Latest news with #CountyDown
BBC News
17 hours ago
- General
- BBC News
Special educational needs school leavers working as classroom assistants
Classroom assistants Dan McKee and Savanna Presho are both aged 20 and have Down's with 22-year-old Ben McCreight, who has a learning disability, they are working hard to make a positive difference to pupils at two primary schools in Bangor, County and Ben work as classroom assistants in Clandeboye Primary School, while Savanna works in Bloomfield Primary principal of Bloomfield PS, Rebecca Bishop, told BBC News NI that Savanna "brings out the best in our pupils." BBC News NI visited the school to see her at work in the school's polytunnel, helping the pupils learn about how to grow flowers, plants and also works with pupils in the school's nurture unit and P1, supporting the teacher."She's fitted in here like she's part of the furniture," Ms Bishop told BBC News NI."Savanna comes in here and just enjoys being part of our everyday."She brings that natural empathy which all children have within them, and that willingness to engage and to work with new people."It's nice for them to see somebody different coming into school and have that opportunity to shine with their own personalities." Just over a third of people with disabilities in Northern Ireland are in work, compared with more than half in the rest of the to the Department for the Economy (DfE), adults with disabilities in Northern Ireland are twice as likely to be unemployed as those without a disability. Making a difference At Clandeboye Primary School, principal Julie Thomas says Dan and Ben working in the school every Monday had made a difference to said he loved the children and staff in the school and looked forward to work every Monday."We help the kids doing PE and after that doing some work," he Thomas added: "Dan and Ben have been working with P1 and in our nurture room, The Nest, to help support the children with their practical activities and their social activities and also their time outside in the playground."Within a very short time, we've seen their confidence grow."They have grown in how they're seen within the building."They've made really good relationships with the staff as well as the children and we just see them as part of our staff now in Clandeboye Primary School." At Clandeboye, Dan and Ben were role models, Ms Thomas said."With us working now fully with children who have additional needs, I think it's important for the families of those children to see that there are other experiences once the children go beyond school life themselves and on into adulthood," she said. SEN support Parents and school principals have highlighted how support for young people with special educational needs (SEN) ends when they leave have campaigned for to change that and introduce statutory support until the age of is a situation that Robert McGowan runs Strides Day Opportunity Service in Bangor, which provides work experience and other classes for young adults who have come through special education. Mr McGowan arranged Dan, Ben and Savanna's placements as classroom assistants with the two primary schools."Dan started in special education as a boy of maybe five or six, so he's had 13 or 14 years in special education," he said."Then the provision stops. Once they reach the adult sector, there seems to be a gap there."All that effort, all that consistency, all that time that's been spent that can ease off and almost dry up."Mr McGowan also said it was important to provide "meaningful" work experience for young adults with disabilities.
The Sun
a day ago
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Leftie comics like Jo Brand on new ITV DNA show are a special horror – pillars of woke masquerading as ‘alternative'
TELEVISION is filled with all sorts of human horrors. In my experience, the worst of the lot, though, are comedians, who tend to be nasty, morose, selfish, short- tempered, needy, back-biting, point-scoring egomaniacs. 6 6 There are some honourable exceptions, obviously. The real nightmares, however, are the left-wing stand-ups who still see themselves as 'alternative' but are actually pillars of TV 's woke, middle-class establishment and confuse their foul-mouthed political tirades and posturing with A) Compassion and B) Comedy. Jo Brand and Julian Clary are hardly the worst of them, but they'll have to do because they've just entered the wow zone on DNA Journey, an ITV rip-off which operates in much the same way as BBC One's Who Do You Think You Are? Only significant differences, in fact, are the ITV celebs appear in tandem and finish with an underwhelming reveal where a sweet, old woman from County Down called Gabrielle Rush suddenly had to come to terms with the news she was Jo Brand's second cousin (not nearly enough times removed). Poverty porn Before we arrived at that dead end, though, the pair had to lay out their dreams for the Journey with the phrase 'shooting for the moon' not even coming close to covering this pair's fantasies. Because his great-grandfather was Irish, 'where all the comedy comes from,' Julian hoped he might be related to Oscar Wilde, while Jo wanted to find someone caring as she fancies herself as 'one of those people that wants to make things better for people'. Unless, of course, you're one of those people Jo disagrees with politically, when she wants to spray you with battery acid. In the event? Conveniently, Julian did indeed discover a distant ancestor had once taken a picture of Oscar Wilde, and he also learned he had a great grandfather (x2) who, according to a London historian, 'was a policeman who'd served under Inspector Rimmer and Inspector Lecoq.' Here they also established a link to Jack the Ripper (Julian's GGx2 hadn't nicked him) that was almost as vague as the one they established to the serial killer during Alex Brooker's DNA Journey and Gemma Collins' Who Do You Think You Are? Gavin & Stacey star Alison Steadman breaks down in tears at life-changing discovery on DNA Journey For the truth is, of course, if they are desperate enough, ancestral shows can link everyone who lived in late 19th-century London to Jack the Ripper, just as lazily as they can link almost everyone with an Irish relative to the potato famine. In Jo's case, though, it was another of their obsessions. Poverty porn. Her great-grandfather, it transpired, had risen from the depths of a cholera-infested London hellhole to become a first-class dining car attendant on the railways, who rose to 'the very top of his profession'. A triumph of the human spirit that reminded Jo of someone else. Any guesses? 'I always thought that a bit about myself and comedy, because the reality was an Oxbridge education was more of a ticket to get on at the BBC. I had to do it all by myself.' You can see why a middle-class, home counties, grammar school girl like Jo wants to play the prole, obviously. In all of human history, though, there can't be many people as lucky and privileged as Jo Brand and Julian Clary, who may well have been inconvenienced by the fact they weren't nearly as funny as Oxbridge boys like Not The Nine O'Clock News and Python, at the start of their careers, but quickly became part of comedy's new right-on establishment and have both screwed a 40-year living out of TV on little more than innuendo and mildly amusing observations about cake. There's no chance of getting rid of them now either. They're fixtures. So I hope TV takes a slightly more ruthless approach with genealogy shows, which have been nothing but a series of let-downs since WDYTYA discovered in 2016 that Danny Dyer was heir to the throne, and rarely leave you with anything more than one fact you'll remember beyond the closing credits, as was demonstrated last night. 'Analysis has shown Jo Brand is 37 per cent Irish.' And still 63 per cent stout. GAME'S UP FOR PADDY 6 AFTER a month of spin-off shows and Sam Thompson 's bellowing theatrics, I'd been fully expecting to hate every moment of Soccer Aid 's England versus a World XI charity game, on Sunday night. Come the big day, however, something strange happened. England manager Tyson Fury started swearing a lot, for starters. Then, with the World XI trailing 3-0, Carlos Tevez suddenly started playing like the Golden Boot was at stake while the great Leonardo Bonucci forgot himself entirely and nearly put Lioness Steph Houghton in traction with the most brutally executed sliding tackle you've seen all season. Before you knew it, the score was 4-4 and the game was heading to the time-lengthening penalty shoot-out sponsors Unicef had probably been craving all night. Right up until the moment that foghorning oaf Big Zuu barrelled in from nowhere to stick an 83rd minute winner inside England goalkeeper Paddy McGuinness 's near post. At which point, Zuu set off on the wildest goal celebrations since Marco Tardelli's 'Scream for Italy' at the 1982 World Cup final and I could contain myself no longer and laughed until it nearly hurt. Throughout it all, of course, commentator Sam Matterface and the other ITV worthies insisted the 'most important and amazing' thing here was the £15million raised for charity, but they couldn't have been much more wrong. Via trial and a lot of funny errors, Soccer Aid had actually discovered something Paddy McGuinness does more disastrously than host A Question Of Sport. And that's truly amazing. SPEAKING entirely for herself at the Queen's Club tennis tournament, BBC's Anne Keothavong: 'You know what you're going to get with Tatjana Maria, low balls below the knees and you've got to get under them.' UNEXPECTED MORONS IN THE BAGGING AREA THE Finish Line, Roman Kemp: 'Got To Be Certain was an Eighties hit for which Aussie pop star?' Paul: ' Ozzy Osbourne. ' Tipping Point, Ben Shephard: 'Beginning in 1756, in what year did the Seven Years War end?' Pete: '1649.' And Tipping Point for Soccer Aid, Ben Shephard: 'Billy and Nanny are names commonly given to the adult male and female of which farm animal?' Chris Hughes: 'Pig.' RANDOM TV IRRITATIONS THE parents of Love Island's Blu naming their son after a toilet freshener. ITN's Robert Peston trying to dress like a Mafia hitman at the G7 summit. EastEnders expecting the sort of herograms for Joel's toxic masculinity storyline it'll only ever get when it has the balls to do a Pakistani grooming gang plot (ie. never). And Love Island reaching the point of no return, on Saturday night's show, when Irish Megan, announced 'I need to shave my minge,' which was the cue for me to floss my wisdom teeth and switch off for ever. TV GOLD 6 THE Contestant episode of BBC4's Storyville detailing the exact moment TV lost its conscience forever. Matthew Goode's starring role as DCI Carl Morck on Netflix's Dept Q. Broadcasting hero Nick Ferrari eating the Government's Economic Secretary to the Treasury, Emma Reynolds, for breakfast, on LBC. Channel 4 's Night Coppers remaining eternally good-humoured in the face of feral Britain. And Neil Forsyth's The Gold, on BBC One, producing memorable performances from Joshua McGuire (Douglas Baxter), Tom Cullen, (John Palmer) and Sam Spruell as Charlie Miller who, contrary to every report I've seen, wasn't a made-up character at all but a nom de plume for a very real and very terrifying South London gangster called John Fleming. THE Chase, Bradley Walsh: ' is a website mainly dedicated to what football. . .' 'Team?' Oh. LOOKALIKE OF THE WEEK 6 THIS week's winner is MI5's Partick Thistle-supporting Director General Ken McCallum and Sue Perkins. Emailed in by Francis Harvey. PAUL MERSON: 'The top four will be Liverpool, Arsenal, Man City, Newcastle and Forest.' Sue Smith: 'Sometimes you don't remember memories.' And Rio Ferdinand: 'When things get uncomfortable Inter Milan are always comfortable.' (Compiled by Graham Wray)
BBC News
2 days ago
- BBC News
Lindsay Brown: Rugby commentator Mark Robson kept Bangor Grammar School abuse secret
Mark Robson has one of the most recognisable voices in rugby outsiders, he has been living the dream - travelling the world covering a sport he is passionate in reality, he was suppressing a dark and distressing was abused at Bangor Grammar School by the prolific paedophile Lindsay vice principal served two sentences for abusing boys at the County Down school - seven years in 1998 for a catalogue of abuse between 1968 and 1982 and for a further eight months for similar offences in 2021. He died in 2023. Warning: This article contains distressing content "He had a type and I was it: blonde hair and blue eyes," Robson told the BBC's The State of Us podcast."I didn't tell anyone, not even my schoolmates. I thought I was the only one."Speaking on the podcast, Robson has revealed publicly for the first time the extent and impact of the abuse he endured from Brown. 'I was in denial' Robson describes Brown as a charismatic and very popular teacher. "All the parents loved him, all the staff loved him," he said."The boys who weren't being abused loved him."His grooming technique, which I'm not going to reveal because I don't want to give anyone any ideas, was incredibly clever and incredibly devious because he made me feel that he loved me."Not telling anyone was part of Robson's attempt to deal with what had happened to him. That continued until he was well into adulthood."I loved my life because I refused to accept this had ever occurred," he said."I was in denial, I buried it." When he was 28, Robson received a phone call that changed everything."It was the then (police) vice squad and they said, 'We hear you were one of Lindsay Brown's boys'. I'll never forget the words the girl on the phone used."The effect on me was catastrophic."It was only then I realised what had happened to me."The commentator was about to go to New Zealand to cover the Commonwealth Games for the BBC. "I went completely nuts in New Zealand," he said."We broadcast all day and drank and partied all night - that was my way of trying to drown away these thoughts that were in my head."When he came back, he developed symptoms of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME) and said he went into "complete mental and physical freefall".That lasted for almost 20 the time he was 40, he had left his job at Sky Sports and came home to Bangor to live with his parents."I became non-verbal for two years and I was confined to the house - I disappeared," he said."I didn't see the point in speaking. My head at that time was full of white noise. I had no room for words." Disclosing to his parents what Brown had done was difficult. Neither had any idea their son was one of his he was ill and housebound, Robson said his father became his rock and cared for him every day."He would tell me to get up out of bed and have a cup of tea - and he was right. If I did that, it was a successful day."While his recovery has been slow, he is now back working as a successful commentator."For the last 15 years, I have been well," he said."I still have this burning anger - mostly directed at the world. I'm angry about him and what happened and it affects my personality."His escape, he said, has been exercise. He enjoys fell running in mountains around the world and sea swimming close to home in Bangor."It releases endorphins and has helped me to recover," he can listen to the full interview on The State of Us podcast on BBC you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this story please see the BBC's Action Line for groups and resources which may be able to help.
BBC News
13-06-2025
- BBC News
Mount Stewart: BBC Winterwatch to host 2025 show at County Down estate
Mount Stewart in County Down will be the venue for Winterwatch 2026, the BBC has woodlands, farmland fields, hedgerows and ponds are home to about 10,000 recorded species, and its location on the shores of Strangford Lough will allow viewers plenty of opportunity to spot winter National Trust site suffered massive tree loss during Storm Éowyn in January estate team has also made plans to protect its plants and gardens from the predicted effects of climate change. The Springwatch 2025 team has already spent the past week at Mount Stewart and will return for four nights in early January. 'The perfect location' Presenters Chris Packham, Michaela Strachan and Iolo Williams will be finding out about the latest wildlife updates, with red squirrels, pine martens and badgers all expected to put in an like the linnet, goldfinch and redwing are also frequent visitors to the estate for its berries and seeds. Jack Bootle, the BBC's head of specialist factual commissioning, said Mount Stewart was "beautiful and teeming with wildlife", making it the "perfect" location for Winterwatch."We're delighted to be working with the National Trust and our partners at the Open University to bring this amazing part of Northern Ireland to audiences across the UK," he said. Live cameras Live cameras will be set up across the site and viewers from across the UK will be able to get involved in the programmes."We know how much BBC audiences will enjoy getting to see more of Mount Stewart and its wildlife," said BBC Northern Ireland's director Adam Smyth."We are delighted to be working with BBC Studios and the Natural History Unit in bringing this large-scale BBC outside broadcast to Northern Ireland," he said."It should be a perfect start to the new television year." The estate's general manager, Jenny Ferguson, said her team was "thrilled" to be welcoming the Winterwatch team back in January."We are excited to tell more stories about the wide range of wildlife which makes their home here on the shores of Strangford Lough and across the wider demesne, plus the challenges nature and our teams face in adapting to the changing climate and more regular and extreme weather events," she added.
BBC News
10-06-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
PSNI complete investigation after alleged incident at Police Ombudsman's home
An investigation following an alleged domestic incident at the home of Police Ombudsman Marie Anderson has been completed, with a file of evidence sent to the Public Prosecution Service (PPS).The investigation was carried out by West Midlands Police at the request of the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI).It followed an alleged incident at Mrs Anderson's County Down home in September 2023. At the time, she faced calls from unionist parties to temporarily step aside, but she remained in post. A PPS spokeswoman said it had received an investigation file reporting one individual for potential offences of perverting the course of justice and misconduct in public office following the police investigation. "All the available evidence in the investigation file will be carefully considered by a senior public prosecutor and the test for prosecution applied," she added."A decision will issue in due course."All PPS decision-making is independent, impartial and in line with the code for prosecutors."As ombudsman, Mrs Anderson's office oversees investigations into police took up the position in 2019 and the fixed term of office is for seven years.
