As the COVID-19 pandemic hit and flipped everyone’s life upside down, a service run by the Malta Trust Foundation called ‘Blossom Counselling’ provided psychosocial support to around 1,500 students and their families. The counsellors working with the foundation supported over 400 students at St Paul’s Bay and Qawra primary schools and Naxxar Middle school, extending its services to Birzebbuga’s primary this year. 630 students from 40 countries will benefit from this service, receiving financial support from the Malta Freeport Terminals and the Malta Freeport Corporation.
An increase in anxiety and panic attacks among 11 to 12-year-olds whose parents separated was noted, Isabelle Anastasi reported. Despite already supporting 45 children from the Naxxar Middle School, her and her colleagues tried reaching out to another 800 during lockdown. Anastasi revealed how they called at their home and kept in touch with families, noting everything from financial issues to domestic violence increases.
Anastasi emphasised eating problems among girls, as well as self-harm. Kids who lost relatives due to COVID-19 grew increasingly fearful during the pandemic, leading to long supportive phone calls. Anastasi also reported a surprising openness towards support, which usually takes longer.
Fellow counsellors set up in different schools reported anxiety spikes related to the pandemic, from fear for relatives to anxiety related to following rigid rules. Blossom Counselling also extended their support to students who moved to Malta from abroad to adjust to their new environment. Rita Galea, counsellor based in St Paul’s Bay and Qawra primaries, recalled family members stopping their work to support their children, leading to financial issues.
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Photo Source: Blossom Counselling FB, Treetops Hospice
Organised by the Federation Internationale de l’ Automobile (FIA), dragsters compete in a straight-line acceleration test, and could see hundreds of fans, both locally and foreign, convening to enjoy the spectacle. FIA deputy president Graham Stoker also made an appearance at the conference, praising the investment. He suggested promoting nearby industrial activity which connects to motorsports given the proximity to an industrial site. The three tracks will be built to accommodate motorsport races, drag racing, karting and drifting, all through a €20 million investment.
The project will be funded by the NDSF, and will meet the demand for a racing facility for the local community of motor enthusiasts. Taking Maltese motorsports to the next level, local drivers will be provided with additional training facilities, which could see an increased safety on the island’s roads. Malta’s tourism offer will also be upgraded by diversifying the tourism product, with due focus on specific niches and events.
The project will also see no ODZ land being taken up, with more than half of the land already being used by enthusiasts. A study was commissioned to evaluate the feasibility of the project from the perspective of potential noise pollution. For the majority of residents, no additional noise impact was noted. These results exclude mitigation measures, that will depend on the final layout, elevation and the interaction of all the noise barriers in the area.
A noise management plan for events and combined use of the whole facility will also be set up, all within consultation with local councils. The MFF will ensure that all vehicles will be free of excessive smoke and do not leak oil and other liquids. Any road registered vehicles accessing the racetrack will have to be VRT compliant and comply with the manufacturer’s specifications in terms of CO2 emissions.
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