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BBC News
2 days ago
- General
- BBC News
Bishop abseils down Guildford Cathedral for charity
A Surrey bishop has abseiled down a cathedral wall to raise money for charity. The Right Reverend Andrew Watson scaled nearly 50 metres (160ft) down the tower of Guildford Cathedral, along with staff, bell ringers, members of the congregation and local community. "I can't pretend that the abseiling was anything other than terrifying," he said. "But it was wonderful to be cheered on by such a great bunch of people, including my fellow abseilers." The bishop, who was the first to abseil down, added that he was "really glad" to have done it. The 27 abseilers have so far raised more than £10,000 for Guildford Cathedral and the Bishop of Guildford's Communities Fund, which supports grassroots projects helping vulnerable people. "It was a day full of joy, community spirit and no small amount of bravery," Nicola Pratt, head of development at Guildford Cathedral, said. "We are incredibly grateful to everyone who took part and supported this event."Guildford Cathedral, which sits on Stag Hill, costs about £3,500 a day to keep its building and outreach, education and cultural programmes running.
France 24
07-06-2025
- General
- France 24
Meet the ‘kayak vigilante' fighting the Scottish salmon farming industry
Armed with a GoPro mounted on a telescopic pole, Staniford has been kayaking out to salmon farms for over six years. His mission: to film the circular cages holding tens of thousands of fish and expose what he calls "the horrors' of salmon farming. He then shares the footage across his social media platforms: People don't really know what's going on underneath the surface of the water, which is why it's very important for activists like me and others to film inside the cages and lift the lid to show the public what's really going on. Normally I'd kayak out very early in the morning. (...) It's a question of going to the farm when there are no workers. We don't harass workers, we don't intimidate workers. We're trying to film when no one else is there. We can have data on which farms have disease problems, which farms have deaths and mortalities, and target those farms. Staniford said he filmed around 60 salmon farms, predominantly in Scotland, as well as in Ireland and Denmark's Faroe Islands. 'The more fish you cram in a closed confinement space, the more diseases you get' Footage he captured during one of his excursions in September 2021 depicted dead fish floating on the surface, alongside others afflicted with raw flesh patches or swollen eyeballs. Staniford blames overcrowding for these conditions: You don't need to be a rocket scientist to work out that if you cram animals at high densities, you're going to get diseases. You're going to get viruses, parasites. The more fish you cram in a closed confinement space, the more diseases you get. And this is a function of intensive production. Among these parasites, Staniford says he has found sea lice, which feed on the skin and blood of salmon. Mass deaths In 2023, a record 17.4 million salmon died in Scottish farms, according to government data. The survival rate for juvenile salmon introduced two years earlier was 68.7%. The spokesperson for the industry group Salmon Scotland, Andrew Watson, told the FRANCE 24 Observers team that Scottish salmon farms had succeeded in improving survival rates in recent years. 'Following a £1 billion investment since 2018, we increased survival rates in 2024 to a four-year high. The Scottish salmon sector has delivered the best survival rates on record in the first quarter of 2025, averaging 99.02 per cent, while managing sea lice levels to an historic low,' Watson said. Initial 2024 data announced by the Scottish government in a January 17 report show no improvement in survival rates since 2018. Incidents have occurred in recent months, too. Videos released in June 2024 by activist group Animal Rising and filmed in northern Scotland appear to show fish suffering from burst eyeballs and skin wounds attributed to sea lice. Over one million farmed salmon also died in October 2024 at a Scottish farm operated by Norway's Mowi, the world's biggest producer of farmed salmon. It was the most significant mass die-off of farmed salmon in Scotland in a decade. While Mowi attributed the deaths to jellyfish blooms exacerbated by unprecedented sea temperature rises, campaigners have linked the incidents to the expansion of aquaculture farms and poor welfare. Salmon-farming companies routinely dismiss footage from Staniford and other activists as "selective" and "isolated examples", often attributing damage to external factors. Parliamentary inquiry However, the Scottish authorities themselves are taking up the issue. On January 17, 2025, the Rural Affairs and Islands (RAI) Committee of the Scottish Parliament published a report stemming from an inquiry conducted between April and December 2024. This followed the publication of a first inquiry in 2018. 'The Committee is disappointed by figures showing that mortality has not improved since the 2018 report,' the 2025 report stated. 'The Committee considers the current level of mortality to be too high in general across the sector, and it is very concerned to note the extremely high mortality rates at particular sites,' it also reads. While acknowledging some industry improvements, the Committee wrote it was 'concerned that preventing high mortality events is not currently within the operational capability of industry' and called for 'far greater transparency in reporting mortality rates and disease outbreaks'. The Committee also noted the impact of salmon farming on the global environment. Staniford says the effects of salmon farming go far beyond the boundaries of the farms themselves: The salmon farming industry discharges the waste effluent directly into the sea, which is sewage contamination. It also uses toxic chemicals. There are mass escapes from the farms that cause genetic contamination. And there's also the feed issue. Far from being a panacea for the world's food problem, we're actually overfishing. We're actually contributing to the crisis in world fisheries by fishing down the food chain. Injunctions The salmon farming industry takes a dim view of Staniford's activities. Scotland is the world's third-largest producer of Atlantic salmon, after Chile and Norway, making salmon farming a significant industry in the country. According to industry data, international sales of Scottish salmon reached £844 million (€1,000 million) in 2024, solidifying its standing as the U.K.'s largest food export. France remains the first export market, accounting for 55% of the total value of all Scottish salmon exports. Staniford is currently facing legal action from three prominent Norwegian and Faroese salmon-farming companies. The companies say his intrusions onto their facilities are unauthorised and present significant safety risks to both their personnel and fish stocks. Two of these companies successfully obtained an injunction in 2024, legally barring him from accessing the walkways of their salmon pens. Although Staniford indicated in November 2024 that he was considering retirement, he now appears more determined than ever to continue his fight: I'd love to retire. I'm 53. I'm too old; I don't want to be kayaking out to farms, and I don't want to be leaving my children on weekends. But if nobody else will do it, I will do it. In terms of retiring, if I'm banned from 75% of salmon farms in Scotland, then my job is done here. But maybe I'll just emigrate to Tasmania, Canada, Chile, or even France. They may be able to shut me down legally and have injunctions against me in Scotland. But maybe my retirement in Scotland will pave the way for me to move to another jurisdiction
Business Upturn
31-05-2025
- Business
- Business Upturn
Lancaster Resources Announces Closing Conditions Met for Lake Cargelligo Acquisition
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, May 30, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Lancaster Resources Inc. (CSE:LCR) (OTC Pink:LANRF) (FRA:6UF0) ('Lancaster'), is pleased to announce it has received approval from the Canadian Securities Exchange to complete the acquisition of the Lake Cargelligo Gold Project and has today completed the $400,000 non-brokered private placement financing as announced on April 23, 2025, which was fully subscribed. With all key conditions met, Lancaster expects the acquisition to close imminently. Lake Cargelligo Gold Project Highlights: District-scale opportunity: 28,768 hectares in a single, contiguous claim with over 25 km of prospective strike and three primary target zones. High-grade results: Historical sampling includes results up to 204 g/t Au and 273 g/t Ag from rock chips, and up to 16m @ 5.83 g/t Au and 7.20 g/t Ag from channel sampling.1 Acquisition Terms Under the terms of the definitive agreement, Lancaster will acquire a 100% interest in the Lake Cargelligo Gold Project. The total consideration for the acquisition is payable as follows: $10,000 in cash at closing; 10,000,000 common shares with voluntary resale restrictions, released over a 24-month period in staged tranches starting four months after closing. No finders' fees are payable in connection with the acquisition. The vendors will retain a 2% net smelter returns (NSR) royalty on all mineral production. Lancaster may repurchase 1% of the NSR for $2,000,000. The remaining 1% is subject to a repurchase right at fair market value based on a discounted cash flow valuation. Lancaster must incur $400,000 in exploration expenditures within 12 months of closing as an initial work commitment. Failure to do so, after a 60-day cure period, allows the vendors to reacquire the Project for $10,000. A second work commitment of $3,000,000 over 36 months is optional, with similar cure rights for the vendors to reacquire the Project for $50,000. Milestone payments of up to $3.68 million are payable as follows: $30,000 on completion of the first geophysics program; $50,000 on commencement of the first drill program; $50,000 upon raising $1,000,000 post-closing; $50,000 upon receipt of conditional ASX listing approval; $500,000 on a NI 43-101 or JORC-compliant 1Moz gold resource; $1,000,000 on a NI 43-101 or JORC-compliant PEA for a 1Moz resource; $2,000,000 on a NI 43-101 or JORC-compliant PFS for a 1Moz resource. Management Commentary 'With gold reaching record highs and demand remaining robust, we believe Lake Cargelligo is a timely and strategic addition to our portfolio,' said Lancaster CEO Andrew Watson. 'Our team is preparing a Phase 1 exploration program for Summer/Fall 2025 aimed at unlocking the Project's excellent geological and geochemical potential.' All exploration results are historical in nature and have not been verified by a Qualified Person under NI 43-101. The Company considers these results relevant for exploration purposes but not necessarily indicative of mineralization on the property. Andrew Watson, President and CEO and a Director of the Company, is a Qualified Person as defined under National Instrument 43-101 – Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects . Mr. Watson has reviewed and approved the scientific and technical information contained in this news release. Mr. Watson is not independent of the Company. About Lancaster Resources Inc. Lancaster Resources Inc. is a Canadian exploration company focused on advancing a diversified portfolio of critical mineral and precious metal assets. The Company holds a 100% interest in the Piney Lake Gold Project in Saskatchewan and maintains additional uranium exploration projects at Catley Lake and Centennial East in the Athabasca basin, Saskatchewan, as well as the Alkali Flat Lithium Project in New Mexico. Lancaster has also signed a definitive agreement to acquire the Lake Cargelligo Gold Project in New South Wales, Australia. Andrew Watson, President & Chief Executive Officer, Lancaster Resources Inc. [email protected] Tel: 604 923 6100 The Canadian Securities Exchange has not reviewed, approved nor disapproved the contents of this news release. Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements Certain statements contained in this press release constitute forward-looking information. These statements relate to future events, or Lancaster's future performance. The use of any of the words 'could', 'expect', 'believe', 'will', 'projected', 'estimated' and similar expressions and statements relating to matters that are not historical facts are intended to identify forward-looking information and are based on Lancaster's current belief or assumptions as to the outcome and timing of such future events. Actual future results may differ materially. In particular, the ability of Lancaster to execute its exploration plans, ability to complete the acquisition of the Lake Cargelligo Gold Project, raise capital, retain key personnel, identify, acquire, explore, and develop high-quality mineral-rich properties constitute forward-looking information. Actual results and developments may differ materially from those contemplated by forward-looking information. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information. The statements made in this press release are made as of the date hereof. Lancaster disclaims any intention or obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be expressly required by applicable securities laws. 1 Sources include: (1) Carpentaria Exploration Ltd., 2014 Annual Report for EL8095; (2) Aberfoyle Exploration Pty Ltd., First and Final Report for EL1770, June 1982; (3) Lachlan Resources N.L., First Six-Month Progress Report for EL2914; and (4) MinView database from the Geological Survey of NSW ( nview ). Disclaimer: The above press release comes to you under an arrangement with GlobeNewswire. Business Upturn takes no editorial responsibility for the same.
Yahoo
31-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Lancaster Resources Announces Closing Conditions Met for Lake Cargelligo Acquisition
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, May 30, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Lancaster Resources Inc. (CSE:LCR) (OTC Pink:LANRF) (FRA:6UF0) ('Lancaster'), is pleased to announce it has received approval from the Canadian Securities Exchange to complete the acquisition of the Lake Cargelligo Gold Project and has today completed the $400,000 non-brokered private placement financing as announced on April 23, 2025, which was fully subscribed. With all key conditions met, Lancaster expects the acquisition to close imminently. Lake Cargelligo Gold Project Highlights: District-scale opportunity: 28,768 hectares in a single, contiguous claim with over 25 km of prospective strike and three primary target zones. High-grade results: Historical sampling includes results up to 204 g/t Au and 273 g/t Ag from rock chips, and up to 16m @ 5.83 g/t Au and 7.20 g/t Ag from channel sampling.1 Acquisition Terms Under the terms of the definitive agreement, Lancaster will acquire a 100% interest in the Lake Cargelligo Gold Project. The total consideration for the acquisition is payable as follows: $10,000 in cash at closing; 10,000,000 common shares with voluntary resale restrictions, released over a 24-month period in staged tranches starting four months after closing. No finders' fees are payable in connection with the acquisition. The vendors will retain a 2% net smelter returns (NSR) royalty on all mineral production. Lancaster may repurchase 1% of the NSR for $2,000,000. The remaining 1% is subject to a repurchase right at fair market value based on a discounted cash flow valuation. Lancaster must incur $400,000 in exploration expenditures within 12 months of closing as an initial work commitment. Failure to do so, after a 60-day cure period, allows the vendors to reacquire the Project for $10,000. A second work commitment of $3,000,000 over 36 months is optional, with similar cure rights for the vendors to reacquire the Project for $50,000. Milestone payments of up to $3.68 million are payable as follows: $30,000 on completion of the first geophysics program; $50,000 on commencement of the first drill program; $50,000 upon raising $1,000,000 post-closing; $50,000 upon receipt of conditional ASX listing approval; $500,000 on a NI 43-101 or JORC-compliant 1Moz gold resource; $1,000,000 on a NI 43-101 or JORC-compliant PEA for a 1Moz resource; $2,000,000 on a NI 43-101 or JORC-compliant PFS for a 1Moz resource. Management Commentary 'With gold reaching record highs and demand remaining robust, we believe Lake Cargelligo is a timely and strategic addition to our portfolio,' said Lancaster CEO Andrew Watson. 'Our team is preparing a Phase 1 exploration program for Summer/Fall 2025 aimed at unlocking the Project's excellent geological and geochemical potential.' All exploration results are historical in nature and have not been verified by a Qualified Person under NI 43-101. The Company considers these results relevant for exploration purposes but not necessarily indicative of mineralization on the property. Andrew Watson, President and CEO and a Director of the Company, is a Qualified Person as defined under National Instrument 43-101 – Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects. Mr. Watson has reviewed and approved the scientific and technical information contained in this news release. Mr. Watson is not independent of the Company. About Lancaster Resources Inc. Lancaster Resources Inc. is a Canadian exploration company focused on advancing a diversified portfolio of critical mineral and precious metal assets. The Company holds a 100% interest in the Piney Lake Gold Project in Saskatchewan and maintains additional uranium exploration projects at Catley Lake and Centennial East in the Athabasca basin, Saskatchewan, as well as the Alkali Flat Lithium Project in New Mexico. Lancaster has also signed a definitive agreement to acquire the Lake Cargelligo Gold Project in New South Wales, Australia. Andrew Watson, President & Chief Executive Officer, Lancaster Resources Tel: 604 923 6100 The Canadian Securities Exchange has not reviewed, approved nor disapproved the contents of this news release. Certain statements contained in this press release constitute forward-looking information. These statements relate to future events, or Lancaster's future performance. The use of any of the words 'could', 'expect', 'believe', 'will', 'projected', 'estimated' and similar expressions and statements relating to matters that are not historical facts are intended to identify forward-looking information and are based on Lancaster's current belief or assumptions as to the outcome and timing of such future events. Actual future results may differ materially. In particular, the ability of Lancaster to execute its exploration plans, ability to complete the acquisition of the Lake Cargelligo Gold Project, raise capital, retain key personnel, identify, acquire, explore, and develop high-quality mineral-rich properties constitute forward-looking information. Actual results and developments may differ materially from those contemplated by forward-looking information. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information. The statements made in this press release are made as of the date hereof. Lancaster disclaims any intention or obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be expressly required by applicable securities laws. 1 Sources include: (1) Carpentaria Exploration Ltd., 2014 Annual Report for EL8095; (2) Aberfoyle Exploration Pty Ltd., First and Final Report for EL1770, June 1982; (3) Lachlan Resources N.L., First Six-Month Progress Report for EL2914; and (4) MinView database from the Geological Survey of NSW ( in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Lancaster Granted Exploration License at Lake Cargelligo Gold Project
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, May 15, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Lancaster Resources Inc. (CSE:LCR) (OTC:LANRF) (FRA:6UF0) ('Lancaster'), is pleased to announce that the vendor of the Lake Cargelligo Gold Project received final approval from the State of New South Wales for an Exploration License at the Lake Cargelligo Gold Project (the "Project") in the famed Cobar mining district of New South Wales, Australia. The Project encompasses over 28,768 hectares under a single Exploration License (EL 9775) for Group 1 Minerals. The Exploration License is for a four-year term and will expire March 26, 2029. Lancaster announced its planned acquisition of the Lake Cargelligo Gold Project on April 23, 2025. As part of the approval of the license, Lancaster, as the buyer of the project, will be required to comply with the Work Program as submitted to the State, which has a minimum exploration commitment of AUD $82,500 (approximately $74,000 CAD) over 4 years. Lancaster looks forward to completing the acquisition in June 2025 and launching initial exploration work in Q3 2025 and significantly exceeding the minimum work program. 2025 Q3 Exploration Program: Lancaster is advancing an exploration program for the Project in Q3 2025. The primary focus will be identifying gold mineralization, re-evaluating and updating detailed geological and geophysical maps, and additional surface geochemical sampling with some drilling. Project Highlights: District-scale opportunity: 28,768 hectares in a single, contiguous claim with over 25 km of prospective strike and three primary target zones. High-grade results: Historical sampling includes results up to 204 g/t Au and 273 g/t Ag from rock chips, and up to 16m @ 5.83 g/t Au and 7.20 g/t Ag from channel sampling.1 Strategic location: Situated 60 km from the producing Mineral Hill Mine in one of Australia's most prolific gold regions. _________________________________ 1 Sources include: (1) Carpentaria Exploration Ltd., 2014 Annual Report for EL8095; (2) Aberfoyle Exploration Pty Ltd., First and Final Report for EL1770, June 1982; (3) Lachlan Resources N.L., First Six-Month Progress Report for EL2914; and (4) MinView database from the Geological Survey of NSW ( Comments 'Lancaster is pleased to have received a timely approval from the State of New South Wales for the Exploration License. This is an important step for us as we build on the momentum to unlock shareholder value and complete our financing for exploration in Q3 2025. We look forward to closing the private placement over the next couple of weeks and advancing all of Lancaster's precious and critical mineral projects,' said Andrew Watson, President and CEO of Lancaster Resources. All exploration results are historical in nature and have not been verified by a Qualified Person under NI 43-101. The Company considers these results relevant for exploration purposes but not necessarily indicative of mineralization on the property. Lancaster intends to close in June 2025 the acquisition of the Lake Cargelligo Gold Project and non-brokered private placement financing as announced on April 23, 2025. Andrew Watson, President & CEO and a Director of the Company, is a Qualified Person as defined under National Instrument 43-101 – Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects. Mr. Watson has reviewed and approved the scientific and technical information contained in this news release. Mr. Watson is not independent of the Company. This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any of the securities in the United States. The securities have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the 'U.S. Securities Act') or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to U.S. Persons unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws or an exemption from such registration is available. About Lancaster Resources Inc. Lancaster Resources Inc. is a Canadian exploration company focused on advancing a diversified portfolio of critical mineral and precious metal assets. The Company holds a 100% interest in the Piney Lake Gold Project in Saskatchewan and maintains additional uranium exploration projects at Catley Lake and Centennial East in the Athabasca basin, Saskatchewan, as well as the Alkali Flat Lithium Project in New Mexico and the Trans Taiga Project in Quebec. Lancaster has also signed a definitive agreement to acquire the Lake Cargelligo Gold Project in New South Wales, Australia. Andrew Watson, President & Chief Executive Officer, Lancaster Resources Tel: 604 923 6100 The Canadian Securities Exchange has not reviewed, approved nor disapproved the contents of this news release. Certain statements contained in this press release constitute forward-looking information. These statements relate to future events, or Lancaster's future performance. The use of any of the words 'could', 'expect', 'believe', 'will', 'projected', 'estimated' and similar expressions and statements relating to matters that are not historical facts are intended to identify forward-looking information and are based on Lancaster's current belief or assumptions as to the outcome and timing of such future events. Actual future results may differ materially. In particular, the ability of Lancaster to execute its exploration plans, ability to complete the acquisition of the Lake Cargelligo Gold Project, raise capital, retain key personnel, identify, acquire, explore, and develop high-quality mineral-rich properties constitute forward-looking information. Actual results and developments may differ materially from those contemplated by forward-looking information. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information. The statements made in this press release are made as of the date hereof. Lancaster disclaims any intention or obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be expressly required by applicable securities laws. A photo accompanying this announcement is available at in to access your portfolio
