Category: Press Releases

PRESS RELEASE : Energy intensive industries given £12 million boost to cut emissions and costs [February 2023]
The press release issued by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero on 13 February 2023.

UK government announces further funding to help businesses clean up industrial processes and improve energy efficiency.
- £12.4 million government funding is helping some of the most polluting industries find new ways to reduce their carbon emissions and energy bills
- funding has supported the deployment of a range of new technologies, from heat pumps to hydrogen ready equipment, to help businesses cut fossil fuel use and improve energy efficiency
- investment is helping to future-proof vital British industries in the transition to a lower carbon economy
Businesses across the UK will benefit from a share of more than £12 million government funding to help energy-intensive industries cut their carbon emissions and energy costs.

The funding for the 22 winning projects will help businesses across England, Wales and Northern Ireland clean up their industrial processes and improve their energy efficiency – benefiting industries including pharmaceuticals, steel, paper, and food and drink.

This £12.4 million funding was awarded as part of the Industrial Energy Transformation Fund (IETF), which has awarded grants to British projects across the country to increase the energy efficiency of their industrial processes, from car manufacturing to steel production and food processing.

The winning bids include sustainably harvesting food in Carmarthenshire, Wales, through a new air source heat pump system, capturing waste heat to dry, heat, crush and grind materials for roadmaking in South Yorkshire and using revolutionary high temperature heat pumps to reduce the energy needed to heat and cool cheese, reducing emissions in dairy farms across the Midlands.

It is estimated that industry is currently responsible for producing 16% of the UK’s emissions and will need to cut emissions by two thirds by 2035 in order for the UK to achieve its net zero target.

Today’s funding will play a crucial role in helping to clean up big-emitting industries as part of the UK’s green industrial revolution – decarbonising their industrial processes and reducing their reliance on expensive fossil fuels, such as gas. This means businesses will not only reduce their environmental impact, but also save on their energy bills and safeguard thousands of British jobs.

Graham Stuart, Minister at the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero said:

Boosting the energy efficiency of industrial processes is a critical step not only in our transition to a lower-carbon economy, but also by helping businesses to cut their energy costs and protect valuable British jobs.

That’s why the government has stepped in once again to support energy intensive industries, with a fresh funding round to unleash the next generation of green innovators who are re-shaping the way technology can reduce carbon emissions.

So far, £34.8 million of funding has been awarded through the Industrial Energy Transformation Fund, which was first launched in June 2020.

Today’s winners

Greener food

One of the biggest food companies in Europe, Dunbia, based in Carmarthenshire, Wales, has been awarded funds to upgrade its heating system from a gas oil fired steam boiler to an air source heat pump that is powered by renewably sourced electricity. This allows the company to harvest edible products and process the food with hot water washing, through a sustainable and energy efficient thermal supply system, reducing carbon emissions each year.

Sustainable roads

Harsco Environmental’s SteelPhalt plant, based in Rotherham, South Yorkshire, has been developing and manufacturing high performance tarmac products for the UK roadmaking industry since the 1960s. This energy intensive process of drying, heating, crushing, grinding, conveying currently utilises large volumes of natural gas, gas oil and electricity from the grid, but thanks to government funding, the company is investigating ways to capture the waste heat in the exhaust gases and transform it into electrical power, reducing the fuel demand of the road burners and supporting manufacturing in the local area.

Lighter, safer vehicles

Autotech Engineering / Gestamp is a multinational based in Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, specialising in the design, development and manufacture of metals for lighter and safer vehicles. Whereby high-tonnage presses of flat metal sheets typically loses lots of energy through heat and noise, IETF has helped to fund the SERPENT project which is actively capturing and reusing this lost energy. With a reduction of almost 10% already seen in peak power usage during tool changeover, this funding is helping to lower energy consumption and the environmental impact of critical car manufacturing.

Say cheese

The Long Clawson Dairy has been producing cheese for over a century, running over 31 farms in the Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire areas. The production of cheese is an energy intensive process involving both heating and cooling activities. Through IETF funding, the company has created a new thermal storage system, using revolutionary high temperature heat pumps to reduce overall energy by 27% and saving 34% carbon emissions, with the ambition of moving to a purely electrically powered in the long term.

Today’s announcement builds on the wide-ranging support that is available to energy-intensive industries. The UK government recognises that businesses are feeling the impact of high global energy prices, including steel producers, which is why the Energy Bill Relief Scheme was launched to bring down costs. This is in addition to more than £800 million of support the government has provided since 2013 to help industrial sectors with energy costs, with many businesses able to bid into government competitive funds worth more than £1.5 billion to support them going green, cutting emissions and becoming more energy efficient.

Niall Browne, CEO, Dunbia (UK), said:

Dunbia (UK), through its parent company Dawn Meats, was the first European beef and lamb processor to make a commitment to the Science Based Targets Initiative. We have been working for more than 10 years to reduce emissions internally and more widely across our supply chain and recognise the urgency to adopt even more aggressive measures to reduce emissions.

We welcome this opportunity to work with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero to further improve our energy efficiency and cut our carbon emissions.

A Harsco Metalscompany spokesperson said:

Harsco has welcomed the IETF grant offer from the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero to continue its journey to help continue our commitment to innovation and sustainability. With this IETF feasibility funding grant, we have been able to investigate how we can recover heat from our asphalt plant to optimise our use of energy and reduce our carbon footprint.

Phil Potter, the SERPENT Project Manager, said:

The SERPENT feasibility study was a high-risk technology project not aligned with Gestamp’s core business activities and would not be completed without IETF support and funding. We have been successful in demonstrating feasibility and initial results look extremely promising with a reduction of almost 10% seen in peak power usage during tool changeover.

We have yet to process that data and analyse the economic viability but we have already demonstrated that this approach improves manufacturing energy efficiency to reduce waste and carbon footprint and support our drive to Net Zero with no impact on press performance.

Iain Grant, Operations Director, Long Clawson Dairy, said:

The production of our Stilton cheese is an energy intensive process involving both heating and cooling activities. With the investment in this project, it has enabled the Dairy to take a more cost-effective approach to energy consumption, alongside a clear carbon emission reduction. This is a substantial investment for a business of our size and would not have been possible without the support of the IETF grant funding.
February 13, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Joint statement on the election of the Supreme Court of Justice in Honduras [February 2023]

The statement issued by the Foreign Office on 11 February 2023.

Statement of Embassies and international organizations accredited to Honduras regarding the election process of the Supreme Court of Justice.

The Embassies of Germany, Canada, Spain, the United States, France, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and Romania, as well as the General Secretariat of the Organization of American States, the United Nations system, and the European Union in Honduras reiterate the need to an election process for the Supreme Court of Justice that is democratic, transparent and respectful of the rule of law.

We call on all political parties to dialogue, avoid polarizing language and reach an agreement within the constitutional framework. We appeal to all actors to refrain from any destabilizing action or expression against the Constitution.

February 12, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Three arrested during violent disorder in Prescot, Knowsley [February 2023]

The press release issued by Merseyside Police on 10 February 2023.

We can confirm that three people have been arrested following incidents of disorder in Prescot this evening, Friday 10 February.

At around 6.30pm, officers were facilitating an initially peaceful protest and counter protest on Ribblers Lane.

During the evening, missiles have been thrown towards officers and damage caused to a police vehicle. No injuries have been reported at this time.

A total of three people have been arrested on suspicion of violent disorder and taken to police stations to be questioned.

Additional officers are in the area to deal with these incidents and ensure the safety of those in the area. We are also taking measures to record the actions of those present to gather further evidence.

Road closures remain in place so continue to avoid the area where possible.

Assistant Chief Constable Paul White said: “We will always respect the right to protest when these are peaceful, but the scenes tonight were completely unacceptable, putting those present, our officers and the wider community in danger. Thankfully we have not had any serious injuries reported up to this point, but for officers and police vehicles to be damaged in the course of their duty protecting the public is disgraceful.

“We have arrested some of those suspects and will continue without hesitation to review all and any evidence which comes in, through CCTV, images or other information you may have.

“I would also like to strongly remind not to post comments, footage or information on our channels but instead to pass it directly to officers via our social media desk @MerPolCC on Twitter or ‘Merseyside Police Contact Centre’ on Facebook with reference 1149. We will act swiftly upon all information given to identify any further offences and put those involved before the courts.”

You can also pass information anonymously via Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

February 11, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Pioneering nature projects launched to test carbon capture methods in fight against climate change [February 2023]
The press release issued by the Environment Agency on 11 February 2023.

Six projects will receive funding to research how nature-rich woodlands, grasslands, wetlands and urban habitats take up carbon.

Six pioneering nature projects across England receive major funding award to trial the most effective ways to capture carbon and mitigate the impacts of climate change, Natural England has announced today (11 February).

Operating at a landscape scale of over 500 hectares each, the six projects will restore landscapes across England – from Plymouth to Northumberland – and assess how carbon is captured and stored across different habitats such as grasslands, forests, wetlands and hedgerows.

The £4.3 million of funding will support:
- Wild Exmoor Carbon Sequestration Project: The National Trust has been awarded almost £1 million to deliver targeted nature-based solutions and carbon capture across its 670-hectare Watersmeet estate. The charity will create a wetter and wilder landscape by restoring and protecting coastal woodland, heathland habitats, species rich grassland and wood pasture.
- Wansbeck Restoration for Climate Change (WRCC): Almost £600,000 has been awarded to the project managed by Groundwork NE & Cumbria which will assess how nature-based solutions can thrive in a farmed landscape. The project will restore mixed habitats – grasslands, peaty pockets and woodlands – and demonstrate how landowners can work together to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and promote carbon sequestration. Working across 10 sites, the work will restore over 144 hectares and will contribute to the wider restoration of the River Wansbeck catchment in Northumberland.
- Plymouth’s Natural Grid Nature Based Solutions for Climate Change at the Landscape Scale project: Approximately £1 million will support Plymouth City Council, working in collaboration with the National Trust, to restore natural habitats and create local solutions to climate change in the urban environment through wood pasture, species rich grassland and woodland creation, salt marsh restoration and floodplain mosaic habitat creation.
- Derwent Forest Landscape Recovery Project, part of the Derwent Connections Programme: Derbyshire Wildlife Trust has been awarded £645,000 for its Derwent Forest Landscape Recovery partnership-led pilot project. This project aims to create connected woody habitats between the Northern and National Forests to allow movement of species in response to climate change. It will also develop an economically viable programme to support landowners to create and expand dynamic and resilient ecosystems.
- The Oxfordshire–Buckinghamshire Freshwater Network: This programme, run by the Freshwater Habitats Trust, has been awarded over £780,000 to focus on the role played by smaller, peat-dominated wetlands, floodplains, wet grasslands and waters in sequestering carbon in the landscape. These habitats are of exceptional importance for freshwater biodiversity, which is in rapid decline. The project will help to better understand the role that these habitats can play in carbon sequestration. It will also help Freshwater Habitats Trust build the Freshwater Network – a national network of wilder, wetter, cleaner and connected freshwaters.
- Severn Solutions for Nature’s Recovery (SSNR): Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust has been awarded over £417,000 to work with Hasfield Court Estate to restore a 500-hectare estate in the Severn Vale. The partnership’s vision is to demonstrate and provide evidence of how the restoration of native habitats can provide nature-based solutions that help adapt to climate change and tackle the ecological emergency. Following a baseline survey of the estate, options have been tailored to maximise landscape connectivity between existing priority habitats, and will involve the creation of wood pasture, traditional orchards and species rich grassland. These actions will create habitats for important pollinator species, nesting opportunities for farmland birds and foraging networks for protected bat species.
Tony Juniper, Chair of Natural England said:

Many of the solutions to climate change are all around us in the natural world. From trees, hedges and grasslands that absorb carbon from the air to the peat-rich soils that hold it in the ground, there are huge opportunities to catch carbon while achieving other benefits at the same time, including increasing our ability to adapt to climate change impacts. The simple fact is that when it comes to our net zero ambitions Nature is our biggest ally and more we can do to restore it the better.

Getting the scale of benefits we need requires working together collaboratively across entire landscapes. This is only going to be possible if we forge broad partnerships and this is increasingly the case as different sectors see that they are all part of the solution to the climate and Nature challenges that the world and this country are setting out to meet”.

Alan Lovell, Chair of the Environment Agency, said:

In the face of increasing climate extremes, using nature-based solutions that restore and work with natural processes is a powerful tool that can help protect us from the devastating impact of drought, floods and wildfires.

The collective ambition to restore nature at a landscape scale, alongside the right financial incentives, will create a more resilient approach which is needed to address the urgent challenges of nature loss and climate change”.

Richard Stanford, Chief Executive at the Forestry Commission, said:

Resilient forests, woods and trees are vital for capturing carbon in the fight against climate change and improving biodiversity to aid nature recovery.

We are working with project partners on the creation and management of woodlands across these landscapes to help treble tree planting to 7,500 hectares per year by the end of this parliament with a goal of reaching 16.5% tree cover by 2050.

Through this programme we will gain new insights into the factors that affect how trees capture carbon, over the short and long term, in a variety of different habitats and sites. This will build on the excellent work by Forest Research and other organisations on the subject”.

Ed Ikin, Director of Wakehurst, Kew’s wild botanic garden said:

We at Kew are delighted to be part of this transformative landscape research investment.

We hope our innovative research at Wakehurst will provide vital and valuable data for both the government and our new partner sites, offering essential scientific evidence for the ability of biodiverse landscapes to sequester carbon above and belowground to benefit people and the economy.

Nature-based solutions – which tackle societal challenges in ways that benefit both people and nature – can remove CO2 from the atmosphere and halt emissions from degraded natural sites and agricultural land. Testing the effectiveness of different landscapes in acting as carbon sinks will be crucial in meeting the UK’s climate goals.

Analysis and information from the pilot sites will be used to better inform habitat creation and contribute to tackling climate change.  Each project will also look how best to blend public and private sources of funding to support further delivery of their landscape-scale plans for improving the natural environment.

Nature Based Solutions for Climate Change at the Landscape Scale is a partnership led by Natural England with the Environment Agency, the Forestry Commission and Royal Botanic Gardens Kew at Wakehurst, Kew’s wild botanic garden in Sussex. It demonstrates the power of collaborative working to understand the value of nature-based solutions in tackling climate change and will deliver against the government’s Environmental Improvement Plan.

The organisations will work alongside project partners to expand scientific evidence on greenhouse gas emissions, create sustainable funding opportunities for landscape scale projects, and provide additional data to inform the development of robust carbon standards, such as the Woodland Carbon Code and the Peatland Code.

The Nature Based Solutions for Climate Change Programme is a £12.5 million programme first established in 2021 which is funded by the Treasury’s Shared Outcomes Fund, and cosponsored by Defra and the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero. The fund seeks to increase cross-government collaboration and address society’s most challenging problems including biodiversity loss, climate change and land use change.

In addition to establishing the partner sites, the funding is enabling Natural England, the Environment Agency, the Forestry Commission and Kew to undertake further scientific research into the value of nature-based solutions and green finance models.

Researchers at Kew’s wild botanic garden, Wakehurst will research the value of broadleaf, coppiced and coniferous woodlands in building resilience to climate change. Using drones, they will measure plant biomass alongside greenhouse gas flux, and undertake soil fungal research to consider how different biodiverse habitats sequester carbon.

Natural England scientists are also assessing carbon and biodiversity both on the new habitats and assessing the carbon and biodiversity benefits of earlier habitat creation and restoration projects.

The Programme will run until March 2024.
February 11, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : More women to be supported back into STEM jobs in Government-backed training [February 2023]
The press release issued by the Cabinet Office on 11 February 2023.

More women will be helped back into the workplace following the launch of a Government-backed training programme.
- Women facing work barriers due to caring to be helped back to careers
- Minister for Women and Equalities invests in pilot to get returners into STEM
- 43% of STEM vacancies are hard to fill; women make up 29.4% of the STEM workforce; 75,000 STEM returners want to get back to work
Today on the International Day of Women and Girls in Science the Minister for Women and Equalities, Kemi Badenoch, has launched a new initiative to help people back into science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) based careers.

The scheme – backed by £150,000 of Government funding – will be run by Women Returners and STEM Returners and will target those who have taken lengthy career breaks to care for others, giving them the skills they need to succeed in the workplace.

Minister for Women and Equalities, and Secretary of State for Business and Trade, Kemi Badenoch MP, said:

“I learned how to code at the age of seven and trained as an engineer, so I know the importance of science to our economy.

“In the last decade we have seen more girls studying STEM subjects at school and university, but we know that too many women later drop out of those careers because they need to care for children or elderly relatives.

“We are investing in returners so we can plug the STEM gap, increase workplace equality, and boost our economy. That’s good business sense.”

Between 2009 and 2020 there was an almost 30% increase in girls starting STEM A-levels in England, and between 2011 and 2020, the number of women accepted to full-time STEM undergraduate courses increased by 50.1% in the UK. But in 2020 women only made up 29.4% of the STEM workforce in the UK.

According to the UK Commission’s Employer Skills Survey 2013, 43% of science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) vacancies are hard to fill. But there were approximately 75,000 people who were economically inactive due to caring responsibilities, had not worked for at least 12 months, had a STEM occupation immediately before their career break, and would like to return to work in the future. The majority of these potential returners are women.

Minister for Women, Maria Caulfield MP, said:

“STEM jobs make up a large proportion of our economy, but there is a shortage in STEM employees and 75,000 STEM returners who want to get back to work. We know there are women across the country who have left their jobs to care for elderly relatives or children, and want to return to work.

“This pilot will help organisations to recruit those who are too often overlooked because of a gap on their CV.”

Women Returners, experts in return to work consulting, coaching and networking, will support parents and carers back into the workplace through personalised employability support, sector-specific refresh training, and work opportunities.

The STEM ReCharge pilot will provide support and training to technology and engineering returners in the Midlands and the North of England. It will also provide support and training for STEM employers on supportive returner hiring and inclusive recruitment practices.

Julianne Miles, CEO of Women Returners, said:

“We are thrilled to be partnering with the Government Equality Hub and STEM Returners to launch the innovative STEM ReCharge programme in the Midlands and the North of England. There is a pressing need in these regions to provide this job-readiness support tailored to parents and carers returning to STEM, together with training for STEM employers to create more supported routes back to work for career returners. We’re confident that this comprehensive programme of support will help to accelerate the removal of the career break penalty in the UK.”

Natalie Desty, Director of STEM Returners, said:

“We are delighted to be supporting the Government Equality Hub in increasing the opportunity for Returners in STEM and lowering the barriers they face when they try to resume their careers. This programme will allow us to continue our mission to help create a diverse, inclusive and equitable STEM sector. We are especially delighted to be collaborating on this project with Women Returners, as working together we can achieve more.”

The Government has already funded 25 returner programmes across the private and public sectors. This includes providing a £1.5 million grant fund to support projects in the private sector, as well as targeting key professions in the public sector, such as social workers and health professionals. Guidance for employers on how to support returners, and a toolkit for those on their return to work journey, is also available via the GOV.UK website.
February 11, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : People smuggling gang jailed for 26 years [February 2023]
The press release issued by the Home Office on 10 February 2023.

Members of an organised crime group which smuggled more than a dozen Middle Eastern nationals into the UK have been jailed for a combined 26 years.
Seven members of the British-Palestinian network were sentenced today (February 10) at Chelmsford Crown Court for conspiring to facilitate unlawful immigration through fraudulent documents.

Four women and three men, aged between 24 and 51, were caught following an investigation by the Home Office’s Criminal and Financial Investigations (CFI) unit.

Immigration Minister Robert Jenrick said:

Today’s sentences show that we will stop at nothing to tackle the despicable smuggling gangs and ensure they are brought to justice.

Thanks to our specialist teams who work tirelessly to dismantle these international criminal networks, the smugglers are now behind bars.

No one should be putting their lives in the hands of smuggling gangs by attempting to enter the UK illegally, which is why we will shortly introduce new legislation to ensure that anyone doing so is detained and swiftly returned home or to a safe third country.

The gang smuggled at least 14 migrants into the UK from December 2017 to December 2018, including people from Palestine, Kuwait and Syria.

Investigators found the criminal network had access to around 240 European ID cards and passports, the majority of these were French documents, however they also included Spanish, Portuguese, Italian and British documents.

The gang organised 26 flights into the UK, of which 11 resulted in 14 undocumented migrants seeking asylum, three resulted in the facilitators being arrested and 12 flights were unsuccessful attempts.

Members of the network, which was active across Europe including in Belgium, France and Spain, also carried out two attempts through the border at Coquelles in France and Hoek van Holland in the Netherlands.

Their crimes started to unravel when Border Force officers stopped Firdos Ahmed at Harwich Port, who was carrying a French ID card in someone else’s name. A subsequent search of her phone found a collection of fraudulent documents and messages with other members of the gang, including her mother, Zarina Abdulla.

Those sentenced today were:

Firdos Imitiaz Ahmed, aged 29, of Feltham, London, was sentenced to four years

Moussa Aoun, aged 24, a Lebanese national, from Shepherd’s Bush, London, was sentenced to four years

Zarina Abdulla, aged 51, of Leicester, was sentenced to three years

Zahra Mohammad, aged 30, of Enfield, was sentenced to four years

Amna Tarmahomed, aged 28, of Leicester, was sentenced to two years and six months

Ismail Hussein, aged 48, a Palestinian national, of Tottenham, London, was sentenced to six years

Micaiah Marley, aged 29, of Watford, was sentenced to two years and six months

Micaiah Marley pleaded guilty to conspiracy to facilitate the entry into the UK of asylum seekers and the remaining six defendants were found guilty of the same offence at trial.

Stuart Stokes, Assistant Director of the Criminal and Financial Investigation unit, said:

CFI officers are working night and day to dismantle organised crime groups such as this. We will leave no stone unturned when it comes to investigating suspected people smugglers and bringing them before the courts.
February 10, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Secretary of State for Northern Ireland visits exhibition marking women’s contribution to peacebuilding in Northern Ireland [February 2023]

The press release issued by the Northern Ireland Office on 10 February 2023.

Secretary of State for Northern Ireland visited Herstory’s Peace Heroines exhibition in Derry-Londonderry, showcasing women’s pivotal role in the Northern Ireland peace process, as the 25th anniversary of the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement approaches.

The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Rt Hon Chris Heaton-Harris MP, has today (Friday 10 February) visited Herstory’s Peace Heroines exhibition in Derry-Londonderry, which showcases women’s pivotal role in the Northern Ireland peace process, as the 25th anniversary of the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement approaches.

Mr Heaton-Harris viewed the touring exhibition, currently at the Tower Museum, featuring inspiring women who have contributed to the Northern Ireland peace process and continue to be involved in cross-community dialogue and reconciliation projects today.

The Secretary of State’s visit to the exhibition is in addition to the Northern Ireland Office’s programme of events marking the 25th anniversary of the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement

Organised in partnership with the National Museums NI and the Republic of Ireland’s Department of Foreign Affairs Reconciliation Fund to create the Peace Heroines education programme, the exhibition includes stunning new portraits of leading female peacebuilding figures such as Monica McWilliams, Pat Hume and Baroness May Blood by the artist Marian Noone, also known as Friz.

Speaking after viewing the exhibition, Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Rt Hon Chris Heaton-Harris MP, said:

“Women played a pivotal role in the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement negotiations and continue to do so today through further peacebuilding and reconciliation efforts throughout communities in Northern Ireland. The portraits of Northern Ireland’s iconic female peacebuilders are simply inspiring.

“The UK Government is unshakable in its commitment to the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement, and the 25th anniversary marks an extraordinary achievement for Northern Ireland. It is important we showcase women’s contribution to the Agreement to inspire the next generation and build on the remarkable progress Northern Ireland has made this past quarter century.”

Herstory CEO and Creative Director Melanie Lynch reveals the inspiration behind the project:

“When I met with Ireland’s former Ambassador to the UN Geraldine Nason-Byrne, she explained to me that the role of women in the Northern Ireland peace process is a key United Nations case study. I reached out to our school contacts and they confirmed that this essential story is not taught on the official school curriculum in Northern Ireland or the Republic. Our new Peace Heroines project aims to change that and introduce students and the public to these legendary activists and inspire the next generation of peace builders. It’s time to write Herstory into history.”

Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District Council Cllr Sandra Duffy, said:

“Women have always had a leading role in Derry’s history, helping to keep families and communities together during dark times. They kept local industry going in the factories, supported homes, brought up children and drove social and political change in the most economically and politically turbulent times. The Council is delighted to see their contribution to peace recognised in this important exhibition. These real heroines were an inspiration to so many young women, who are proud to take up the mantle and continue their work for positive change and peace in our society.

“The Council is delighted to host this significant collection of artworks that acknowledges the immense contribution made by women who at great personal cost dedicated their lives to lobbying for change and promoting cross community relations.”

Touring across Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland and further afield, Peace Heroines is on display at the Tower Museum in Derry-Londonderry until 24 March, before it features at the United Nations in New York from 27 March.

To keep up to date with the Northern Ireland Office’s activity during the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement’s 25th anniversary year, visit: gov.uk/goodfridayagreement25

February 10, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Welshpool Town Football Club’s new pitches part-funded by a grant from the UK Government [February 2023]

The press release issued by the Welsh Office on 10 February 2023.

The club received £66,000 from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport’s Grassroots football fund.

Welsh Secretary David TC Davies has been to Welshpool Town Football Club to see the new facilities that have been partly funded by the UK Government. The club was granted nearly £66,000 towards creating three new football pitches for junior players to replace pitches lost to the building of a new school.

Welshpool Town Football Club was founded in 1878 and the first team currently play in the Lock Stock Ardal North East League. The club has a popular junior section with ten age groups and one girls’ team.

Mr Davies visited the new pitches on Thursday (9 February) where he heard from the club about their plans to expand and offer facilities for walking football and training and matches to more women and girls’ teams.

Club Secretary Eva Bredsdorff said:

Welshpool Town FC was delighted to welcome the Secretary of State for Wales to their home ground at Maesydre and show him the three new pitches which have been created thanks to a generous grant from the UK Government.

We discussed our immediate and long-term plans and how we are hoping to develop the football facilities in Welshpool.

Secretary of State for Wales David TC Davies said:

It was hugely enjoyable to visit the club which is at the heart of the community in Welshpool. And it was a pleasure to meet the volunteers who give so much time and energy making sure Welshpool Town FC continues to thrive.

I’m thrilled to see UK Government investment in facilities like this which bring incalculable health and social benefits to local people.

Steve Williams, President of the Football Association of Wales, said:

Improving grassroots facilities is a key focus for us at the FAW. Through the recently launched Cymru Football Foundation, we are committed to supporting football clubs across Wales to be community hubs bringing social, health and economic benefits to the areas they serve.

The investment in new facilities at Welshpool Town, which has been made possible through funding from Department of Culture, Media and Sport, is a prime example of this work.

It was a pleasure to join the Secretary of State on his visit to see the new pitches and to discuss the positive impact that this investment from the UK Government has had on the local community.

February 10, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : One hot, dry spell away from drought returning this summer, National Drought Group warns [February 2023]
The press release issued by the Environment Agency on 10 February 2023.

The Environment Agency and National Drought Group members continue to take action to reduce risks, improve water supplies and protect the environment.
Following the driest summer in nearly 30 years, experts are warning that another hot dry spell could see drought conditions return in 2023, despite winter rainfall replenishing most water levels.

At today’s meeting of the National Drought Group, chaired by EA Executive Director John Leyland, the group discussed how risks to water resources remain, despite significant improvements following five consecutive months of above average rainfall. Only two of the Environment Agency’s areas – East Anglia and Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly – now remain in “drought” status, with most now “recovering”.

As of the beginning of February, total reservoir capacity across the country is at 88 percent. This compares with 49 percent at the end of September 2022, when reservoirs were at their lowest following the drought through summer.

There has been a dry start to the month – with low rainfall across England since the end of January – meaning 63% of rivers are currently below normal levels for this time of year. Some storage reservoirs are still lower than anticipated and groundwater levels in Norfolk are only now beginning to rise slowly.

The National Drought Group – made up of senior decision-makers from the Environment Agency, government, the Met Office, water companies and key farming and environmental groups – said that despite taking winter readiness actions, increasing output and undertaking network improvements over winter, further steady rainfall will be needed to ensure the nation’s water reservoirs are in a good position ahead of the warmer, drier, summer months. Rainfall over the next three months will be vital in reducing the drought risk for the summer.

The natural environment continues to take time to recuperate from the impacts of last summer and the Environment Agency is also focusing ongoing efforts on monitoring how well fish and invertebrates are recovering from drought.

Members are planning for the worst case scenario of another hot, dry spell this summer and are managing water resources to reduce the risk of drought measures – such as temporary use bans and taking additional water from the environment – being required again this year.

EA Executive Director and NDG chair John Leyland said:

While most water levels have returned to normal across much of the country, low rainfall in recent weeks highlights the importance of remaining vigilant. We cannot rely on the weather alone, which is why the Environment Agency, water companies and our partners are taking action to ensure water resources are in the best possible position both for the summer and for future droughts.

As ever, it is important that we all continue to use water carefully to protect not just our water resources; but our precious environment and the wildlife that depends on it.

NDG members heard that:

Water companies, retailers and regulators must learn from the response to the 2022 drought and take forward improvements for managing and responding to future droughts.

Water companies have continued to maximise opportunities to improve their water supplies over winter; identifying new sources of water; ensuring sources are operating as they should be and reducing leakage. The Environment Agency have determined additional drought permits to help refill reservoirs and improve water supplies ahead of spring.

The farming sector is working to improve drought resilience, to ensure water availability for the short and long term, helping overall food security. The Environment Agency is working closely with the Rural Payments Agency to ensure abstraction licences associated with reservoir grant applications are determined on time.

All sectors are now undertaking precautionary planning in the event that hot, dry weather returns in the summer, and continue to work closely together to support water supplies across the country.

England is experiencing more extreme weather more often. Over the last month, the Environment Agency has also been responding to flooding in parts of the country, following heavy rainfall over December and January.

The Environment Agency is clear that planning for increasingly extreme weather is essential in order for everyone to be prepared for the impacts these events cause – both drought and flooding.
February 10, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : UK sanctions high profile Bulgarian figures involved in corruption [February 2023]
The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 10 February 2023.

Foreign Secretary James Cleverly announces new sanctions that target 3 influential Bulgarian individuals involved in offences including abuse of public institution funds.
- the UK and US are taking coordinated action to root out corruption in Bulgaria
- transparency International ranks Bulgaria as one of the countries most harmed by corruption in Europe
A former member of parliament, an ex-national security official and Bulgaria’s richest man have been sanctioned by the UK and US for abusing their positions of power by redirecting state funds for their own benefit. The 3 prominent Bulgarians have today (Friday 10 February) been handed travel bans and asset freezes under the UK’s Global Anti-Corruption sanctions regime.

Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said:

Those sanctioned have deprived the people of Bulgaria of resources crucial to its economic and social development. Money that should have been used to fix roads, build hospitals and support economic growth has instead ended up in the pockets of corrupt individuals.

The UK is acting in close coordination with the US to support Bulgaria in its efforts to tackle corruption and strengthen the rule of law by sanctioning these corrupt figures.

The sanctioned individuals are:
- Delyan Peevski: a former Member of Parliament and media mogul. Peevski has been involved in attempts to exert control over key institutions and sectors in Bulgarian society through bribery and use of his media empire
- Ilko Zhelyazkov: a former national security official and board member of Bulgaria’s largest state energy company, who used his position to redirect a lucrative state contract for his own gain
- Vasil Bozhkov: reportedly Bulgaria’s richest man, who made his fortune in the gambling industry. Bozhkov used bribery extensively to protect his business interests
The UK is combatting corruption around the world and will continue to use all levers at our disposal to tackle corrupt actors wherever we see them.

The UK government has sanctioned 35 individuals and entities, including the 3 today, under the Global Anti-Corruption regime since its introduction in April 2021.
February 10, 2023