That we are living through a loneliness epidemic at a time when people have never been more digitally connected is one of the great paradoxes of modern life.

In 2023, the year social media engagement reportedly peaked, the World Health Organization declared loneliness a “global public health concern”. The irony was hard to miss: just as people appeared to be more digitally connected than ever, many of the places and habits that once brought them together in real life were being weakened. Remote working had reshaped daily life, religious attendance had declined across much of the west, the cost of living crisis had made socialising harder, and third places – from pubs and libraries to youth clubs and community centres – were closing or struggling to survive.

However, that’s just part of the story. Over the years, Positive News has reported on the many hopeful initiatives that have sprung up to tackle loneliness – from the rise of communal dining and the Men’s Sheds movement, to intergenerational nurseries and talking benches.

Now we’re turning to you, our readers, to find out what you do to nurture meaningful human connections in an increasingly disconnected world. No act is too small. It could be something as simple as being part of a book club, walking group or cooking meals for others. Or it could be something bigger, like volunteering or tending a community garden. Even the simple act of going to live music can feel like a rebellion against creeping isolation. More than one of our team find community spirit in the moshpit. 

Tell us how you forge human connections in the form below. We will publish our favourite answers in a forthcoming editorial. We can’t promise to print them all, but we will read them.

Main image: Austin Loveing

Why are the 2026 Tube strikes happening?

1) RMT

2) TfL

3) ASLEF

Manchester City midfielder Rodri says he will wait until after the World Cup to sort out his future at the club amid links to Real Madrid.

The Spain international has a year left on his contract at City and has previously indicated he would like to return to play in his homeland at some stage.

Rodri, 29, has emerged as a potential transfer target should Real Madrid presidential candidate Enrique Riquelme get elected.

Riquelme is challenging incumbent Florentino Perez in this weekend’s election.

“With a World Cup ahead, my responsibility is to stay focused,” Rodri told a news conference.

“Anything related to my future will wait until after the World Cup.”

Rodri joined City from Atletico Madrid in 2019 and has played a key role in the club’s recent success, winning four Premier League four titles and the Champions League once.

He won the Ballon d’Or in 2024 although he struggled with injuries since he suffered a cruciate ligament tear in September 2024.

Rodri said he will not “give too much importance” to rumours about his future as it “part of the job”.

“When a player is approaching the final stage of his contract, it’s normal for names to be mentioned,” he added.

“I’m very calm, I know exactly where I stand, and I’ll tell you that perhaps if there hadn’t been a World Cup, things might be different now.”

One of the Netflix series co-creators has explained the casting behind surprise cameo

The creators of Netflix’s popular series are hoping an unexpected star will pave the way for additional episodes.

All instalments of ‘The Four Seasons’ are now streaming on the platform and have proved an instant success with audiences. Fans have already revealed how they’ve binged the latest series in a single day, with some remaining awake until the small hours to complete all eight episodes.

Following its launch last year, the programme has returned with its second series. Continuing from a twist ending, the show once more centres on a group of married companions who habitually holiday together throughout the year.

However, the group’s dynamics have undergone significant transformation. Following a challenging year, they maintain their tradition of shared holidays – this time accompanied by a baby.

According to its synopsis, ‘The Four Seasons’ resumes with the core group, including Kate (portrayed by Tina Fey), Jack (Will Forte), Anne (Kerri Kenney-Silver), Danny (Colman Domingo), Claude (Marco Calvani), and Ginny (Erika Henningsen), as they travel from the comfortable familiarity of the Jersey shore and upstate New York to the breathtaking scenery of Italy, reports the Mirror.

*Warning – below contains major spoilers for ‘The Four Seasons’ series 2 finale*

Series co-creator Tracey Wigfield, who scripts episodes alongside Fey and Lang Fisher, has discussed the finale and its potential to pave the way for a third series. While Netflix has not yet greenlit a third season at the time of writing, the closing moments of season two’s final episode see Anne meeting her new Italian neighbour.

To her astonishment, he shares the name Gianpiero – the very moniker she’d invented for a fictitious boyfriend when speaking to former flame Mark Brett. What proves even more startling for audiences is that this character is played by none other than David Tennant.

The Scottish performer is renowned for his turn as Doctor Who, alongside appearances in Good Omens, Extras, Broadchurch, Jessica Jones and Des amongst numerous other credits. The circumstances surrounding Tennant’s character’s presence in the Italian town remain unexplained.

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Despite bearing an Italian name, he appears to retain his natural accent. It has now emerged that he represented dream casting for the show’s creators, who harbour hopes that his character might be developed further as a potential new travelling companion for the group in future episodes.

Wigfield told Deadline: “Tina, the first person she said was, ‘Well, someone like David Tennant, like a David Tennant kind of guy, as her (Anne’s) neighbour. We were so thrilled that we went to him first and he said yes. He flew in and we shot it – it was just the one scene – so we shot it in one day, and he’s so lovely and he looks so good with Kerri.”

She continued to hint that they hoped this closing moment would leave viewers craving additional episodes, saying: “Anne obviously has been on a journey in Season 1 and then Season 2 as well, you know, she’s trying to be Anne 2.0 and have this sort of personal renaissance, but it’s not going great.

“So there was something really exciting when we were thinking about a cliffhanger for a possible Season 3 of having a romantic cliffhanger, and someone that you would get so excited to see more stories with.”

The Four Seasons is streaming on Netflix.

The Duke of Wellington in Chew Moor has launched regular Friday food events after shutting its kitchen before Christmas because it was no longer financially viable.

It’s soon to host a series of food truck events planned throughout June and beyond.

Inside the pub (Image: Sophie McGrath)

The pub has already hosted Dagi Pizza Van each last Friday of the past three months, and is now expanding the programme with a different food offering planned each week.

Sophie McGrath, landlady, said: “People wanted the food back.

“We are a community-based pub and everything we do is for them. It’s best when everyone is together, and food brings people together.”

The latest event will see SPUDDIES visit the pub from 5pm on this Friday [June 5] serving loaded jacket potatoes and shawarma wraps.

A book club. (Image: Sophie McGrath)

The food truck is the first of several planned throughout June as the pub increases the number and variety of visiting vendors.

Ms McGrath said: “People are really excited. They love the pizza guy that comes, he always sells out.”

Westhoughton High School’s reunion at the Duke. (Image: Sophie McGrath)

A barbecue is planned for June 12, while Dagi Pizza Van is due to return on June 19.

A Greek food vendor is also scheduled to visit on June 26 as part of the pub’s Foodie Fridays programme.

Ms McGrath said: “We shut the kitchen before Christmas because it wasn’t making enough money.

“But people wanted the food back, so we started getting food trucks on Fridays in the car park.”

Shorts is, erm, short for short-form video. Not the shorts that footballers wear.

It’s the familiar format you’ll recognise from many social media platforms: full-screen, vertical and easy to scroll through.

It’s not just video highlights either. You’ll find a mix of breaking news, explainers, behind-the-scenes content, interviews, features and highlights from major sporting events.

Most importantly, it’s all sport.

No distractions. Just trusted, entertaining and informative sport videos from the teams covering the biggest stories across BBC Sport.

So whether you’ve got a spare 30 seconds or 30 minutes, you’ll have a place to catch up on the action, understand the stories behind the headlines and hear from the biggest names in your favourite sports.

New weekly food waste and recycling schemes have been introduced for thousands of households across the borough. 

Bins, caddies and liners have been delivered ahead of the scheme starting on Tuesday (June 2).  

Residents will have received:

• A kitchen caddy
• An outside food waste bin
• 52 biodegradable caddy liners – enough to last a year

If you live in a flat or other communal setting, you will have a caddy for your home and liners. There will be a larger communal bin to put your full caddy liners into. 

What you need to do:

1. Put food waste, such as peelings, leftovers, out-of-date items (not in packaging), coffee grounds and tea bags, in the lined caddy
2. When the caddy is full, tie the liner bag
3. Put the tied liner in the outside food waste bin
4. Put your food waste bin out for collection once a week, along with your general recycling bin

If you live in a flat or other communal setting, you need to put your full caddy liners into the communal food waste recycling bin provided.

Residents are asked to put food waste, such as peelings, leftovers, out-of-date items and tea bags, in the lined caddy and put it in the outside food waste bin. 

The food waste bin will be collected once a week along with the general recycling bin and green glass box.

General household waste will still be collected fortnightly.

An information pack explaining the new service, which includes details of specific recycling collection days, has also been distributed to households.  

If people haven’t received their bins yet, you should visit darlington.gov.uk/foodwaste or call 01325 405111. 

Community groups interested in learning more about the new scheme can contact the council’s engagement officer at recyclingdarlington@darlington.gov.uk. 

When is my collection?

You will be able to check your new collection day here. Your collection day is also included in the information pack delivered with your food waste bin and caddy. Put your bins out by 7am on the day of collection and bring them back in as soon as you can.

How often will food waste be collected?

Food waste, along with all other recycling, will be collected once a week. General rubbish will continue to be collected fortnightly.

Will the food in my bin smell?

It is less likely to smell if you regularly empty your kitchen caddy into the outside food waste recycling bin and tie up the liner. Your outdoor bin and caddy also have sealable lids, which will stop smells getting out better than most normal kitchen bins.

Will keeping food waste outside attract rats, cats and flies?

If the lid on the outdoor food waste bin is kept closed and sealed, it is unlikely to attract pests. The council is collecting food waste every week, so there won’t be large amounts of food waste outside homes.

My food waste bin or caddy has been lost or stolen, how do I get a replacement?

You can order a replacement bin or caddy online through our equipment requests form, which can be found on the refuse and recycling equipment page.

Replacement 23 litre bins cost £3.40 and replacement 5 litre bins cost £1.20.

Police and paramedics raced to the scene after the scooter smashed into a car

An e-scooter rider suffered life-changing injuries in a major collision in Gorton. Police and paramedics raced to the scene on Mount Road on Sunday (May 31).

Witnesses reported seeing a number of ambulances and police vehicles in attendance. An air ambulance also reportedly landed nearby amid the response.

Emergency services were called at around 1pm after reports the e-scooter had crashed into a Ford Fiesta. The rider of the e-scooter was rushed to hospital from the scene.

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Officers from Greater Manchester Police are now appealing for information and any witnesses to come forward. A spokesperson for the force said: “Officers from our Roads Policing Unit are appealing for information and witnesses following an RTC on Mount Road in Gorton.

“It is believed that an e-scooter collided with a Ford Fiesta at the junction with Windsor Street on Sunday 31 May 2026 at around 1pm. The rider of the e-scooter suffered life-changing injuries.

“Anyone with any information or CCTV, mobile or dashcam footage is ask to contact us on 101 quoting log 1615 of 31/05/2026.”