Latest news with #SDS
Scotsman
2 days ago
- Business
- Scotsman
Partnership gives Fife teens boost on career ladder
Two female Fifers are building their construction careers thanks to a partnership between the local careers service and a major employer. Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Emily Morrison and Lara Montgomery were given the chance to gain work experience at the development site for the new Fife College Dunfermline Learning Campus, which has cemented their ambition to work in construction. The opportunities were created thanks to connections made between Skills Development Scotland (SDS) careers advisers in Fife and international infrastructure group Balfour Beatty. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Careers Adviser Emma Balfour knew the opportunity would be invaluable to both 17 year-old Emily and 16 year-old Lara, who she met as pupils at St Columba's High. L-R - Emily Morrison and Lara Montgomery Lara, now studying joinery at Fife College would get hands on experience whilst young carer Emily, who has just left school, was unsure about her future. Emma explained: 'In school, Lara came for advice and help around applying for college courses. Woodwork was the only subject she enjoyed and so she was keen to progress in that and we successfully worked together to get her a college place. After that, she visited me at the careers office to explain that, whilst she liked her course, she wanted to know if there were other options open to her within construction. 'Emily didn't feel like she fitted in at school. I would often meet with her at other locations and built up a good relationship with her, setting her up with a Young Carers Card and helping her apply for a part time job at McDonalds. Whilst she knew she would like to do something practical as a career, she didn't have any qualifications to apply for college. I thought the experience at the campus would give her a fantastic insight into construction careers.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Both teens jumped at the chance and Emily, from Kelty, gained two weeks experience on site while Lara, from Dunfermline, was able to fit in four days of work around her studies. L-R SDS Careers Adviser Emma Balfour; Lara Montgomery; Emily Morrison; Balfour Beatty Social Impact Advisor Bethany Welsh Emily said: 'I was going to leave school with no plan. I was so confused and I didn't have a clue about my future until I spoke to Emma. Emma thought a hands-on job would suit me, but I'd never thought of construction before, even though my dad thought I would do well in that type of work.' Lara said: 'Getting this chance through Emma and Balfour Beatty was amazing and it has helped me to realise that I'm on the right career path.' During their time on site, Emily and Lara experienced the wide range of roles involved in the project to show the variety of jobs available within construction. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Emily and Lara were accredited by the Engineering Development Trust, to acknowledge their achievements, and their efforts have also led to both getting offers of paid work experience from Balfour Beatty. Bethany Welsh, Balfour Beatty's Social Impact Advisor who oversaw the placements, said: "We are proud to have supported the development of emerging talent through the Dunfermline campus project, providing valuable opportunities for young female professionals to grow within the industry. "Through close collaboration with our team, Lara and Emily have demonstrated outstanding commitment, enthusiasm, and adaptability, seamlessly integrating into the workplace. As we near the project's completion, we remain dedicated to fostering future opportunities and supporting the next generation of talent in the sector."
Straits Times
12-06-2025
- Sport
- Straits Times
'Sharky'-led SDS win first Baller League UK title
LONDON - Six-a-side team SDS FC, managed by online infuencer "Sharky". won the UK's inaugural Baller League on Thursday, beating MVPs United 4-2 in the final at London's O2 arena in a burgeoning new tournament that shakes up soccer's traditional format. SDS dominated the first half, roaring into a 4-1 lead in the game, which includes special rules such as "Plus One" that briefly cuts the teams to one-versus-one plus goalkeepers. TV host Maya Jama's MVPs cut the deficit by one goal in the second period, but were unable to mount a serious comeback in front of thousands of fans inside the arena and many more watching online, including 100,000 on YouTube. "It means everything ... I always believed," said "Sharky", whose real name is Sharmarke Mohamud, in a pitchside interview. "Being a champion just feels amazing," added SDS player David Marques Castanho, who got on the scoresheet. SDS reached the final by defeating Deportrio while MVPs overcame Yanited FC in 30-minute games played earlier on Thursday in the UK's "Baller League Final Four". The tournament was founded in Germany in 2023, where games were first played in an airport hangar, expanded to the UK this year and is also set to launch in the United States. A Spanish-founded similar format, called the Kings League, is also growing rapidly, even though traditionalists scoff at the games as a gimmicky distortion of pure football. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
The Star
12-06-2025
- Sport
- The Star
Soccer-'Sharky'-led SDS win first Baller League UK title
LONDON (Reuters) -Six-a-side team SDS FC, managed by online infuencer "Sharky". won the UK's inaugural Baller League on Thursday, beating MVPs United 4-2 in the final at London's O2 arena in a burgeoning new tournament that shakes up soccer's traditional format. SDS dominated the first half, roaring into a 4-1 lead in the game, which includes special rules such as "Plus One" that briefly cuts the teams to one-versus-one plus goalkeepers. TV host Maya Jama's MVPs cut the deficit by one goal in the second period, but were unable to mount a serious comeback in front of thousands of fans inside the arena and many more watching online, including 100,000 on YouTube. "It means everything ... I always believed," said "Sharky", whose real name is Sharmarke Mohamud, in a pitchside interview. "Being a champion just feels amazing," added SDS player David Marques Castanho, who got on the scoresheet. SDS reached the final by defeating Deportrio while MVPs overcame Yanited FC in 30-minute games played earlier on Thursday in the UK's "Baller League Final Four". The tournament was founded in Germany in 2023, where games were first played in an airport hangar, expanded to the UK this year and is also set to launch in the United States. A Spanish-founded similar format, called the Kings League, is also growing rapidly, even though traditionalists scoff at the games as a gimmicky distortion of pure football. (Reporting by Streisand Neto; Editing by Ken Ferris)
Leader Live
11-06-2025
- Politics
- Leader Live
Women targeted by undercover police hit back at calls for inquiry to be wound up
The cost of the Undercover Policing Inquiry (UCPI) could top £200 million, the Daily Telegraph reported, quoting shadow home secretary Chris Philp as saying the cost was out of control and the inquiry should be 'rapidly wound up'. Former detective Martyn Underhill told the newspaper: 'The time taken, and the spiralling costs, are now becoming a national embarrassment.' The Telegraph also quoted an unnamed political source as claiming the inquiry had become a 'gravy train' for lawyers. But campaign group Police Spies Out of Lives, which represents women deceived into relationships with undercover officers, said their outrage should be directed at the practices of the police moles rather than the cost of officially exposing them. A spokesperson said: 'Whilst we agree that the public inquiry into undercover policing has taken far too long to deliver its findings – in part by allowing the police to delay matters with endless requests for anonymity for their officers – we are dismayed that the outrage expressed by the shadow home secretary, 'political sources' and others is simply the inquiry's cost. 'The real outrage should be in response to the appalling actions of this unlawful, undemocratic undercover policing unit and the lack of legal safeguards in place to prevent this happening again. 'To end the inquiry now would waste the opportunity to understand this abusive state overreach and to make meaningful recommendations for the protection of current and future citizens.' The UCPI was set up in 2015 to look at the activities of two shadowy police units – the Metropolitan Police's Special Demonstration Squad (SDS), which existed between 1968 and 2008; and the undercover part of the National Public Order Intelligence Unit (NPOIU), which existed between 1999 and 2010. A public outcry was sparked when it was revealed women had been tricked into sexual relationships with undercover officers and that police spies had used the identities of dead children without their families' permission. Family justice campaigns, including for murdered teenager Stephen Lawrence, were spied upon; and there are claims that some officers were arrested or prosecuted for crimes under fake identities, leading to potential miscarriages of justice for their co-defendants. The next batch of evidence hearings, looking at the SDS between 1993 and 2007 which will cover the murder of Stephen Lawrence, are due to begin in October, and the inquiry itself is planned to finish in 2026. To date, the cost of the inquiry itself is just under £110 million. An inquiry spokesman said: 'The inquiry remains committed to getting to the truth of undercover policing and completing its investigations into over 50 years of secret policing into people's private lives and political movements. 'This includes uncovering the deception of women into sexual relationships, the use of deceased children's identities as cover names and reporting on political and justice groups. 'To date, the inquiry has heard evidence of allegations of serious criminality by undercover officers in their undercover personas. 'The inquiry has made several referrals to the Miscarriage of Justice Panel in respect of convictions believed to be unsafe. 'In some cases this has led to the quashing of convictions, including that of an activist who had their conviction quashed earlier this year based on evidence uncovered by the inquiry. 'The inquiry is transparent on its costs and publishes quarterly updates on spend on the inquiry website.'
Glasgow Times
11-06-2025
- Politics
- Glasgow Times
Women targeted by undercover police hit back at calls for inquiry to be wound up
The cost of the Undercover Policing Inquiry (UCPI) could top £200 million, the Daily Telegraph reported, quoting shadow home secretary Chris Philp as saying the cost was out of control and the inquiry should be 'rapidly wound up'. Former detective Martyn Underhill told the newspaper: 'The time taken, and the spiralling costs, are now becoming a national embarrassment.' The Telegraph also quoted an unnamed political source as claiming the inquiry had become a 'gravy train' for lawyers. But campaign group Police Spies Out of Lives, which represents women deceived into relationships with undercover officers, said their outrage should be directed at the practices of the police moles rather than the cost of officially exposing them. A spokesperson said: 'Whilst we agree that the public inquiry into undercover policing has taken far too long to deliver its findings – in part by allowing the police to delay matters with endless requests for anonymity for their officers – we are dismayed that the outrage expressed by the shadow home secretary, 'political sources' and others is simply the inquiry's cost. 'The real outrage should be in response to the appalling actions of this unlawful, undemocratic undercover policing unit and the lack of legal safeguards in place to prevent this happening again. The inquiry's first interim report was published in 2023 (Yui Mok/PA) 'To end the inquiry now would waste the opportunity to understand this abusive state overreach and to make meaningful recommendations for the protection of current and future citizens.' The UCPI was set up in 2015 to look at the activities of two shadowy police units – the Metropolitan Police's Special Demonstration Squad (SDS), which existed between 1968 and 2008; and the undercover part of the National Public Order Intelligence Unit (NPOIU), which existed between 1999 and 2010. A public outcry was sparked when it was revealed women had been tricked into sexual relationships with undercover officers and that police spies had used the identities of dead children without their families' permission. Family justice campaigns, including for murdered teenager Stephen Lawrence, were spied upon; and there are claims that some officers were arrested or prosecuted for crimes under fake identities, leading to potential miscarriages of justice for their co-defendants. The next batch of evidence hearings, looking at the SDS between 1993 and 2007 which will cover the murder of Stephen Lawrence, are due to begin in October, and the inquiry itself is planned to finish in 2026. To date, the cost of the inquiry itself is just under £110 million. An inquiry spokesman said: 'The inquiry remains committed to getting to the truth of undercover policing and completing its investigations into over 50 years of secret policing into people's private lives and political movements. 'This includes uncovering the deception of women into sexual relationships, the use of deceased children's identities as cover names and reporting on political and justice groups. 'To date, the inquiry has heard evidence of allegations of serious criminality by undercover officers in their undercover personas. 'The inquiry has made several referrals to the Miscarriage of Justice Panel in respect of convictions believed to be unsafe. 'In some cases this has led to the quashing of convictions, including that of an activist who had their conviction quashed earlier this year based on evidence uncovered by the inquiry. 'The inquiry is transparent on its costs and publishes quarterly updates on spend on the inquiry website.'
