CambridgeshireLive readers have voted for their favourite charity shops in the county
Cambridgeshire is a county full of many charity shops, and our readers have had their say on what one is the best. With everything going up in price, everyone will be in search of a bargain.
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The one place you can almost guarantee you will find a bargain is a charity shop. Whether you are buying some clothes or looking for some cheap household goods, a charity shop will have what you need.
Before we get to number one, here is a look at some honourable mentions.
Arthur Rank Hospice Charity Shop in Great Shelford
The Arthur Rank Hospice Charity Shop in Wollards Lane, Great Shelford was voted as one of the best. People said it offers an “eclectic mix of interesting high-quality items”.
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The staff are also described as “friendly” and “helpful”. The shop window displays are “frequently changed” and “make for an attractive shop in the village centre”.
East Anglia’s Children’s Hospice in Ely
The East Anglia’s Children’s Hospital charity shop is based in Ely High Street. This charity shop is said to offer “high quality items” that are displayed in a “boutique environment”.
The stock is also “always changing” and it is “well worth a visit”.
The Hospital charity shop in Ramsey
The Hospital charity shop in Great Whyte, Ramsey, also got an honourable mention. A worker in the shop called Dee was described as “amazing” and “friendly”.
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She was also said to be “always happy to help”. The shop itself was described as a “superb place”.
Scope in Cambridge
The one that topped the list was Scope in Burleigh Street, Cambridge. This charity shop won by a landslide, getting the most votes.
It’s described as “amazing”, and offers “lots of fresh stock daily”. The staff and volunteers do a “wonderful job”, and are also “very friendly”. People also said “you will always find a bargain”.
Mark Sommerville will be joined by 100 supporters to demand more help, funding and awareness of the rapidly progressive life-limiting disease.
A dad with MND will protest outside Holyrood on Wednesday to demand more funding to help find a cure.
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Mark Sommerville will be joined by 100 supporters to demand more help, funding and awareness of the rapidly progressive life-limiting disease.
The dad of four, from Uddingston, Lanarkshire, was given his MND diagnosis in October 2024 and told he had 18 months to live.
The 45-year-old has since set up the Mark Sommerville Foundation to fund research, but says a letter to First Minister John Swinney begging for help has gone unanswered and believes the government is not doing enough to help fund new treatments.
The foundation will meet Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar before the protest.
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Mark said: “Those diagnosed with MND don’t have time to wait. We urgently need more funding imminently, more research put into finding a cure for this horrendous condition.
“This protest is to highlight the lack of funds, also the lack of awareness from the Scottish Government.
“The SNP have been in charge for 19 years but they are not doing enough. People with MND, their lives matter and I just feel they don’t care.”
Mark was praised by PM Keir Starmer in Westminster in 2024 for his fundraising and told: “We stand with you in this fight.” However more than a year on, he believes the UK Government is also not doing enough to fund research into treatments.
The campaigner has also teamed up with pharmaceutical firm Nevrargenics, which is behind a drug which it believes not only stops the impact of MND but reverses the damage already done.
Starmer recognised Mark’s work and that of rugby league star Kevin Sinfield, who has raised a million for sufferers of MND, which took his best friend Rob Burrow’s life in June, aged 41.
It also took Scotland rugby legend Doddie Weir in 2022, aged 52.
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Labour’s Jackie Baillie said: “John Swinney should meet Mark to hear his case, rather than turning his back.”
Public health minister Jenni Minto said: “I fully understand and support the Mark Sommerville Foundation’s desire for any new and ground-breaking medicines to be made available as soon as possible.”
It’s an early weekday morning in east London. The city around him is slowly waking up, but Danny* has yet to go to sleep. When he finished his shift working front of house at a popular Borough Market restaurant last night, he bought a gram of cocaine and finished it in his flat, alone.
He opens his banking app, the balance reads zero. Next, he flicks through his credit cards; the debt his lifestyle has amassed totals £10,000. “This was rock bottom,” the 31-year-old recalls of this point in December 2024. For nearly four months he used the class-A drug around five times a week, typically during and after work. “I numbed myself to the point where I didn’t feel anything.”
Maybe you’ve spotted the dilated pupils and clenched jaws that dart all over the Square Mile. Perhaps it’s the buzz you can sense in the pub — loud, animated conversations, sniffs coming from the toilet cubicles. Whether you’ve noticed it or not, it’s hardly a secret that Londoners love cocaine.
Back to humans, and the media has historically painted the UK’s typical coke user as one of three: the supermodel or pop star with a partying problem, the football-loving Tommy Robinson sympathiser foaming at the mouth for a brawl, or the “woke coke” snorting, high-flying businessman who lives by the motto “live fast, die young” (series four of Industry is currently airing, in unrelated news).
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These personas may very well exist, but the reality is that in 2026, cocaine is no longer a drug ruled by class or background. “Compared with years ago, use is less concentrated in a narrow socio-economic group and spread across communities,” Robin Pollard, head of policy at drug and mental health charity We Are With You, tells me. “Cocaine is a far more diverse drug than people realise.”
All-time high: The rise of marching powder
Why? It’s more accessible than before, available at an instant via social media and WhatsApp. It’s cheaper, thanks to higher production and yield (according to a United Nations World Drug Report, production increased by 34 per cent between 2022 and 2023). It’s also stronger — that same report details that cocaine in Europe had an average purity of 60 per cent in 2023, compared to 35 per cent in 2009. Consequently, demand has risen.
But how we consume it has also switched a gear. “A key message we hear from staff and clients is that cocaine has become increasingly normalised across society,” Pollard says. “More and more, it’s seen as a normal part of a night out, going hand in hand with drinking.”
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The charity’s support service has seen an uptick in the number of clients from all backgrounds seeking help for their use. Often, they claim their weekend use has become daily, or their work-life patterns normalise its use in the week — especially in industries like construction, hospitality and sales.
Cameron* very quickly realised that cocaine was just “part and parcel” of his recruitment job in the city. “You have to be strong-willed for it not to. It’s so egged on and normalised by senior members of the team,” he explains. He tried it for the first time at university and takes it occasionally at the weekend with friends, but says his use has soared since joining the industry.
“My work involves a lot of networking, and lines eventually get racked up”
Baggies left on desks, colleagues sleeping in the office after coke-fuelled benders, it’s all a part of the “work hard, play hard” culture of the job, the 27-year-old says. “My week involves a lot of networking — socials, lunch clubs, events — where drinking is heavy and lines eventually get racked up. It’s just the done, regular thing.”
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Danny’s addiction started when he worked in a famous pub in north London, where he labels the top-down cocaine culture as “cult-like”. “Everyone knew it was going on, but nobody ever had a discussion,” he says.
Dealers were regularly present around the establishment, while staff would take it together in blind spots and toilet cubicles: “It was like our way of showing camaraderie.” As well as eye-watering debt, Danny’s addiction strained relations with family and friends, caused romantic relationships to end, and took a toll on his mental and physical health, leaving him unable to leave his bed on days off.
Employers — especially in industries where long hours, high-pressure and demanding work create a culture where cocaine can thrive — have a responsibility to support their employees, and specific charities and initiatives like Hospitality Action do exist. But alongside their work cultures, both Cameron and Danny have something else in common: their gender.
In the UK, men are twice as likely to report using cocaine as women. They also made up nearly 80 per cent of the deaths involving the drug in 2024 (a figure which has increased consecutively each year for the past 13, attributed to the rise in cocaine’s purity, making it easier to overdose). In both men’s experiences, inside and outside of work, it’s men who do cocaine the most. Studies have shown that men are more likely to engage in high-risk behaviours, but surely there must be more to why blokes love coke so much?
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Journalist David Hillier has been writing about drugs for over a decade, and sought to answer this question via his drug culture newsletter, WHAT ARE YOU ON. After speaking to nine men, he found most use cocaine because of the perception that it “sobers” them up and helps them drink more, for longer. It explains why coke has bumped pork scratchings and pool tables as a pub staple in the past decade. “As a guy in his late twenties, it’s quite rare to have a night of drinking where you don’t get a bag in,” Cameron admits.
Referencing Fiona Measham’s Swimming with Crocodiles, which outlines the history of the UK’s heavy episodic drinking culture, Hillier explains that drinking became the reason why people went out in the 2000s. “Coke is such a big part of pub culture because pub culture is such a big part of British culture,” he says.
It’s impossible to have a conversation about trends in drug use without discussing the climate it takes place in. A cost-of-living crisis plagues life in the UK. Society is fractured politically, socially and economically. Life can be hard. “People are looking for escape routes from reality — and for many, alcohol is the key,” Hillier explains. “Then cocaine is enabling them to drink for longer.”
“One of the main reasons I use cocaine is because it lets me chat openly. I definitely go deeper when I’m on gear, even with friends I’ve had for years”
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But there’s another theory, specific to men, that Hillier believes may explain why they love cocaine so much: it makes them talk (like those pub chats I mentioned earlier). A stimulant, cocaine skyrockets the level of dopamine in the brain, creating intense feelings of self-confidence and diminished social inhibitions. For men, who have historically struggled to talk about their inner thoughts and feelings, a cocaine high offers a window to air them. “One of the main reasons I use it is because it lets me chat openly,” Cameron explains. “I definitely go deeper when I’m on gear, even with friends I’ve had for years.”
In Hillier’s view, the stereotypical cocaine user — boorish, argumentative, navel-gazing — isn’t reflective of many who use the drug. “My experience is that most of the time men took it, they were sitting around having sweet conversations,” he explains. “Suddenly, they start talking about their parents’ break-up or something going on in their personal lives… It’s a shame they can’t access that without using cocaine, but we should have sympathy for the fact they do.”
Misconceptions surrounding cocaine users are a huge problem — they only serve to stigmatise and shame those who use it, and they’re having a knock-on effect. “We often find that people who use cocaine often are more hesitant in accessing support,” Pollard says, adding that they’re also less likely to self-refer into physical services.
“Coke is so widespread now, people are always going to use it,” Danny says, and he has a point. Outlawing cocaine and slapping on severe punishments for possessing it hasn’t stopped its use (lifetime use in the UK has doubled since 2001). London’s snowstorm isn’t calming any time soon — so what is the solution? How do we reduce the deaths linked to coke, and help men to stop relying on it?
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Bringing people down off the high
While he hopes the popularity of therapy with younger men reduces their emotional reliance on cocaine, Hillier also calls for legislative changes. “If people feel criminalised for taking it, they’re never going to come forward for help,” he says, referencing the legalisation and medicinal uses of other recreational drugs around the world. On an immediate level, Pollard wants to see awareness of the harms of cocaine boosted via non-stigmatising and targeted public health campaigns.
For instance, if more knew that cocaethylene — the toxic psychoactive substance our liver produces when alcohol and cocaine are mixed — is far more potent and harmful to the cardiovascular system than cocaine alone, they may feel less inclined to get a bag in when they’ve had a pint.
Both Pollard and Hillier stress the importance of harm reduction information being widely available and financial investment into treatment services. “There’s a presumption that treatment centres are geared towards heavy drinkers or users of drugs like heroin or crack,” Hillier explains. “Through conversations I’ve had, there’s a gap for what you could call the recreational user.”
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“Cocaine is part of the culture in London, but I’d also flip it on its head — in terms of accessing recovery sources, there’s nowhere better to be,” Danny says. After switching jobs (“I told the owner that if I carried on there, I’d be dead in a few months”) and with the support of an industry mentor and Narcotics Anonymous meetings, he’s now one year clean of cocaine. Recently, he shared his story at an industry-wide mental health event in the hopes of inspiring others.
“I’m feeling really reflective about the milestone,” he says, a smile detectable in his voice. His career is flourishing and he’s recognised how consistent and dependable he’s become again.
“I’m in a position where I can be surrounded by people on cocaine and it sends a shiver down my spine. But I don’t judge them, and nobody else should, either. Because what does anyone gain from that?”
If you or someone you know is struggling with cocaine, contact We Are With You’s support service; wearewithyou.org.uk
Former NHS consultant Sean Watermeyer is helping in another way after decades of dedicated service
A retired NHS consultant has written a new children’s book in support of the Wales Air Ambulance.
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Sean Watermeyer, who served as a consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist at the Royal Glamorgan Hospital for 19 years, has published Bernie the Christmas Spirit and the Wales Air Ambulance as the third version in his Bernie the Christmas Spirit series.
Mr Watermeyer, who has spent 35 years working as a medic, said writing the book was his way of giving back to an organisation he greatly admires. “The Wales Air Ambulance carries out around three and a half thousand life-saving missions every year,” he said. “It’s entirely charity-based and not funded by the NHS.” Stay in the know by making sure you’re receiving our daily newsletter.
Inspiration came to Sean after seeing the air ambulance from his home and searching about them.
“Every day we see them coming in and out, and I looked them up and realised they were entirely charitable,” he said. “I knew I needed to do something for these guys.”
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Sean’s medical career has been wide-ranging. Alongside his NHS work he served as a squadron doctor in the RAF, completing a tour in Bosnia and supporting a naval squadron in Germany where he also met his wife.
He later became the cancer lead for the Cwm Taf Morgannwg Health Board for a decade and chaired the hospital committee for PONT – a Pontypridd-based charity working with communities in Mbale, Uganda.
His medical experience, he said, has deeply influenced his writing. “Being a medic for 35 years has shaped how I see the world,” he said. “The Bernie books are about spreading love, decency, and goodness, and that’s the message I want children to take away.”
The Bernie the Christmas Spirit series began in 2020 when Mr Watermeyer published the first edition with proceeds going to Centrepoint, a charity supporting young people facing homelessness. His latest book continues that tradition of pairing storytelling with social good.
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As well as the Bernie the Christmas Spirit series Mr Watermeyer has written several other books. His earlier works include Infertility and Miscarriage: A Guide for the General Public, written to support couples struggling to conceive, and The Frequently Untrodden Path to Happiness, a self-help book exploring the pursuit of wellbeing and positivity.
The Wales Air Ambulance has welcomed the project with the charity planning to stock the book across its 10 shops throughout Wales. It will also be available online through Amazon and in Waterstones stores.
Sean said he was delighted when Waterstones agreed to carry the book. “I went into the Cardiff store and explained what the book was for, that all royalties were going to the air ambulance,” he said.
“The staff were absolutely lovely and said they’d be happy to stock it.”
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Looking ahead, Sean hopes the book will encourage children and adults alike to appreciate the vital work of the Wales Air Ambulance.
“It’s a feel-good story,” he said. “I want children to know that goodness is the right way ahead and that if anything ever happens there are people out there, like the air ambulance team, ready to help.”
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Located at the southern end of Druridge Bay, the sandy beach attracts families, dog walkers and nature lovers looking for space, scenery and a slower pace compared to busier seaside destinations, but not just from the North East, with people travelling from across the UK to get there.
Part of a nine-mile stretch of coastline, Cresswell Beach is particularly striking at low tide, when the sand stretches far out towards the North Sea.
Cresswell Beach (Image: NORTHERN ECHO)
Reviews regularly mention the space, with visitors noting that even during peak periods it rarely feels overcrowded.
One visitor described it as “a huge, open beach where you can always find a quiet spot,” while another said it was “ideal for long walks with the dog, flat, sandy and peaceful.”
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Cresswell sits on the Northumberland Coast Path, making it a regular stopping point for walkers and cyclists exploring the Druridge Bay area.
The nearby Cresswell Foreshore nature reserve is also well regarded, with visitors pointing to the rock pools and birdlife as unexpected highlights.
Nature-focused reviews often mention seeing wading birds and marine life close to shore, with one visitor calling it “a brilliant spot for wildlife without needing specialist knowledge.”
Cresswell Beach (Image: NORTHERN ECHO)
Visitor feedback consistently highlights the convenience of nearby food and drink options.
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Cresswell Ices is frequently mentioned in reviews as a must-stop, particularly for families and walkers finishing a beach stroll.
Across from the beach car park, The Drift Café also receives positive comments for its “homemade food and relaxed atmosphere”.
One reviewer summed it up by saying: “You’ve got everything you need within a few minutes, beach, coffee, ice cream and fish and chips.”
For those looking to stay overnight, Cresswell Towers Holiday Park, located close to the beach, is often referenced by visitors as a convenient base with sea views and easy access to the coast.
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Reviews from holidaymakers staying locally frequently mention the appeal of waking up close to the beach and using Cresswell as a starting point for exploring Druridge Bay and the wider Northumberland coast.
While it may lack the arcades and attractions of larger resorts, that’s exactly what many visitors say they like about Cresswell Beach.
As one review puts it: “There’s nothing flashy here, just a beautiful beach, fresh air and space to relax.”
TOKYO (AP) — Polls opened Sunday in parliamentary elections that Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi hopes will give her struggling party a big enough win to push through an ambitious conservative political agenda.
Takaichi is hugely popular, but the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, which has governed Japan for most of the last seven decades, has struggled from funding and religious scandals. She called Sunday’s snap elections hoping to turn that around.
She wants to make progress on a right-wing agenda that aims to boost Japan’s economy and military capabilities as tensions grow with China. She also wants to nurture ties with her crucial U.S. ally, and a sometimes unpredictable President Donald Trump.
The ultraconservative Takaichi, who took office as Japan’s first female leader in October, pledged to “work, work, work,” and her style, which is seen as both playful and tough, has resonated with younger fans.
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The latest surveys indicated a landslide win in the lower house for the LDP. The opposition, despite the formation of a new centrist alliance and a rising far-right, is seen as too splintered to be a real challenger.
Takaichi is betting that her LDP party, together with its new partner, the Japan Innovation Party, will secure a majority in the 465-seat lower house, the more powerful of Japan’s two-chamber parliament.
Recent surveys by major Japanese newspapers show a possibility that Takaichi’s party could win a simple majority on its own while her coalition could win as many as 300 seats — a big jump from a thin majority it held since a 2024 election loss.
If the LDP fails to win a majority, “I will step down,” she said.
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A big win by Takaichi’s coalition could mean a significant shift to the right in Japan’s security, immigration and other policies, with its right-wing partner JIP’s leader Hirofumi Yoshimura saying his party will serve as an “accelerator.”
Takaichi has pledged to revise security and defense policies by December to bolster Japan’s offensive military capabilities, lifting a ban on weapons exports and moving further away from the country’s postwar pacifist principles.
She has been pushing for tougher policies on foreigners, anti-espionage and other measures that resonate with a far-right audience but ones that experts say could undermine civil rights.
Though Takaichi said she is seeking the public’s mandate for her “nation splitting policies,” she avoided contentious issues such as ways to fund soaring military spending, how to fix diplomatic tension with China and other controversial issues.
In her campaign speeches, Takaichi enthusiastically talked about the need for “proactive” government spending to fund “crisis management investment and growth,” such as measures to strengthen economic security, technology and other industries. Takaichi also seeks to push tougher measures on immigration and foreigners, including stricter requirements for foreign property owners and a cap on foreign residents.
Still, Kazuki Ishihara, 54, said she voted for the LDP for stability and in hopes for something new under Takaichi. “I have some hope that she could do something” her predecessors could not.
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A 50-year-old office worker Yoshinori Tamada said his interest is wages. “I think a lot when I look at my pay slip, and I cast my vote for a party that I believe I can trust in that regard.”
Sunday’s vote started under fresh snowfall across the country, including in Tokyo. Record snowfall in northern Japan over the last few weeks, which blocked roads and was blamed for dozens of deaths nationwide, could hinder voting or delay vote counting in hard-hit areas.
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Associated Press video journalist Mayuko Ono in Tokyo contributed to this report.
Doing something romantic for Valentine’s Day does not need to involve a heart-shaped box of chocolates, roses or an atypically expensive dinner, according to relationship experts.
In fact, therapists encourage couples craving intimacy and a deeper connection to focus less on grand gestures and more on expressing love with mundane acts that recognize what matters to their partner.
Romance is not one size fits all. For some people, it means holding hands, opening a car door or drawing a bath for their lover. Others respond to receiving a hilarious text, coffee in bed or an offer to run a nagging errand. Either way, demonstrating kindness and care in small ways over time helps to support relationships as they evolve, says Traci Lee, a licensed marriage and family therapist in Dallas.
“The more that early on, you as a couple are able to establish good habits of whatever romance is going to look like for you, the better it is,” Lee said.
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Couples counselors and people in relationships share ideas for showing a romantic partner love throughout the year:
Romance is constantly evolving
Early in a relationship, it doesn’t take much to show romantic intentions, but that changes as couples learn more about each other as individuals, discover what their partner needs for emotional and physical well-being, and experience life together.
“Depending on what stage of the relationship you’re in, romance can mean different things,” Lee said. For example, couples with parenting and caregiving responsibilities have less time to devote to each other than they did during the honeymoon phases right after they started dating or got married.
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Gabrielle Gambrell, who lives in New York with her husband of seven years and their two children, thinks romance “should be an evolution” and therefore takes work. One piece of advice she received before getting married stuck with her: Never stop dating.
“You keep romance alive by continuously dating,” Gambrell said. “No matter how busy or what happens in the world, me and my husband have a mandatory date night. And every single date night, we leave the date energized and happy and grateful, and reminded what means the most to us.”
Taking the pressure off Valentine’s Day
Valentine’s Day carries a heavy burden of social pressures, fantasies from movies and books, and individual desires and expectations that often go unexpressed. All can be managed with planning and communication, experts say.
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“Some people will say, ‘If I have to tell my partner what to do, then it won’t be romantic.’ But I have to remind people that their partner is not a mind reader,” Lee said. “I try to blow up the myth that romance can only happen if it’s created spontaneously out of thin air.”
Gambrell, who describes herself as a planner by nature, says she typically starts asking her husband questions about their plans for Feb. 14 days before. Making assumptions about the best way to celebrate Valentine’s Day and comparisons with other couple’s relationships are likely to lead to disappointment, she said.
“Love is not perfect. Romance is not perfect. Relationships, there’s nothing perfect about them, but they are beautiful,” she said.
Clarence Smith IV, a 29-year-old middle school teacher and video content creator in Phoenix, remains a big believer in using traditional acts of chivalry to communicate respect and care for his girlfriend, such as positioning himself closer to the curb when they are walking together on a street.
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“Romance today involves more seen gestures – let this be seen, let this be shown, let this be big,” Smith said, adding that in his dating experience some people see his gentlemanly behavior as old-fashioned. “I do little things like that, and they’re looked at as superbly impactful. We don’t do this anymore. But to me, baby, this is basics.”
Express love beyond February
While some relationship experts recommend establishing traditions around meaningful holidays, anniversaries and birthdays, others say that creating rituals to mark new seasons or weekends are equally valuable as part of the foundation for merging lifestyles and routines.
Lee says she often explains to her clients a popular analogy in the counseling industry: If you get in a fight with your partner and apologize with a dozen roses, that would be great, but bringing one rose every day for 12 days would communicate consistency and dedication.
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She asks patients, “What are some small things that you can do that are going to be a way for you to show up for your partner in the way that they need it?”
Gambrell says gift-giving is the way she prefers to receive and show love. As a result, it touches her deeply and comes across as a romantic gesture when her husband buys her a scratch-off lottery ticket or stationery item, like a pen or notebook, at the store.
“It’s knowing that you’re thinking about me, that I’m on your mind, that you stop what you’re doing to think of me,” she said.
Smith encourages people to not be afraid of expressing love regardless of how experienced a dating life or how long a relationship they have.
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“Do not be afraid to love in your own way,” he said. “It’s always worth it. You always win in the end.”
Major changes to car tax will come in over the next two years
The Government has released an update regarding changes to road tax. Vehicle Excise Duty, also known as road tax, is expected to rise in accordance with inflation once more in April 2026.
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Independent MP James McMurdock questioned Chancellor Rachel Reeves in a written parliamentary inquiry about whether she intends to “review the structure of Vehicle Excise Duty”. Treasury minister Dan Tomlinson delivered the Government’s response.
He said: “Vehicle Excise Duty (VED), sometimes known as ‘road tax’ or ‘car tax’, is a tax on vehicles used or kept on public roads. Different rates apply to cars, vans, and motorcycles, and the rate for each vehicle is calculated according to a range of factors, such as its date of first registration, weight, or CO2 emissions.”
Addressing the possibility of reforms to the system, Mr Tomlinson said: “The Government has no current plans to review this structure.” Nevertheless, he did acknowledge that major modifications are on the horizon.
State Pensioners to face major tax change
The minister outlined: “At Autumn Budget 2025, the government announced the introduction of Electric Vehicle Excise Duty (eVED), a new mileage charge for electric and plug-in hybrid cars, which will come into effect from April 2028. Drivers will pay for their mileage alongside their existing Vehicle Excise Duty (VED).”
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Under the new proposals, electric vehicle drivers will be charged 3p per mile, while plug-in hybrid motorists will pay 1.5p per mile, with both rates subject to inflation-linked increases. The Government has launched a consultation on these plans.
The consultation document states: “It will be set at half of the equivalent rate of fuel duty for electric cars, and half again for plug-in hybrid cars. eVED will ensure all car drivers contribute, but will still maintain important incentives to switch to an electric vehicle. eVED will not require ‘trackers’ in cars, nor will the government ask people to interact with a whole new tax system: car drivers will pay for the miles they drive alongside paying their usual road tax (VED).”
From April 2025, electric vehicles became liable for vehicle excise duty. Chancellor Rachel Reeves set out in the Autumn Budget that the VED Expensive Car Supplement threshold would be raised from £40,000 to £50,000 from April 2026. VED rates for vehicles of all types will rise in line with inflation from April 2026.
With rough sleeping on the rise across Scotland, the Sunday Mail’s Dan Vevers decided to see what it’s like first-hand.
Sunday Mail reporter Dan Vevers sleeping rough in Glasgow
More than 2000 Scots reported sleeping rough at some point in the six months from April to September last year, official stats show.
The numbers sleeping rough the day prior to applying for homeless status have rocketed by 24 per cent.
So with rough sleeping on the rise, I decided to see what it’s like first-hand.
It was a very chilly, early February night, just at the tail-end of a yellow weather warning from the Met Office for high winds and sleet, and it was nippy to say the least.
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The most sheltered spot I could find to unroll my sleeping bag was under the Clyde Bridge on the Broomielaw – a known refuge for rough sleepers.
I’d wrapped up pretty warm – a big parka jacket, a scarf. But still, it was cold enough to pull on my emergency hat.
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I was away from the worst of the wind and cold. But there’s nothing comfortable about sitting or lying on concrete.
I was tired, it was late and I hadn’t eaten since the afternoon.
When I closed my eyes on my camping pillow, I thought I might even nod off.
But then I’d hear voices, or footsteps. Or loudest of all, the whooshing of a train flying across the bridge, rattling my skull. All that put me back on my guard.
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I thought I’d been there for hours before I gave up the experiment. But when I looked at the time, I’d lasted for less than two hours. After all, I had a real bed to go home to.
Councils in Scotland have a statutory requirement to give temporary housing to homeless people.
But from April to September, there were 10,710 instances of local authorities failing to provide this – despite it being unlawful – which is a shocking 42 per cent rise in a year.
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Many of these people might have been forced into a night on the cold streets. I don’t envy them.
When the job of eSafety Commissioner came up, she bashfully explains there was a small pool of candidates to choose from. The man who helped write the bill, Malcolm Turnbull, went on to become prime minister. He hired her and, she says, wanted a commissioner with a background in online safety, but also experience in the tech sector itself.
As Bad Bunny prepares to headline the Super Bowl halftime show, Cardi B says she’s proud to see him step onto the world’s biggest stage, praising his cultural impact and willingness to speak out during heightened immigration arrests.
“I’m proud of everything that he’s been standing up for against ICE and everything,” Cardi B told The Associated Press ahead of her performance at Michael Rubin’s star-studded Fanatics Super Bowl Party on Saturday, which featured performances by SZA, Don Toliver and Travis Scott.
The Grammy winner spoke with admiration and unity about Bad Bunny, who appeared with J Balvin on her chart-topping hit, “I Like It.” The collaboration helped propel Latin music further into the global mainstream.
Bad Bunny is set to take the Super Bowl stage on Sunday, one week after winning album of the year at the 2026 Grammys for “Debí Tirar Más Fotos.” It is the first time an all-Spanish-language album has taken home the top prize.
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At the Grammys, the Puerto Rican superstar said “ICE out” while accepting an award, criticizing President Donald Trump‘s administration for its dramatic expansion of immigration arrests.
“It just feels like everything is aligned right now,” said Cardi B, who is of Afro-Caribbean descent with roots in Trinidad and the Dominican Republic. “It just shows how Hispanics, Latinos. … We standing. They standing. We all standing.”
With Super Bowl buzz swirling around “I Like It” and the possibility of surprise guests, Cardi B was asked what it would mean to share the stage with Bad Bunny on such a massive platform.
“That’d be exciting,” she said.
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As Bad Bunny readies for his halftime moment, Cardi B is preparing for the launch of her highly anticipated tour, which opens Feb. 11 in Palm Desert, California. The run marks her first headlining arena tour and her first tour in six years.
The tour arrives on the heels of her sophomore album, “Am I the Drama,” just four months after the birth of her first child with New England Patriots wide receiver Stefon Diggs, her fourth child overall.
Her preparation has centered on long rehearsal days that double as physical training, building momentum and confidence ahead of life on the road, Cardi B said.
“The rehearsing is my workout,” she said. “I’m just doing my job.”
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With her recent project connecting strongly with fans and plans to work on her new album while on tour, Cardi B said the momentum has sharpened her excitement for returning to the stage.
“I feel really confident,” she said. “Knowing the fans are going to be there and know the music. It’s exciting.”
