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Alice Padgett

I’m a freelance journalist based in London, with an NCTJ from News Associates.
I have experience in radio and print, including social media content creation.

LBC •

'I'm not panicked': British family heads to Florida for Disneyworld holiday - despite Hurricane Milton warnings

9 October 2024, 16:03

A British holidaymaker flew his family out to Florida this week for a Disneyworld trip - despite widespread warnings about Hurricane Milton.

Paul Whiting, a 51-year-old former firefighter, is staying in Davenport, near Orlando, Florida.

Mr Whiting and his family flew out to Florida on Tuesday, defying warnings about the terrifying expected impact of the storm.

The Category 5 hurricane is barrelling towards the coast of western Florida, about 80 miles from where Mr Whiti...
South West Londoner •

WATCH: UK's Women's March 2025 sees thousands protest outside Westminster

The UK’s Women’s March 2025 organised a march from Waterloo to Westminster to stand-up for abortion rights and safer streets for women.


The march, which took place on Saturday 18th January, saw protestors take to the streets with signs, whistles, drums and banners.


The London organiser, Elisa Rowland, said that the march welcomes all, including trans women, as they put an emphasis on inclusivity.


The Samba Sisters accompanied the march with their drum beats and performed for the rally...
South West Londoner •

Children struggling for places in south west London special schools

Children with special educational needs (SEN) in south west London are often unable to secure a place in the special schools that they apply to.


In Merton only one in five children with special educational needs got into special schools in 2024.


Of the 614 children considered at a special schools admissions panel in Richmond upon Thames, only 64 of them were placed in a special school. 


The number of children applying to special schools in Richmond and Merton has risen but the number of...
LBC •

Teacher calling family in Lebanon 'four times a day to check they're alive' as she battles to bring them to UK

3 October 2024, 11:54

A teacher from Wiltshire said she is calling her family in Lebanon multiple times a day to see if they're still alive as she tries to get them to safety in the UK.

Amanda Kachar, 34, from Salisbury, is attempting to get her mother, father and other relatives out of cities such Tripoli and the capital Beirut amid the "extremely volatile" situation in the Middle East.

Ms Kachar has been trying to get her family out, but they are struggling to get into the UK in order to be...
LBC •

LIVE: Israel declares 'new phase of war' as at least '14' more killed in second day of deadly explosions in Lebanon

18 September 2024, 07:29 | Updated: 18 September 2024, 19:04

Israeli officials have declared a "new phase" to their war with Hezbollah after hand-held devices exploded for the second day in a row, killing a further nine people.

Hezbollah has vowed retaliation after pagers and hand-held walkie-talkies exploded leaving dozens dead and thousands injured.

Israel is being blamed for the fatal attack, with reports suggesting the devices belonged to members of Hezbollah were modified "at a productio...
South West Londoner •

Low earnings stop musicians from pursing a music career, data reveals

Financial insecurity and low earnings stop musicians from pursing a music career, according to charity Help Musicians.


Fewer than half of musicians earn all of their income from music, and 80% of musicians face financial career-restricting barriers.


KickBoy is a five-piece south London milk punk band who played a sold out show at The George Tavern, Hackney, on Friday night.


Jamie, 27, one of KickBoy’s vocalists, said: “We’ve never made a dime. 


“We’ve never broken even on a single gi...
South West Londoner •

WATCH: Royal Academy of Dance celebrates its Silver Swans

The Silver Swans celebration was held at the Royal Academy of Dance (RAD) in Battersea on 31 October and 1 November, championing the benefits of dancing into retirement.


Dancers, all aged over 55, came from across the country to take part in workshops with experts, and perform on the Royal Academy stage – some for the first time.


The Silver Swans initiative gets the older generation dancing for their physical and mental wellbeing.


Broadcasting legend Angela Rippon is the RAD Silver Swan...
LBC •

'Ridiculously overpriced' yacht advertised on Instagram for people escaping Lebanon amid attacks

2 October 2024, 12:20

Private companies are advertising alternate routes out of Lebanon - including a "ridiculously priced" luxury yacht.

Captain Elias Khawand, founder of Admiral Yachting Lebanon, is offering escape from Lebanon via his luxury yacht service.

The company, whose slogan is "Sail, Explore, Dance", has switched from offering luxury travel packages to daily evacuation services from Beirut to Cyprus.

Khawand has taken to Instagram to advertise the six-hour boat passage.

Read more...
LBC •

Huw Edwards' sentence won't be reviewed despite claims of leniency, after he avoids jail for child abuse images

18 September 2024, 15:32 | Updated: 18 September 2024, 15:59

Huw Edwards won't have his sentence reviewed, despite claims that it was unduly lenient for him to be spared jail despite admitting having child abuse images.

Disgraced BBC newsreader Edwards, 63, was given six months suspended sentence for two years, after admitting three charges of "making" indecent photographs after being sent the images by a convicted paedophile over WhatsApp.

The judge said his crimes were "extremely serious of...