bbcuk--2020-06-30--'Helping makes you realise how lucky you are'

When coronavirus began to sweep across England , hundreds of Facebook groups were set up where people offered help to those living nearby .
Here are some of the ways those groups co-ordinated their kindness to get communities through the pandemic .
`` In the days before lockdown there was this strong desire to pull together survive and keep one another safe , '' said Marianne McNamara .
She and many others rallied to get Marsden Help Facebook page up and running in Kirklees , Huddersfield .
`` We launched a resilience fund , a food bank and a next-day @ @ @ @ @ @ @ drivers , '' she said .
`` Small businesses that had to close immediately brought us all their stock .
They were running out of money themselves but they chose to do that .
`` We have worked alongside The Real Junk Food Project to feed families with hundreds of pounds worth of food that was destined to be waste .
`` We 've had flowers donated to cheer people up and people have made facemasks and anxiety badges . ''
`` It 's been a real education .
You do n't realise @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to deliver a food parcel and you have to ask 'do you have a fridge or a freezer to put this in or something to cook on ? '
`` Or when the children come running out to you and you can see in their faces that they 're desperate for the food .
We took some fresh fruit to a home and these kids were just devouring this punnet of strawberries before mum could even get them in the house . ''
In Devon , Jack Dart set up Torbay Help Hub @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in need with those who wanted to help .
`` I initially started the Torbay Help Hub because of frustration that the government had n't acted quick enough in the crucial , early stages of the outbreak , '' said Mr Dart , who is a Liberal Democrat on Torbay Council .
One volunteer , 12-year-old Alfie Dean , set up the Babbacombe Pantry offering free food and essentials .
Mr Dart said : `` Alfie has consistently posted in the Help Hub throughout the pandemic and is well known locally for his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Another young volunteer was seven-year-old Miley Acreman , who set up a community pantry outside her house .
Her mum Laura Acreman said : `` The pantry was used a lot .
No sooner it was full it was empty again .
It got used a lot at night - I think people are embarrassed to be in need of food .
`` It 's been great for Miley , while she 's been missing school and her friends , it 's kept her busy and made her feel like she 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people offering help as coronavirus spreads Torbay Community Development Trust opened a phone line and hundreds of people left their details on a volunteer sheet .
`` So many have selflessly gone out of their way to ensure the at risk and vulnerable were looked after properly , '' said Mr Dart .
`` It was a genuine team effort , and it 's made lockdown a much less dangerous , heartbreaking and nervous experience for a lot of us . ''
Peter Dutch founded the Colchester Anti Loo Roll Brigade out of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rallied to the aid of Tracy and Mark Booth whose uninsured house was gutted by fire .
Mr Dutch called BBC Essex after hearing Mrs Booth tell BBC 's Make a Difference campaign they were living in a tent in the garden with their three dogs .
Within three hours , he had spoken to a group member who had offered the Booths and their pets free use of a house .
Members of the community group offered them services including scaffolding , roofing , electrics and furniture free of charge .
Mrs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ words strong enough to say how grateful [ I am ] and how wonderful they have been .
`` People on the Anti Loo Roll Brigade page have been so amazing , they 've sort of kept our spirits up all the time .
It 's really lovely . ''
Kirsty Mellor is one of many core members of Portsmouth Coronavirus Support Group , which set up a helpline .
`` We 've been able to help people with the day-to-day things you take for granted like picking up a prescription .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sheltered accommodation who could not leave his flat to use the laundry room as he was shielding , so I 'm doing his washing , '' said Ms Mellor .
`` A man who has autism who was n't confident on the phone contacted us via the page saying he wanted to get some birdseed .
We delivered it to him and that was one of my favourite things that happened . ''
She said the emotional support that people had provided for one another was `` amazing '' .
`` Not everyone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ council for help , they might feel embarrassed , '' she said .
`` But there 's something special about someone saying ' I can take care of that for you . '
`` Although it 's been a tragic few months with the death toll we 've had - and its been really difficult around mental health - I 'm really thankful for this group .
`` This is about communities coming together and I think it 'll be needed long after lockdown ends . ''
`` I saw these groups popping @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time everything felt very frantic and uncertain , '' he said .
`` I thought 'here 's something I can do to help ' , so I set up the group and it just grew .
`` People started posting on there what they needed and they were inundated with help .
`` A victim of domestic abuse had to move out of their home so a volunteer posted on the group 'have you got any furniture ? '
and that was sorted . ''
City of Wolverhampton Labour councillor Obaida Ahmed arranged @ @ @ @ @ @ @ authority 's director of public health .
The group partnered with Wolverhampton Voluntary Sector Council and created database of people who wanted to help .
WV Active Aldersley leisure centre was transformed into a food distribution hub in just a few days , '' said Mr Moreton , a software developer and cub scout leader .
`` It was a case of problem solving rather than waiting for the government to do it .
So much good and random acts of kindness have come from it .
`` The Facebook group is a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which hopefully will continue after the pandemic . ''

"Or when the children come running out to you and you can see in their faces that they're desperate for the food. We took some fresh fruit to a home and these kids were just devouring this punnet of strawberries before mum could even get them in the house."


bbcuk--2020-07-01--Statue campaign for dropped black player

A campaign is being launched to erect a statue of a footballer dropped by England when selectors found out he was black .
Picked in 1925 , Jack Leslie would have been the first black player to play for England , 53 years before Viv Anderson .
By the time he died , in 1988 at the age of 88 , there were many more black players at top levels of the game .
Leslie was born in Canning Town , in London 's docklands , in 1900 , to an English mother and a Jamaican father .
A gifted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , where his prolific scoring record attracted the attention of Plymouth Argyle , then a third-division club .
He joined them in the 1921-22 season and stayed for 14 years , making 401 appearances and scoring 137 goals , a feat made all the more impressive because of the racial abuse he experienced at the hands of both crowds and opponents .
He is remembered as a great attacking inside left but also a utility player who could fill in as a central defender .
In 1925 , Argyle 's manager , Bob @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his office and gave him some thrilling news - Jack Leslie had been selected to play for England against Ireland .
It was a great achievement for the player and an honour for third-division Plymouth .
His selection was the talk of the club and the town - but some days later , when the newspapers published the team , Billy Walker , of Aston Villa , was in the starting line-up and Leslie was named as a travelling reserve .
He never did travel with the England team to Belfast .
Instead @ @ @ @ @ @ @ draw , he scored twice , as Plymouth trounced Bournemouth 7-2 at home .
`` I believe that the manager sent in his request , saying : ' I 've got a brilliant player here , he should play for England , ' '' his granddaughter , Lesley Hiscott , said .
`` So then someone came down to watch him .
`` They were looking at the colour of his skin .
`` And because of that , he was denied the chance of playing for his country . ''
Leslie later @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the selectors , must have been `` like finding out I was foreign '' .
But he accepted what had happened and , according to his granddaughters , never expressed any bitterness .
They remember him as a kind and loving grandfather .
He had married their grandmother , Lavinia , in 1925 , at a time when it was unusual for a black man to marry a white woman .
And as a consequence , some of the family , and Lavinia in particular , experienced racial abuse .
Lyn Davies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the street with my friends and he was coming the other way , he would cross to the other side of the road so I could pretend that I did n't know him , so I did n't suffer .
`` But I 'd run across and say , 'Hello Granddad . '
'' Despite helping Plymouth gain promotion , a top-four finish in division two , captaining the club and , in 1931-32 , scoring 21 goals in 43 games , Leslie was never again picked for England .
Anderson , picked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Wembley in 1978 , went on to win 30 caps .
`` I 'd never heard of Jack Leslie until up to two weeks ago , '' he told BBC News .
`` And that 's a crying shame , because what he achieved and what he did should be paramount in every black person 's mind .
`` It 's a crying shame but hopefully the statue they are trying to get erected will carry on his legacy . ''
Argyle have already honoured Leslie with a mural and renamed their boardroom @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of fans are campaigning for a statue .
`` At a time when some statues are being pulled down , we want to put one of Jack Leslie up to commemorate his amazing achievements and to remember the injustice that he suffered , '' campaign co-founder Greg Foxsmith says .
The campaign hopes to raise £100,000 .
And supporters include Anderson and the club itself .
• How many statues of black people does the UK have ?
`` Having a statue promoted by our fans and funded by fans is a statement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fight against racism in football , '' Plymouth chairman Simon Hallett told BBC News .
`` History has been written by the winners and I think we are now trying to pay more attention to some of the victims of those victories . ''
Bill Hern co-author of the upcoming book Football 's Black Pioneers said : `` Jack Leslie should have been a major figure in the history of British football and society .
`` Everyone needs a role model and young black footballers did n't have that major role model in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` Had he played for England , as he should have , he would have fired the aspirations of generations of young black players . ''
Leslie 's playing days came to an end after he sustained an injury when a lace from a leather ball flew into his eye .
He and his family returned to east London and he resumed his trade as a boilermaker .
Following his retirement and with time on his hands , Lavinia urged him to go to West Ham and ask the club if there was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ met manager Ron Greenwood , who immediately recognised and remembered him as a great player .
Greenwood offered him a job in the boot room , where , somewhat poignantly , he cleaned mud from the boots of England stars Bobby Moore , Geoff Hurst , Martin Peters , and Trevor Brooking .
In a further ironic twist to his story , Leslie also cleaned the boots of West Ham 's black striker Clyde Best , who , in the late 1960s and 1970s , was still one of only a tiny number @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Leslie loved the work and being around footballers but it was hardly fitting for a man who should have occupied a unique place in football history - and now , perhaps , will .
`` Stories like this are incredibly sad .
Discrimination in the game , in any form or from any time period , is unacceptable , '' said FA chairman Greg Clarke , adding that English football had made `` huge strides '' in diversity , although there was still more to do .
He said the FA backed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Leslie as a pioneer .
• THE FUTURE OF THE THEATRE INDUSTRY : Dame Judi Dench on the impact of coronavirus • TALKING HEADS : Imelda Staunton and Sarah Lancashire take on the much-loved monologues

Lyn Davies said: "If I walked down the street with my friends and he was coming the other way, he would cross to the other side of the road so I could pretend that I didn't know him, so I didn't suffer.


bbcuk--2020-06-30--'I've been stared at in disbelief when I introduce myself'

For the past five years BBC News has invited entrepreneurs to share their advice in a video series called CEO Secrets .
Here , four black business founders who have been guests discuss how they feel their skin colour has affected the way they navigate the business world .
Ojoma Idegwu - I have to clarify I am who I 'claim ' to be Ojoma , 37 , is the founder of Dear Curves , a fashion label for plus-size women .
She used to work on the shop floor in Topshop , but eventually took the plunge of starting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ start off by making very clear how immensely proud I am of the colour of my skin .
Having said that , I am all too aware of the challenges it presents .
Being a black entrepreneur in the UK for me means , in most instances , I have to work twice as hard to be in the same space as , and get the same opportunity as , my white colleagues .
I 'm genuinely made to feel like I have to prove myself again and again .
I ’ m @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from some white , key decision-makers in the fashion industry .
And people say : “ Oh Ojoma , I ’ m only joking , don ’ t take it so seriously !
” I ’ ve been stared at in disbelief [ at business events ] , when I introduce myself as the owner of Dear Curves .
From their reaction you can tell they did n't expect to see a black person .
It ’ s almost like people are saying , `` Did she miss the exit ? ''
I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to clarify I am who I `` claim '' to be !
It can end up with them walking away in embarrassment .
I wish there were more female fashion entrepreneur role models , to boost confidence .
Recently we had the protest for racial equality in the US , and rightly so .
So we had a lot of big businesses coming out making wonderful pledges , publicly preaching about how they would create space for black and minority-owned businesses .
• ' I am still the only person of colour on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to send them a copy of your lookbook , but privately , they send you an email , talking about how `` I 'm not a right fit for their platform '' .
The key problem with this is I 'd not even sent them a copy of my lookbook yet !
This is what black-owned businesses like mine deal with .
I 'm tired of being used as a tool to publicly show how diverse these brands intend to be , but in reality they do n't mean any of the things @ @ @ @ @ @ @ used to feel like the outsider but the internet has made things easier Jamal , 29 , founded the online media company SBTV in 2007 in west London .
It grew out of YouTube , with an emphasis on discovering new music artists , including Ed Sheeran and Dave .
He was awarded an MBE in the 2015 New Year Honours list .
I personally feel like the democratic nature of the internet has meant that the opinions and ideologies of the so-called gatekeepers - who are mainly white - are null and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a lot easier for people like me , who are of Afro-Caribbean descent , to prosper .
This has broken down a lot of barriers and increased the access to opportunities that may have not been readily available to me before the YouTube era .
When I first started I had work experience at MTV and the BBC and I always remember feeling a sense of nervousness going in to work because it felt like I was the outsider .
I quickly learnt to overcome these problems , but I don ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ aspiring young professional should face .
Although I have had many successes I have faced many challenges .
For example , there came a point in my business where I felt like I hit a glass ceiling .
It became clear that I was not being taken seriously due to my appearance because I did n't dress or look like your generic executive .
I have always looked at it as a matter of strategy to debunk these micro-aggressions that were the cause of these barriers .
It became apparent that I had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to balance things out and to aid in breaking through the glass ceiling I was faced with .
Since then we have built a great partnership and we work extremely well together .
• Do women and men want different business advice ?
As time has passed it 's inspiring to see all the black executives championing change .
I definitely think there has been change , even if it has been small .
This has led to other entrepreneurs coming through and making a name for themselves .
It ’ s refreshing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , that have often been overlooked , and had to work harder than their white contemporaries , be taken seriously and reap the fruits of their labour .
Gerald Manu - An investor told me to ask black people for money instead Gerald , 22 , is the founder of Devacci , a street fashion label he created while still at school in Croydon , south London .
Building a business from scratch is never easy .
Building a business from the ground up as a black entrepreneur is 100 times harder .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ : fashion and technology , where there are few black entrepreneur role models .
The Black Lives Matter movement really matters to me because I believe in equality in every aspect of life .
Black people like myself have been treated unfairly and it is time for a change .
I have experienced countless hardships as a black entrepreneur .
My worst experience was fundraising .
I had come across an angel investor who agreed to schedule a meeting with me .
The meeting only lasted about 20 minutes .
The majority of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ criticising my business plan without any positive feedback , but that wasn ’ t the worst part .
He made a comment saying : “ I know that if I give you this money , you will most likely blow it all on an expensive lifestyle or spend it recklessly .
Why don ’ t you go ask other black , influential , wealthy people in the UK for the money instead ?
” I was shocked and disgusted by those comments .
My ego was crushed at that moment .
It was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ life .
But I did not let it get me down , I used those comments as fuel to pursue my dreams with Devacci .
I hope there will be more diversity when it comes to venture capitalist funding for businesses , because I know I am not the only one facing this type of racial discrimination .
Being a black entrepreneur trying to secure angel investment or venture capital for your business is basically almost impossible and that is something that needs to change .
Kike Oniwinde - There are not enough @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , 27 , is the founder of BYP Network , which works with businesses like Facebook , Sky and Netflix .
It has been called ‘ the black LinkedIn ’ , creating networking opportunities primarily for black people .
When I started my business back in 2016 , it was partly inspired by the Black Lives Matter movement and the realisation that there was a lack of black representation in corporations .
I felt like the media only represents black people in a negative way : it ’ s about knife crime , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sports and music only .
This led to the motivation to `` change the black narrative '' by connecting black professionals around the globe for role model visibility , job and business opportunities and economic empowerment .
Here we are in 2020 , and the same motivations still persist .
There are not enough black people in senior leadership positions here in the UK , we still face prejudice , micro-aggressions , racism and closed doors .
Race is something I think about daily , mainly because my business is focused on black @ @ @ @ @ @ @ differences of how we are treated is constant .
As a black female founder , access to investment is statistically near-impossible .
In Europe , €13bn ( £11.6bn ) a year funding is spent on predominantly white , male founding companies to innovate the future .
This capital is barely accessible to black founders .
Only 1 % of companies invested in are black-owned .
Only 0.2 % of companies invested in have a black , female founder .
I have been fortunate to raise investment , but it ’ s about access @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the few .
Venture capital firms should be held accountable for the lack of investment in black founders .
We have barely seen statements of solidarity or even acknowledgement of the current climate .
As an entrepreneur , I believe the wider public should be more informed about the venture capital world so that more people can hold them accountable , not just the elite few .
Myself and other black founders ask them to : • 1 .
Be more racially aware by investing in unconscious bias training • 2 .
Show @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they and their portfolio companies have • 3 .
Co-invest 1 % of their fund to black founders .
Black lives matter in all facets of life , whether when questioned by police , interviewing for a job , or seeking investment .
As a black female founder , I am aware that others see me as a role model , the very representation I was searching for .
So it ’ s part of my duty to ensure doors can be opened for others that look like me .
If you would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ CEO Secrets you can contact series producer Dougal Shaw

'I've been stared at in disbelief when I introduce myself' Published 1 July 2020
Image caption, A portrait of Jamal Edwards by Matt Small - courtesy JG Contemporary
For the past five years BBC News has invited entrepreneurs to share their advice in a video series called CEO Secrets. Here, four black business founders who have been guests discuss how they feel their skin colour has affected the way they navigate the business world.
Ojoma Idegwu - I have to clarify I am who I 'claim' to be
Ojoma, 37, is the founder of Dear Curves, a fashion label for plus-size women. She used to work on the shop floor in Topshop, but eventually took the plunge of starting her own fashion business.
Image source, Dearcurves
I must start off by making very clear how immensely proud I am of the colour of my skin. Having said that, I am all too aware of the challenges it presents.
Being a black entrepreneur in the UK for me means, in most instances, I have to work twice as hard to be in the same space as, and get the same opportunity as, my white colleagues. I'm genuinely made to feel like I have to prove myself again and again.
I’m dealing with consistent micro-aggressions, back-handed compliments from some white, key decision-makers in the fashion industry. And people say: “Oh Ojoma, I’m only joking, don’t take it so seriously!”
Image source, Dear Curves Image caption, Ojoma has worked as a plus-size model
I’ve been stared at in disbelief [at business events], when I introduce myself as the owner of Dear Curves. From their reaction you can tell they didn't expect to see a black person.
It’s almost like people are saying, "Did she miss the exit?" I'm often asked again, as if to clarify I am who I "claim" to be! It can end up with them walking away in embarrassment.
I wish there were more female fashion entrepreneur role models, to boost confidence.
This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Media caption, CEO Secrets video from April 2020
Recently we had the protest for racial equality in the US, and rightly so.
So we had a lot of big businesses coming out making wonderful pledges, publicly preaching about how they would create space for black and minority-owned businesses.
These brands publicly ask you to send them a copy of your lookbook, but privately, they send you an email, talking about how "I'm not a right fit for their platform".
The key problem with this is I'd not even sent them a copy of my lookbook yet!
This is what black-owned businesses like mine deal with. I'm tired of being used as a tool to publicly show how diverse these brands intend to be, but in reality they don't mean any of the things they declare.
Jamal Edwards - I used to feel like the outsider but the internet has made things easier
Jamal, 29, founded the online media company SBTV in 2007 in west London. It grew out of YouTube, with an emphasis on discovering new music artists, including Ed Sheeran and Dave. He was awarded an MBE in the 2015 New Year Honours list.
Image source, Getty Images
I personally feel like the democratic nature of the internet has meant that the opinions and ideologies of the so-called gatekeepers - who are mainly white - are null and void. It’s made it a lot easier for people like me, who are of Afro-Caribbean descent, to prosper.
This has broken down a lot of barriers and increased the access to opportunities that may have not been readily available to me before the YouTube era.
When I first started I had work experience at MTV and the BBC and I always remember feeling a sense of nervousness going in to work because it felt like I was the outsider.
I quickly learnt to overcome these problems, but I don’t think it should be a feeling an aspiring young professional should face.
This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Media caption, Jamal offered his four key business tips on CEO Secrets in 2016
Although I have had many successes I have faced many challenges. For example, there came a point in my business where I felt like I hit a glass ceiling.
It became clear that I was not being taken seriously due to my appearance because I didn't dress or look like your generic executive.
I have always looked at it as a matter of strategy to debunk these micro-aggressions that were the cause of these barriers.
Image caption, This mixed media portrait of Jamal by Matt Small will be displayed in public in west London, where the entrepreneur grew up
It became apparent that I had to hire a senior white male executive to balance things out and to aid in breaking through the glass ceiling I was faced with. Since then we have built a great partnership and we work extremely well together.
As time has passed it's inspiring to see all the black executives championing change.
I definitely think there has been change, even if it has been small. This has led to other entrepreneurs coming through and making a name for themselves.
It’s refreshing to see people that look like me, that have often been overlooked, and had to work harder than their white contemporaries, be taken seriously and reap the fruits of their labour.
Gerald Manu - An investor told me to ask black people for money instead
Gerald, 22, is the founder of Devacci, a street fashion label he created while still at school in Croydon, south London.
Image source, Devacci
Building a business from scratch is never easy. Building a business from the ground up as a black entrepreneur is 100 times harder.
This is especially true in my area: fashion and technology, where there are few black entrepreneur role models.
The Black Lives Matter movement really matters to me because I believe in equality in every aspect of life. Black people like myself have been treated unfairly and it is time for a change.
This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Media caption, Entrepreneur Gerald Manu explains the hardships of starting a fashion brand at school.
I have experienced countless hardships as a black entrepreneur. My worst experience was fundraising.
I had come across an angel investor who agreed to schedule a meeting with me. The meeting only lasted about 20 minutes. The majority of the meeting was the angel investor brutally criticising my business plan without any positive feedback, but that wasn’t the worst part.
He made a comment saying: “I know that if I give you this money, you will most likely blow it all on an expensive lifestyle or spend it recklessly. Why don’t you go ask other black, influential, wealthy people in the UK for the money instead?”
I was shocked and disgusted by those comments. My ego was crushed at that moment. It was one of the worst days of my life. But I did not let it get me down, I used those comments as fuel to pursue my dreams with Devacci.
Image source, Devacci Image caption, Gerald's story has been used in a public campaign in Croydon to inspire others
I hope there will be more diversity when it comes to venture capitalist funding for businesses, because I know I am not the only one facing this type of racial discrimination. Being a black entrepreneur trying to secure angel investment or venture capital for your business is basically almost impossible and that is something that needs to change.
Kike Oniwinde - There are not enough black people in senior leadership positions
Kike, 27, is the founder of BYP Network, which works with businesses like Facebook, Sky and Netflix. It has been called ‘the black LinkedIn’, creating networking opportunities primarily for black people.
When I started my business back in 2016, it was partly inspired by the Black Lives Matter movement and the realisation that there was a lack of black representation in corporations.
I felt like the media only represents black people in a negative way: it’s about knife crime, or it showcases us as entertainers in sports and music only.
This led to the motivation to "change the black narrative" by connecting black professionals around the globe for role model visibility, job and business opportunities and economic empowerment.
Here we are in 2020, and the same motivations still persist. There are not enough black people in senior leadership positions here in the UK, we still face prejudice, micro-aggressions, racism and closed doors.
Race is something I think about daily, mainly because my business is focused on black attainment, but also because the glaring differences of how we are treated is constant.
As a black female founder, access to investment is statistically near-impossible. In Europe, €13bn (£11.6bn) a year funding is spent on predominantly white, male founding companies to innovate the future.
This capital is barely accessible to black founders. Only 1% of companies invested in are black-owned. Only 0.2% of companies invested in have a black, female founder.
This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Media caption, CEO Secrets caught up with Kike at one of her events in 2019
I have been fortunate to raise investment, but it’s about access for all black founders, not just the few.
Venture capital firms should be held accountable for the lack of investment in black founders. We have barely seen statements of solidarity or even acknowledgement of the current climate.
As an entrepreneur, I believe the wider public should be more informed about the venture capital world so that more people can hold them accountable, not just the elite few.
Myself and other black founders ask them to:
1. Be more racially aware by investing in unconscious bias training
2. Show full transparency on how many black employees they and their portfolio companies have
3. Co-invest 1% of their fund to black founders.
Black lives matter in all facets of life, whether when questioned by police, interviewing for a job, or seeking investment.
As a black female founder, I am aware that others see me as a role model, the very representation I was searching for. So it’s part of my duty to ensure doors can be opened for others that look like me.


bbcuk--2020-07-01--Coronavirus: How the Royal Family is changing in lockdown

Three months ago , when lockdown began , it was hard to see how , in isolation , the Royal Family could unite the nation as it had previously done in times of crisis .
The Prince of Wales , the heir to the throne , had tested positive for Covid-19 .
He and the Duchess of Cornwall self-isolated in Scotland .
The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh , both in their 90s , retreated behind Windsor Castle 's walls .
The institution had already been rocked by the departure of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Yet with each day , the death toll rose and a nation needed reassurance .
• Queen tells UK 'we will succeed ' in fight • The Queen 's message seen by 24 million Within a week Prince Charles , who suffered only mild symptoms of the virus , was able to release a video describing his `` strange , frustrating and often distressing experience '' .
The video was recorded at his home on the Balmoral estate .
Perhaps it was the setting - the crammed bookshelves , the family photo @ @ @ @ @ @ @ - or the heartfelt , personal delivery - but it felt intimate and set the tone for how the Royal Family went on to communicate with the nation during lockdown .
With no reporters , no camera crews and no questioners , the royal video calls and films have felt different .
Lockdown should have been a challenge to the family mantra `` we have to be seen to be believed '' .
But it may have had the opposite effect .
The Duchess of Cambridge in particular has appeared to relish the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has been more engaging and confident than I have generally seen her in front of the cameras at `` real-life '' engagements .
Would Prince Charles have talked so candidly about lockdown separation and really wanting `` to give people a hug '' if he was face-to-face with an interviewer rather than doing it remotely via a laptop ?
Maybe .
Maybe not .
It is perhaps not surprising that the younger royals - particularly William and Catherine - have been very active on social media throughout lockdown .
What they have also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been expected bearing in mind their determination to protect their children 's privacy , is include them in their efforts to rally the nation .
• How are William and Kate handling lockdown ?
All but the hardest of hearts will have melted a little at the sight of Prince George , Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis clapping for carers outside their front door .
As with many families , the royals have been spread far and wide across the UK .
However , lockdown has offered the opportunity for some unprecedented get-togethers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Nurses Day .
In any other year , this may have been marked by a member of the family visiting a hospital to shake hands with selected members of staff .
But this year , no fewer than eight members joined forces to pay tribute to healthcare workers in eight separate countries .
Such a collaboration was always going to make headlines .
The addition of the first ever broadcast phone call of the monarch only added to the appeal .
In a similar vein , the Queen participated in her first broadcast @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the Princess Royal , she chatted with a group of carers saying she was very impressed with what they had done and was glad she had been able to join them .
The perceived success of these collective engagements mean they are likely to be more common post-lockdown .
So has this new , more informal approach , resonated ?
Engagement on Clarence House 's digital platforms has , I 'm told , increased ten-fold .
The photograph released to celebrate Prince William 's birthday , with his father 's head resting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ personal and intimate than we are used to - `` broke the royal internet '' , according to a clearly chuffed Palace insider .
But before we get carried away with new technologies - in terms of a unifying message , it was a television broadcast delivered by the Queen , in the traditional way , which truly ticked that box .
An estimated 24 million people watched her thank NHS and frontline key workers and those who were staying at home to protect loved ones .
It lasted just over four minutes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ note : `` We will meet again . ''
So near the peak of the pandemic , those were words many people needed to hear .
Three months of video calls , messages and online `` stories '' have kept the royals in the public eye and allowed them to shine a light where necessary .
But I 'm assured they are determined to get back to being a `` 3D… real-life Royal Family '' .
In future , part of their role will be to provide reassurance to a nervous public that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out again .
And that means a return to public engagements with the 94-year-old Queen a notable exception .
She will continue , as she has done during lockdown , to keep across government business via the red boxes and phone calls with the prime minister .
But her age and vulnerability to Covid-19 makes a return to public life unlikely anytime soon .
In her absence , it was Prince Charles who welcomed France 's President Emmanuel Macron on his recent visit .
Prince William and Catherine have both carried out face-to-face @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and use hand sanitiser .
So normal service is resuming - in line with government guidelines .
And as the royals - together with the rest of the country - ease themselves out of lockdown , they can do so confident in the knowledge that a little bit of online informality , alongside the set-piece speeches , the waves and the visits , make for a powerful combination .

Take the 12 May - International Nurses Day. In any other year, this may have been marked by a member of the family visiting a hospital to shake hands with selected members of staff. But this year, no fewer than eight members joined forces to pay tribute to healthcare workers in eight separate countries. Such a collaboration was always going to make headlines. The addition of the first ever broadcast phone call of the monarch only added to the appeal.


bbcuk--2020-06-30--Cherry Groce: Mum's police shooting 'robbed me of my childhood'

Lee Lawrence was just 11 years old when his life changed forever .
He had fallen asleep in his mother 's room and was awoken by a loud noise .
She went to investigate but moments later he heard a gunshot .
His mother , Dorothy `` Cherry '' Groce , had been mistakenly shot by police officers in an incident which left her paralysed and sparked the Brixton Riots of 1985 .
Now 45 , Lee remembers his mother crying out that she could not breathe - words which now resonate with those uttered by the black American George @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his neck in Minneapolis , Minnesota .
Like Floyd 's death , which saw people take to the streets around the world , Cherry 's shooting led to unrest .
But once the riots - or uprising as Lee calls it - died down , he was left with the `` huge responsibility '' of being a young carer for his mother , who was now in a wheelchair .
`` It changed my life forever and robbed me of my childhood , '' he said .
`` Just two weeks later I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no therapy for what happened and no one spoke to us about it , so when I went to school no teacher ever spoke to me about it , no one ever said 'how do you feel ' about what happened . ''
Officers from the Metropolitan Police had been searching for his older brother Michael Groce , who was suspected of being involved in a robbery .
He was never charged over the robbery , but was given a suspended sentence for a firearms offence .
Cherry Groce , then 37 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her paralysed from the chest down .
She died of kidney failure in 2011 , aged 63 , and in 2014 a jury inquest found that police failures contributed to her death .
Then Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe apologised `` unreservedly '' for their failings and `` the years of suffering '' the shooting caused the family .
While as an 11-year-old he did not understand it , Lee said he now saw that `` racism was at the core '' of the incident .
`` I never really understood why @ @ @ @ @ @ @ my mum had passed and there was an inquest into her death which allowed us to reinvestigate what happened .
`` For me I feel , knowing now what I know through the evidence that we managed to have access to , that racism was at the core of what happened .
And because of how the police viewed black people , especially at that time , all the normal checks that they would do or should have done went out of the window . ''
Figures suggest that a disproportionate number of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ UK are black , while reports have found Met Police officers are more likely to use force against black people .
Watching the protests around the world , George Floyd 's final words were all too familiar for Lee .
`` I [ remember hearing ] my mum saying in a faint voice that she ca n't breathe , she ca n't feel her legs , and she thought she was going to die . ''
Lee , who lives in London , says he does n't believe policing has improved .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ still , if I 'm driving and I see the police in my rear view mirror I 'm thinking , okay am I going to get stopped ?
I still think that . ''
`` I still feel we have a long way to go , '' he added .
Lee , who is chief executive of Mobility Taxis , said his son Brandon , 24 , has been stopped and harassed by police in Hertfordshire over a query about insurance .
Brandon called his dad to ask him to explain to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lee said even after he had they did not seem satisfied .
`` I was getting quite upset to the point where my son was saying to me , 'dad , calm down . '
`` But I was upset more because I thought okay , this happened to my mum .
I 've been through certain things with the police and had my own experiences .
`` And now I 've got my son - that 's three like generations of harassment .
So it was really hurtful . ''
The Hertfordshire @ @ @ @ @ @ @ alleged incident , but urged Lee to get in touch with them , saying they have a panel with members of the public on who can scrutinise their stop and search scheme .
Since the death of his mother in 2011 , Lee set up the Cherry Groce Foundation to focus on restorative justice - the process his family received during his mother 's inquest .
`` To this day she is my main inspiration , '' he said .
`` She was a true example of a strong black woman .
She @ @ @ @ @ @ @ whatever little she had to whoever she could . ''
His brother Michael , who was not at the house on the night of the shooting , has since changed his ways , turning to community work and poetry .
Lee is also writing a book and opening a memorial in September to mark 35 years since the shooting .
The injustices suffered by the black British community is something he thinks should be taught in schools .
`` For the first time in my life there 's now a sense of awareness @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` There are people now asking : how can we learn more about this ? ''
Listen to Lee 's story on The Next Episode podcast on BBC Sounds

"It changed my life forever and robbed me of my childhood," he said. "Just two weeks later I was back at school, we had no therapy for what happened and no one spoke to us about it, so when I went to school no teacher ever spoke to me about it, no one ever said 'how do you feel' about what happened."


bbcuk--2020-07-01--The Last Leg's Alex Brooker: 'Viewers don't define me by my disability'

When comedian Alex Brooker was hired to appear on The Last Leg , he was initially put on a nine-day contract .
Which is n't surprising .
After all , the programme was only supposed to run for two weeks , alongside the 2012 Paralympic Games in London .
Brooker , who was working as a sports journalist at the time , assumed that once the tournament concluded , so too would the series .
But then , the team started noticing how much momentum was building around it .
`` I did n't think I 'd do any more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ four shows into The Last Leg , we went out in the Olympic Park and a huge number of people were coming up to us , '' he recalls .
`` Josh [ Widdicombe ] and I went to film something and like , people were mobbing us .
And it was the first time I realised that this had hit home with a lot of people . ''
The programme , fronted by Brooker , Widdicombe and presenter Adam Hills , looked back at each day 's events during the Paralympics .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ at disability in equal measure .
Brooker , who has hand and arm impairments and uses a prosthetic leg , would make as many jokes at his own expense as he would at other people 's .
Hills , who was born without a right foot , would do the same .
The show became so popular that Channel 4 commissioned it for a longer run .
Eight years later , it 's one of the network 's biggest hits .
But having spent nearly a decade making light of his own impairments @ @ @ @ @ @ @ slightly more serious and reflective look at his own disability .
A new BBC Two documentary , broadcast this weekend , sees the comedian ask himself questions he has n't addressed before , something which was prompted partly by a charity swim last year .
`` When I did Sink or Swim , there was a moment in Lake Windermere where I struggled , and I felt for the first time in as many years as I can remember , that my disability was beating me , '' he tells BBC News .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ got very emotional .
So I took a step back , and thought , I 'm clearly not fully OK , and I have to work some stuff out about how I feel about it .
`` I just wanted to do the documentary to shine a light on disability in perhaps a different way than I have done on television so far .
But in a selfish way , it was about learning for myself .
Getting to a stage where I felt able to talk about these feelings I 've had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is the butt of several jokes on The Last Leg , it is n't the sole focus .
The show also features games , celebrity guests and a discussion of the week 's news .
But the documentary sees the issue take centre stage .
He explores the impact it had on his family when he was growing up .
He interviews Paralympic swimmer Susie Rodgers and speaks to fellow disabled football fans at Arsenal 's Disabled Supporters ' Club .
`` All my conversations I 've ever really had about being a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ telly , '' he notes .
`` It 's a really strange thing , and it makes you feel quite exposed .
But at the same time , I really hope that the audience take something from the fact that it is so , so personal . ''
The film also prompted some frank conversations with his family , which Brooker had never had before .
`` The conversation with my mum about what life was like when I was a kid in Great Ormond Street , that 's the first time we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' he says .
It 's his hope that the programme will have a broad appeal , and find an audience beyond other disabled people .
Any increase in awareness and understanding can only be a good thing , he argues .
Brooker and his Last Leg co-stars are often praised for flying the flag for an under-represented community .
But the public 's focus has , in recent weeks , turned to other minority groups on television , sparked by the Black Lives Matter protests .
`` I think we should @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people as possible through television , '' Brooker says .
`` Okay , yeah , on The Last Leg , we are three white men , although obviously there 's a lot of diversity in the sense of our disabilities .
But I would never sit there and think to myself , 'Oh , well , we 've got it completed , then .
We do n't need to be any more diverse . '
We ca n't rest on our laurels . ''
Interestingly , it could be argued that any perceived @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is a victory in itself , because any such criticism would mean that people no longer consider the hosts ' disabilities unusual or even notable .
`` With me personally , I 'm not seen as being disabled .
I know that sounds like a weird thing , but I 'm not really , '' Brooker says .
`` That 's not a compliment , because I 'm proud to be disabled , but what I do take from it is sometimes that means people are de-sensitised to it .
`` And for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and not be staring at my hands and actually be listening to what I 'm saying , is a really big step forward .
And actually people are n't seeing it as defining me , it 's just one aspect . ''
Brooker says he takes `` great pride '' in meeting viewers in real life who praise him for being a role model .
`` Sometimes I 've had parents speak to me , and maybe their child has been born in a similar way , '' he says .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there 's nothing better than that . ''
But , he jokes : `` Obviously I still would n't mind a Bafta in a few weeks , when the Last Leg are nominated again !
That would be neat , but that would come second to the messages I get , of course . ''
This year 's Bafta TV Awards are now due to take place on 31 July .
The ceremony had been scheduled for May as usual , but the coronavirus pandemic means the Academy have had to keep the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` They have ! ''
laughs Brooker .
`` And then , on the night , we have to wait for three hours to lose to Graham Norton ! ''
Alex Brooker : Disability and Me is broadcast on BBC Two on Sunday at 21:00 BST .

"I didn't think I'd do any more television, but when we were about four shows into The Last Leg, we went out in the Olympic Park and a huge number of people were coming up to us," he recalls. "Josh [Widdicombe] and I went to film something and like, people were mobbing us. And it was the first time I realised that this had hit home with a lot of people."


bbcuk--2020-07-01--'Please don't forget us': Coronavirus adds to court cases backlog

The coronavirus lockdown has added thousands more cases to the backlog faced by courts in England and Wales .
It could take up to 10 years to clear this backlog , a new report says .
So how does this affect people already tied up in the criminal justice system ?
Emma describes herself as stubborn .
She says it 's the reason why she has n't given up on the justice system .
It 's been nearly three years since she went to the police to allege she 'd been raped .
The suspect was arrested soon afterwards but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he was charged .
She says the police have been incredibly supportive throughout but she still does n't understand why the investigation has taken so long .
`` It 's never been explained .
Just that they 're very busy . ''
Her trial , which was finally due to start in June , has now been adjourned as a result of the pandemic , and she 's been warned it might not start for another year .
`` It 's really difficult .
How are we supposed to move on when it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not just me , it 's my family and friends .
It affects others . ''
Through it all Emma has been supported by the charity Solace Women 's Aid .
They say there 's nothing unusual about the delays she has faced .
Even before the pandemic , government figures show that it 's been taking , on average , 511 days to complete a case .
For rape , robbery and fraud it 's been taking on average even longer .
When asked what she would like to say to those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do something to speed up the system , Emma starts to cry and says : `` Please do n't forget about us . ''
John describes himself as a composed , professional person .
But after three years of being tangled up in the courts system , he says he felt battered and calls the system broken .
John 's barrister nicknamed his case `` the zombie case '' .
John was charged with actual bodily harm in 2016 .
Having never been in trouble with the law before , he was desperate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ name .
He was told to be on standby for a trial in March 2017 .
It did n't happen .
Then he was put on standby for a trial the following month .
Again it did n't happen .
Then it got postponed for a whole year but it did n't happen in 2018 either .
`` I asked my barrister , is this normal ?
And he said , 'sadly , yes ' .
It was astonishing really , '' he says .
• Coronavirus could see huge changes to jury @ @ @ @ @ @ @ caused him so much stress that he thought about pleading guilty to a lesser offence .
`` I seriously considered it , even though I was innocent , just to end the matter . ''
He was finally acquitted late last year , three years after the legal process began .
In total his trial was postponed eight times .
On seven occasions it was because of a lack of court time .
He says each time he would build himself up for a court date .
`` There is anxiety , as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to do that nine times over , it brings unnecessary stress upon yourself and your family . ''
The pandemic has exacerbated existing delays in the courts - even before it struck there were some 37,000 cases waiting to be heard in the crown courts and nearly 400,000 were in the queue for the magistrates ' courts .
Thousands more trials than usual have been delayed since the UK went into lockdown on 23 March .
And a report by the watchdog , Her Majesty 's CPS Inspectorate , says social distancing measures @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the existing backlog to be reduced .
`` Some estimates show that the current scale of increase in the backlog would take 10 years to clear at pre-pandemic rates , '' the report adds .
The Criminal Bar Association , which represents criminal barristers , says that some trial delays have been caused by government cuts to the court budget which forced court rooms to stay shut last year .
But the Ministry of Justice points out that the court backlog is not exceptional and has fallen markedly in the crown courts over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ say that they planned before the pandemic to increase the number of days the courts sit .
Matthew has n't been able to go to work in his public-sector job for the last three years because he 's being investigated for allegedly committing a serious offence .
He was arrested in 2017 but rather than being released on bail , which is time limited , he was released under investigation or RUI , which is n't .
He then waited two-and-a-half years before being charged .
He says that his mental health has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he calls an abusive process .
The government is currently reviewing the use of RUIs .
Matthew 's lawyers fear that his trial , due in the autumn , will get postponed to next year as a result of the pandemic .
But he is desperate to clear his name and get back to work .
`` Prior to the false allegation , my life was built around helping others in any way I could .
During the pandemic , I have felt as if I 'm hiding at home whilst my colleagues @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this virus . ''
Names in this article have been changed .

He was finally acquitted late last year, three years after the legal process began. In total his trial was postponed eight times. On seven occasions it was because of a lack of court time. He says each time he would build himself up for a court date. "There is anxiety, as you can imagine, and to have to do that nine times over, it brings unnecessary stress upon yourself and your family."


bbcuk--2020-06-30--UK economy: 'We are battered, bruised, but wiser after lockdown'

Businessman Nick Garthwaite sums up trading during the last few months thus : `` We took an absolute pasting .
May was the bottom , the pits . ''
It 's a view that must be felt at the thousands of firms surveyed for the latest British Chamber of Commerce 's Quarterly Economic Survey , published on Wednesday .
Eleven of the 14 key indicators for the service sector fell to their lowest level in the survey 's 31-year history .
In manufacturing , nine of the 14 indicators dropped to the lowest point .
Mr Garthwaite is managing director @ @ @ @ @ @ @ business that straddles many of the sectors directly affected by the economic slowdown - hospitality , construction , food , manufacturing .
Greggs and Muller are major customers for Christeyns ' food hygiene chemicals arm , and the commercial cleaning operation works with hotels and the NHS .
The BCC 's survey of 7,700 firms , representing 580,000 employees across the UK , found that economic conditions in the April-June quarter `` deteriorated at an unprecedented rate '' .
And that was certainly Mr Garthwaite 's experience following the lockdown on 23 March @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when it was clear things were slowing .
We set up home-working and furloughing .
There was no panic , just a pragmatic approach that we had to act quickly . ''
• This is the moment to be ambitious – PM Christeyns ' chemicals facility in Bradford , which supplies the construction sector , was the worst hit .
`` This part of the business went off the edge of the cliff , '' he said .
The commercial laundry arm also suffered badly .
Mr Braithwaite reckons the two operations lost @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But another part of the company , which sells cleaning chemicals and sanitisers , did brisk business as demand soared .
The business has been running at full capacity , he said .
The BCC 's survey , the largest independent barometer of UK business sentiment , found that sales , orders and cashflow hit rock bottom for many firms .
And business confidence dropped to its lowest level on record among services firms , and fell to its lowest level since early 2009 for manufacturers , the BCC said .
Nevertheless @ @ @ @ @ @ @ now that lockdown is being eased .
Most of his 300 staff have been been brought back from furlough , with only those facing underlying health issues staying away .
Christenys ' factories at Warrington and Whaley Bridge are `` almost back up to full strength '' , he said .
Trading across the business picked up in June , and he anticipates that July will be `` slightly better '' .
But Mr Garthwaite added : `` Getting back to 2019 levels of profit figures may not happen until next year , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I do feel we have turned a corner .
It 's been difficult - but then it 's been difficult for millions of people .
`` We are battered , bruised , but wiser after the event , '' he said .
• 63 % of businesses reported a fall in export sales ( 8 % reported an increase , 29 % said they remained constant ) • 64 % reported a worsening of cashflow ( 11 % saw an improvement , 25 % reported no change ) • Investment intentions for services @ @ @ @ @ @ @ BCC records began • 58 % expect their turnover to fall over the next 12 months ( 25 % expect a rise , 17 % think it will stay the same ) • In the previous quarter - January to March - 56 % of firms were expecting an increase in turnover .
Like Mr Garthwaite , Suren Thiru , head of economics at the BCC , believes the last few weeks are likely to have been the nadir for most businesses .
Mr Thiru said : `` With lockdown restrictions steadily easing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prove to be the low point for the UK economy .
`` However , the collapse in forward looking indicators of activity suggests that unless action is taken , the prospect of a swift and sustained recovery may prove too optimistic . ''
On Tuesday , Prime Minister Boris Johnson set out plans to `` build , build , build '' with promised investments in infrastructure and schools .
But the BCC is more focused on Chancellor Rishi Sunak , who is due to make a keynote economic statement later this month .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Wednesday for a series of targeted measures , including : • Support for young people through wage subsidies for apprenticeships and work experience .
For Mr Garthwaite , the last of these is particularly important .
`` I am old enough to have lived through past recessions , and we ended up doing very little for young people .
Apprenticeships can be so beneficial for the young .
We need to be forward-thinking and create something for them that is fit for purpose . ''
And he made a special plea for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ promise to invest in the north of England .
`` We want to see money for the Northern Powerhouse .
Just re-organising the deckchairs is not going to be enough . ''
The sentiments were echoed by Dr Adam Marshall , the BCC 's director general , who said the survey results showed that the whole of the UK needed `` swift and substantial action '' .
He said : `` The government has one chance to jump-start the economy and business confidence over the coming weeks - and they must take it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ business and consumer confidence is to demonstrate an absolute and unshakeable focus on boosting the economy over the coming months . ''

For Mr Garthwaite, the last of these is particularly important. "I am old enough to have lived through past recessions, and we ended up doing very little for young people. Apprenticeships can be so beneficial for the young. We need to be forward-thinking and create something for them that is fit for purpose."


bbcuk--2020-06-30--Coronavirus: Couples react as ban on weddings lifted in England

From 4 July , the ban on weddings in England will be lifted - but with some strict rules .
Only 30 people are allowed to attend , singing is discouraged and receptions as we know them are out of the question .
Four couples describe how their plans have changed .
'Not what we wanted , but still lovely' Joe Howard is still going ahead with his wedding to fiancee Victoria on 11 July , in Norwich 's St John the Baptist Cathedral - but with just a fifth of the guests .
When lockdown was introduced , they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of planning for a 150-people wedding , '' says Joe .
`` We had 250 people invited if you include the reception .
`` We have moved the reception to October but the wedding is staying in July . ''
There have n't been any weddings in England since the day lockdown began , on 23 March - apart from in special circumstances .
The new rules allowing small ceremonies come into force exactly one week before the couple 's big day .
`` It was a sigh of a relief that we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ planned day at least , '' says Joe .
`` We were thinking there could be 10 people but we have been really lucky they 're allowing 30 .
`` On the day it 's literally go to get married in the day and then go home or to the park . ''
The couple have chosen the lucky 30 who will be coming on the day - prioritising the wedding party including ushers , bridesmaids and their partners , parents , grandparents and a couple of aunts .
The groom has added @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so he can help with the planning .
`` It will be a quickish ceremony now , with a few readings and no singing - so not quite what we wanted but lovely all the same . ''
• The wedding capital where no-one can get married Had the pandemic not happened , James Ingram would have been married by now .
His wedding to partner Michaela was originally scheduled for 20 June , but they postponed it to 5 September .
`` We got engaged Christmas Eve 2018 , '' says James @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a year of horrific brain surgery three times so it was pretty tough .
She nearly died so we wanted to get married . ''
The pair planned to get married in a church in Surrey and have their reception in the back garden of Michaela 's parents ' house .
But her parents , who are in their 70s , have now sold their house because they want to downsize , so there is a risk they 'll move before the wedding .
`` If I do n't get married on 5 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ venue , and it 's really sad because that 's my childhood home , '' says Michaela .
James says the rules are `` just completely ludicrous '' .
`` It 's driving us mad .
We ca n't say ' I do ' loudly , yet we can get to theme parks , we can go to parks .
`` We go out at the weekend seeing parks crawling with people , yet if my partner wants to walk down the aisle holding her dad 's arm , that 's not allowed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` It 's made me feel dreadful , it 's killing us inside , '' he adds .
Michaela says she and her mum `` worked really hard '' to organise the wedding .
The couple say they are now planning to sit tight and keep their fingers crossed .
`` We are planning on waiting and seeing if we can celebrate in September properly because we think the rules may be able to change .
But if the rules are the same as they are now in August , we will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been waiting to live together' James Doc , 29 , from London , has been waiting to get married to his fiancee for weeks .
Their original date was 2 May but `` on the lead up to that date we just watched things get taken away '' - first their honeymoon was cancelled , then the reception and then the ceremony itself .
`` We went through a long extended grief process , '' says the software developer .
Unlike many couples , he and his fiancee do not live together - @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so for many weeks of lockdown , they were not allowed to see each other .
`` It was never about the party , '' says James .
`` It 's a massive life change and life status thing for us .
Marriage is a lifelong commitment , that kind of we have saved ourselves for .
That comes with a whole lot of expectation or anticipation for us . ''
The couple are now going to marry on Saturday at their church .
`` I ca n't wait , '' says James @ @ @ @ @ @ @ absolute joy '' .
Although they are sad they can not have a larger celebration - they 'd originally invited between 300 and 400 people to `` fill the church '' and with a smaller reception afterwards - James says : `` The big thing is that we will be able to make our vows in the sight of God and our friends and family and we are going to have no reception but we are going to have sandwiches in the church yard in groups of six . ''
The 30 people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` which family member do you want to offend the least , '' he jokes ) as well as people from their church and some friends .
'It 's pushed back our plans for a baby' Kiri Black and Alex Monteiro have decided to postpone their July outdoor wedding celebration to August at the earliest , in the hope it can go ahead with 90 guests .
The same-sex couple , from Brighton , say they `` understand why this has to be done but it 's still sad '' .
`` We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' says Kiri .
`` We set out our whole year - have some fun going to festivals , then we were going to try for a baby .
We ca n't do that until we are married otherwise we ca n't both be on the birth certificate . ''
Kiri says her mum is a nurse so is `` petrified of spreading the disease '' , while girlfriend Alex 's dad lives in Romania so he can not come .
Alex says she is `` frankly extremely upset and annoyed '' and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ encouraged to head to the pub on the 4 July '' .
`` Me and my partner along with thousands of other people have signed a petition regarding receptions which we hope will get acknowledged in Parliament . ''
What are England 's rules for weddings ?
• Ceremonies should be kept `` as short as reasonably possible '' and limited as much as possible to just the parts that are legally binding • No more than 30 people should attend • Everyone should follow the 2m rule if possible , or 1m @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and drink should be consumed as part of the event • Hands should be washed before and after the exchanging of rings In the other nations of the UK , which have their own rules over lockdown restrictions , small weddings are also allowed .
In Northern Ireland and Scotland they must be outdoors .
In Wales , ceremonies are allowed at official register offices and places of worship .

Although they are sad they cannot have a larger celebration - they'd originally invited between 300 and 400 people to "fill the church" and with a smaller reception afterwards - James says: "The big thing is that we will be able to make our vows in the sight of God and our friends and family and we are going to have no reception but we are going to have sandwiches in the church yard in groups of six."


bbcuk--2020-06-30--Boris Johnson: Economy speech fact-checked

The prime minister has set out £5bn worth of infrastructure spending that he says will mean the UK can `` bounce back better '' .
Reality Check has taken a closer look at some of the announcements : Boris Johnson said : `` It sounds like a New Deal ... because that is what the times demand . ''
In the early 1930s , President Franklin D Roosevelt 's New Deal programme increased the state 's role in the economy and was designed to help the US recover from the Great Depression .
Comparisons between government programmes in different countries @ @ @ @ @ @ @ difficult to make .
Also , there are strong arguments that it was Roosevelt 's structural reforms involving things like banking and social security that brought about the recovery .
Nonetheless , there have been a few valiant attempts at trying to get New Deal spending into some sort of modern context .
Remember that the New Deal ran over several years , with spending each year between about 5 % and 7 % of the total output of the economy ( GDP ) each year .
Boris Johnson 's £5bn would be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of GDP if it were spent in a single year ( which is unlikely ) .
To get an idea of the scale of increased government spending in the 1930s , US federal government debt grew from 16 % of GDP in 1929 to 44 % of GDP in 1939 .
Before the speech , it was announced £1.5bn would be made available for hospital maintenance and construction , the removal of mental health dormitories and increasing A & E capacity .
It would be part of the pot of money known as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the money we use to build new hospitals or fix existing ones .
It is also spent on new equipment , such as MRI machines .
This spending was cut between 2010-11 - when the Conservatives entered power - and 2017-18 by about 7 % in England , according to the Health Foundation .
This was because the NHS was focusing its resources on day-to-day running of the health service , such as staff pay .
However , recent announcements have seen spending refocus on capital projects .
In the Spring Budget 2020 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Care 's capital budget increased by £1.1bn , taking the annual budget to £8.2bn .
The department has said that the £1.5bn announced on Tuesday is all on top of the earlier £1.1bn .
There is an existing backlog of £6.5bn already needed to fix problems in NHS buildings .
• Boris Johnson : This is the moment to be ambitious • What a shrinking economy means in one town • Where do governments go when they need money ?
The government has pledged £100m this year for 29 projects to `` get @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bridge repairs in Sandwell , in the West Midlands • improving the A15 in the Humber region But this is a relatively small amount of money for a large number of projects .
And it is not new .
It has been allocated from the money set out in the Spring Budget for infrastructure investment .
The prime minister said `` we will build fantastic new homes on brownfield sites '' and promised the `` most radical reforms '' of the planning system since World War Two .
The UK 's planning system @ @ @ @ @ @ @ years after the end of the war , with the Town and Country Planning Act .
There has been criticism in recent years of the amount of time it takes to get planning permission .
But it has also been pointed out that many developers secure planning permission and then do n't immediately build .
Homeless charity Shelter said 280,000 homes were given planning permission in England between 2011 and 2016 but were never built .
In 2017-18 , 382,997 applications were granted , which would be more than enough to meet the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ year .
The government has also said that it would spend £12bn to build houses over the next eight years , something which had been announced previously .
That includes £9.5bn announced in the Spring Budget , which is to be spent over the next five years as well as £2bn announced by Theresa May 's government in 2018 , which has to be spent in the next eight years .
The prime minister repeated Monday 's pledge of £1bn for 50 school-building programmes starting in September 2021 .
This is also the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ announced in the Spring Budget .
And there have been no details of which 50 schools will be given the money .
On Monday , Mr Johnson announced £200m for further education .
But this turned out to be just bringing forward some of the £1.5bn over five years promised in the Conservative manifesto for further education .
And on Tuesday , Mr Johnson made no mention of this £200m , referring to the whole £1.5bn instead .
The PM repeated a commitment to plant over 75,000 acres of trees ( about 30,000 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But Conservative-led governments over the past decade have consistently fallen short of targets for tree-planting set out in their election manifestos .
Tree-planting is a devolved issue in the UK , but England 's tree-planting record is particularly poor compared with other European countries .
Government funding and support saw about 3.6 million trees newly planted in England in the two years from 2017 to 2019 , covering an area of about 2,300 hectares .
That figure does not include trees planted to replace others that have been cut down .
In the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ - including 84 % of all the new trees planted in the UK in 2018-19 .
The prime minister spoke about wanting `` to end the lunacy that stops us - for instance - deporting some violent offenders '' .
He did n't give any details , but the Conservative 2019 manifesto said : `` We will use our new freedoms after Brexit to prevent more foreign national offenders entering our country .
We will cut the number of foreign nationals in our prisons . ''
After the transition deal ends on 31 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deport criminals who are EU citizens .
Previously deportations of EU citizens had to be `` proportionate '' to the crime and after an assessment on the actual threat they present to the UK .
But after 31 December both EU and non-EU citizens will still be covered by human rights rules - these include whether someone might be tortured on return to their country of origin or if they had a close family link to the UK .
This piece was updated on 1 July to give more detail of the housebuilding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ BBC Reality Check to investigate ?
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This spending was cut between 2010-11 - when the Conservatives entered power - and 2017-18 by about 7% in England, according to the Health Foundation. This was because the NHS was focusing its resources on day-to-day running of the health service, such as staff pay. However, recent announcements have seen spending refocus on capital projects.


bbcuk--2020-06-30--Trailblazing actor who paved the way for many dies at 81

Actor Louis Mahoney , who appeared in films like Cry Freedom and TV shows Fawlty Towers and Doctor Who , has died at the age of 81 .
Early in his career , Mahoney was one of the first black actors in the Royal Shakespeare Company in the 1960s .
He also helped found Performers Against Racism in the 1980s to campaign against apartheid in South Africa .
And he worked as part of the Equity union to improve the representation of non-white actors on British TV .
A statement from his agents Waring and McKenna said : `` Louis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ followed : a lifelong activist and champion of anti-racism .
`` His warmth and good humour will be sorely missed . ''
Mahoney was born in The Gambia and moved to the UK in 1957 to study medicine , but decided in the 60s that his future lay in acting .
His roles included the doctor in the 1975 Fawlty Towers episode The Germans , which was in the news recently when it was removed from a streaming service .
He also appeared in a string of Doctor Who episodes and TV shows @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Oscar Charlie .
Earlier this year , he was seen in BBC One 's The Split .
His film credits included Richard Attenborough 's 1987 drama Cry Freedom , plus 1981 Omen sequel The Final Conflict and 2013 's Captain Phillips .
He also remained a regular performer on stage .
As chairman of Equity 's Afro-Asian Committee , he tried to persuade broadcasters and drama schools to reform their attitudes to overcome what he described as `` big hurdles to be jumped by anybody who was non-white '' .
London 's Royal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ brilliant actor and the most wonderful human being ; a devoted activist and extraordinary performer '' .
Scriptwriter Jack Thorne said : `` Louis Mahoney was one of those actors who could carry a whole world through his eyes .
Perhaps because he led such an extraordinary life . ''
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bbcuk--2020-06-30--Gurinder Chadha turns lockdown into family film

She has made her name with cinema hits like Bend It Like Beckham and Angus , Thongs and Perfect Snogging @ @ @ @ @ 's latest work is a much smaller affair .
A number of filmmakers were asked @ @ @ @ @ lockdown , with no crew or budget , for the streaming service Netflix .
As @ @ @ @ @ Alex Stanger , the end result was a very personal affair .

She has made her name with cinema hits like Bend It Like Beckham and Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging, but director Gurinder Chadha's latest work is a much smaller affair.
A number of filmmakers were asked to make short films during lockdown, with no crew or budget, for the streaming service Netflix.
As she tells the BBC's Alex Stanger, the end result was a very personal affair.


bbcuk--2020-06-30--Met Gala challenge paper dress goes viral

For fashion student Karina Bondareva , lockdown couldn ’ t have come at a worse time , as she was @ @ @ @ @ fashion assistant at the prestigious Met Gala in New York .
Instead she ended up @ @ @ @ @ using only red paper and a glue stick , after seeing an online challenge from @ @ @ @

For fashion student Karina Bondareva, lockdown couldn’t have come at a worse time, as she was due to help as a fashion assistant at the prestigious Met Gala in New York.
Instead she ended up recreating a spectacular dress, using only red paper and a glue stick, after seeing an online challenge from fashionista Billy Porter.
Video journalist: Sophie van Brugen.


bbcuk--2020-07-01--Coronavirus: The UK millennial who refused to quit picking veg

A 23-year-old from Norfolk says she is feeling `` proud '' after spending lockdown picking vegetables – defying the stereotype @ @ @ @ @ hack working on the land .
Maddie Yarham took the role at a farm in @ @ @ @ @ at John Lewis fell through due to coronavirus .
She worked the whole nine-week season @ @ @ @ @ and hot weather , unlike many of her counterparts who quit early on .
Ms @ @ @ @ @ who worked on the farm – the first to do so in decades – to @ @ @ @ @ by migrants .
The British Growers Association says 70,000 seasonal staff are needed for picking @ @ @ @ @ farmers say the pandemic has created a foreign labour shortage and they can not recruit @ @ @ @ @ Defra spokesperson said the government would `` continue to work with farmers and growers to @ @ @ @ @ labour '' .
• Live updates : Coronavirus and more from across the east of @

A 23-year-old from Norfolk says she is feeling "proud" after spending lockdown picking vegetables – defying the stereotype that British people cannot hack working on the land.
Maddie Yarham took the role at a farm in Attleborough when a job offer at John Lewis fell through due to coronavirus.
She worked the whole nine-week season picking asparagus during hail storms and hot weather, unlike many of her counterparts who quit early on.
Ms Yarham was among 50 Brits who worked on the farm – the first to do so in decades – to plug a gap usually filled by migrants.
The British Growers Association says 70,000 seasonal staff are needed for picking each year. However, farmers say the pandemic has created a foreign labour shortage and they cannot recruit enough domestic workers.
A Defra spokesperson said the government would "continue to work with farmers and growers to ensure they have access to labour".


bbcuk--2020-06-30--The orphaned baby squirrel eating video that went viral

Wildlife photographer and zoologist Dani Connor discovered four baby squirrel siblings , after finding out their mum had died .
@ @ @ @ @ British but lives in northern Sweden , used to take photos of the squirrels ’ @ @ @ @ @ Remy .
But when she found Remy had died , she started feeding the baby @ @ @ @ @ young to fend for themselves .
She now says she ’ s spent over 100 @ @ @ @ @ ’ re totally used to her being around and filming them .
Listen to Newsbeat @ @ @ @ @ weekdays - or listen back here .

Wildlife photographer and zoologist Dani Connor discovered four baby squirrel siblings, after finding out their mum had died.
Dani, who’s British but lives in northern Sweden, used to take photos of the squirrels’ mum, who she named Remy.
But when she found Remy had died, she started feeding the baby squirrels as they were too young to fend for themselves.
She now says she’s spent over 100 hours with them and they’re totally used to her being around and filming them.
Video edited by Imran Rahman-Jones.
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Listen to Newsbeat live at 12:45 and 17:45 weekdays - or listen back here.


bbcuk--2020-06-30--Covid-19: How to be a travel vlogger in lockdown

Travel vlogger Bogdan Alexe has been coming up with different ways to make films after borders were closed during lockdown @ @ @ @ @ Canterbury , Kent , has turned to producing videos using green screen and archive footage @ @ @ @ @ I do n't think travel vlogging will see the end of days after this .
@ @ @ @ @ still advising against all non-essential travel , but that is going to be lifted on @ @ @ @ @ the public health risk is no longer `` unacceptably high '' .
But this official @ @ @ @ @ Office is separate from so called `` international travel corridors '' .
These would be @ @ @ @ @ starting as early as 4 July - where anyone returning from those nations would not @ @ @ @ @ UK for a fortnight upon their return .

Travel vlogger Bogdan Alexe has been coming up with different ways to make films after borders were closed during lockdown.
The YouTuber, from Canterbury, Kent, has turned to producing videos using green screen and archive footage.
He said: "I don't think travel vlogging will see the end of days after this."
The Foreign Office is still advising against all non-essential travel, but that is going to be lifted on 6 July for countries where the public health risk is no longer "unacceptably high".
But this official travel advice from the Foreign Office is separate from so called "international travel corridors".
These would be agreements with other countries - starting as early as 4 July - where anyone returning from those nations would not need to self-isolate in the UK for a fortnight upon their return.
Video producer: Stuart Maisner


bbcuk--2020-06-30--Coronavirus: Care home resident shares feelings of isolation and worry

Many residents in care homes are still unable to see family and friends .
Most inspections by the care regulator @ @ @ @ @ middle of March and there ’ s been a rise of more than 50 % @ @ @ @ @ from staff concerned about standards in some residential and nursing homes .
Over the past @ @ @ @ @ home resident has been speaking to Social Affairs Correspondent Alison Holt , about his isolation @ @ @ @ @ pandemic .

Many residents in care homes are still unable to see family and friends. Most inspections by the care regulator have been suspended since the middle of March and there’s been a rise of more than 50% in calls to its helpline from staff concerned about standards in some residential and nursing homes.
Over the past two months, one care home resident has been speaking to Social Affairs Correspondent Alison Holt, about his isolation and worries during the coronavirus pandemic.


bbcuk--2020-07-01--Bobby Storey funeral: O'Neill says critics are 'point-scoring'

Northern Ireland 's deputy first minister has said criticism of her presence at the funeral of republican Bobby Storey is `` political point-scoring '' .
Earlier First Minister Arlene Foster called for Michelle O'Neill to apologise for her actions .
Ms O'Neill was one of several senior Sinn Féin politicians who was present , along with hundreds of other mourners .
On Wednesday two other parties in the NI executive said she should resign .
Current coronavirus regulations state a maximum of 30 people are allowed to gather together outdoors .
There has been widespread criticism of Ms O'Neill and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lou McDonald and former leader Gerry Adams , who attended the funeral of Mr Storey , who was considered the head of intelligence of the IRA for a period from the mid-1990s .
All of the other parties which make up Northern Ireland 's devolved government along with Sinn Féin - the DUP , UUP , SDLP and Alliance - have criticised Ms O'Neill , with the UUP and Alliance calling for her to resign .
Mrs Foster said she had `` undermined '' the executive .
Mrs Foster , leader of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said on Wednesday : `` It is quite intolerable now that people think that there are some people to whom the law does n't apply and that indeed there are some politicians who are saying : 'Do as I say but not as I do ' .
`` That undermines everything that we have been trying to do .
`` She needs to apologise , she needs to recognise the wrong that has been done and she absolutely needs to make amends for what has happened . ''
Speaking to the Executive Committee @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said : `` I am satisfied that my actions are within the regulations and the public health guidance .
My actions I stand over .
`` I think it is unfortunate that a lot of the charges being levelled towards me are political point-scoring , as opposed to actually being about the rules . ''
The Sinn Féin vice-president added that she would encourage `` anybody to stick within the regulations and the guidance as we have set out .
`` We are not out of the woods yet . ''
Earlier , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had a `` maximum of 30 people in it '' and that the service at St Agnes 's Church had been `` exemplary '' in relation to social distancing and hygiene .
Inside the church only three mourners shared a pew , she said .
The BBC understands about 120 mourners were inside the church The Police Service of Northern Ireland ( PSNI ) said on Tuesday it would review footage of the funeral and `` consider any suspected breaches of the Health Protection ( Coronavirus Restrictions ) Regulations NI 2020 '' .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ concern about the deputy first minister 's claim that the arrangements for the funeral service for Bobby Storey within St Agnes 's Church in West Belfast were `` exemplary '' .
It 's understood that in a call last Wednesday with the chief medical officer , chief scientific adviser and two junior ministers , church representatives were told that the change in rules enabling social distancing at regular religious services did not apply to funerals , weddings and baptisms .
A letter published on the executive website summarised the latest guidance on social @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the faith leaders .
However the letter states that `` weddings , baptisms and funerals are not covered by the advice below .
The executive will consider this further early next week . ''
It 's understood the churches then advised other families planning funerals for this week that the maximum attendance for funerals of 10 people remained in place .
After the TV pictures of Bobby Storey 's funeral emerged , it 's believed the Bishop of Down and Connor Noel Treanor sought clarity from the executive .
It 's believed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ night , marked `` draft '' which extends the social distancing rule to funeral services .
However this guidance was not communicated to the churches prior to Bobby Storey 's funeral and its status remains uncertain .
Stormont 's Finance Minister Conor Murphy and Northern Ireland Assembly members ( MLAs ) Gerry Kelly and Martina Anderson also attended the funeral .
On Tuesday , NI Health Minister Robin Swann said no-one was exempt from the regulations .
Mr Swann said he hoped `` this is n't the Dominic Cummings effect in Northern Ireland @ @ @ @ @ @ @ n't afford it to be '' .
`` There is no person , or position , or point of privilege that is above the guidance we had laid down , no one is immune from it , '' he said .
A number of other politicians have also voiced concern over the funeral .
In a tweet , Justice Minister Naomi Long , leader of the Alliance Party , said when the rule makers break the rules it is more hurtful `` for all who made huge sacrifices to obey the regulations '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for any reason is dangerous '' .
SDLP leader Colum Eastwood said : `` Today 's [ Tuesday 's ] display showed a blatant disregard for the sacrifices made by so many . ''
In the assembly , Traditional Unionist Voice leader Jim Allister said the executive 's credibility had been undermined by the appearance of the deputy first minister and other MLAs `` in flagrant breach , it would appear , of some of those regulations '' .
There have been a number of events which have been criticised for attracting crowds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a senior police officer said there had been social-distancing breaches at funerals in both the unionist and nationalist communities .
Earlier in June , protestors at Black Lives Matter rallies in Belfast and Londonderry were fined , while several hundred people took part in a `` save our statues '' rally at Belfast City Hall .
Mr Storey died at the age of 64 following a period of illness .
Security sources linked him to several major incidents , including the £26m Northern Bank robbery in 2004 .

Mrs Foster, leader of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), said on Wednesday: "It is quite intolerable now that people think that there are some people to whom the law doesn't apply and that indeed there are some politicians who are saying: 'Do as I say but not as I do'.


bbcuk--2020-07-01--Coronavirus: 1,700 Airbus jobs threatened in UK

Plans to cut 1,700 UK Airbus jobs have been described as `` utterly devastating '' by a Welsh minister .
Economy , Transport and North Wales Minister Ken Skates called on the UK government to take `` decisive action '' to support the flight sector .
Mr Skates said a `` significant share '' of the job losses were expected at Broughton , in Flintshire .
The company said it planned to cut 15,000 jobs in total as it dealt with the effects of the coronavirus crisis .
Mr Skates said `` compulsory action '' at the Broughton site , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ruled out .
He said within the next three weeks he would be convening a high level summit to discuss the future of the aerospace , automotive and manufacturing sector and he would be pressing the UK government to take part .
The minister added it was `` vital '' the UK Chancellor Rishi Sunak `` takes the lead '' , calling for an `` evolution '' of the furlough scheme to support a shorter working week .
`` Nobody should be under any illusion about the impact Covid is having on aerospace @ @ @ @ @ @ @ economy , '' Mr Skates said .
`` The sector is in crisis and the UK government needs to take swift and decisive action now to save the industry and its supply chain .
`` The alarm bells have been sounding for weeks and we need urgent steps at a UK level to prevent this crisis becoming even worse . ''
Meanwhile , Secretary of State for Wales Simon Hart told Radio Wales : `` There 's this idea that there has n't been much UK government involvement , but there has been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ aviation industry ] and we 'll keep doing that because we want it to survive… '' I spoke to [ Airbus ] yesterday or the day before and I have done throughout this crisis… .
`` There is a role for Welsh Government in this too , do n't forget they protect their devolved areas very carefully… I 'm looking forward to hearing what the first minister is going to do , what Ken Skates is going to do and what their role is in this rather than complain about the UK .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Questions in Westminster , Cardiff South and Penarth MP Stephen Doughty asked what Boris Johnson was doing to help workers who `` do n't want to hear slogans '' .
The prime minister said there was a `` £600bn plan for investment '' in jobs .
At the Welsh government 's daily coronavirus briefing on Wednesday , Mr Skates said ministers would not `` abandon '' Airbus workers and would do all they could to help .
`` This can not - and will not - be the beginning of the end for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Flintshire council leader Ian Roberts said he would `` like to hear assurances that there will be a two-government approach to this '' .
He told BBC Radio Wales Breakfast with Claire Summers : `` Too often governments blame each other . ''
First Minister Mark Drakeford responded , saying he would `` definitely agree that all levels of government will need to work together very closely '' .
He said it was what happened when Ford announced it was closing engine plant in Bridgend last year .
`` We will need @ @ @ @ @ @ @ effort , '' he said .
Unite Wales Regional Secretary Peter Hughes urged the UK government to act : `` If the UK government does not step in now to ensure the support is there for Airbus to get through this crisis , the consequences for Wales could be catastrophic . ''
He said the union would `` not accept any proposal that involves compulsory redundancy for our members '' .
He called on Airbus to `` hold their nerve and step back from implementing their plan '' .
More details of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ down between the two giant factories will come at the end of the week after talks with unions .
The firm expects to make the cuts by summer 2021 , but hopes the majority of redundancies will be voluntary or through early retirement of staff .
Mr Skates said his thoughts were with workers and their families .
`` As a Welsh Government we will stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the company , its workforce , the unions and the communities impacted by this , '' he said .
Plaid Cymru 's Llyr Gruffydd warned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be in Broughton .
The Member of the Senedd for North Wales said workers had told him that they expected to potentially lose 1,100 jobs .
He said Airbus supported another three local jobs for every one at the firm .
`` We are talking about 25,000 dependent on Airbus in Broughton for their work , '' he said .
In a joint statement , a group of Conservative MPs with constituencies in north Wales said the announcement was `` immensely worrying for local employees '' .
Wrexham MP Sarah Atherton , Clwyd @ @ @ @ @ @ @ MP Virginia Crosbie , Vale of Clwyd MP James Davies , Clwyd West MP David Jones , Aberconwy MP Robin Millar and Delyn MP Rob Roberts said : `` We have spoken to Airbus and will continue to work closely with the company , trade unions and both the UK and Welsh governments to do everything we can to support Airbus ' workers , their families and the wider community . ''
They said the UK government had provided `` significant support to help Airbus face the challenges that have emerged as a @ @ @ @ @ @

"There is a role for Welsh Government in this too, don't forget they protect their devolved areas very carefully… I'm looking forward to hearing what the first minister is going to do, what Ken Skates is going to do and what their role is in this rather than complain about the UK."