Oliver Foran was 16 when his mother died of brain cancer. Too young to process the grief, he says he internalised everything and for eight years did not shed a tear.
“I didn’t really deal with it… I didn’t cry… I didn’t show any emotion about it,” he tells The Independent. On the outside, everything was fine. He launched a business in real estate and his life had structure and direction. “But I felt empty inside,” he recalls. Finally, he decided to do something about it.
Foran is speaking to The Independent from a cafe located at an altitude of around 3,450m in Namche Bazaar in Nepal, halfway through a monumental challenge to break the sea-to-summit speed record for climbing Mount Everest. In order to achieve a Guinness World Record, he must complete the feat without motorised transport – cycling over 1,000km through India from the seaside town of Digha on the Bay of Bengal, and then trekking to Everest’s 8,848.86m summit.
The previous record was set by South Korean national Kim Chang-ho, who completed the challenge in 67 days in the spring of 2013. Foran has set himself the challenge of completing his journey in just 60 days, reaching the summit before 31 May.
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But the real goal, Foran says, is to raise as much money as possible for the youth mental health programme YouTurn, so that young people struggling with similar issues to those he has faced can get the help they need.
The Australian is relatively new to high-altitude climbing but has quickly built experience, climbing peaks like the Island Peak and Ama Dablam in the Khumbu region of eastern Nepal in the past two years. This will be his first attempt at an 8,000-metre-high mountain.
At every stage so far, Foran has had to fight adversity.
In India, when he was attempting to cycle 1,150km, it was the heat. “I was not ready for 42 degrees Celsius,” he says laughing.
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Day after day, he cycled up to 135km, often riding for 10 to 12 hours at a stretch. “We were still putting in these massive shifts.” To cope, he broke the days down into fragments. “Every 20km, I would pull over… maybe talk to a vendor. Reset.”
Oliver Foran is attempting a record sea-to-summit journey to Mount Everest, cycling over 1,000 km from India before trekking and climbing to the top (Oliver Foran)
But along the way he has also built connections. One afternoon, he recalls, a gang of schoolchildren gathered around him when he was taking a break at a roadside. It was a hot day and he bought fruit juice from a nearby vendor for all of them. Soon, more children appeared. “I ended up buying all of his (vendors’) juices,” he says, laughing.
Added to India’s early-summer heat was the chaos of its road network. The mountaineer says struggled at first with all “the trucks and cows”, then adds: “But I got used to them.”
After cycling more than 1,000km and battling several setbacks, Oliver Foran is climbing Everest in memory of his mother and for those struggling in silence (Oliver Foran)
On his Instagram page, he writes: “I struggled with my mental health. For a long time, I felt lost. Like I was searching for something, but didn’t know what it was. “I remember when I was that age… how much that would have helped me. I don’t want people to get to that point.”
He recalls the exact moment he decided to climb Everest.
“I was standing on the summit (of Ama Dablam) and I remember looking at it (Mount Everest), and I was like, Yes, that’s it. That’s my goal.”
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The scheduled route through Nepal also hasn’t gone exactly to plan. While attempting to acclimatise himself en route to Mera Peak, which is on the way to Everest base camp, his blood oxygen levels dropped sharply overnight. “I checked it three times, and it was low every time. I remember starting to become a little bit delirious.”
At that point his team made the difficult decision to turn back and descend. “Safety was number one. We just went. There was no questions asked.”
Foran describes the moment not as failure, but of clarity. “What is the goal here? The goal is to get to Mount Everest… We’d figure everything else out once I was healthier.”
They’ve now planned a new route: a faster push along the usual Everest base camp trail, cutting a journey that normally takes over a week down to just four days. “So it definitely has been a bit of a stinger. But we’re not out of the park, and we can make this happen.”
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The 27-year-old Australian is over 30 days into his bid to break the 67-day Everest sea-to-summit record (Oliver Foran)
He knows the physical toll the expedition would take on him. But he says: “I think mental toughness is the key to an expedition like this.”
“I believe, through a lot of hardship, mental resilience is built in our lives. And personally, I faced, unfortunately, a bunch of it at a very young age. I was very, very close with my mom, and to watch her decline so dramatically and then pass away right in front of me. It was brutal, and that’s something that I definitely draw back on.”
He knows he will need the mental resilience for the next stage, which is the most dangerous: the climb from Everest base camp to the summit, through icefalls and the notorious “death zone” – a term used by mountaineers to refer to heights above 8000m.
“My mum has given me an opportunity here to keep going and hopefully inspire other people.
“It’s okay to speak about it… it’s okay to show emotion.
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“The cause is the most important thing for me. Like, what we’re doing with (YouTurn).. I believe can save lives.”
007 First Light – another great game to add to the list (IO Interactive)
The Wednesday letters page is glad that 007 First Light is reviewing so well, as a reader wishes more games had couch co-op like Lego Batman.
Games Inbox is a collection of our readers’ letters, comments, and opinions. To join in with the discussions yourself email gamecentral@metro.co.uk
Exceeding expectations So 007 First Light reviews are out and it’s another top notch game?! It’s now the fifth highest rated game of the year on Metacritic, just behind Mewgenics (whatever that is), Resident Evil Requiem, and Forza Horizon 6. That puts it just ahead of Saros, Nioh 3, Pragmata, and Lego Batman: Legacy Of The Dark Knight.
I’ve left out all the indie games, except Mewgenics, because there’s never a surprise when one of those is good, but these are big budget games that in almost every case turned out to be better than expected, and that to me seems pretty special.
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I’m sure there’s something I’m forgetting but I don’t remember any big budget disappointments this year and that’s pretty unheard of. Normally, if things were going this well, we’d be asking whether this will be the best year ever for games, but the problem is we know very little about what’s coming out in the second half of the year.
That’s probably GTA 6’s fault as much as anything but if the second half can come anywhere close to the first then 2026 is going to go down as a classic. Especially if GTA 6 doesn’t disappoint. Cranston
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Premium Bond Great review of 007 First Light, GC. Really enjoyed that one. It was fun to read about a game that I assumed to be quite different to what it apparently is but even better that it turned out to be really good. I can’t say I’ve ever really liked Hitman, but I will try and give this a go, given the reviews. I also appreciate the fact that it’s not £70.
I wouldn’t call myself a Bond fan exactly, but I do like a lot of them, so I wonder how much the name is going to attract or put people off. I think ideally IO would’ve had this coming out alongside a new movie, but that’s going to take years so they didn’t really have any choice I guess.
I do wonder how much younger gamers are even aware of Bond anymore, but I guess we’ll see over the next few weeks. Locke
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GC: Thanks.
For England, James Good to see 007 First Light get a high Metacritic straight off the bat, it’s on 88 as I type this. I notice that there doesn’t seem to be any of the big American sites yet though. No IGN or Gamespot or anyone like that. Then I read that they got their review copies later than Europe, which must be a first.
Can GC explain what happened and when you got your copy? I really hate the idea of publishers trying to influence review scores but in this case I’m not sure what was going on, especially as the game seems to be good. Not really the publicity they need though. Colbat86
GC: Something strange was going on but we don’t understand what yet. We only got our review copy on Friday, which is very late for a big game like this, and we think we were one of the first. As you say, the US seems to have got them even later, but we have no idea why.
Phantom renaissance Glad to see Lego Batman: Legacy Of The Dark Knight selling well and people enjoying it from the Inbox. I also was playing it at the weekend with my kids and we all enjoyed it. A lot of it went over their heads too but as long as the game is fun, and it’s co-op, that’s all they care about.
I do wonder why so few games have co-op, given how much people seem to enjoy it. I think a lot of the problems with Halo Infinite’s bad rep were because it didn’t have co-op at launch. When indie games started to become a thing with the Xbox 360 I hoped that might bring with it a new golden era for couch co-op, because a lot of indie games were like that back in the day, but it never really happened.
It probably won’t happen again now until the next Lego game, which is a real shame. I hope the next one isn’t Harry Potter though, or it’ll just end up going round in a circle from Star Wars to Batman to Harry Potter and back again. Even if we get another Marvel one, that’s been done a ton already as well. Bootles
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City builder I never would have imagined a Lego version of Cities: Skylines, what a strange choice, especially if it’s out soon – a shadow drop at Summer Game Fest maybe? I would be interested in it but Skylines is a pretty complicated game, so I’m not sure how far it’s going to be dumbed down.
It also seems like it wouldn’t work that well with Lego bricks because you zoom out so far most things are just dots, but the smallest Lego brick is still pretty big. Maybe there’s some confusion and that’s not what the name is? Or it’s a more small scale thing but just by the same developer? Although I don’t know how an age ratings board gets that kind of thing wrong (or why they keep leaking these things). Lucid
Paying the rent Reading that Granzella has only made one game (R-Type Final 2) and not released anything since it made me wonder how studios stay in business?
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How do they pay their staff if they only release one product in say, a six year period – are they literally raking in that much profit from sales that they can afford to keep paying their devs for years and years without releasing anything new? And that’s a studio that has released a very niche title with little mass market appeal. Sven
GC: Granzella has only made one R-Type game in the 15 years of their existence, but they have made other games. Although we doubt the likes of Disaster Report 4 Plus: Summer Memories and City Shrouded In Shadow bring in much for them either. We don’t know the circumstances of Granzella, but we suspect that, much like Treasure, they have very few permanent staff and rely primarily on freelancers and associates when making a new game.
The wider issue you allude to is the biggest problem currently facing the games industry. Naughty Dog, to use an example of one of the biggest developers in the business, haven’t released an entirely new game all generation and yet they have an employee count of over 400. Even with TV deals for The Last Of Us that doesn’t seem sustainable for Sony or any company in a similar position.
Ice to see you I was hoping you could clear something up for me.
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I’m interested in buying the new Lego Batman game but for just one particular character.
I can see that Batgirl is in the game, but I heard the Alicia Silverstone Batgirl from Batman & Robin might be a playable character – can you confirm or deny as I haven’t been able to find a definitive answer? TheSpectre N8 (gamertag)
GC: There’s a skin called Ice Armor that is based on the suit Alicia Silverston wore at the end of Batman & Robin, but we don’t recall if that was the only one she had in the film.
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New Horizons Interesting seeing all the high scores for Forza Horizon 6. As someone that’s been there from the first game, the franchise is starting to feel a bit stale for me. It is a great game, but I feel it’s more fresh for those that haven’t played previous games. Someone on YouTube mentioned that the last few games are feeling very corporate, cut and paste, with a new map and that pretty much sums it up for me and all my friends.
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Me and my mates spent hundreds of hours on the first three games but when 4 came out we fell of it fast. One of our favourite modes, the playground games, was ruined by making it team-based and 6 hasn’t even got this mode yet, which is strange. Also, the dialogue in 6 feels very AI, no soul to it, and the fact it still bombards you with constant stuff and rewards can feel overwhelming.
I looked on my friends list and hardly any of them are playing it. I know that’s not the bigger picture at the moment, as it’s selling well, but I wonder in a few weeks how many are still going to be playing it. I’m glad it is doing well, as it shows racing games can still appeal to many, and I will be interested in what changes they make and things they add, but for me it’s just not as fun as earlier games, which I feel is a shame. Rob
GC: We can understand that point of view. If Forza Horizon 7 doesn’t add some new twists, we suspect the review scores, if not the sales, will start slipping.
Inbox also-rans Just out of interest, what does GC believe the lifetime sales of Tetris are? PazJohnMitch
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GC: If this is alluding to Wikipedia’s penchant for counting every version of Tetris ever, from multiple different publishers and developers, as one game, we’ve always thought that was silly. For what it’s worth Guiness World Records doesn’t do it when considering what the best-selling game ever is; they go with Minecraft instead.
The PSP bag looks… really good? I have no idea why such a random company would make such a random thing but I’ll get one, especially at that price. Ishi
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Worshippers Melvin Cravitz and Adrian Daulby were killed when Jihad Al-Shamie, 35, a Syrian-born British citizen, drove into the gates of the Heaton Park synagogue in Crumpsall, Manchester, in October last year, and then began attacking with a knife, wearing a fake suicide belt.
Preparations are underway at the White House South Lawn for an upcoming Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) event. The cage fight is scheduled to take place 14 June as part of the America 250 celebrations.
US President Donald Trump said UFC president Dana White, a longtime ally, will build “a 5,000-seat arena right outside the front door of the White House”, along with eight large screens in a nearby park for fans to watch from a distance.
Police said a search was launched shortly after 2pm today (May 26) after a report of a concern for safety when a boy entered the river after temperatures soared across the county.
The River Ribble (Image: Archive)
There was a large-scale search involving officers from Lancashire Police’s underwater search unit and Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service, along with North West Ambulance Service.
Police said a body was recovered from the river at 7.50pm and, while formal identification has not taken place, police believe it is the body of the missing boy.
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His family are being supported by specially trained family liaison officers.
His death is not being treated as suspicious and a file will be passed to the coroner.
A group of English fans were detained by police following an alleged breach of the peace after clashes broke out in Leipzig ahead of Crystal Palace’s Conference League final against Rayo Vallecano.
Videos shared on social media appeared to show rival groups fighting and throwing chairs during the incident. Many were seen falling to the ground as the clash began, while others ran for cover.
A group of men wearing black T-shirts arrived at the scene shortly before violence erupted between the two groups. Chairs and glass bottles were thrown, as seen in one of the clips, as police in riot gear moved in to break up the groups.
The Press Association reported the disturbance happened outside an Irish bar, where German police later detained several English people.
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A spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police said German authorities told them those involved were being held over an alleged breach of the peace, which is considered a criminal offence under German law.
The Press Association reported the disturbance happened outside an Irish bar, where German police later detained several English people (Jordan Pettitt/PA)
The group were as a result subject to police control measures, including detention, establishment of ID, search of person and full-body photograph.
Crystal Palace will look to take on the European trophy for the first time against Rayo Vallecano. A win for Palace will also secure them a spot in the Europa League next year.
If Oliver Glasner’s team is victorious, Crystal Palace would become the third English club to win the trophy, following West Ham in 2023 and Chelsea in 2025. Glasner has said his ultimate parting gift would be to see his team in the Europa League next season.
The match is set to be played at Leipzig’s Red Bull Arena on Wednesday, May 27, with kick-off scheduled for 8 pm BST.
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Fans in the UK can watch the match live on TNT Sports 1, with coverage beginning at 6.30 pm BST. The game will also be available to stream live through HBO Max and the HBO app.
The rest of the top 10 tracks were made up of Rose and Bruno Mars’ APT (fifth), Sorry I’m Here For Someone Else by Benson Boone (sixth), Chappell Roan’s Pink Pony Club (seventh), Sapphire and Azizam (eighth and ninth respectively) both by Sheeran, and Smith’s Stargazing (10th).
Here’s what the stars have in store for your day (Picture: Metro.co.uk)
The Moon in Libra opposes Chiron in Aries today, holding up a mirror to your self-image. Get reflective, and strive for indvidual improvement.
Aquarius, Sagittarius and Libra, this heightened self awareness will feel uncomfortable at times. Take a step back, breathe and be kind to yourself.
Give others grace, particularly as you will appreciate sensitivity from those around you. Patience may not come naturally but it is essential.
Ahead, you’ll find all star signs’ horoscopes for today: Wednesday May 27, 2026.
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Aries
March 21 to April 20
Today, relationships act as mirrors, highlighting the positives and flaws in a key relationship, showing you your own shortcomings, and inspiring real change. The Moon in Libra opposes Chiron in your sign, suggesting others may have wounds or issues too, so be kind to yourself, but also be prepared to give people leeway, as they may be in a sensitive mood too.
You may notice that some habits and activities soothe you and are enjoyable, while others might drain you. It helps to listen to what your body and feelings are telling you, as a few subtle changes could leave you more energised overall. Sense that introducing something like yoga or meditation on a regular basis could bring peace of mind? Prepare to give it a go.
Feel torn between expressing your true self and fitting in with the group vibe? This isn’t the time to dilute your natural abilities to prevent awkwardness with peers. Yet, you could feel more self-conscious than usual, and might wonder if you really belong with the social scene you’re involved in. Dare to be totally yourself, and your true friends will easily recognise you
The Moon’s face-off with Chiron in Aries suggests being pulled between nurturing your private world and proving yourself publicly. But if you’re not at ease with who you are in those quiet moments, it’s unlikely you’ll feel fulfilled playing your part on the world stage. Start the process of healing deeper wounds, and it will be easier to achieve your dreams.
A conversation or idea may bring up doubts about being understood or taken seriously. You may be keen to hear others’ thoughts. Yet there’s no need to substitute them for your own understanding, as what you know works best for you. Even so, don’t be afraid to consider other perspectives, even if they threaten the status quo, as doing so can be liberating.
Find yourself weighing what you give against what you receive? With the Libra Moon opposing Chiron in Aries, it can be easy to see the glass half empty rather than half full. But a shift in how you view your resources could lead to a gentle healing. While it isn’t good to let yourself be taken advantage of, generosity can lead to opportunities you never expected.
Cosmic messages for Cosmic messages for Virgo today
Libra
September 24 to October 23
You may feel a flicker of vulnerability in a tie, yet it can carry a useful message. Smoothing things over is a wise move, but it’s likely not to be as helpful as understanding why this matter arose in the first place. An edgy line-up could be a call to hold that conversation and get to the root of what is going on. Doing so could deepen and strengthen this bond.
The lunation can reveal subtle stresses in your daily routines that you simply can’t ignore. Feeling sensitive? It’s worth taking some time out to unwind, enjoy some pampering, and generally not put too much pressure on yourself. Small adjustments can lead to decisive shifts, too, so if anything is getting to you, take the lead by doing something positive about it now.
It’s not like you to be a serial people pleaser, but today it could happen as the Libra Moon in your social zone opposes healing Chiron. Will you go out on a limb and do something you’ve wanted to do for a while, even if it upsets your friends? If they’re your real friends, they’ll celebrate your bravery, so don’t worry about what others think. Do what feels good to you.
You’ll be more sensitive to the ups and downs of work-life balance, which could inspire a few key changes. Sometimes all it takes is one minor event to encourage that conversation, whether with a boss or family member. Getting things out in the open could mean that you finally make room to relax, unwind, and nurture yourself more, which has to be a good thing.
You may be more self-conscious than usual about what you say or how you should put something across. The Moon-Chiron face-off hints that tact can be wise, but if you need to talk, then diluting your words too much won’t work either. It helps to deliver them in such a way that it lifts those involved and encourages solutions and a promising way forward for all.
You like to be generous, but today you need to know where to draw the line. Yet, deciding where the boundary could be, another matter. Do you give a little bit more, a lot more, or perhaps less? This issue may have been going on for a while, but an incident could test your resolve. Sharing grudgingly just so you don’t upset someone isn’t on. Instead, be strong!
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The BBC hit show is one of the UK’s most trusted consumer brands and its now expanding its investigation team
Monde Mwitumwa TV and Celebrity Reporter
00:01, 27 May 2026
BBC The One Show‘s Watchdog has announced that it’s expanding its investigation team.
The popular segment, which is one of the UK’s most trusted consumer brands, is set to welcome two new presenters, who will film alongside regular hosts Matt Allwright and Nikki Fox.
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BBC viewers will welcome BAFTA-winning presenter and consumer journalist Nick Stapleton and Manchester-based broadcaster and documentary maker Amber Haque.
The duo will bring in fresh expert advice to the series, with Nick’s first report set to air during Wednesday’s (May 27) episode of The One Show.
He will be exposing scam adverts on social media that lure consumers into fraudulent investments.
Nick’s new role holds a special place in his heart as he is the son of the late Watchdog presenters John Stapleton and Lynn Faulds Wood, the much-loved husband-and-wife team who fronted the programme from 1986 to 1993.
He admitted that there is a “real poignancy” in joining the team as his parents are not around anymore.
The TV presenter said: “Uncovering scams and fighting for consumer fairness is in my blood. I grew up watching my mum doorstepping people and holding them to account, and it lit a fire in me.”
He added: “My parents aren’t around any more, so there is a real poignancy in joining Watchdog, a programme that was such a huge part of our lives. I truly believe in public service broadcasting and it’s a privilege to join Matt, Nikki and Amber to continue that legacy.”
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Meanwhile, Amber, whose work spans BBC Three documentaries, hit podcasts and international productions, said: “I grew up watching The One Show and Watchdog and so much of my work now looks at how digital culture and modern systems are affecting people’s lives.
“What makes Watchdog so special is how it holds power to account while staying human and accessible, so it’s a really exciting moment to be joining the team.”
Speaking about his new colleagues, Matt said: “In Amber and Nick we’ve got two of the most talented investigative journalists around. I’m delighted that they’re going to be part of the team and I know they will take Watchdog from strength to strength.”
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Nikki continued: “It’s an exciting time for Watchdog on The One Show. With Nick and Amber, we’ll be able to cover even more of the stories that matter to audiences across the UK. They’re both brilliant and I can’t wait to welcome them.”
Joanne Vaughan-Jones, Editor of The One Show added: “Watchdog remains one of the BBC’s most trusted brands. At a time when consumer issues are evolving rapidly, its role has never been more vital – and with Matt, Nikki, Nick and Amber, we have a brilliant team ready to deliver real impact.”
Watchdog airs every Wednesday from 7pm on BBC The One Show
The government has published plans for “once-in-a-generation” reform of youth justice in England and Wales. The reforms are billed as a blueprint for earlier intervention, more targeted support and addressing the root causes of youth crime.
It’s welcome that the proposals recognise how many children in the youth justice system have grown up with instability, trauma and neglect – and that those in the system often have increasingly complex needs. They also emphasise the importance of trusted relationships with professionals, stronger families and school attendance.
The argument that youth crime is often shaped by complex needs, adversity and missed opportunities for support, maps closely onto what my colleague Jagjit Sandhu and I found in our recent study of young men who have been involved in gangs.
Gang involvement is often discussed in terms of violence, drugs, knives and policing. It can be dangerous, harmful and traumatising, both for young people themselves and for the communities around them. But focusing only on crime misses something important: gangs can also offer belonging, a sense of identity and support for young people. This is often what draws them to get involved in the first place, and what makes it difficult to leave.
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Research has long suggested that gang involvement rarely comes from one cause. Young people may be “pushed” towards gangs by poverty, exclusion, victimisation or lack of support, while also being “pulled” by status, protection, identity and belonging. Gangs can offer protection, power, excitement and social support. These are benefits that, for some young people, are felt to outweigh the risks.
Our study, published in the Journal of Forensic Psychology Research and Practice, involved interviews with five young men in London who had current or previous gang involvement. The study explored how they made sense of their life experiences, relationships and sources of support.
Participants described growing up around poverty, violence, family disruption and feeling misunderstood or unsupported by adults and institutions. One young man, Jesse*, recalled times when “there wasn’t no food” and “there was no electric”. Paul described people in his community as “really good people” who sometimes felt their “only choice” was to do something wrong.
But the young men in our study were not only “pushed” by adversity. They were also “pulled” to the gang by relationships that seemed to offer something they could not find elsewhere.
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For Paul, closeness came from shared experience. He described his peers as “literally like the same person [as me] but just put in different houses”. John spoke about his fellow gang members as “brothers.” Tom recalled older gang members who “showed me a lot of love” and helped him feel protected. They described these relationships as central to why gang involvement made sense to them at the time.
The young men did not use this to excuse subsequent violence or criminal behaviour. But it helped them explain why they were drawn to the gang, and why leaving was so difficult.
Why early support and relationships matter
This is where the government’s emphasis on early intervention and trusted relationships is important. The white paper presenting the proposals argues that support for children at risk of offending should be “timely, proportionate and holistic”. It should also be joined up across schools, social care, health, youth justice teams and voluntary organisations.
The proposals stress the importance of stable relationships with trusted adults such as mentors, youth workers, teachers, social workers and other professionals. These adults can help children feel safe, regulate emotions and begin to see themselves as someone with a future outside crime.
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Our findings support this approach. Some of our participants wanted to move away from gang involvement, but needed help to imagine and build a different life. Tom described contact with professionals through a support service as “like two different worlds”, saying that it changed his “mind state”. Others spoke about mentoring, work, family relationships and new peer groups as helping them find purpose and belonging outside the gang.
Support is key to helping young people find belonging and positive relationships outside of gangs. Media_Photos/Shutterstock
The government’s focus on early intervention is welcome, including the expansion of programmes such as Turnaround, a voluntary support programme for children on the cusp of entering the youth justice system. It also proposes opening more Young Futures Hubs, intended to bring local services together so young people can access opportunities, mental health and wellbeing support, and help to move away from crime, and early support hubs, which offer young people mental health support without needing a GP referral.
Separately, it reiterates Labour’s manifesto commitment for new child criminal exploitation measures, including offence and civil orders aimed at adults who exploit children into criminality. The point is not only to improve outcomes for children who offend – effective early intervention also means fewer victims and safer communities.
But policy also needs to keep listening to young people with lived experience of offending. Their voices can help us understand what support looks like from the inside: what came too late, what felt irrelevant and what made change feel possible.
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The need for belonging is not unusual or deviant. It is human. But not all young people have easy access to safe places, trusted adults or meaningful opportunities. YMCA analysis of local authority youth services found that spending has fallen sharply since 2010–11, with fewer council-run youth centres and youth workers than a decade ago.
Research has found crime and violence to be linked to a lack of positive relationships, education and employment opportunities and community support. When these are missing, gangs may fill the gap. Early intervention has to mean understanding what young people are looking for and offering support and opportunities that feel real to them – before gangs become the place they find belonging – and before more people are harmed.
The three-day celebration, running from May 23 to 25, drew crowds from across the region, with a packed programme of live entertainment, family activities and a vibrant parade through the town centre.
Photos from the weekend capture locals proudly marching through the streets in a colourful procession.
Festivities centred around the main stage, where live music kept audiences entertained throughout the weekend, while visitors also enjoyed a mix of food vendors, bars and traditional fairground rides.
A range of community-led activities added to the atmosphere, including a popular pet show, dog agility displays, open mic sessions and a bustling car boot sale.
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Barnard Castle Meet. 25.5.2026 Photograph: Stuart Boulton/The Northern Echo (Image: Stuart Boulton)
Barnard Castle Meet. 25.5.2026 Photograph: Stuart Boulton/The Northern Echo (Image: Stuart Boulton)
Barnard Castle Meet. 25.5.2026 Photograph: Stuart Boulton/The Northern Echo (Image: Stuart Boulton)
Barnard Castle Meet. 25.5.2026 Photograph: Stuart Boulton/The Northern Echo (Image: Stuart Boulton)
Barnard Castle Meet. 25.5.2026 Photograph: Stuart Boulton/The Northern Echo (Image: Stuart Boulton)
Barnard Castle Meet. 25.5.2026 Photograph: Stuart Boulton/The Northern Echo (Image: Stuart Boulton)
Barnard Castle Meet. 25.5.2026 Photograph: Stuart Boulton/The Northern Echo (Image: Stuart Boulton)
Barnard Castle Meet. 25.5.2026 Photograph: Stuart Boulton/The Northern Echo (Image: Stuart Boulton)
Barnard Castle Meet. 25.5.2026 Photograph: Stuart Boulton/The Northern Echo (Image: Stuart Boulton)
Barnard Castle Meet. 25.5.2026 Photograph: Stuart Boulton/The Northern Echo (Image: Stuart Boulton)
Organisers have praised the enormous community effort behind the event, thanking volunteers, sponsors, local businesses and emergency services for their support in making the weekend a success.
A spokesperson said: “To the volunteers, committee members, sponsors, local businesses, entertainers, musicians, traders, food vendors, parade entrants, emergency services, community groups, and every single person who gave their time, effort, and support — we truly couldn’t do it without you.
“We hope you all enjoyed Barnard Castle Meet Weekend 2026 as much as we did, and after a little rest, we’ll start looking ahead to doing it all again next year.”
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