Latest news with #Ker
Leader Live
11-06-2025
- Business
- Leader Live
Ker balances Wrexham AFC going for it and consolidation
It's a topic that Reds' executive director Humphrey Ker has touched upon, with the club having momentum following back-to-back-to-back promotions from the National League. However, coupled with ambition is the realisation there's plenty of infrastructure work required at the club. Speaking to Gabby Logan and Mark Chapman on The Sports Agents podcast, Ker said: 'It's an interesting one, because we talk a lot in the building about momentum. Like, we know that a huge amount of the success we've enjoyed this year was built on the foundations of two seasons ago. 'Our starting XI on the game that we clinched promotion against Charlton... if we hadn't got a couple of injuries, I think you might have had seven, maybe, players starting that game who had been with us in the National League. 'So, for us, that momentum is really important and you think, weirdly, despite all the many, many challenges and that we've got infrastructure issues, we don't have a training ground. 'Our stadium's very small, there's a lot of things that make it a little bit more difficult for us at present, this might be our best shot to go through the Championship.' Ker touched upon the subject of clubs in the second tier with Premier League parachute payments, which has been reduced with Luton Town's relegation to League One. While a fourth successive promotion would be welcomed by the club, Ker wouldn't actually mind a mid-table finish as Wrexham prepare for their first season in the second tier in over four decades. He added: 'I mean, realistically, if someone offered me 10th place now, I'd absolutely bite your hand off and would not worry too much about promotion. 'We're about to pump a load of money into this brand new stand, which is more than a stand for us. It's going to be a club shop. 'It's going to be offices. It's going to be a whole raft of things that go beyond just having an extra 5,000 seats in the stadium. 'We've got to do a training ground as well. We've got an awful lot of stuff we need to do.'
Perth Now
05-06-2025
- Automotive
- Perth Now
Road headaches for residents as ‘urgent works' incomplete
The troublesome intersection of Guildford Road and King William Street in Bayswater continues to remain untouched as residents call for intersection works to be completed. The City of Bayswater's annual general meeting of electors in March backed a motion from local resident Georgina Ker that the city's CEO ask Main Roads to 'urgently complete' intersection works and to raise the issue to the relevant State Government bodies. Ms Ker said at the meeting the improvements were budgeted for in the State's Black Spot program in 2018 but the project didn't proceed due to high construction cost estimates. Your local paper, whenever you want it. 'At the time we were promised upgraded pedestrian facilities, extension of turning pockets and installation of 'M' arms,' she said at the time. Ms Ker said the City of Bayswater approved the closure of Whatley Crescent for train station works in 2021 on the condition that the State Government fund and implement the improvements to the intersection. 'Now it's 2025, the train station works have been fully completed, we're still waiting on these long promised and much-needed improvements,' Ms Ker said. Ms Ker said there was a history of crashes at the intersection. According to Main Roads data, over the past five years there have been zero fatalities, three hospital crashes and 21 medical treatment crashes at the intersection. There were no crashes involving pedestrians or cyclists. The busy intersection awaits further works. Credit: Sophie Gannon A Main Roads spokesperson said Main Roads had not made any commitments to upgrade the intersection but had started work to identify potential future upgrades. 'Main Roads is constantly reviewing the entire road network to identify improvements and upgrades, but with over 100,000 intersections across the State there is always a requirement to prioritise resources,' the spokesperson said. Bayswater mayor Filomena Piffaretti said the city had been advocating to Main Roads WA for improvements on Guildford Road for years. 'During this time, we have been successful in securing a dedicated right-turn signal phase for city-bound vehicles turning from King William Street onto Guildford Road, as well as pedestrian warning lights added on the left-turn signal phase,' she said. 'The city will continue to raise this matter with the local member and Main Roads WA as this stretch of road is under their control.'
Hindustan Times
27-05-2025
- General
- Hindustan Times
Ker Sangri is now GI-tagged. And the world is finally noticing
Rajasthan's famous dish Ker Sangri has received a Geographical Indication or GI tag. This means it is now officially recognised as a special product that comes from a specific region and follows traditional ways of preparation. But what it is? Ker Sangri is made using two desert plants. The Ker is a small berry, while Sangri is a bean that grows on the Khejri tree. These ingredients grow naturally in the dry and sandy lands of the Thar Desert. In the past, people used them during times of drought when fresh vegetables were hard to find. What started as a survival food has now become a celebrated delicacy. The GI tag protects the identity of Ker Sangri. It means that only products made in Rajasthan using the local method can be called by this name. This helps stop fake or poor-quality versions from entering the market. It also supports local farmers and cooks by making sure they are fairly paid for their work. Preparing Ker Sangri is a careful and slow process. The Ker berries are often handpicked before animals like goats or camels can reach them. They taste bitter when raw but become delicious after being soaked, boiled, and cooked with Sangri, curd, red chillies, and spices. The final dish is tangy, spicy and full of earthy flavour. Ker Sangri is not just tasty but also healthy. It is high in fibre, low in fat and rich in nutrients. People in Rajasthan usually eat it with bajra roti and ghee, making it a filling and balanced meal. The Sangri bean grows on the Khejri tree, which is sacred in Rajasthan. The Bishnoi community has protected this tree for hundreds of years and considers it a symbol of life. Thanks to the GI tag, Ker Sangri now stands beside other well-known Indian foods that are linked to their home regions. Darjeeling tea was the first product in India to get a GI tag in 2004 and is known for its special aroma and light taste. Alphonso mangoes from Maharashtra, famous for their sweet and rich flavour, were awarded the GI tag in 2018. Bikaneri Bhujia, a crispy and spicy snack from Bikaner, Rajasthan, received its GI tag in 2008. Other notable GI-tagged foods include Kashmiri saffron, prized for its deep colour and strong aroma, which was granted the GI tag in 2020. Manipuri black rice, known for its rich nutrients and beautiful purple colour, earned its GI status in 2020.
Leader Live
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Leader Live
Wrexham promotion: Humphrey Ker's verdict on Phil Parkinson
When Dean Keates left his position at the end of the 2020-21 campaign, the club was looking to appoint the first new manager of the Ryan Reynolds/Rob McElhenney regime. Parkinson was available and he was sounded out about the possibility of taking the Racecourse hotseat - and the rest is history! The Reds finished runners-up in League One this season, securing an historic third successive promotion under Parkinson. The 57-year-old, who now has six promotions on his CV as manager, has taken Wrexham from non-league football to the Championship, and community director Ker is so glad the club got their man back in the summer of 2021. "When we knew that Phil was available and with his pedigree, everyone was very excited and very interested to see whether he would really come here and do X, Y and Z," said Ker, who played a key role in Hollywood stars Reynolds and McElhenney becoming co-owners at the north Wales club. "Thank God he did. We looked around and talked to various people, some very good managers, but the feedback we got from particularly Les Reed and Shaun Harvey, who knew Phil and knew him as a person, they just spoke so highly of him as a person. "One of the things I'm most proud of is talking to Jack Marriott, Ryan Longman and various players, just how much fun they have playing for Wrexham. "They look forward to coming into work and how that has not always been the case in their careers that they have played at lots of clubs where they have not looked forward to going into work. "That is something we're very proud of, that they enjoy it here playing for Phil." Wrexham were among the League One leaders all season and eventually secured automatic promotion to the second tier with a game to go. The competition for a top-two finish was fierce but Ker had faith in Parkinson. "Phil was always confident. He is a serial winner," said Ker, a comedy writer and actor, who first gave McElhenney the idea of investing in a football club. "He takes the rough with the smooth, doesn't get too high after a win, doesn't get too deflated after a defeat. "He just keeps coming back and doing what we need to do to be promoted, and he has done it again." Wrexham's fate was back in their hands after beating Blackpool 2-1 on Easter Monday, with closest rivals Wycombe Wanderers losing 4-0 at home to Charlton Athletic. MORE WREXHAM AFC NEWS: With the Chairboys losing their next match at Leyton Orient, Wrexham knew they would be seal second spot behind champions Birmingham City with victory over Charlton in the later kick-off and the Reds triumphed 3-0 to go straight up. Ker says what the players and staff deserve all the credit they get for what has been achieved. "It takes no small amount of character to do what they've done over the last three years and there are so many members of that dressing room and background staff who've been around for the whole thing," he added. "After the game against Blackpool, I tweeted for everyone to get behind them and know that if you do, they will deliver for you as they have done time and time again before. "That's the reality of it. All the staff and all the players are an extraordinary group of people. "I don't think we at the top of the tree can claim that much credit other than we picked the right people to do what needed to be done, and they've absolutely delivered."
Daily Mirror
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Wrexham chief sets the record straight on Tom Cairney and Jamie Vardy transfers
A senior figure at Wrexham has poured cold water on rumours linking the Hollywood-owned club with sensational moves for Premier League stars Tom Cairney and Jamie Vardy Wrexham director Humphrey Ker has set the record straight on the club's transfer business after being linked with several high-profile stars. The Red Dragons, owned by Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, are expected to spend big in the summer transfer window after securing promotion to the Championship last month. Fulham captain Tom Cairney, Leicester striker Jamie Vardy and Leeds United forward Patrick Bamford are among the names the club is rumoured to be pursuing. Ker was quizzed specifically about the three players while appearing on The Chris Moyles Show on Radio X. However, the comedian and writer appeared to pour cold water on fans' hopes of seeing them join Wrexham. Ker emphatically answered "no" when asked by Moyles if there was any truth in reports linking them to Vardy and Bamford. He then added: "Actually, I should stop doing this, because eventually you might say someone where I have to be like, 'Yes.' I will say that one of the things is that – much like Ryan Reynolds – the name Wrexham generates clicks, so we are starting now to get linked with absolutely everybody. "I'm like, 'Who?' I saw our fans getting absolutely incandescent on Twitter about it. 'What on Earth are they doing trying to sign this guy?' when none of us have heard of him before." Former BBC Radio 1 DJ Moyles then read out a message from a Fulham fan called Daniel, requesting for Ker and Wrexham to steer clear of Cairney. Ker replied: "Daniel, you got it," before adding: "I mean, he's a brilliant player, Tom Cairney, and I'm sure we'd be very grateful to have him. "But he is the very specific instance where our fans were like, 'I'm not sure about this, I don't know what they're doing. What does this mean about our transfer thing?' Like, we haven't had that conversation yet." Ker later said: "I will also say I'm a bit of a Grinch about that, because actually one most fun things about being a football fan is speculation about transfers. Why do I want to be out here crushing everyone else's good times?" Other names Wrexham have been linked with include Nottingham Forest midfielder Lewis O'Brien and Swansea City defender Harry Darling. As far as outgoings are concerned, star striker Paul Mullin has been linked with a shock move away from the Racecourse Ground following reported interest from Wigan Athletic. Wrexham boss Phil Parkinson announced his retained list last week, which saw the departures of veteran forward Steven Fletcher, stalwart goalkeeper Mark Howard and homegrown talent Jordan Davies. The Welsh side are preparing for life in the second tier after achieving an historic third successive promotion. Reynolds and McElhenney have previously made their goal of one day reaching the Premier League very clear. Meanwhile, it was recently revealed that the pair have taken a backseat on transfer business, with prospective players now more eager to join Wrexham than when they first took over. Sign up to our newsletter! Wrexham is the Game is great new way to get top-class coverage Wrexham AFC is the arguably the fastest-growing club in the world at the moment thanks to a certain Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney. The Dragons have achieved two consecutive promotions and are cheered on by crowds from not only North Wales but also from all over the globe, thanks to the success of the Disney+ documentary 'Welcome to Wrexham'. But does it have a dedicated, quality source of information piped through to your inbox each week, free of ads but packed with informed opinion, analysis and even a little bit of fun each week? That's where Wrexham is the Game steps in... Available every Wednesday, it provides all the insights you need to be a top red. And for a limited time, a subscription to 'Wrexham is the Game' will cost fans just £15 for the first year.
