It is supported by New Zealand government agencies, national and international research organisations and businesses, and foundation sponsor The Adaptation Fund. 'The urgent need to scale up our global efforts to protect vulnerable communities, businesses, and environments from the impact of climate change, including Pacific Islands, is more pressing than ever,' AF2025 co-convenor Professor Bronwyn Hayward of the University of Canterbury said. 'With people from more than 90 countries coming to Christchurch for AF2025 this year, this residency provides a great platform for the development of a significant art project that contributes to the important climate change conversation.' Applications must include an up-to-date CV covering artistic experience and expertise; a one-page proposal explaining what the artist intends to work on during the residency; the key theme or idea of it; the rationale for the work; and the potential impact it could have. Artists must send their application to by 15 June 2025.
Scoop
04-06-2025
- Politics
- Scoop
Artist In Residence Opportunity Offered During World's Largest Climate Adaptation Event Being Hosted In NZ
Expressions of interest from Pacific artists are invited for the 2025 Artist in Residence programme based at the Macmillan Brown Centre for Pacific Studies at Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha | University of Canterbury (UC). The three-month residency, funded by Creative New Zealand, includes an exciting chance to participate in a public exhibition that will be part of the world's largest international climate change adaptation event - Adaptation Futures 2025 (AF2025). AF2025 co-convenor Distinguished Professor Steven Ratuva of the University of Canterbury said proposals are invited from Pacific artists whose work addresses climate change issues, such as the core themes for AF2025. 'This three-month residency is a fantastic opportunity for Pacific artists to enhance their existing practice, develop an innovative art project of significance, and contribute to the enrichment of Pacific art culture. They can also engage with other Pacific artists at the newly established Pacific Creative Hub at UC,' he said. Adaptation Futures will be held in Ōtautahi Christchurch at Te Pae Christchurch Convention Centre on 13-16 October. It is the flagship event of the United Nations World Adaptation Science Programme (WASP). It enables leading practitioners, policy makers, researchers, thought leaders and academics from across the globe to gather to collaborate and inspire urgent efforts to accelerate adaptation for a more resilient climate and fairer future. This year's event, which has a particular focus on Indigenous and Pacific innovation and leadership in response to climate change, is co-hosted by WASP and UC. It is supported by New Zealand government agencies, national and international research organisations and businesses, and foundation sponsor The Adaptation Fund. 'The urgent need to scale up our global efforts to protect vulnerable communities, businesses, and environments from the impact of climate change, including Pacific Islands, is more pressing than ever,' AF2025 co-convenor Professor Bronwyn Hayward of the University of Canterbury said. 'With people from more than 90 countries coming to Christchurch for AF2025 this year, this residency provides a great platform for the development of a significant art project that contributes to the important climate change conversation.' Applications must include an up-to-date CV covering artistic experience and expertise; a one-page proposal explaining what the artist intends to work on during the residency; the key theme or idea of it; the rationale for the work; and the potential impact it could have. Artists must send their application to by 15 June 2025.
Yahoo
30-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
‘They never expected it to succeed': Sweetwater WASP Museum celebrates 20 years honoring WWII pilots
ABILENE, Texas () – Looking back in history to World War II, the Women Airforce Service Pilots were superheroes of aviation. They were the first women to fly U.S. military aircraft, and most of them trained in the Big Country, at Avenger Field in Nolan County. This year, the WASP Museum is celebrating 20 years of honoring these pioneers who blazed through the skies more than 80 years ago. Iowa veteran cycles 800+ miles to Sweetwater to honor WASP program It was 1942 when women stepped up to the cockpit during the war, marking the start of the Women's Air Force Service Pilots, or WASP. Lisa Taylor is the executive director at the WASP Museum. She taught history for many years, and after moving to Sweetwater and taking a peek inside the museum, she was fascinated by their story, one she said she wished she could have taught her students. 'We talked about the Tuskegee and the Navajo Code Talkers, and I tried to bring in all the facets of World War II because there was so much to it. But I had never heard of these women. We talked about Rosie the Riveter,' Taylor said. 'Not only were they just fighting the barriers of being in the army, Air Corps, but just societal barriers as well, because everyone mistrusted their motivation.' Taylor said she connected with the more than 1,100 female pilots and their resilience. 'It was like, okay, we just can't make it without women. We should start this experimental program. Right. They never expected it to succeed,' Taylor said. 'It was harder as pilots. That was the one area that the government seemed really bent on keeping women out.' WASPs come home to Avenger Field 80 years later With little to no resources, the women had to find their own means to get a pilot's license and also travel to Sweetwater for training. They were given hand-me-down uniforms that the men wore, which were often too big for most women and posed a safety hazard. Jacqueline Cochran, director of the WASP, changed the masculine camouflage to a standout 'Santiago' that still leaves an impact on the U.S. Air Force today. 'Legend has it that she went back and told her, ladies, my girls are not going to wear that dreadful [army green] color,' Taylor said. 'That was how Blue got introduced into the Army Air Corps. That was the first time there was blue. So, I think that we can credit Jackie Cochran with that.' One woman who inspired her was Betty Blake. She was a flight instructor based in Hawaii with 360 hours of flight time. By the time she finished the program, she had 3,600 hours. Blake, among many of the other women, faced societal backlash and disbelief for their service. Taylor said Blake was arrested due to her uniform having pants when she had to make a pit stop from a flight due to weather. 'Betty Blake, being arrested for wearing pants, this was what they were dealing with because of the scandalous for a woman to be in public in pants like that. They could be denied meals in a restaurant on nights in a hotel room,' Taylor said. 'She inspired us': Dyess AFB pilots continue WASPS legacy When the program ended in 1944 and the men started to return from war, the WASP returned to their everyday lives, not receiving recognition until more than 30 years later, and being delayed from a return to the skies because of their gender. 'None of the women who had joined the workforce during World War II really got to stay. I mean, the men came home, and they left. It became this 'Hey, that was really nice of you, but we're back,' Taylor explained. 'For a lot of women, it was so hard. They got out and they were determined to find professional jobs in aviation, and they applied to all the commercial airlines, all the private airlines, and they were just told no again and again and again.' 17 WASP have their ashes spread across the Avenger Field as part of a new memorial garden featured outside of the museum. The museum in Sweetwater is the only one dedicated solely to the WWII WASP veterans. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
RTÉ News
08-05-2025
- Business
- RTÉ News
Upcycling PC entrepreneur wins Student Enterprise Award
A student entrepreneur who saved 1,000kg of e-waste every year building his own gaming PCs is the winner of the Student Enterprise of the Year. Jack Cannon, a senior student at Clonkeen College in Dun Laoghaire, built his first PC at the age of 11 with the help of his brother. He set up Cannon PC at part of the Local Enterprise Offices' Student Enterprise Programme and so far, has achieved sales of almost €40,000. Cannon builds upcycled high speed gaming PCs from old PCs being disposed of in office clear outs and for general sale online. The 23rd Student Enterprise Programme National Finals, held in Mullingar, saw 85 businesses from across the country shortlisted in three main categories. The Local Enterprise Office initiative, supported by Enterprise Ireland and local authorities, started last September in secondary schools nationwide with over 30,000 students taking part this year. The initiative, funded by the Government of Ireland through Enterprise Ireland and delivered by the 31 Local Enterprise Offices in local authorities throughout the country, has seen over 450,000 take part in the programme since it began 23 years ago. Suet & Song, a business set up by Michael O'Keeffe from St Kieran's College in Kilkenny, creates high-quality, nutrient rich suet cakes for birds during the colder months and it took home the top prize in the Intermediate Category. A device that helps hikers and farmers cross electric fencing easily won the top award in the Junior category. Bumblebees is a business set up by Antonia O'Looney, Sophie Gilard, Guiliana Keane and Katelyn Murtagh from Drumshanbo Vocational School in Leitrim. Their WASP (Wire Anti Shock Protector) product is a device that enables people to push down the electric fence without receiving a shock, enabling them to cross safely. Meanwhile, the inaugural Student Enterprise Programme Alumni Award was presented to Fenu Health. Set up by sisters Kate and Annie Madden for the Student Enterprise Programme in 2016, the company creates supplements for equine health and their customers include five royal families.
