Community
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Volunteers rally to Action4Youth’s cause
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taff at Action4Youth’s charity partner NHBC - the UK’s leading provider of warranty and insurance for new homes - are pictured during a volunteer session redecorating the showers and bathrooms at the charity’s George Amey building at The Caldecotte Xperience. Said Matthew Clay, chief digital and technology
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MEET THE WINNERS Asian Restaurant of the Year Maaya Indian Kitchen & Bar Bar of the Year Revolucion de Cuba Best Coffee/Business Cafe Cornwall Place Kitchen Best Family Restaurant Nonna’s - Woburn Sands Best Independent Takeaway The Greedy Pizza Best Newcomer The Dolphin - Stoke Hammond Highly commended: The Nags Head Best Pub The Old Swan - Astwood Best Restaurant The Navigation Inn Judges choice - House of Chicken Best Street Food The Rub MK’s Favorite National Chain Las Iguanas MK’s Top Attraction Aqua Parcs Service Staff of the Year Louise Cuthbert - The Three Trees Chef of the Year William Bowman-Smith: Nonna’s 2nd: Andy Slater: The Oakley Arms Harrold 3rd: Szymon Zawada: Chef Simon Private Dining Best Local Artisan Drink Fruity Farmer: Rhubarb Spirit Drink Best Local Artisan Food Just Biscuits: Parmesan and Rosemary Biscuits
n a summer’s day in July 1943, a USA B-25 Mitchell bomber left Tunisia in North Africa on a mission to attack the Sciacca Aerodrome in Sicily. On board was a crew of six including 27-year-old US Army Air Forces 2nd Lt Gilbert Haldeen Myers, the co-pilot. But as the aircraft approached its target, the B-25 bomber was struck by anti-aircraft fire and crashed in a field about 1.5 miles from the aerodrome. One crew member bailed out of the B-25 before it crashed, witnesses reported, but Myers’ remains were never recovered and he was declared missing in action. There were no survivors nor any record of passengers being taken prisoner. Around 72,000 American personnel are still unaccounted for from the Second World War, with around 39,000 deemed to be recoverable. For years, Mr Myers (pictured) was one of those individuals. In 1947, investigators conducted search and recovery operations near Sciacca but could not locate anything linking back to Mr Myers. But last year, nearly 80 years on from the B-25 crash, that changed. Forensic experts from Cranfield University’s Recovery and
officer: “Participating in initiatives like Caldecotte Experience is not just about giving back. “It is about showing a demonstrable culture of compassion and social responsibility within our organisation. The positive ripple effect is immeasurable.” NHBC’s head office is at Knowlhill.
udit specialist Mazars has rallied to the cause at Action4Youth’s headquarters next to Caldecotte Lake in Milton Keynes. The company, one of the UK’s largest and with an office in Central Milton Keynes, has despatched a team of volunteers from its asset management department to help the revamp and redecoration of the charity’s George Amey building. The building, part of the Caldecotte Xperience that delivers outdoor education programmes to more than 13,000 young people a year, is being renovated and refurbished to create modern space able to accommodate more young people. Mazars partners Sarah Cooke and Lucy Sampson are passionate about the project. “We wanted to make a difference in our local area by supporting a local charity. We believe that every child deserves a safe and enjoyable place to visit, explore, and experience new things. Our partnership with Action4Youth allows us to fulfil this vision and positively impact the lives of young people.” Mazars colleagues are pictured above painting some of the residential bedrooms at the site. They also redecorated the building’s canteen.
A profound privilege to play a role in quest for missing airman
Identification of Conflict Casualties team, working with the US Defense Prisoner of War/Missing in Action Accounting Agency, travelled to Sciacca to undertake a painstaking investigation. It entailed meticulous examination of tonnes of soil, aiming to recover fragments of human remains or personal effects crucial for identifying crew members. And in October, they announced
they had located human remains belonging to Mr Myers, identifying him through DNA analysis. “This deployment was our longest yet,” said Dr David Errickson, senior lecturer in archaeology and anthropology at Cranfield Forensic Institute. “During our operations, we systematically excavated the ground, meticulously examining every piece that could possibly be bone or other evidence.” The team of 20 employed wet screening, a process where excavated material is passed through water to separate and analyse human remains and artifacts. The human remains were sent to the DPAA Laboratory for examination and identification and in August, DPAA identified them as belonging to Mr Myers. They also recovered plane wreckage parts.
Cranfield’s Forensic Institute has has been involved in the investigation of several aircraft crashes in Europe, including a Lockheed P-38 Lightning, a Douglas A-20 Havoc and a Martin B-26 Marauder, with a missionin the planning stage to the recovery site of a Boeing B-17. “The recovery of 2nd Lt Myers’ remains not only facilitates a proper full military honours burial but also allows the family to receive any personal effects found,” said Dr Errickson. “Most importantly, it brings closure for the families of those missing or killed in action.” Mr Myers’ name is recorded on the Walls of the Missing at Sicily-Rome American Cemetery in Nettuno, Italy, along with others still missing from the Second World War. Dr Nicholas Márquez-Grant, a forensic anthropologist at Cranfield Forensic Institute, added: “Sometimes excavations like these can yield nothing or remain ambiguous. However, one small piece of evidence can be crucial in identifying an individual. In this case, playing a role in the quest to locate a missing serviceman was a profound privilege, bringing closure to Gilbert Haldeen Myers’ family.”
Radio academy aims to back a new generation of talent
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resenting, production, journalism and sales… Community radio station 1055 The Point is preparing to launch a Radio Academy to develop the next generation of radio talent in Milton Keynes. The station has worked with several now-established local community presenters including Steph Watkins, who came to 1055 The Point and is now a presenter and producer on BBC Radio
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Guernsey. 1055 The Point has launched a crowdfunding campaign aiming to raise £6,000 to fund the academy’s first year of a rolling programme of introductory courses. The appeal runs until December 12. As well as supporting the academy’s work, contributing businesses will receive a range of rewards including social media acknowledgements, invites to the station’s events and sponsorship of a 1055 The Point radio show.
Stations such as 1055 The Point are a great starting point for aspiring presenters and producers, said Ms Watkins. “I am forever grateful for my time with 1055 The Point. It was a fantastic training ground to be able to hone in my skills as a presenter while being able to talk about and engage with my local community. It is a great training ground to experiment as I learned through my year volunteering with the team.”
The support and feedback she received helped her to secure her ‘dream job’ at BBC Radio Guernsey. “If you are willing to put the work, it is a great platform to be able to help you to springboard to further opportunities.” n To support the Academy, donate at https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/ p/1055-the-point-training-academy. Find out more about 1055 The Point at www.1055thepoint.com
Business MK | December 2023
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