Sports commentator and broadcaster Chris Kamara has called upon the government to do more when it comes to poverty and pensions in the UK.
Giving an interview with Good Morning Britain on Thursday morning, the former Sky Sports analyst and presenter sat down to discuss the prevailing issue of poverty across Britain and how the current access to state pensions and DLA (disability living allowance) is simply not good enough.
Following the death of his mother, who was cared for by Marie Curie nurses in her final days, the 65-year-old has now teamed up with the charity to bring a petition with already more than 165,000 signatures to Downing Street today (23 February), which will allow for working-age people to claim their state pension if they are dying.
“People shouldn’t be allowed to die in poverty – 90,000 people die in poverty [every year], so that’s 10 an hour, the capacity of Wembley Stadium when you take it as a whole. So that’s got to stop.”
As Kamara explained, “Once you’re diagnosed with a terminal illness you’ve not got long left, you have to stop your job, your circumstances change, you’re devastated, so social security money isn’t enough, so access [to] the state pension [is needed].
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Explaining the context behind the petition, he added: “I’m going to Downing Street with two ladies whose circumstances have completely changed, they’ve been diagnosed with terminal illness and their partners have had to give up work to look after them.
“They just haven’t got any money. Their life has changed completely out of all proportion.”
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Kammy went on to state that people who are terminally ill are simply “not getting enough money to help them get by so they have their pension they worked hard [for]. If you worked hard for 35/45 years of your life, you’ve got three or four years until you’re 66. Why not access your pension that you’re never [going to] get?”
Despite a DWP spokesperson insisting that “those nearing the end of their lives can get fast-track access to a range of benefits without needing a face-to-face assessment or waiting period”, Kamara and charities like Marie Curie believe the pension system needs wholesale changes.
However, according to a January study by Loughborough University, it is estimated that such legislation would cost the government around £114.4 million per year, hence why many feel the petition and fresh campaigning are needed to get it across the line.
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Having been forced into retirement last year following his apraxia diagnosis — a condition that affects his movement and speech — Kammy has become fully aware of the struggles of growing old with an illness present.
Released with the help of ITV‘s Ben Shephard, who also interviewed him on GMB, the iconic footballing voice released a documentary charting how he’s learned to live with his condition, entitled, Chris Kamara: Lost for Words.
Rio Ferdinand is stepping away from TNT Sports after more than a decade
Danny Jones
Manchester United legend and ex-England international Rio Ferdinand has announced he will be stepping away from TNT Sports, leaving more than a decade with the broadcaster.
Ferdinand has spent the best part of the last 10 years serving as a leading pundit and analyst, as well as hosting his own ‘Rio Meets’ online series – the interview format of which has been replicated on his YouTube channel.
However, after having been one of their main anchors both under the BT Sport and even more so since the inception of the rebranded TNT Sports Football umbrella, the 46-year-old has confirmed he has now quit their regular coverage following the Champions League final this weekend.
In a lengthy statement on social media, the ex-Man United defender, who also played for Leeds, West Ham, Bournemouth and QPR, described it as a “difficult decision.”
Taking time to thank the network for their “tremendous support” over the years, especially those “behind the scenes, whose work often goes unseen but has been essential to our success.”
The talented centre-back retired in May 2015 after more than 500 appearances and 81 national team caps, making an almost immediate switch into punditry and remaining a household name.
Rio has also remained a popular figure at Old Trafford and, indeed, across various parts of Manchester since leaving United in 2014.
For instance, his self-titled Foundation has carried out some truly transformational local outreach across various boroughs, as it has back in his home city of London.
Responding to the news, TNT Sports said nothing more than “Thanks for everything, Rio”; meanwhile, fellow former Red, Danny Simpson (who retired last year and also works as a pundit/presenter for MUTV) added: “You’re going to be missed, bro. Every time you’re on, you give us all the mad insight.”
However, he has promised he will remain in the media industry, continuing to work under the Rio Ferdinand Presents digital brand and pursuing “other business interests”.
With his ‘Rio Reacts’ and ‘Vibe with FIVE’ series regularly raking in millions of views, he might not be on the box during European nights but you’ll still be seeing plenty of him.
Rare bat-eared foxes have arrived at Chester Zoo for the first time in more than 30 years
Emily Sergeant
It’s time to say a big hello, as rare bat-eared foxes have now arrived at Chester Zoo.
The two sisters, named Maasai and Malindi, have been welcomed by conservationists after travelling more than 500 miles from a zoo in Paris, and they are the first mammals of their kind to come to Chester Zoo in more than 30 years.
First images show the pair exploring their home in the zoo’s new Heart of Africa habitat – which officially opened to the public back in March, and is the largest zoo development ever undertaken in the UK, spanning more than 22.5 acres in size.
The adorable – but rather unique-looking – bat-eared fox is named after its distinctive oversized ears and is native to the open savannahs and arid grasslands of eastern and southern Africa.
They live for around 13 years on average, and their characteristically large ears help regulate their body temperature and enhance their incredible hearing, allowing them to prey like detect insects moving underground.
The species faces increasing threats in the wild, largely due to the loss of their habitat caused by agriculture, human encroachment, and hunting.
This is why Chester Zoo has long been at the forefront of protecting African wildlife.
Its teams’ have been supporting everything from the safe translocation of northern giraffes to protected national parks in Uganda, to developing cutting-edge AI trail cameras to protect giant pangolins from illegal trafficking in recent years.
Bat-eared foxes have arrived at Chester Zoo for the first time in 30 years / Credit: Chester Zoo
“It’s incredibly exciting to welcome bat-eared foxes back to Chester Zoo after a 30-year hiatus,” commented David White, who is the Twilight Team Manager at Chester Zoo.
“Both Maasai and Malindi are settling in well so far, spending much of their time exploring their expansive home and getting to know their new housemates – a family of twelve Cape porcupines. These two species would often come across one another in the wild, so we’ve recreated this right here at Chester.
“In time, we hope to introduce one of the two sisters to a male fox, with the hope that we can contribute to the European conservation breeding programme, helping to ensure there’s a healthy, genetically diverse back-up population in human care.
Danny Jones -
23rd February 2023 
