Social and Environmental
2023 has ended, and 2024 beckons. Whilst you may be busy creating new resolutions for the year to come, let’s look back at 2023 by rounding up some of the prominent moments of the year. Local Top Moments The Sycamore Gap Felling The iconic tree was sadly felled in September 2023, and we still don’t know why. The tree was a signature of Northumberland, with… Read More »Look back at 2023
The theme of 2023’s Children’s Mental Health Week, which occurred back in the second week of February, was ‘Let’s Connect’. That resonated with me mainly because I have spoken before on the power of communities and how forming meaningly connections is beneficial to us. One may underestimate the power that a sense of community has. Especially when you move into a new area or take… Read More »Our Communities
Well, that is another year behind us. Time flies when you are having fun as the saying goes and although personally, I’m still processing the leftovers of 2020, 2023 is upon us. A lot has happened this year so I’m taking the opportunity to have a look back and reminiscence. Cultural Moments One thing that gripped us from the start of the year was the… Read More »2022 Wrapped
With Britain being chucked from the frying pan straight into the fire, the cost-of-living crisis is on most people’s minds this winter. October brings with it the most recent hike in energy prices, and in the months beyond we have plunging temperatures and Christmas to think about. Back in February debt Charity StepChange said that ‘cost of living pressures’ entered the top five reasons for… Read More »Winter Worries
How time flies, it seems like just yesterday that I was writing about 2021’s National Literacy Day in my article Knowledge is Power. Now that week has rolled around again. National Read a Book Day takes place on September 6th, and National Literacy Day on September 8th. As documented in that article, I’ve read all my life, devouring as much literature as possible. Adulthood and work… Read More »Read a Book Day
As I write this, it is the first day of June and the beginning of Pride Month. This article will be published at the end of the month, but that does not dilute the topics significance. In addition, if this article had a full title, it would be Pride Month and Why Inclusiveness is Important. So, let’s get to it. 2022 marks the UK’s 50th… Read More »Pride
In March I attended the Van Gogh Alive experience during a trip to Edinburgh. As I sat on a bench, surrounded by artwork, quotes and information, I had never felt more at peace. However, this time, I was learning and experiencing something multi-sensory, music and scents filling the air to create a fully immersive event. Following that was a room filled with sunflowers and mirrors… Read More »Arts and Culture
A new year, a new you. Although we do not shed our skins entirely and become new people, we do try to be better than the previous year. It is time to set goals and evaluate what we want 2022 to be. To do that, we reflect on the previous year, what we have accomplished, what we did not accomplish and how it went in… Read More »What 2021 taught us
In 1841 Charles Mackay’s Memoirs of Extraordinary Popular Delusions was first published and 180 years later we should probably refer back to it as there is much to learn from it as far as the reaction to the Coronavirus or COVID-19 is concerned. Aside from covering some of the major financial bubbles like John Law’s Mississippi Scheme, the South-Sea Bubble and the Dutch Tulipomania, Mackay… Read More »Extraordinary Popular Delusions
The nights are turning darker and colder, which can only mean one thing; like it or not, the festive season is upon us. Some people I know have already completed their Christmas shopping. But if you move away from the shopping, this time is a period of reflection and empathy. Covid still lingers, despite losing some of its effect on us compared to last year.… Read More »Empathy and Charity
