Archbishop Holgate’s School in Hull Road has been presented with the Young Carers in Schools award for the way it champions and supports young people with their education while they are also juggling caring responsibilities.

The accolade is part of the Young Carers in School programme run by charities The Children’s Society and Carers Trust.

Archbishop Holgate’s, York, awarded for young carers support.

The recognition follows recent praise in the school’s most recent Ofsted inspection which recognised its high aspirations, ambitious curriculum and inclusive ethos.

Recommended reads:

Two arrested after drug raids at separate addresses in North Yorkshire

York’s Viking past comes alive as immersive theatre returns to Barley Hal

Global superstar heads jam-packed week of major shows in North Yorkshire

The programme provides primary and secondary schools across England with step-by-step guidance for teachers, leaders and non-teaching staff to gain the practical tools they need to help young carers.

Archbishop Holgate’s Young Carers Lead, Samantha Stead, said: “Receiving the Young Carers in Schools Award is a momentous milestone for us.

“Young carers often face invisible barriers to their education, balancing homework and exams with the emotional and physical demands of supporting a loved one. Our goal has always been to ensure that no young person has to choose between their education and their family.”

Archbishop Holgate’s School won the award by demonstrating how it supports young carers. This includes dedicated homework clubs and accessible drop-in sessions.

By working in close partnership with the York Carers Centre, the school actively gathers the insights and voices of identified young carers to directly shape and improve its in-school support systems.

The school also prioritises staff development, equipping them with the tools to recognise early signs of young carers and ensuring every student receives the timely, targeted support they deserve.

Headteacher, Lucie Pond, said: “Our young carers show remarkable resilience, compassion and maturity every day. This recognition celebrates not only the work of our staff, but the incredible young people we are privileged to support.”

Young carers are children under 18 who are responsible for the care of a family member who, due to illness, disability, mental health condition or addiction, can’t manage without their support.

Nathaniel in Year 10 said: “As a young carer, school supports me by being more flexible with homework, offering more support whenever I need it, and generally supporting me and other young carers with general life.

“We also have monthly drop-ins where we can socialise with other young carers getting to know more people like us.”

Research from the Carers Trust found that 40 per cent of young carers do not feel they receive enough support to balance education and caring responsibilities. Separate research by The Children’s Society found young carers achieve, on average, one GCSE grade lower than their peers and often report lower levels of confidence and wellbeing.

Samantha Stead added “While we are incredibly proud of this recognition, our work doesn’t stop here. We will continue to evolve our support systems so that every young carer at our school feels seen, valued, and empowered to reach their full potential.”

Max Mrowca , 29, appeared in court today

A man drank half a bottle of vodka straight after finishing work before he “got swept up in” disorder in Newtownabbey where he was seen throwing bricks at police, a court heard.

Max Mrowca , 29, from Newtownabbey appeared at Belfast Magistrates Court on Tuesday, June 16, where he faced two charges in connection with disorder at Cloughfern Roundabout on Tuesday, June 9.

The court heard that Mrowca had handed himself into police after an image was released as part of police’s Operation Exposure to identify those involved in last week’s violent disorder.

He had reportedly been seen on CCTV over the course of 50 minutes, dressed in black with a scarf over his face throwing bricks and masonry at police.

Mrowca’s representation said his client was applying for bail as he had recently started a job as a customs compliance specialist at a business in East Belfast and would lose it if remanded in custody.

He also said Mrowca deserved credit for handing himself over to officers, accepting he was in the image and apologising to police.

The court heard that Mrowca had an alcohol problem. On June 9, he drank half a bottle of vodka straight after finishing work and attended the roundabout after seeing social media posts about a gathering. He then got “swept up in” the disorder with the alcohol he had consumed playing a factor in this.

However, his bail was refused as he could pose a risk of harm to the general public and is due to appear in court again on July 9.

For all the latest news, visit the Belfast Live homepage here and sign up to our daily newsletter here.

The meeting, organised by the Hope Moor Action Group, will take place at 7pm on Thursday, June 25, in the main hall at Richmond School.

The group says many residents in Richmond and Arkengarthdale have had limited exposure to the consultation process surrounding proposals by renewable energy company Fred. Olsen Renewables.

The plans would see 23 wind turbines, each up to 200 metres high, installed across around 2,700 acres of moorland between Arkengarthdale and Teesdale.

Opponents of the scheme have raised concerns about its visual impact, effects on wildlife habitats and peatland, and the disruption that could be caused during construction.

The meeting will be chaired by North Yorkshire councillor for North Richmondshire, Angus Thompson.

Cllr Thompson said the development would have a significant impact on the landscape and local communities, describing it as “an absolute sacrilege” which could cause damage to wildlife habitats and peat bogs while creating disruption on local roads during construction.

He added: “This is the biggest international infrastructure planning proposal Richmond has ever had to deal with and its full impact will be far-reaching.

“It will just decimate this beautiful area and I think we owe it not just to ourselves but to future generations to fight this all the way, to resist it all the way.

“I’m not anti-wind turbine, and I’m not anti the green agenda but I think there’s a place for them. If you go down to Redcar for example, there’s about 15 of them in the sea and you hardly notice them.”

The public meeting will feature presentations examining the scale of the proposed development, its potential effects on flora and fauna, the loss of peatland, possible flood implications and the challenges of delivering a major infrastructure project in a remote upland area.

Hope Moor Action Group says communities across the area need to work together to ensure their views are represented as the project progresses through the planning process.

The developer has welcomed feedback and encouraged anyone with an interest in the Hope Moor proposals to share their views.

The company has said the site was chosen because of its strong and consistent wind speeds, which could help cut carbon emissions and improve energy security.

The developer has acknowledged concerns about peatland, saying initial surveys suggest much of the site contains relatively shallow peat and organic-rich soils rather than deep peat.

It says further assessments will be carried out to help avoid sensitive areas, minimise environmental impacts and identify opportunities for peatland restoration, and that the long-term carbon savings from the wind farm are expected to outweigh construction emissions.

More information is available at hopemoor.co.uk

Shaftesbury Theatre, the largest independent theatre in the West End, has announced today (June 16) that it is set to become the Judi Dench Theatre from February 2027.

The theatre says the tribute will honour Dame Judi Dench’s exceptional contribution to British theatre and the performing arts, as well as being the first time a West End theatre has been named after an actress.

RECOMMENDED READING:

Dame Judi Dench said: “The Shaftesbury Theatre has always held a special place in my heart.

“My relationship to the Theatre of Comedy and to the Taffner family goes back many years and to have this beautiful theatre renamed after me is truly overwhelming.

“Live theatre continues to be so important as a way of telling stories and entertaining audiences, something I have aimed to do all my working life.”

Dame Judi’s – who was born in Heworth and had her start as an actress in the York Mystery Plays – was a founding member of the Theatre of Comedy and helped secure the future of the Shaftesbury in the 1980s and early 1990s.

This work also led to a close relationship with the Taffner family, who own the theatre and a production company, and saw her staring in the long-running television series As Time Goes By, which was produced the family.

The Shaftesbury Theatre in Central London (Image: Google Maps)

Donald Taffner Jr, chairman, said: “Dame Judi has been a close friend of the DLT family for so long, particularly from her involvement with As Time Goes By, and we will always treasure the time she made in her busy schedule to make the programme.

“We have such fond memories of Judi at the Shaftesbury from the meetings for the Theatre of Comedy members to when her husband was performing in a number of the Theatre of Comedy productions.

“We are therefore delighted to recognise her extraordinary talent and extensive contribution to many in the renaming of our theatre.”

Eleanor Lang, chief executive, said: “We are so excited to rename the Shaftesbury Theatre in honour of Dame Judi.

“Not only does she play an important role in our history, but she is an iconic figure of the stage and screen landscape.

“We don’t celebrate brilliant women enough in our West End theatre names, so we are delighted that her name will be forever in lights above our doorway.”

Many medicines begin life with one purpose and end up proving useful for a completely different reason.

Few areas show this more clearly than men’s health. Three drugs in particular have become household names not because of their original uses, but because of what researchers later discovered they could do.

Their stories show how scientific serendipity, careful observation and patient experience can reshape modern medicine.

Sildenafil

Sildenafil is perhaps the most famous example of drug repurposing in modern medicine.

In the early 1990s, scientists were testing it as a treatment for angina, a type of chest pain caused by reduced blood flow to the heart. Sildenafil works by blocking the enzyme phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5), thereby relaxing blood vessels and, in theory, improving circulation.

Although it was largely ineffective for angina, trial volunteers kept reporting a different effect: persistent erections.

Researchers quickly realised that sildenafil improved blood flow not just to the heart, but also to the penis. This helps achieve and maintain an erection when sexually stimulated.

This discovery led to the development of the first oral treatment for erectile dysfunction, launched in 1998 and branded as Viagra. Sildenafil helped reduce the stigma around discussing male sexual health.

Today, sildenafil is also used for pulmonary hypertension, a rare condition involving high blood pressure in the lungs. This second repurposing shows how a single mechanism (widening blood vessels) can have multiple medical benefits.

Side-effects from sildenafil are usually mild and can include headaches, face flushing and nasal congestion. Sildenafil can interact with certain heart medications, such as nitrates, so medical advice is essential before using it.

Finasteride

Finasteride was initially developed in the 1980s to treat benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), a condition where the prostate gland becomes enlarged and causes urinary symptoms.

The drug works by blocking an enzyme called 5 alpha reductase, which converts testosterone into a more potent hormone (dihydrotestosterone) that drives prostate growth. By lowering dihydrotestosterone, the prostate in men with BPH shrinks – thus alleviating symptoms.

But during clinical trials, researchers noticed something unexpected. Men taking finasteride began reporting reduced hair loss. And, in some cases, new hair growth.

Recognising its potential, researchers tested finasteride specifically for androgenetic alopecia(male pattern hair loss). This led to a lower dose version being approved in the late 1990s for the condition, which is linked to the same hormone pathway as BPH. Blocking DHT prevents it from shrinking hair follicles, allowing weakened follicles to recover and grow thicker, longer hair.

Finasteride is now used for hair loss worldwide. Although it’s generally well tolerated, there can be uncommon side-effects, such as reduced libido or erectile difficulties. Some people also report psychiatric side-effects, such as depression and suicidal thoughts.

Finasteride’s journey shows how a drug targeting one hormone-driven condition can unexpectedly help another. It also illustrates how closely connected different aspects of men’s health can be.

Minoxidil

Another drug which has been repurposed for hair loss is minoxidil.

Minoxidil began life in the 1960s as a treatment for severely high blood pressure. It works by relaxing and widening blood vessels, helping blood flow more easily. But researchers soon noticed something unusual: patients taking it often developed increased hair growth, sometimes in unexpected places.

This side-effect sparked interest in whether minoxidil could help with male pattern hair loss. So researchers developed a topical version (a liquid or foam applied directly to the scalp), which was approved in the 1980s.

Minoxidil works in multiple ways. An enzyme in the scalp (sulfotransferase) converts minoxidil into minoxidil sulfate, the active form of the drug. People naturally have different levels of this enzyme, which helps explain why minoxidil works well for some but less effectively for others.

Minoxidil is thought to increase blood flow to hair follicles as well, so they receive more oxygen and nutrients – creating a healthier environment for growth.

Minoxidil also affects the hair cycle. It shortens the telogen (resting) phase in hair follicles, which means these resting follicles move more quickly into growth mode. It also extends the anagen (active growth) phase, so hairs grow for longer and become thicker.

Because telogen is shortened, some people notice increased shedding in the first few weeks. This is temporary and usually means older hairs are making way for new growth. Research suggests minoxidil also supports follicle health in other ways.

It’s now widely used by men of all ages, often as a first-line treatment for thinning hair. Minoxidil is also effective for many women with female pattern hair loss and was licensed in the 1990s.

Side-effects are usually limited to scalp irritation or dryness. Because it works locally, it avoids the whole-body effects associated with finasteride.

Health advances

Repurposing medicines is not just about convenience. It can make treatments faster to develop, cheaper and safer, because the drugs have already been tested in humans. For men’s health, an area where stigma can delay diagnosis and treatment, repurposed drugs have played a particularly important role.

These repurposed drugs’ stories also remind us that medical progress is not always linear. Sometimes breakthroughs come from unexpected places: a trial side-effect, a curious researcher or a patient who notices something new.

The next major advance in health might already be sitting on a pharmacy shelf, waiting for someone to look at it differently.

Tucked into Coquetdale, Harbottle is a tiny stone village with the ruins of a 12th-century castle above it, while nearby Breamish Valley opens out into one of the most beautiful stretches of river and rolling hillside in the Northumberland National Park.

Harbottle is small enough to wander without a plan, then take in the castle ruins and the view up towards the Drake Stone before heading deeper into the countryside.

The setting is quietly dramatic rather than showy, which is exactly why it stands out.

A short drive away, the Breamish Valley gives you the bigger walking payoff.

Breamish Valley (Image: Google Maps)

The area is known for its broad river valley, with routes ranging from easy riverside stretches to hillier trails above Ingram.

A Northumberland National Park description calls Breamish “a breath‑taking setting for family picnics and exhilarating walks.”

It is also a strong pick for dog walkers, though some parts of the valley cross grazing land and areas used by ground-nesting birds, so leads are important in places.

Visitors can park near Ingram and follow one of the lower-level routes through the valley, with time for a paddle or picnic by the river before heading back.

For walkers wanting pub grub at the end, the obvious stop is The Star Inn in Harbottle, right in the village and well placed for both Harbottle itself and the Breamish Valley.

The Star Inn in Harbottle is currently rated 4.8 out of 5 on TripAdvisor.

The pub describes itself as dog-friendly and popular with walkers and cyclists, serving beers, hot drinks and food including wood-fired pizza, pasta, fish and meat dishes.

Also serving as an option for an overnight stay, one reviewer describes it as having “clean accommodation with a little garden area, helpful staff, good quality pub food and great breakfast.”

Authenticity and the performance of ordinariness are increasingly attractive elements of a political candidate’s brand. Social media particularly can be a space to present the “no-filter self” using more casual language, posting images and videos of everyday situations and using emojis or memes – just like the average person would.

In terms of authenticity, at election times, being ordinary, approachable and in touch are seen as potential vote-winning attributes. In Canada’s 2025 election, for example, research has found that these strategies were seen as necessary to stop the candidates coming across as out of touch at a time when politicians might seem to be a breed apart.

This approach has been particularly effective for populist candidates. These political hopefuls often market themselves as anti-elitist outsiders, in keeping with their claim to be the true representatives of the people.

But whether authenticity is a performance or actually the unfiltered self is up for debate. In the Makerfield byelection, the latter appears to be case for Reform UK’s candidate, Robert Kenyon. His appearance on a special edition of the BBC’s Question Time on June 4 might have seemed unpolished, but it perhaps reflected a true performance of self.

Comments under a selection of excerpts of Kenyon on the programme, posted by the Reform UK account to YouTube, were very positive. Viewers described Kenyon as “sincere”, “no fluff, tells it like it is” and praised him as “a northern lad … says it as it is and not afraid to be challenged”.

The comments, although presumably from a supportive audience, suggest viewers felt Kenyon believed in what he said and spoke without a filter or script. Even when challenged on how some policies would be delivered, his response – that it was for the leadership to work out – had a ring of honesty. While Kenyon was challenged over historic tweets of a sexist nature, his choice of defence here was to highlight his ordinariness.

In another interview, Kenyon stated he is not a “career politician”. But he added that if he were Makerfield’s MP “people would feel like they had a voice now, whereas in the last 40 years they’ve not”. Excusing his “crass” social media posts, he argued that he is just “a local lad” and “not a polished professional”.

This framing is indicative of someone who believes sections of the electorate would be sympathetic to his argument – even if they find the content inappropriate.

‘Looked down on and left behind’

Like Hannah Spencer, who won the nearby constituency of Gorton and Denton for the Green party in a byelection in February 2026, Kenyon is a plumber. Spencer spoke about marginalised groups, including the white working class, in her maiden speech in the Commons, offering a sense of authentic representation.

She said: “I do know is what it feels like to be looked down on. To be let down and left behind. To be less worthy because of something about me.” Kenyon seems to be channelling similar notions of standing up for society’s underdogs on the basis that he is one of them, rather than a career politician.

Spencer and Kenyon, and their appeal to voters, partly represents something of a societal shift. The argument is that as more “ordinary” people become prominent – for example, as celebrities and influencers through mainstream and social media – they are viewed as more trustworthy. Elite figures, on the other hand, are seen as more remote.

The populist turn in politics is an equivalent phenomenon. Many people feel democracy is not working for them and that their elected representatives do not share their struggles. Even worse, some believe that those dominating political institutions are self-seeking and remote. Fieldwork, especially in post-industrial working-class areas has uncovered a rejection of mainstream politicians and a desire for so-called common-sense voices.

Demographically, Makerfield is similar (albeit with lower relative deprivation) than many of the red-wall seats where Reform and its antecedent parties have polled well. The area faces challenges due to years of austerity and the cost of living.

Many voters there may well share the notion that most politicians are out of touch. This explains why some perceive Kenyon’s rival Andy Burnham as a strong candidate to hold the seat for Labour, given his local roots and unashamedly working-class persona.

But when true ordinariness is held up as offering a more authentic sense of representation, Kenyon may well be seen as the true voice of the people. After all, Burnham – for all his popularity in Greater Manchester and his working-class background – has been a career politician for 25 years. These days, the voices of ordinary people are heard across social media and can even dominate the news agenda and shape policy. Kenyon – and Reform – will be hoping to ride the demand for authentic representation and cause a major upset on June 18.

The launch comes after new research revealed that almost three-quarters of Britons (73%) believe their best holidays were never planned at all, while nearly half say they would be packed and ready to leave within two days if the right deal landed in their lap.

A growing number of Brits are abandoning carefully planned holidays in favour of spur-of-the-moment getaways – and easyJet has just launched a new feature designed to make that easier than ever.

And it appears many travellers are already embracing the trend.

In a stunt that quickly went viral online, Capital Breakfast presenter Sian Welby shocked listeners when she left her live radio show after spotting a bargain easyJet fare she couldn’t resist.

The broadcaster continued presenting from the back of a taxi as she headed for the airport, with clips from the moment racking up thousands of views across social media.

Flights are available here.

The nation’s most common holiday killer is the group chat

Around a third of people said they had missed out on a trip entirely because friends could not agree on plans quickly enough.

To help travellers act fast, easyJet’s new tool adds a “Within 48 Hours” filter to its Inspire Me platform, allowing customers to search destinations by budget, travel dates and trip type.

Recommended reading:

The airline says the feature is designed to help holidaymakers discover destinations they may not have previously considered while taking advantage of ultra-last-minute deals.

For travellers needing inspiration, easyJet highlights Barcelona, Amsterdam, Nice, Lisbon and Milan among its top spontaneous city-break destinations this summer.

With flights available from less than £50, the biggest question may no longer be where to go – but whether you’re ready to drop everything and leave.

Would you go on a last-minute holiday? Tell us in the comments below.