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Deb Luxon

@debluxon.bsky.social

90 followers 92 following 55 posts

Senior Reporter for the Cambrian News | Freelance journo | Society of Editors Young Journo of the Year '24 Shortlist | Founding member of London Queer Writers | she/her 🌈

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Deb Luxon @debluxon.bsky.social · 1d

Heno - tonight!!
Come down for a relaxing evening of poetry and spoken word.
Pay As You Feel tickets available OTD - 7pm for a 7.30 start.
See you soon ✨

Deb Luxon @debluxon.bsky.social · 4d

📢Second poet announcement:

This Friday we'll be hearing from the Dyfi Valley's own Kaan K, a two-time published author who will be sharing their words (and selling their books!) at Hermit Crab. Make sure to get a ticket on the link below -

www.ticketsource.co.uk/queepo/t-gan...

Deb Luxon @debluxon.bsky.social · 1d

... About her journey from Greenham Common to the Global Sumud Flotilla, being treated as a terrorist by UK Border Force, and how future flotillas may navigate the new ceasefire agreement.

Out in papers across north and mid Wales next Wednesday. 🧵(2/2)

Deb Luxon @debluxon.bsky.social · 1d

I've been following our Welsh sailor every step of the way from the Hio sailing boat, to her abduction, imprisonment in Ketziot prison, to her arrival home at Heathrow.

I've just gotten off the phone with her from her family home in Liverpool - with a double page spread incoming... 🧵(1/2)

New Quay woman welcomed home as last UK Sumud Flotilla volunteers return

The New Quay woman has been welcomed home amongst the last UK volunteers to return from the Global Sumud Flotilla.

www.cambrian-news.co.uk

Deb Luxon @debluxon.bsky.social · 4d

Writer, workshop host and drag king, Kaan K explores their complicated relationship with belonging, queer connection and the feeling of home. Co-founder of Dyfi Valley queer poetry group QUEEPO, their books "If I were Erol" and "Rosewater" will be available to buy at Poeri Inc. 📸Angela Christofilou

Deb Luxon @debluxon.bsky.social · 4d

📢Second poet announcement:

This Friday we'll be hearing from the Dyfi Valley's own Kaan K, a two-time published author who will be sharing their words (and selling their books!) at Hermit Crab. Make sure to get a ticket on the link below -

www.ticketsource.co.uk/queepo/t-gan...

Deb Luxon @debluxon.bsky.social · 8d

Today's update: Families endure silence from their loved ones, as the UK Foreign Office raises "extreme concern" over their detainment at the notorious Ketziot prison.

Relatives concern over silence from detained New Quay woman

Friends and relatives have endured over a day of silence as they await to hear from the New Quay woman detained by Israeli forces.

www.cambrian-news.co.uk

Deb Luxon @debluxon.bsky.social · 9d

Read my full interview with Hannah, from Tuesday night, here -

New Quay woman on board 'Freedom Flotilla' heading to Gaza

A New Quay woman has spoken from the Global Sumud Flotilla stating “if I die I won’t regret coming” as they reach 120 nautical miles from Gaza.

www.cambrian-news.co.uk

Deb Luxon @debluxon.bsky.social · 9d

I was able to speak to this sailor from New Quay, Hannah Schafer, 24 hours before she was seized by Israeli forces. Read her last messages before she was taken here -

New Quay woman seized by Israeli forces aboard Sumud Flotilla

A New Quay woman has been seized by Israeli forces aboard a Sumud Flotilla boat heading to Gaza.

www.cambrian-news.co.uk

Deb Luxon @debluxon.bsky.social · 9d

Our first feature poet is CJ Wagstaff - an award-winning queer poet, musician and nonfiction writer from Neath, who will be coming all the way from Caerdydd to share his magic with us. Help us give him a warm welcome next week by coming along ✨

Deb Luxon @debluxon.bsky.social · 9d

Calling Wales and poetry crew:

Me and Kaan are finally doing the inevitable - launching a poetry night.

Come down to Spitting Ink/ Poeri Inc next Friday 10 October for new voices on the open mic and two incredible feature poets.

Tickets are Pay As You Feel-

www.ticketsource.co.uk/queepo/t-gan...

Deb Luxon @debluxon.bsky.social · Aug 5

110 years later, women in institutes are still going as quiet revolutionaries - find out why those in Llanafan have been dubbed "mavericks" for saving their group from the brink and in doing so, bringing together a community.

Llanafan women dubbed the 'mavericks' of Women's Institute

The Llanafan WI have been dubbed “mavericks” of the WI for their incredible work reviving a dwindling group and in doing so, uniting a community.

www.cambrian-news.co.uk

Deb Luxon @debluxon.bsky.social · Aug 5

Did you know the first Women's Institute was founded in Anglesey in 1915 to encourage more women to get involved in growing food during WWI?

Deb Luxon @debluxon.bsky.social · Jul 11

There were many tears shed during the interviews I held for this story - read if you want to understand the reality of how an assisted dying law would impact rural Wales. 👇

Rural Wales grapples with a future of assisted deaths

A woman with a brain tumour, an NHS doctor and a woman with a chronic illness speak to the Cambrian News about the looming prospect of assisted deaths becoming legalised

www.cambrian-news.co.uk

Deb Luxon @debluxon.bsky.social · Jul 11

Accessing pain and symptom relief is harder in a rural area - this is what makes an assisted dying law appealing to one interviewee I talked to... (1/2)

Deb Luxon @debluxon.bsky.social · Jul 3

Yesterday I visited the beach where this man went missing. Leaving the car on a stormy February evening, he just didn't come back. The family drive from Rhayadar every week to look for signs of him, share missing posters, check homeless shelters, anything to tell them what happened to Ashley.

"We're all fearing the worst": Family of man missing in Borth continue searching

The family of a man who went missing on Ynyslas beach hoped “he would get in touch for his birthday” as they continue to search for clues to his disappearance.

www.cambrian-news.co.uk

Deb Luxon @debluxon.bsky.social · Jul 2

🐣Yes, I got to visit baby seagulls for this piece and yes, some days I love my job.

Read/ watch the video about the one woman single-handedly trying to save mid-Wales' poorly seagulls 👇

Meet the woman rescuing mid-Wales' poorly seagull chicks from her back garden

One woman has taken it upon herself to rescue and rear mid-Wales’ poorly seagull chicks.

www.cambrian-news.co.uk

Deb Luxon @debluxon.bsky.social · Jun 27

🐱It's a hard job but someone's got to do it 📖

Puss in books? Meet Tebot - the cat running Aberystwyth Library on a tight paw

Every day for the last five or so years a fluffy creature has greeted librarians of Ceredigion Library in Aberystwyth.

www.cambrian-news.co.uk

Deb Luxon @debluxon.bsky.social · Jun 26

It's telling the number of people who didn't want me to write this story - the comments on the Cambrian News FB post show it's ruffled some feathers.

Read my exposé on an eternal bar contract the council can't get out of and a guy paying exclusive mates rates for use of a community-owned asset 👇

Mach can’t call time on council bar contract

For the past 15 years, the town council has been locked into a deal with a single pub licensee to run the bar at Y Plas. Only he can change the contract that lasts ‘in perpetuity’ and pays the town a ...

www.cambrian-news.co.uk

Deb Luxon @debluxon.bsky.social · Jun 25

📖When was the last time you spent money in an independent bookshop?

Meet the booksellers thriving despite or maybe precisely because of their rural locations, in my feature for National Independent Bookshop Week 👇

#independentbookshopweek

Swapping ear tags for ISBNs: Meet rural Wales' bookshop owners where "quirky" sells

Running a small business anywhere comes with its difficulties - but with books becoming increasingly digitised and irregular footfall making year-long business difficult in rural mid-Wales, bookseller...

www.cambrian-news.co.uk

Deb Luxon @debluxon.bsky.social · Jun 24

🌷This is a lovely story about a couple who restored a piece of unloved, low-performing farmland into a wetland bog, a broadleaf woodland and wild flower meadows that rare native orchids call home.🌾The 25 acres are yours to explore as one of only three pitches allowed on the site at any one time.

Meet the couple behind the new private nature reserve you can glamp in

Many people now look for eco-friendly holidays, but how about camping on a private nature reserve?

www.cambrian-news.co.uk

Deb Luxon @debluxon.bsky.social · Jun 19

👀Is it a pro or a con to live in a small village whilst losing your sight? I spoke to people experiencing just that to find out 👇

Losing your sight in rural Eryri - and the "lifeline" group that helps

The experience of sight loss can be a “horrifying” thing - from hallucinations to losing licences, sight impairment is a trial, no matter where you live.

www.cambrian-news.co.uk

Deb Luxon @debluxon.bsky.social · Jun 13

Holly is sharing her story to raise awareness of child abuse victims who are not heard by the authorities, and the respect and support they deserve.

The face of Aberystwyth's serial paedophile Benjamin Griffiths behind bars again

The mugshot of Aberystwyth’s serial paedophile Benjamin Griffiths has been released.

www.cambrian-news.co.uk

Deb Luxon @debluxon.bsky.social · Jun 13

That’s what happened when I met Holly Marie Grady-Ellis, who is pursuing mediation with the CPS for their historic decision not to charge the now-imprisoned serial paedophile Benjamin Griffiths in 1997, after she had bravely gone to the police as an 8-year-old. 🧵2/3

[Last year's breaking coverage]

Victim of Aberystwyth paedophile bravely speaks out after he is jailed

The victim of known Aberystwyth paedophile Benjamin Griffiths has spoken out for the first time in 28 years after he was sentenced to three years in prison last month.

www.cambrian-news.co.uk

Deb Luxon @debluxon.bsky.social · Jun 13

EXCLUSIVE: Being trusted to tell someone’s story accurately and sensitively is a huge responsibility and honour, especially when they trust you to the point of waiving their lifelong legal right to anonymity to share their story and get justice. 🧵1/3

[Holly's story out today 👇]

CPS apology "not good enough" says child sex abuse victim of Aber serial paedophile

The historic victim of an Aberystwyth serial paedophile has waived her right to lifelong anonymity to condemn the CPS’ decision not to charge her abuser in 1997, leaving others to become victims - DEB...

www.cambrian-news.co.uk

Deb Luxon @debluxon.bsky.social · Jun 11

... at The Bookshop by the Sea with fellow Queeps Carol Leach and Sarah Wilson aka tiptoegirl - thank you for booking us! The reception has been incredible, and we can't wait to share more, so watch this space! After a seven-year hiatus from performing live, it feels good to be back. #booksky