Latest news with #Stevenage
BBC News
10 hours ago
- Sport
- BBC News
Stevenage sign Fleetwood winger Patterson
Stevenage have signed winger Phoenix Patterson from Fleetwood Town for an undisclosed 24-year-old came through the youth systems at Wycombe Wanderers, Tottenham Hotspur and Watford before making his professional debut with Irish side Waterford four years has joined the League One club after spending the past two and a half seasons with Fleetwood, making 104 appearances and scoring seven becomes the fourth new signing by Stevenage this summer following the arrivals of midfielder Jordan Houghton and defender Saxon Earley from Plymouth Argyle and Wolverhampton Wanderers winger Chem Campbell.
BBC News
4 days ago
- General
- BBC News
Free Father's Day gifts 'keeps a little part of dad with me'
A woman who set up a table piled high with free gifts and handmade items for Father's Day - in memory of her late dad - said she was overwhelmed by the outpouring of love for her Davies, 43, from Stevenage, lost her father Howard Ryder, 82, to bowel cancer in Saturday, the keen Hertfordshire crafter stacked a table in the town's Fairlands Valley Park with knitted hats, trinkets, flowers and food inviting people to take what they wanted."I don't want money at all - doing this keeps a little of dad with me and makes me happy," she said. "One woman came and took just one lily - she said she was on her way to the cemetery and she thanked me." Mrs Davies, who runs a dog training business with her husband, has a craft workshop in her garden and made many of the items began leaving out free gifts for Mother's Day after her mum died eight years ago, and then the tradition continued for Father's Day. This year's items included hand-knitted woolly hats, each one accompanied with a cake or chocolate bar and a wrapped tea bag, reflecting some of the things her own father loved."He could drink a gallon of tea," she plants and garden ornaments reflect her father's love of gardening, while puzzle books recall his love of quizzes and apple pies his love for the pudding "with bottomless custard".A recurring theme is bee-inspired items such as yellow and black knitted bobble hats."Dad called me Honeybee. No-one calls me that now," Mrs Davies said. The idea of stacking a table with gifts was cathartic, she explained."I find comfort by doing this."I like seeing people happy and I try to provide things they might like or want. Mum and dad loved this park and I want people to feel a bit of that love in Stevenage."Mrs Davies put her items out early on Saturday and by about 15:00 BST almost everything had left a note on the table asking people to perhaps remember her own father, and to take what they wanted in his memory - but she did not stay to see any visitors or woman with the lily and a small boy who said he was embarrassed because he wanted one item for himself and another for his father - were the exceptions."Someone said they had no money but this is not conditional - there are no obligations and I do not want anything in return other than the little bit of peace I get by doing this," Mrs Davies said."It is like dad is still in a little corner of my world."She posted photographs of the gifting table on a local Stevenage Facebook group and was amazed by the than 2,600 people reacted to the post and almost 300 left comments - some with fond memories of her father - and others praising her generosity.A bunch of flowers was left for her anonymously at the table as well as a bottle of people offered to make charitable donations in her father's name, but instead she suggested: "Just do something nice for someone else." Follow Beds, Herts and Bucks news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
BBC News
13-06-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Doncaster sign Wycombe striker Hanlan
Doncaster Rovers have signed Wycombe Wanderers striker Brandon Hanlan on a two-year 28-year-old will join the League Two title winners on 1 July when his contract with the Chairboys scored 11 goals in 94 league appearances for Wycombe and ended last season on loan at Stevenage."He's a lovely kid who loves football and just wants to do as well and score as many goals as he can which is something I think we can help him with," boss Grant McCann told the club website., external
BBC News
11-06-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Stevenage bus station art approved despite cyclists' concerns
A sculpture is to be put up outside a bus station despite concerns raised by a cycling Borough Council's planning committee have approved plans for the 2.5m (about 8ft) artwork, showing three stacked rocks, to be installed outside the entrance to Stevenage Borcherds, of Cycling UK Stevenage, said she was not against the work but the location was not council officers said they had consulted both the highways authority and their engineers, and the location "would meet guidance for the space left between the sculpture and the edges of footpaths". Ms Borcherds said: "The concerns we are raising are entirely related to the location and certainly not the artwork itself."People approaching the junction from all directions need to be able to see each other to share the space safely."The work was commissioned by the council from community group Junction 7 the planning committee meeting, Labour councillor Lynda Guy suggested the "great" sculpture could be placed on the other side of the bus station rather than being "plonked" down in the intended location, the Local Democracy Reporting Service Democrat Stephen Booth, the leader of the opposition, suggested it could be moved "to front the actual bus station so that passers-by, motorists will see it and it would be a more suitable location".The artwork is part of a wider scheme featuring mosaics "which will all tell a story with regards to Stevenage history and also personal journeys of the residents living in Stevenage", said planning officer Ailsa Davis. Follow Beds, Herts and Bucks news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
BBC News
11-06-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Cambridge runner breaks Guinness World Record after heart surgery
A runner who had open heart surgery has broken a Guinness World Hunt, from Cambridge, ran the Stevenage marathon in three hours and six publishers of the famous record book have confirmed that Mr Hunt has completed the marathon in the fastest-ever time for a person with an artificial heart beat the previous record by 45 minutes. Alex Hunt, who is 37, had a bicuspid aortic valve put in his aortic valve allows blood to flow into the aorta without flowing back into the ventricle, but Mr Hunt's valve had only two flaps instead of the usual left untreated, the condition could lead to heart that he might not have lived long enough to see his daughters grow up, he underwent open heart surgery three years ago at Royal Papworth Hospital to have an artificial valve fitted. He ran the Stevenage Marathon three years ago and said it was one of the toughest physical challenges he had ever taken on, with winds of up to 40 mph and some "soul-destroying climbs".After waiting for verification, he has now received official confirmation that he holds the world said: "Before the operation, I was a keen runner."Thanks to the amazing staff and treatment I received at Royal Papworth Hospital, I can return to my love of running and am delighted to have broken the world record at the same time." Steven Tsui, a consultant in cardiothoracic surgery at Papworth, said: "Alex breaking the world record is testament to his strength and determination to get back on his feet after a major operation."Mr Hunt raised more than £1,700 for the Royal Papworth Charity by running the marathon. Follow Cambridgeshire news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
