The list aims to celebrate ‘the most magical and important independent gigging institutions across the country’
A Belfast music hall has been named one of the greatest independent music venues in the UK by Time Out.
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Time Out Magazine is a guide to the best art and entertainment, food and drink, attractions, hotels and things to do in the world’s greatest cities.
At a time when arts venues are struggling for funding and independent venues are being forced to shut their doors, the list aims to celebrate “the most magical and important independent gigging institutions across the country”.
The iconic Empire Music Hall on Botanic Avenue in South Belfast is the only venue in Northern Ireland to be highlighted by Time Out, with it being highlighted for being “great craic”.
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Time Out said: “With a truly stunning pink-red interior featuring velvet chairs, garish wallpaper, and a curtained stage, it’s no surprise that Belfast’s Empire Music Hall is great craic.
“Formerly a Presbyterian church (est. 1874), the venue was overhauled in 1987 and quickly became a central hub for live music and entertainment, welcoming local talents like The Divine Comedy in the ‘90s alongside legends like John Martyn and the Undertones.
“Today’s clientele includes ‘lecture dodging students, old regulars, and passing tourists’ – a mix as eclectic as the decor.”
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Stephen Bradley, Entertainment Manager at the Empire Music Hall said: “It’s always nice to get recognition, but Time Out is a legend in terms of nightlife writing, so this means a lot.
“Just reading the Empire’s name alongside the legendary Barrowlands, Albert Hall and Rock City is a great reflection of the hard work our team have put in to keeping Belfast on the gigging map.”
Nominations have opened for the 2026 Scotland Loves Local Awards – including those for Town of the Year.
People across West Lothian are being urged to celebrate their high street heroes.
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Nominations have opened for the 2026 Scotland Loves Local Awards – including those for Town of the Year.
The accolades recognise and reward the people and organisations who make communities better places to live, work and visit.
And the region’s residents are being encouraged to nominate those who they would like to be named as a High Street Hero – with one being honoured in each of Scotland’s eight Scottish Parliament regions.
People can also put their home area forward for the national accolades of Town of the Year and Innovation in Place.
The awards are organised by Scotland’s Towns Partnership (STP) as an extension of its wider Scotland Loves Local campaign, which encourages people to help grow stronger communities by supporting the enterprises, organisations and initiatives in them.
Last year’s heroes included Paul Boyle of Boghall Butchers in Bathgate, recognising more than 50 years of commitment to serving his community.
Kimberley Guthrie, STP’s Chief Officer, said: “Remarkable, determined and innovative work is taking place across West Lothian which is making communities better places to live, work and visit. The Scotland Loves Local Awards are an opportunity to celebrate all of that.
“We are looking forward to hearing more about the places, projects and people who are leading the way with inspirational action which really does make a difference – and having the chance to celebrate their achievements.”
Now in their sixth year, the Scotland Loves Local Awards recognise leadership, innovation and community action that supports thriving local places – from transformational regeneration projects and entrepreneurial community initiatives to the individuals going above and beyond to make a difference.
England’s Aaron Rai clinched his first major title with a stunning victory at the US PGA Championship.
The 31-year-old emerged from a chasing pack littered with major champions at Aronimink Golf Club to become the first English winner of the event in over a century.
Rai, whose previous best finish at a major was 19th, shot a sublime five-under 65 as he stormed to finish three shots clear of the field and is just the fifth European to win the US PGA.
The world number 44 from Wolverhampton – with three DP World Tour victories and a single PGA Tour win to his name – landed the 3.69 million dollar (£2.76million) prize and clinched the Wanamaker Trophy.
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Three players held the lead during the final round of the championship as the congested leaderboard resulted in a thrilling final day.
But Rai evoked Philadelphia’s Rocky-style underdog spirit to be the last known survivor in the greatest moment of his career.
Alex Smalley took a grip of the championship on Saturday evening as he birdied four of the last six holes to pull two shots clear of the pack.
But an extraordinary 21 players were within four shots of his six-under-par score as the final round got under way and the chasing pack began to pile the pressure on.
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Rai was in a group two back, alongside Ryder Cup stars Jon Rahm and Ludvig Aberg, Canada’s Nick Taylor and German Matti Schmid – with Rory McIlroy a further shot adrift.
Justin Thomas charged from level par to set the clubhouse lead at five under thanks to a brilliant 65. When he signed his card, that had him one back as the leaders headed out.
Smalley was in the final group alongside Schmid, neither player having so much as a PGA or DP World Tour win to their name.
The American started steadily but endured a horror show to double bogey the sixth. He also bogeyed the eighth to drop three off the lead which had been grasped by Schmid thanks to three birdies in his first six holes.
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McIlroy, chasing a seventh major and his second in a row, started his move with a birdie at the second but it was a story of missed chances as he made par at the next 10 holes to remain two back.
The Northern Irishman knew he had to pick up at least a shot to match Thomas’ mark but headed the wrong way after a wayward tee shot led to bogey at the 13th.
Back he came with a wonderful birdie putt at the next keeping him alive but Rai was making his move.
Three bogeys in his first eight holes, alongside two birdies, hampered Rai’s progress but his round was ignited at the eighth.
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A stunning eagle putt surged Rai to within one of the lead and he was soon out in front on his own after birdieing the 11th as Schmid dropped a shot at the 10th.
Rai looked calm and composed, consistently finding fairways, and a majestic up-and-down birdie from the bunker at 13 took him two clear at seven under with five to play.
Schmid picked up a shot to close within one but Rai attacked the par-five 16th with a stunning approach teeing up another birdie.
But he saved his best for the 17th green to crown a magnificent major Sunday, rolling in an astounding 69-foot putt to go to nine under.
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Rai looked on almost in disbelief at what he was producing as the spectators erupted.
He is the first English winner since the first champion, Jim Barnes, when the tournament was match play, and ends a 10-year run of American dominance of the championship.
The chasers had no answer. McIlroy was unhappy with a spectator at the 16th as he could only make par at the final two holes to shoot 69.
Rahm had birdied the first two holes as he started his pursuit of a third major like a train but he turned at five under, one back after two bogeys.
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The Spaniard hung in valiantly and birdied 15 to get to within three at six under and finish second.
The celebration, which has been held in Livingston since 2015, may be ‘unable to continue’ as funding drops and costs rise.
The team behind West Lothian Pride have made a desperate plea as the future of the event hangs in the balance.
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The celebration, which has been held in Livingston since 2015, may be ‘unable to continue’ as funding drops and costs rise.
The event is scheduled to return to Howden Park on July 25, though bosses are fearful for next year’s event.
West Lothian Pride Chair, Ross Sansom-Parnell, told Edinburgh Live that many of the sponsors have ‘changed their criteria’ and are funding other causes now.
Ross also said rising costs of putting on an event like West Lothian Pride, combined with their funds dwindling, have led to a ‘scary situation’.
He said: “This is something that’s happening across pride festivals in the UK. There’s a number of events up and down the country that have been cancelled or completely shut down because the money isn’t out there anymore.
“We’ve never been in this situation before, and now in our 11th year we’re nearly at breaking point. It’s become scary.
“We want to be open and honest with the community, we’re a very family focused pride. It’s a day they kind of expect every year.
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The team have been posting on social media and asking local companies for sponsorship, though Ross told us they haven’t had much luck.
He added: “We’ve gone out on social media and to local companies to see who would sponsor us. We haven’t had much back.
“People who are listed on our site as sponsors, a lot of those are something physical like venue space.
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“Many of the companies who used to sponsor us have changed their criteria, and inclusion and diversity just isn’t as much of a focus anymore.
“It’s so tricky with rising costs of everything as well. It’s not been a fun year. West Lothian Pride is one of the only LGBT+ spaces within the area. This will literally take away one of the major things for the community.
“We’ve tried to be that shining beacon with West Lothian, and without the event people need to travel to big city’s for events like this. We’re a smaller, community-focused pride, and that would sadly go.”
While this year’s event is ‘99.5 per cent’ paid for, the future of West Lothian Pride hangs in the balance. As it stands with their current financial situation, the event ‘will not be going ahead next year’.
Ross added: “The concern is about next year’s event, we’re already tight for this year but 99.5 per cent of costs are covered. If something else pops up we will struggle.
“Locals seem pretty gutted. One guy said his local event, Grampian Pride, has stopped and he was going to choose us for the next pride as he came last year and really enjoyed it. A lot of comments have been really supportive, but the overall feeling is sadness.”
Sharing an update for locals, West Lothian Pride posted on Facebook: “For many Pride organisations across the country, funding is becoming harder and harder to secure each year – and sadly, West Lothian Pride is no exception.
“While we are incredibly proud that we have been able to secure enough funding to deliver this year’s Pride celebrations, the reality is that once this year’s event is over, our remaining funds will be extremely low. At this moment in time, there is currently not enough funding available for us to confidently deliver a Pride event next year.
“This is not something we ever wanted to say, but we believe in being open and honest with our community. West Lothian Pride has always been built by the community, for the community – and now we need your help to save Pride in West Lothian.
“If you believe Pride matters, if you value having safe, visible and inclusive LGBTQ+ events in our area, please consider supporting us.”
What followed were a very frightening few months having to find their own support
When Julie Kerr was diagnosed with dementia in 2022, a doctor told her to go home and Google it before showing her to the door.
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When Julie started becoming increasingly forgetful a few years ago, her daughter, a care assistant, arranged for her to see her GP.
After a series of hospital tests, including scans, to rule out other conditions, the Newtownabbey grandmother was eventually diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s four years ago.
After Julie, 61, received her dementia diagnosis, the doctor stood up, opened the door and said: “You’ll be able to find out more about it on the internet,” then closed the door.
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What followed were a very frightening few months as Julie and her husband David then had to find their own support, eventually joining a local dementia support group.
The couple are speaking out as a new landmark report exposes a dementia care system failing patients in Northern Ireland at every stage.
The findings, published today by Alzheimer’s Society, show that dementia patients routinely face prolonged delays to diagnosis followed by gaps and stark inequalities in treatment and support.
The charity says delays of this scale have quietly become routine for dementia, Northern Ireland’s biggest killer, but would not be accepted for cancer or heart disease.
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This one-of-a-kind analysis, examining the entire dementia and treatment pathway end-to-end reveals patients are not just delayed or ignored once, but are repeatedly missed for opportunities for diagnosis, treatment and support at every stage.
Julie’s husband David said: “You can’t give people a dementia diagnosis and tell them – that’s it, away you go.”
He compares this experience to when he was diagnosed with heart disease and assigned a dedicated heart nurse for follow up, adding: “Why isn’t there a similar approach with dementia?”
Julie and David are now taking part in an Alzheimer’s Society programme called ‘Time for Dementia’ which aims to educate a new generation of healthcare professionals who are more aware and understanding of dementia.
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The missed, delayed, abandoned findings across the UK:
Diagnosis delays: From first symptoms to diagnosis, people wait an average of 3.5 years – with almost six months of that spent waiting for diagnosis after GP referral to a memory clinic.
Early signs going unnoticed: Four in five GPs say patients are reluctant to discuss symptoms of dementia in consultations, while one in five say they lack confidence diagnosing dementia.
Left without support: One in five say they received no support after diagnosis, with families describing being “released into the wild”.
Treatment inconsistencies: Only half of those prescribed dementia medication remain on it for a year, despite benefits of continued treatment.
Northern Ireland faces the largest projected increase in dementia prevalence in the UK – from 24,700 to 37,400 by 2040, a rise of 51%. Without strategic intervention, the cost of dementia to Northern Ireland is expected to double from £1 billion to £2 billion per year by 2040.
New polling of almost 800 adults across Northern Ireland underlines the urgency for change: 92% of respondents are calling for improvements to timely and accurate diagnosis, 89% support increased investment in diagnostic services, and 92% believe people with dementia must have the right support for unpaid carers.
Alzheimer’s Society is calling on the Northern Ireland Assembly to urgently publish and deliver a bold and ambitious new dementia strategy, one that provides the ambition and accountability needed to drive real change for everyone living with dementia in Northern Ireland.
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Ruth Barry, Alzheimer’s Society’s National Influencing Manager, says there’s failure throughout the dementia care system in Northern Ireland.
She added: “The scale of this failure wouldn’t be accepted for other major conditions like cancer or heart disease. Our ageing population and predicted rise in dementia cases mean that action can’t wait.
“That’s why we’re calling for a Northern Ireland dementia strategy and have published our Roadmap for Change. We urgently need to put plans in place to give people they care they need and deserve.”
At every stage, people are missed. Symptoms are missed, diagnosis is delayed, and support often comes too late to be that lifeline so desperately needed by people with dementia and their loved ones.
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On average, across the UK people wait 3.5 years from first symptoms to diagnosis, including a 22-week wait after referral and even then, one in five report receiving no support at all after diagnosis.
The analysis shows how these failures compound: many people miss early warning signs, face long delays to diagnosis, and then fail to receive recommended treatments or follow-up care.
Without urgent action to fix the diagnosis and care system, the charity says delays will continue to push people into crisis faster, increase emergency hospital admissions, and place growing strain on health and social care services.
The findings form part of Alzheimer’s Society’s ‘Unlocking the Door’ reports, which bring together published research, clinical perspectives and data, and insight from people with lived experience of dementia. They are released ahead of the charity’s biggest annual fundraising campaign in June – the Forget Me Not Appeal – raising vital funds to support people affected by dementia.
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In response, the Department of Health said people living with dementia across Northern Ireland should be supported to lead the best life possible.
A DoH spokesperson said: “This includes having access to safe, high quality and person-centered assessment and care, which focuses on their individual needs and wishes and which is underpinned by their right to access equitable healthcare provision.
“The Regional Dementia Care Pathway, launched in 2018, is the Department’s strategic tool to develop high-quality dementia services in Northern Ireland. Unfortunately, the Pathway has not been fully implemented as a result of significant service capacity challenges, gaps in available workforce, financial constraints and a growing demand for services.
“As part of the strategic and operational planning processes for 2026/27, the Department has recognised improving dementia services as a key priority.”
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They added: “The Department established a Regional Dementia Project Board in 2024 to bring a sharpened focus on improvement in dementia care and services across the region, including further programmes for dementia training. The Alzheimer’s Society is a valued partner and a member of the Board.
“The Department continues to work with the Health and Social Care Trusts to explore how existing funding for dementia services can be best used to meet population needs, while working towards an affordable and sustainable funding position in the future.
“Reform of services will take time, however, and the shift of appropriate services out of hospitals and into the community and home-based settings are vital.”
Police have told Kerry Needham they will no longer be investigating her son’s disappearance and it will now be entirely down to the Greek Police to undertake any future inquiries.
The mum of Ben Needham has been left “shaking in shock” and “devastation” after police dropped the bombshell news they would no longer be investigating her son’s disappearance.
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Kerry Needham, 51, broke down “heartbroken and sobbing” after she was told the major crimes unit at South Yorkshire Police would not be responsible for any investigations into Ben’s case any more. Instead, they told her, it is the responsibility of the Greek police to undertake any future inquiries blaming lack of ‘time’ and ‘resources’.
“This is devastating news. The case will now fall solely to the Greek authorities. If this happens, I feel like I may as well give up the search for Ben because the Greek police have only ever wanted this case to go away,” the frustrated mum told The Mirror, breaking down in tears.
The news was broken to Kerry during a video call by her family liaison officer, she explained. South Yorkshire Police said: “We remain ready to support Greek authorities should any new evidence come to light, and we remain committed to supporting Kerry. However after 35 years, we must ensure all of the appropriate routes are in place and remain fit for purpose.”
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But Kerry told us: “For nearly 35 years, we have fought every single day to keep Ben’s case alive, to search for answers, and to make sure he is never forgotten. We believe there are still avenues to explore. This feels like a devastating step backwards.”
Kerry, who now lives in Turkey with her partner, told us, plans to re-interview witnesses whose statements were inconsistent and a meeting with the Greek public prosecutor, have all been scrapped. Instead any information will go to Interpol and the Greek authorities.
The gran of two, who has a daughter called Leigh-Anna, said: “I’m heartbroken because they are my lifeline, the only people I can trust and go to with the information I get. This was not the decision of my senior investigating officer (SOI), I feel sorry for him too. He had some brilliant plans.”
It is understood the SOI was planning a trip to Kos with Kerry to meet the Greek public prosecutor with hopes of building a joint team to look into what is one of Britain’s and Greece’s longest missing persons case. When they told her investigations would stop, she said: “I was horrified and in total shock and didn’t know what to say.
“I sat there with my hand over my mouth shaking my head and saying ‘this is so wrong’. It was sheer and utter shock. Then it was devastation, I ranted, I cried. I just couldn’t hold myself together, I was shaking. I just cried and cried and cried; ‘this can’t happen; why is this happening to me?’
“South Yorkshire are the only ones I can rely on to make sure that information goes to the right place. It will stop me from getting to the truth. I may as well give up looking now, if South Yorkshire Police are not there to make sure all leads are followed up.
“I do everything in my power. If my police are taken away from me what am I going to do with that information? All of my blood sweat and tears would have been for nothing. I feel abandoned.
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“I will never get to know anything if the Greek police are in charge of it, because they won’t do anything. They won’t organise DNA tests, they’ll just put it in a file and move on. I’m gobsmacked.”
She has reason to fear as the Greek police have previously been accused of a ‘cover up’ amid claims of fake and inconsistent witness statements alongside a failure to lock down the island after Ben vanished. Ben went missing while he was playing with toy cars outside a farmhouse his grandparents were renovating on the afternoon of July 24 1991.
Kerry was at work in a nearby hotel and Ben’s gran Christine was babysitting. There have been no big leads coming from the Greek authorities since Ben vanished. Then in 2011, the South Yorkshire force got involved and carried out the first of two major searches at the farmhouse in Kos where Ben was last seen.
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The second dig searching for Ben, took place in 2016, after British officers were told by a witness that the toddler could have been crushed to death in a horror digger accident, involving Konstantinos Dino Barkas. But no proof of the accident ‘theory’ has ever been found.
On the final day of the search, in the scorched earth, they found a solitary yellow toy car with decomposed blood but it was found later not to be a match with Ben’s DNA, which police have from a Guthrie test carried out on newborns. The former SOI in charge of the investigation on the final day looked desolate acknowledging they had not found Ben. But he said it was still his ‘professional’ belief that there had been an accident and the body must have been moved before their search.
But Kerry has dismissed this theory and fears her son was the victim of kidnapping, snatched from the island as witnesses claimed. Desperate Kerry has now written a letter to the Government, urging them to step in telling of the “unimaginable suffering” her family has endured.
Only last week the Met Police investigating the disappearance of Madeleine McCann were approved for an extra £108,000 taking up the total cost of the investigation, so far to more than £13 million. The three-year-old girl vanished from her bed while on holiday in Portugal in 2007. Operation Grange, led by the Metropolitan Police, will reach its 15th year since the task force took on the case in 2011.
While South Yorkshire Police, over the span of nearly double the amount of time, have received less than £2 million. In her letter to under-fire Keir Starmer, Kerry writes: “I am writing to you not only as the mother of Ben Needham, but as a mother who has spent more than three decades fighting for answers while watching support for my son’s case steadily diminish…
“Ben was a little boy who disappeared without a trace. His life mattered then, and it matters just as much today. What is impossible to ignore, however, is the stark difference in treatment between Ben’s case and the case of Madeleine McCann.
“Both are missing British children. Both families have endured unimaginable suffering. Yet the level of continued investigative support, media attention, Government backing, and financial resources provided to Madeleine McCann’s case has been vastly different to what has been afforded to Ben.
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“I do not begrudge any missing child receiving support or resources. Every missing child deserves that commitment. What I cannot accept is the clear inequality in how these cases have been treated. My son should not be forgotten because he disappeared decades ago, because his case is difficult, or because there is less political or media attention surrounding it.
“For years, my family has lived with unanswered questions, heartbreak, and the torment of uncertainty. Despite this, we have continued to fight because we believed the authorities were equally committed to uncovering the truth. The decision to reduce support now sends a devastating message: that some missing children remain a national priority while others are quietly allowed to fade into history.”
About the funding received by police looking into the disappearance of Madeleine, Kerry says: “I honestly try not to compare it but it makes me feel like I’m not worthy and my son is not worthy of any resources, time or effort spent on him. It’s like he is a second class citizen. “
It reminds Kerry of how she felt more than three decades ago when Ben vanished. “I just felt like I wasn’t important. The police didn’t even look at me as a responsible mother. I was 19 and working. I had a child and I went to work, it was very frowned upon at the time, they were very much men’s men. The women were not important. They dismissed the family and me as unfit. That was so wrong but I am scared not much will have changed in their attitudes.“
A statement from South Yorkshire Police said: “We remain ready to support Greek authorities should any new evidence come to light, and we remain committed to supporting Kerry. However after 35 years, we must ensure all of the appropriate routes are in place and remain fit for purpose.
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“This has included ensuring we reconfirm the route into Interpol for any information as they are the link between forces internationally and as such they are the most appropriate agency to disseminate information between countries. If someone comes forward with information in England, we will continue to gather relevant evidence and share this with Greece via Interpol. “
They said they continue to “allocate resource” to Ben’s case in the form of a family liaison officer and a detective acting as a ‘single point of contact for potential lines of enquiry’. The force added: “This bolsters our ability to ensure any information received is appropriately routed into the authorities that are charged to investigate.
“The Greek authorities have full primacy over the investigation due to the fact Ben went missing on Kos. Our role here in South Yorkshire is to act as a conduit between the UK, Greece and any other law enforcement agencies in a bid to secure answers. We have written to Kerry Needham to explain this position and offered a meeting to address any concern.”
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AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Two people were in custody and a third suspect was being sought following at least 10 random weekend shootings in Austin, Texas, including at fire stations, that left four people injured, city officials said Sunday.
The city had ordered residents of a large part of the southern area of Texas’ capital city to shelter in place Sunday while the search continued. With two suspects in custody, the order was later lifted, the Austin Police Department said in a post on X.
The shootings occurred Saturday night and Sunday morning, two of them at fire stations, leaving one person with serious injuries and three others with minor ones, Police Chief Lisa Davis said.
Davis said the suspects appeared to be stealing vehicles as they traveled.
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“We don’t have any specific motive that has been identified. In fact, these actions appear to be random,” Mayor Kirk Watson said. “It appears that as part of this, people are changing vehicles.”
Davis said at least four vehicles were used by the suspects.
Arguing that Labour’s policies are “destroying jobs, squeezing wages, increasing prices and harming investment across Scotland and the UK”, Mr Doogan vowed: “As the SNP’s Westminster leader, I will be an unashamedly pro-business voice in the UK Parliament – championing support for our business community to create good local jobs, boost people’s wages, deliver investment in our communities and bring wealth back into our economy.
The third Health and Arts Mela was held today (Sunday, May 17) in Museum Gardens in York City Centre – bringing together people from across the world to celebrate culture, but also focus on their health and wellbeing.
Mela – meaning ‘gathering’ in Hindi – festivals first began in South India, but have become common in major cities across the UK, with the first York event being held in 2023.
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The festival, which was free to attend, took place between 10am and 5pm and showcased a range of cultural performances, free henna and face painting, and food from across the world.
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Some of the live performances throughout the day included the Ebor Morris Dancers, the Hyde Family Jam, the East Asian Ensemble, York African Community, and Punjabi Roots, with a dance floor in front of the main stage to encourage people to join in.
Event organiser Shamim Eimaan said that the event had been a huge success with spectators getting involved and dancing along throughout the morning.
Shamim (left) and one of the participants (Image: Alice Kavanagh)
She said: “Honestly, it’s been great – the rain was threatening us earlier, but the sun’s still shining. All of this community support is fantastic and we’ve got all the stalls here to provide information for the community, which is great.”
Alongside the main stage festivities, 25 organisations from the health, wellbeing sector and arts community were also gathered at the event including St Leonard’s Hospice, Feeding Friendly York and Healthy Child Service, Kyra’s Women’s Project, York CVS, and the National Centre for Early Music.
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Shamim added: “Part of this festival is about making healthcare and support accessible to everyone – sometimes it’s hard for people to know, what services are available to them.
The Ebor Morris Dancers (Image: Alice Kavanagh)
“”This is such a welcoming relaxed atmosphere that people can approach all our providers and ask about support. I think the biggest barrier is access and not knowing what services are available and this is a great opportunity to find out.”
One of these groups was the York Carers Centre, who were attending the group to promote their services and raise awareness for the support available to those who are caregivers – which includes support, conducting assessment of needs, and a mental health team.
Libby Crofts, lead officer for adult carers, said: “It’s fantastic to be here at this wonderful multicultural celebration to spread the word about unpaid carers and the support we can offer to people who care for family, friends, and neighbours.”
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Libby (left) with another volunteer (Image: Alice Kavanagh)
She added that a lot of people take on care responsibilities for loved ones without realising that there was support systems in place that could help them.
Speakers at the event included MP Rachael Maskell, council leader Claire Douglas, Nimbuscare director Zulf Ali, and City of York Council Director of Public Health Peter Roderick – who all praised the event for not only bringing people together from across the world, but also reminding them how to stay healthy.
Cllr Douglas added: I think what we can see by coming together here is that our wellbeing and our health is really driven by the connection that we have got here today. There are people here, from all communities, from York from the wider North Yorkshire area as well.
The Chinese lion dance (Image: Alice Kavanagh)
“We have seen already amazing positivity that watching our young people, diverse communities, giving us some of this amazing entertainment that we’ve seen, we learn about each other. We enjoy each other. We come together, and it makes us feel better, and it is proven, it makes us healthier too.”
As part of efforts to get the project back on track, HS2 Ltd has previously said it would slow or pause work such as the line towards Handsacre, so it could focus spend on areas which had fallen behind; notably the central section across Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Northamptonshire.
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