Latest news with #IslesofScilly
BBC News
2 days ago
- Business
- BBC News
Aurigny strikes deal over Alderney air links
A deal struck between two airlines to help services in Alderney will "give more resilience and confidence", according to one of the island's airline Aurigny said it had been awarded a multi-year extension to its Public Service Obligation to run air services between the islands and Alderney and part of the deal, Aurigny said the Isles of Scilly Steamship Company's Skybus airline would provide two Twin Otter aircraft to its fleet from 1 of Alderney member Alex Snowdon said: "I think this is an important game-changer for the island to give more resilience and confidence to the Alderney community." The company said the aircraft from Skybus, which would be in Aurigny colours, would play an "integral role" in delivering air ambulance, mail, freight, and pet travel services to and from said Skybus would also provide replacement aircraft when its own aircraft were taken in for chief executive Nico Bezuidenhout said the deal was a "win-win" for the bailiwick."It strengthens Alderney's vital air links with more resilience in the fleet while also delivering better long-term value, helping to secure the future of these vital air services for our communities," he said.
BBC News
13-06-2025
- Health
- BBC News
New mainland hospital accommodation for Isles of Scilly patients
Accommodation to support patients from the Isles of Scilly who need medical treatment on mainland Britain is set to Island Haven, founded five years ago, planned the idea to create the home-from-home accommodation for patients and their families travelling to Cornwall for charitable organisation said patients often faced logistical and financial difficulties when needing hospital care in Truro because of the islands' remote location - especially if discharged late at night or needing regular treatments such as Tim Guthrie said it was important to have somewhere close to stay and for recovering patients to have their "nearest and dearest" with them. 'Know the need' He said: "It's not only for the islanders but the visitors - the same problems occur to them if they're taken ill."We've already got bookings coming in, so we already know the need and that's a great thing."The Haven, set to open on Saturday 14 June, is due to provide four bedrooms in its first Guthrie said planning permission had already been submitted for a fifth said: "It'll need to be expanded - what we have is not enough to cover the need."We will have that need for having a good financial bolster to assist people who really can't afford to come for a long period of medical need." Lisa Farrington-Martin is set to stay at the accommodation in the coming weeks after planned major surgery in said staying at a hotel would have cost too much for her and her husband during said: "We got in touch with the Island Haven and the relief that I felt as soon as they said we could stay a couple of days before and a few days afterwards, I could've cried. I was that relieved. "The levels of stress... have completely gone because of a result of it."Ms Farrington-Martin said lower cost accommodation was "an absolute game-changer"."It was a choice of me having to go over on my own to have major surgery and try and come back on my own or being able to have my husband with me," she said. One child, Orkney, has helped raise about £2,000 to fund the charity's accommodation by running 55km (34 miles) in five days, and a Samaya had to spend time on the mainland after giving birth to Orkney and was discharged during winter with no flights back said: "You just don't think about those extra costs when you live here. You don't plan to be flown off and have to stay in a hotel."We hadn't lived here that long and that was quite a shock... It's quite a lot to have to think about those extra things."Following the birth of another child and medical complications, Samaya and her family had to stay in a holiday home for a month in Cornwall."If Island Haven had been there at that time, it would have meant they were close by to me and would have been able to visit me more easily, and it's just that one less thing to worry about," she said.
BBC News
05-06-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Farmers 'making a change' to cut carbon emissions
A South West farmer said many in the industry were "embracing the challenge" of working more Smith, who farms on the Isles of Scilly and works with other farmers and growers to reduce their carbon footprint, said "weather patterns are changing", and farmers needed to "both reduce emissions and adapt to a changing climate as well".It follows the UK experiencing the warmest spring on record and predictions of a hotter-than-normal summer, with an increased chance for heatwaves. The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) said it was investing £5bn into farming, adding its "commitment to farmers and growers remains steadfast." "All the fruit, vegetables and herbs we grow are sold within the islands" said Mr Smith, who has run his organic horticultural business on St Martin's since 2003. Mr Smith added: "We minimise the use of tractors and limit materials such as plastic. We use seaweed, compost and green manures to fertilise the fields."We also plant and maintain trees, hedges and an orchard to help sequester carbon and boost biodiversity."Mr Smith said his business absorbed more carbon than it emitted. Farm Net Zero Andrew Brewer is a part of the Farm Net Zero project, which is working with farms across Cornwall to show the contribution agriculture makes to reducing greenhouse gas emissions."We used to buy a lorry load of fertiliser every month but we've not bought any now for five years. We make better use of our slurries and manure from our animals", Mr Brewer said. He added: "We're reducing our carbon footprint significantly". Farming is responsible for around 12% of the UK's total greenhouse gas emissions, according to the UK also has a legally-binding target, under the Climate Change Act, to be net zero by March 2025, concerns were raised by the National Farmers Union (NFU) over the impact of the sudden closure of the government's Sustainable Farming Initiative (SFI). The payment scheme was put in place to encourage farmers to carry out environmental work on their land. 'Climate-smart food production' A spokesperson for the NFU said: "The wet weather of the past two years and driest spring for a generation have had noticeable effects on farm assets and productivity, which is why we need to develop a strategic, multifunctional and coherent land use strategy focused on resource-efficient, climate-smart food production. "Everything comes back to sufficient funding."It added: "We need an agricultural budget which allows more farm businesses to take these important measures through the Sustainable Farming Incentive, and a nationwide flooding investment plan, which recognises rural needs, to make the UK more resilient to any extreme weather that comes our way." 'Investing record amounts' A Defra spokesperson said: "Our commitment to farmers and growers remains steadfast."That's why this government is investing £5 billion into farming and has appointed former NFU president Baroness Minette Batters to recommend new reforms to boost farmers profits."We are also investing record amounts in flood defences and have helped secure funding for nine new reservoirs."
BBC News
29-05-2025
- Lifestyle
- BBC News
Lobster 'releasathon' marks Cornish hatchery's anniversary
A Cornish marine conservation charity has been releasing baby lobsters into the wild to celebrate its 25th National Lobster Hatchery (NLH) was founded in Padstow in August 2000 to help preserve, research and educatedthe public about the European the charity is doing 25 releases in as many days as part of a "releasathon" to celebrate the Johns, senior technician at NLH, told BBC Radio Cornwall it was the "perfect point" in time to release the 300 baby lobsters - each about 10 weeks old and an inch (2.5cm) long. Mr Johns said: "It's at this stage in their life cycle that they become benthic, meaning they settle on the seabed and live in there [for 12 to 18 months]."He said burrowing in the sediment was an important stage in the lobsters' lives as it helped them learn how to live in the releasaton started in St Mary's in the Isles of Scilly, with further releases planned around the county, including one near St Michael's Mount.
BBC News
27-05-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Isles of Scilly helicopter passenger service expands fleet
A company which runs a helicopter passenger service between the Isles of Scilly and the mainland is expanding its fleet to meet increased Helicopters runs up to 11 daily flights between the islands and Penzance, taking up to 10 people per crossing. The company said the addition of another helicopter would increase its fleet to three aircraft and allow up to 17 crossings per Page, Penzance Heliport base manager, said passenger numbers had increased by 30% since helicopter operators Starspeed took over running the service in 2022. "The addition of a third aircraft will make a significant investment in the resilience, reliability and extra flights to the islands which is obviously what we need," Mr Page told BBC Radio added: "Initially we'll lease it [the aircraft] for a long-term period with the aim, eventually, to purchase it like we've done with the other two. "The two we're running at the moment ranged between about £15m and £20m." Mr Page said the business had connected with the community and held classes for schools and invited the local Women's Institute group for a tour. "It's an ambition of mine to really connect with our neighbours and the community and we have worked hard as a team to do that over the past three years," he said. Penzance Helicopters expect to receive their new aircraft in August and have it in operation for summer 2026.
