We have put together a round-up of all the latest news, weather, and travel information for Wednesday, April 27, to prepare you for the day as food bank managers are warning of an accelerating crisis across the UK as the cost of living continues to soar. New figures released today reveal food banks in the Trussell Trust's network provided more than 2.1 million parcels to people facing financial hardship across the country, from 1 April 2021 to 31 March 2022.
It is the first time food banks in the Trussell Trust's network have provided more than two million parcels outside 2020/21 during the height of the pandemic. And the Trust warned parents are taking drastic measures such as skipping meals, turning off appliances and going without heating to afford the internet so their children can do their homework.
The 2022 figure represents a 14% increase compared to the same period in 2019/20 - with more than 830,000 parcels provided to children alone. That's a 15% increase from 2019/20, when 720,000 were provided.
The Trussell Trust says food banks in its network also experienced their busiest winter outside 2020 at the height of the pandemic, providing 1.2 million parcels in the second half of the year alone. That is more parcels than were provided for 2016/17, just five years ago. While inflation continues to increase and rising bills put pressure on families across the country, the Trussell Trust says its network expects the need for emergency food to rise further still over the coming months. Read how this mum ended up using foodbanks after her marriage broke up.
Wales news headlines
Jail sentence of driver who killed brother and sister in crash to be reviewed
The jail sentence of a van driver who had been drinking and had taken drugs before smashing into the back of a stationary car killing two young children is to be reviewed. Martin Newman, 41, collided with a vehicle carrying Gracie-Ann Lucas, four, and her three-year-old brother Jayden-Lee Lucas on Saturday, February 5 on the M4 westbound carriageway between junctions 28 and 29 in Newport.
Gracie-Ann died the day after the crash while Jayden-Lee died five days later. Both of the siblings, who were being driven home from a birthday party at the time of the incident, were also known by the surname Wheaton. In court, it was heard Newman was found by police to be more than twice the drink-driving limit after going out with colleagues the night before the crash, and had drunk 10 cans of Strongbow and taken cocaine once he returned to his hotel room. In the defendant's police interview, Newman said he was shattered during his drive back to Wales the next day, and had "nodded off" a few times.
Now, the Attorney General's Office has confirmed that an appeal to Newman's sentence has been received under the 'Unduly Lenient Sentence (ULS) scheme'. Under this scheme, members of the public can ask the Attorney General’s office to examine sentences handed down by crown courts in England and Wales within 28 days of sentencing and decide whether to refer the case to the Court of Appeal to consider.
An AGO spokesperson said: “We have received a request for this sentence to be considered under the Unduly Lenient Sentence (ULS) scheme. The Law Officers have 28 days from sentencing to consider the case and make a decision.”
Changes announced to Covid testing for hospital patients
The Welsh NHS is changing its rules on Covid testing for patients who need admission to hospital. Following the rollout of the vaccine, which has been successful in reducing severe illness, hospitalisation and death, the decision has been made to alter the type and frequency of tests carried out by certain patients.
It is hoped the changes will boost the ability of staff to carry out routine and emergency care, as well as aid the flow of patients through hospital treatment and, for some, their discharge into social care. The testing alterations will affect pre-admission testing for planned procedures, admission for unscheduled care, post-admission testing for asymptomatic and symptomatic patients, and discharge testing arrangements.
Health Minister Eluned Morgan said: "The pandemic has not gone away and we are still learning to live with Covid-19, but the current public health situation allows us to make appropriate changes to the testing regime that supports health boards to implement the necessary infection prevention and control (IPC) strategies that will have a positive impact on routine and emergency care.
"We are making these changes based on the best scientific, public health and expert evidence available at this time, changes that enable local decisions to support the best possible patient care. Thanks to our incredible vaccination programme the risk to the NHS of being overwhelmed is now greatly reduced and we can make changes to the testing regime within the context of other infection prevention and control measures." Read how it will work here.
Today's forecast
Staying generally dry with variable amounts of cloud and sunshine. Here is the full forecast for Wales:
It's a cold start this morning but it's also a dry and fairly bright one for most. Variable amounts of cloud and sunshine through the day and staying dry. Feeling pleasant enough in the afternoon sunshine and light winds. Maximum temperature 16 °C.
Cloud amounts tending to reduce this evening with lengthy clear periods developing overnight. Turning cold again with a fairly widespread frost developing and temperatures falling below freezing in the countryside. Minimum temperature -2 °C.
Here is how the roads and rail are affected at 7am
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Buses run instead of trains on Transport for Wales between Aberdare and Pontypridd due to engineering works.
National news headlines
Women await ruling after challenging UK Government pandemic care home policy
Two women whose fathers died from Covid-19 are waiting for a ruling by judges after complaining that the Government failed to protect care home residents during the pandemic.
Cathy Gardner, whose father Michael Gibson died, and Fay Harris, whose father Donald died, have taken High Court action against Health Secretary Sajid Javid, NHS England and Public Health England. They asked two judges to make declarations that unlawful decisions were made.
Lord Justice Bean and Mr Justice Garnham are due to deliver a ruling on Wednesday after considering arguments at a High Court in London in March. Lawyers representing Mr Javid, NHS England and Public Health England are fighting the claim.
Dr Gardner, who has an academic qualification, is in her 60s and from Sidmouth, Devon. She said her father had died at the age of 88 at a care home in Bicester, Oxfordshire, in April 2020.
A barrister representing the two women told Lord Justice Bean and Mr Justice Garnham that between March and June 2020 - when Matt Hancock was Health Secretary - more than 20,000 elderly or disabled care home residents had died from Covid-19 in England and Wales. Read more here about coronavirus in Welsh care homes, and the disaster that didn’t have to happen
Jason Coppel QC said the fathers of Dr Gardner and Ms Harris were part of that "toll". "The care home population was known to be uniquely vulnerable to being killed or seriously harmed by Covid-19," said Mr Coppel in a written case outline.
"The Government's failure to protect it, and positive steps taken by the Government which introduced Covid-19 infection into care homes, represent one of the most egregious and devastating policy failures in the modern era."
Mr Coppel told judges: "That death toll should not and need not have happened. Put together, the various policies were a recipe for disaster and disaster is what happened."
Mr Coppel said other countries, particularly in the Far East, had shown the way to safeguard residents by stopping the virus getting into care homes. Sir James Eadie QC, who represented Mr Javid and Public Health England, said the women's claim should be dismissed.
"This is a judicial review challenge to six specific policies made in the early stage of the pandemic," he told judges. "As the evidence demonstrates, the defendants worked (and continue to work) tirelessly to seek to protect the public from the threat to life and health posed by the most serious pandemic in living memory, and specifically sought to safeguard care homes and their residents."
A UK Government spokeswoman had said during the hearing, in a statement outside court: "Every death is a tragedy and we worked tirelessly to protect the public from the threat to life and health posed by the pandemic and specifically sought to safeguard care homes and their residents.
"We have provided billions of pounds to support the sector, including on infection and prevention control, free PPE and priority vaccinations - with the vast majority of eligible care staff and residents now vaccinated."
Kellogg's to challenge Government in court over new food rules
Kellogg's is reportedly mounting a legal challenge against new UK Government rules that would stop some of the company's cereals from being prominently displayed in food stores.
The new regulations come into effect in England in October and restrict promotion of food and drink that is high in fat, salt and sugar. In a statement reported by the BBC, Kellogg's said it had "tried to have a reasonable conversation with Government" without success.
Chris Silcock, Kellogg's UK managing director, said: "We believe the formula being used by the Government to measure the nutritional value of breakfast cereals is wrong and not implemented legally. It measures cereals dry when they are almost always eaten with milk.
"All of this matters because, unless you take account of the nutritional elements added when cereal is eaten with milk, the full nutritional value of the meal is not measured."
A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson told the BBC: "Breakfast cereals contribute 7% - a significant amount - to the average daily free sugar intakes of children.
"Restricting the promotion and advertising of less healthy foods is an important part of the cross-government strategy to halve childhood obesity by 2030, prevent harmful diseases and improve healthy life expectancy, so we can continue to level up health across the nation."
Sport headlines
Rugby saved this 14-year-old from his life of trouble
"You have to know you might never play on that pitch again," explains Movado Hall, with a clarity which belies his age. "To captain on that pitch is a lifetime memory."
Walking out at the home of Welsh rugby is a privilege few of us will ever experience. Even fewer will be the one leading their side out. It is an honour which won't be lost on anyone who has ever stepped out onto the Principality Stadium turf, a culmination of hard work, fortune and sheer will to reach that special moment.
For 14-year-old tight-head prop Movado, all the words above certainly ring true. On Wednesday, he will live out that "lifetime memory" by leading out Cardiff Schools A team in the Lawrence Miller Bowl final against Islwyn.
It is a remarkable achievement for a young lad who, had things gone a little differently, might have ended up down a path less desirable. Just two years ago, when lockdown hit the country, Movado - as his mother Marissa Spettie explains - "went off the rails a bit and put two fingers up to everyone".
"He'd be out on the street, hanging out with the older boys and getting into lots of trouble and fights," she added. "He doesn't always know how to control his emotions. It was police all the time, getting into fights, not listening to anyone and hanging around with the wrong people." Read more here,
