Jobs helping cancer patients

By Shaimaa Khalil Published 1 day ago Share close Share page Copy link About sharing Olivia Newton-John was a UK-born, Australian-raised recording artist who shot to superstardom in the US. It's no wonder that Hollywood is mourning her and that tributes have come from her star friends from Britain as well. But Australia has and will always claim her as its "darling" and "sweetheart". Obituary: Olivia Newton-John This is where she started her musical career, even though she grew up wanting to be a vet and then a policewoman. Newton-John formed a girl group with three other school friends at 14 and started performing in a café run by her sister's boyfriend. Australians grew up with a young Olivia Newton-John on their screens. She appeared on many talent shows. She sang Summertime aged 15 on a televised talent competition and landed a role on the TV … [Read more...] about Olivia Newton-John: Australia mourns a national sweetheart

Published 7 January 2019 Share close Share page Copy link About sharing After years at the heart of government, Mark Drakeford today starts in the top job. BBC Wales' political correspondent Daniel Davies has spoken to friends, colleagues and opponents of the Welsh Labour leader about his politics, personality and the sort of first minister he will be. Mark Drakeford's political awakening came early. Nationalist fervour swept his home town of Carmarthen when Gwynfor Evans was elected as Plaid Cymru's first MP in 1966. At grammar school, Mr Drakeford remembers groups of pupils marching around chanting political slogans. English-only road signs lay piled on the ground, torn down the night before. The political climate fired the imagination of the young Drakeford, a clarinet-playing cricket fan. Trashing road signs was, he thought, a "fantastic thing to be doing", he told me. … [Read more...] about Mark Drakeford: From Latin degree to Wales’ leader

Juliana Sargeant always thought she was too busy to volunteer. But when the South Canterbury woman saw first-hand the importance of volunteering, after she was diagnosed with colorectal cancer, she decided to get involved. In the past few weeks, volunteers and the vital work they do has been celebrated in South Canterbury with two events. Joining in the celebrations was Sargeant, now a South Canterbury Plunket co-ordinator, who shared her story to the 50 attendees at Volunteering Mid and South Canterbury’s 15-year-anniversary event. READ MORE: Volunteering a family affair for two Timaru sisters Plunket Timaru to move its six sites into one hub Temuka woman retiring from voluntary role after almost 32 years “Everyone’s too busy these days, too busy working, too busy earning money, but there’s always things you can do,” Sargeant said. “Obviously being a mum of three, it’s hard to find the time do anything.” However, several years ago, she needed help looking … [Read more...] about South Canterbury woman journey from ‘too busy’ to volunteer co-ordinator

By Justin Parkinson Published 15 April 2015 Share close Share page Copy link About sharing In 1955 the first McDonald's franchise restaurant opened in the US. Now it is the world's biggest fast food chain, employing 1.9 million people. The word "McJob" has become a term of derision, but what's it like to actually work there? "Hello, can I help you?" asks the smiling young woman behind the counter. Within about 20 seconds of receiving the order, an Egg and Sausage McMuffin is on the counter. The woman smiles again and moves on to the next customer. The restaurant's only part-full but the serving area is still busy. That's the way McDonald's likes it. Staff are set time targets for service. Efficiency and profit margins are key. It's fair to say that, in the 60 years since the first franchised McDonald's restaurant opened, portrayals of its workplaces have not been universally … [Read more...] about What’s it really like to work at McDonald’s?

At right, Hal Prince, Stephen Sondheim, and Mary Rodgers at the Rodgers-Guettel Christmas party in 1965. Photo: Courtesy of the Rodgers-Beaty-Guettel family In the four years between her explosive separation from Jerry Beaty in 1957 and her Mexican wedding to Henry Guettel in 1961, Mary Rodgers (1931–2014) composed the music for Once Upon a Mattress, ushered the show to Broadway and London, assisted Leonard Bernstein on his Young People’s Concerts, and wrote songs for everyone from Bing Crosby to Captain Kangaroo. All this while raising three young children and juggling many unlikely husband prospects, including the producer Hal Prince; a married editor she called Boston Jack; her Mattress lyricist, Marshall Barer, who was gay; and a CIA operative named Cord Meyer. Finally, there was the man she had met and fallen hard for at Oscar Hammerstein’s farm when she was barely a teenager: Stephen Sondheim. Would their affection take the turn they’d described in a song they … [Read more...] about A Trial Marriage to Stephen Sondheim