For those weighing up options such as university, college, employment or alternative routes, volunteering can provide a flexible and meaningful way to explore interests and build experience.

Young people across North Lanarkshire are being encouraged to consider volunteering as they plan their next steps after leaving school.

For those weighing up options such as university, college, employment or alternative routes, volunteering can provide a flexible and meaningful way to explore interests and build experience.

And for those not yet sure what they want to do after leaving school, volunteering can allow you to meet new people, gain confidence and open your mind up to possible next steps. Volunteering is a positive post-school destination for all young people.

A wide range of opportunities are available locally, from helping at events and supporting younger children to getting involved in sport, community projects and environmental improvements.

Taking part can help young people develop important skills that employers value, including teamwork, communication and leadership, while also building confidence and gaining practical, real-life experience.

Councillor Michael McBride, Convener of Education, said: “As our young people look to the future, it’s important they feel confident and supported in choosing the path that’s right for them.

“Volunteering offers a great opportunity to try new things, gain experience and develop the skills that will help them move forward, whether that’s into further education, training or employment. It also allows them to give something back to their communities, which is hugely valuable.”

Volunteering opportunities are designed to be flexible, making it easier for young people to take part alongside job searching, study or other commitments.

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Aubrey Plaza proudly cradled her baby bump as she and partner Christopher Abbott made their first official red carpet appearance as a couple last night.

Attending the 79th Tony Awards at Radio City Music Hall in New York, the White Lotus actress, 41, beamed as she stood beside Girls actor Christopher, 40.

The Parks and Recreation favourite confirmed in April that she was expecting her first child, having dipped out of the limelight and away from social media when her husband, Jeff Baena, 47, died by suicide in January 2025.

Aubrey, who had quietly separated from Baena in September 2024 but remained in contact with him, already knew Christopher, having worked with him on Black Bear (2020) and the play Danny and the Deep Blue Sea.

It’s believed the couple got together last summer, and they certainly seemed every inch the excited expectant parents on Sunday night.

Aubrey looked gorgeous in a black and white pinstriped dress with spaghetti straps, which hugged her growing belly.

She styled her brunette locks in loose waves and complemented her red nails with a matching lip gloss shade, utterly glowing as she posed for photographers.

Christopher, who has starred in Poor Things (2023) and Apple TV series The Crowded Room, meanwhile, put in a dapper appearance, matching his other half in a black velvet suit and white shirt.

He attended the prestigious Broadway award ceremony as a nominee for best featured actor, having played Willy Loman’s son, Biff, in Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman. The award ultimately went to Becky Shaw performer Alden Ehrenreich.

The couple’s award show outing comes after Aubrey appeared to let slip the sex of her baby.

During a sweet red carpet moment with Susan Sarandon at the Tribeca Festival premiere of The Accompanist, the Happiest Season star lifted her top to show a giddy Susan her tummy.

As she did, Susan, 79, appeared to ask what she was having, with footage capturing Aubrey replying with, ‘It’s a girl.’

When her pregnancy was confirmed in spring, an insider told People that Aubrey and Christopher ‘feel very blessed’.

‘It was a beautiful surprise after an emotional year,’ they added.

Aubrey hasn’t spoken in much detail about the aftermath of Baena’s death since he was found at home near the Hollywood Hills in Los Angeles.

Initially, she and the late director’s family released a brief joint statement reading: ‘This is an unimaginable tragedy.

‘We are deeply grateful to everyone who has offered support. Please respect our privacy during this time.’

Aubrey then briefly appeared on Saturday Night Live’s 50th anniversary special last February, paying a subtle tribute to Baena by wearing a tie-dye shirt, just like they did for their wedding.

In a 2021 appearance on The Drew Barrymore Show, Aubrey had shared that she and Baena ‘got married on a whim’ in their backyard, explaining that Baena took on tie-dyeing as a hobby in the pandemic.

Last August, Aubrey opened up more, appearing on former co-star Amy Poehler’s award-winning Good Hang podcast, on which she shared: ‘Right in this very, very present moment, I feel happy to be with you. Overall, I’m here, and I’m functioning.’

Aubrey added that she felt ‘OK’ and was ‘very grateful to be moving through the world’.

‘At all times, there’s a giant ocean of just awfulness that’s just right there, and I can see it,’ she then explained of her grief.

‘Sometimes I just want to dive into it and be in it. And sometimes I look at it, and sometimes I just try to get away from it, but it’s always there.’

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Fans of the actress, who married Baena on their 10th anniversary in 2021, have been passionately defending her over recent months against criticism that she ‘moved on too quickly’ after Baena died.

A viral post bluntly concluded that ‘she didn’t even wait six months before getting a new partner,’ while trolls cruelly wrote that she mourned for ‘a week’.

Plenty of people had remarks of their own to fire back with, arguing that Aubrey cannot be ‘miserable for life’.

Fans also explained that ‘people have different ways of grieving’ and pointed out that she and Baena were, in fact, already separated.

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As reported in The Bolton News Roy Keane and Micah Richards filmed along Churchgate and Le Mans Crescent last month for the latest Sky advert, drumming up excitement ahead of the World Cup.

Now Sky Bet have released their new advert, giving the town and national showcase.

Bystanders queuing for their lunchtime pasty may have seen the football legends while they filmed the advertisement recently.

Once a dynamic box to box midfielder, Keane is now known for his quick wit and dry sense of humour on Sky Sport’s football coverage and the Overlap podcast along with Gary Neville, Jamie Carragher, Jill Scott and Ian Wright.

The Sky Bet advert is packed with signature Keane reactions as well as nods to famous World Cup moments, all while showing off the best of Bolton’s iconic landmarks and architecture.

The Town Hall forms the backdrop for Keane to deliver his famous line, ‘That’s his job’, a comment made about a goalkeeper’s triple save that went viral and is now cemented as a Keane trademark.

Former Manchester City defender, Richards also appears in the advert.

Roy Keane and Micah Richards have filmed along Churchgate and Le Mans Crescent (Image: Still)

A big personality, also known for his appearances on Sky Sports, is seen imitating Roger Milla’s iconic goal celebration from the 1990 World Cup along Churchgate, outside The Old Man and Scythe.

Bolton Town Centre has been a hive of filming activity in recent months, making the most of the town’s iconic architecture and film friendliness.

Roy Keane and Micah Richards have filmed along Churchgate and Le Mans Crescent (Image: Still)

Temporary changes to licensing rules will mean viewers can enjoy watching the Men’s Football World Cup – which takes place in the United States, Canada, and Mexico – at their local public house.

The temporary changes will have a huge impact on Bolton’s nighttime economy, particularly for popular venues along Churchgate, where the advert was filmed.

Roy Keane was spotted in front of the Wellsprings this week (Image: Public)

Filming for the advert also occurred at The Market Place, where they turned The Patio into a World Cup celebration, complete with bunting and a brass band.

In conjunction with the World Cup, The Market Place will also be hosting family-friendly activities and football-related competitions.

Cllr Debbie Newall, Executive Cabinet Member for Culture, said: “Bolton continues to flourish as a filming destination.

“Attracting big football personalities and having our local landmarks featured on national television is a great way to get Bolton immersed in World Cup fever!

“With a full summer of sport ahead, it’s the perfect time to enjoy the atmosphere with friends and loved ones.”

The World Cup starts this Thursday, 11th June with Mexico kicking off against South Africa.

England begin their campaign on Wednesday 17th June at 9pm, against Croatia.

On Monday, the jury of five women and seven men heard that Donaldson had been interviewed by police for four and a half hours following his arrest in the early hours of March 28 2024.

Former DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson told police he wasn’t doing “anything untoward” in an incident where an alleged victim claimed he used a light to stare at her.

The trial over historical sexual offences at Newry Crown Court is being played audio recordings of the former MP’s interviews with detectives following his arrest in 2024.

Donaldson, 63, has pleaded not guilty to 18 alleged offences.

The charges include one count of rape and allegations of indecent assault and gross indecency, and span a time period between 1985 and 2008 involving two alleged victims.

Complainant A and B have both previously given evidence at the sexual offences trial.

Eleanor Donaldson, 60, from Dublinhill Road, Dromore, Co Down, denies several charges of aiding and abetting her husband’s alleged offending. She is facing a trial of the facts and is not participating in the proceedings.

On Monday, the jury of five women and seven men heard that Donaldson had been interviewed by police for four and a half hours following his arrest in the early hours of March 28 2024.

Three hours of the interviews will be played to the jury.

Donaldson, wearing a blue suit, sat in the dock at the back of the court while the audio of the first interview was played.

The interview at Antrim PSNI station began with the former DUP leader confirming his name and date of birth.

Asked at the beginning if he wanted to say anything in relation to the alleged offences, he replied “No.”

The court has previously heard about an allegation that Donaldson had “perched” over the top of Complainant A when she was a child, using a light to look at her “private parts”.

In his police interview, Donaldson raised the incident, telling detectives he believed he had “startled” the girl.

He said: “It obviously frightened her. She thought that I was shining a light at her.”

“You know, I didn’t have a light. You know, I wasn’t doing anything untoward.”

He added: “She clearly still has a concern about that.”

He said “at no stage” had Complainant A ever claimed “I touched her or did anything inappropriate on that occasion”.

In the interview, Donaldson said there had been “good times and difficult times” in his marriage to Eleanor Donaldson.

He said his work as a politician had “put a strain on our marriage”.

Donaldson said: “The role I hold is all-consuming, it takes up a lot of time.”

The trial continues.

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Henry Slade’s booming kick into the corner in the 2017 Premiership semi-final got plenty of airtime in the build-up to the latest instalment of Saracens and Exeter’s rivalry.

That monster touch-finder set up a final-minute match-winning try from Sam Simmonds.

Nearly a decade on, Slade’s influence on Saturday’s 32-12 victory, which clinched a play-off spot for the Chiefs at Sarries’ expense, was still key.

The 33-year-old purred around out wide, scored the try that started the hosts’ second-half blitz and lassoed Rotimi Segun with a crucial try-saving tackle before the break.

Slade, who won the most recent of his 74 England caps against Argentina in November, last month told the For the Love of Rugby podcast he was “frustrated and disappointed” not to play a single minute in England’s floundering Six Nations campaign.

With Ollie Lawrence and Max Ojomoh seemingly out of favour, Slade’s form is edging him back towards the Test spotlight.

Fraser Dingwall, Seb Atkinson and Benhard Janse van Rensburg were the other specialist centres called up to an England training camp last month. None are clearly ahead of the Exeter man.

“If I was picking an England team, I’d have Henry Slade in there,” said Exeter attack coach Dave Walder.

“I see him every day and I know what he’s capable of. He’s doing everything you would expect of a player who’s not being picked by playing well week-in, week-out on both sides of the ball.”

“You don’t realise how much you miss something until you don’t have it,” Slade told BBC Radio 5 Live at Sandy Park.

“Maybe we took it for granted all those years ago, it is very special to have it back. I feel good, I’m in the shape of my life, still feeling fresh and good.”

Slade was talking about a play-off spot. He might have easily been talking about a starting Test shirt.

EXCLUSIVE: Missing British toddler Cheryl Grimmer disappeared in Sydney, Australia more than 50 years ago, and her heartbroken brother told the Mirror that they still want justice

The brother of tragic toddler Cheryl Grimmer – abducted in Australia more than 50 years ago – spoke to the Mirror during a visit to London and insisted: “We just want justice for my little sister.”

Paul Grimmer was speaking ahead of a new hearing which is starting in Australia on Wednesday. He was visiting family in the UK and described to the Mirror how they were looking forward to having their voices heard at the parliamentary inquiry into missing people, which is taking place in Sydney.

Paul, wife Linda and cousin Michael were angry that the man who admitted killing Cheryl was still walking free on a legal technicality. He can only be identified as “Mercury”. They spoke emotionally outside St Paul’s Cathedral about Cheryl’s disappearance from Fairy Meadow beach near Sydney in 1970.

Paul, who lives in Queensland, said: “We’ve had a hard journey but we are hoping we will get justice for Cheryl. We will be at the hearing and putting our recommendations forward. We will be reading our impact statements – and how it has affected us and why we believe there should be changes in the law.”

The inquiry will examine how Police and the authorities handle missing people cases and what can be done to improve investigations.

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Linda spoke of the devastating impact three-year-old Cheryl’s disappearance in 1970 – just after the family had moved Down Under from Bristol – has had on the family. She said: “We just all want justice.” She said “it’s been challenging and hard for the family”

Michael added: “As a family we welcome the Parliamentary Inquiry into unsolved murders and missing persons cases that starts later this week. For years now, our concerns about how Cheryl’s case has been handled have not in our view been properly addressed by New South Wales authorities.

“This Inquiry gives us the opportunity to voice our concerns, for them to be properly considered and for changes to be implemented to ensure that no family has to go through what we have endured over the past 56 years.

“Never again should a detailed and corroborated confession to child abduction and murder be sat hidden in police records for decades, with the victim’s family not told of its existence, with the author of that confession not even put in a line-up to see whether witnesses present on the day recognised him.

“To this day, more than 56 years after Cheryl went missing, there has been no court ruling on whether that confession is true or not. Cheryl deserves better than this and so does the community. There needs to be accountability and there needs to be change.”

Cheryl went missing after a day at the beach – her body was never found despite a lengthy search involving hundreds of police officers and volunteers.

A 17-year-old – who was born in Manchester – confessed to killing her but because there was no lawyer, or adult, present during the interview a judge ruled he could not be charged.

He is still living in Australia and refusing to help police with their inquiries.

Firefighters were called out after the vehicle burst into flames on the B6279 Tornado Way at about 12.15am.

The car set alight on Tornado Way in the morning of June 6 (Image: THE NORTHERN ECHO)

No one is said to have been injured and the fire is not being treated as suspicious.

A spokesperson for County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service said: “At 12.14am on Saturday (June 6), we received a report of a vehicle fire on Tornado Way, Darlington.

“One crew from Darlington attended to put out the fire and left the scene at 12.40am.”

A burnt out car is left on the side of Tornado Way in Darlington after it burst into flames in the early hours of Saturday morning (Image: THE NORTHERN ECHO)

A burnt out car is left on the side of Tornado Way in Darlington after it burst into flames in the early hours of Saturday morning (Image: THE NORTHERN ECHO)

The car set alight on Tornado Way in the morning of June 6 (Image: THE NORTHERN ECHO)

A Durham Police spokesperson added: “We were called to reports of a vehicle fire on the B6279 just after midnight on June 6.

“The fire service put out the fire, which is not thought to be suspicious.”

The fraudster will be sentenced later this month after pleading guilty to embezzlement.

Corrupt Peter Murrell has been moved to cushy HMP Dumfries after getting “dogs abuse” at Edinburgh’s tough Saughton nick.

It has been reported that the SNP crook has been moved out of HMP Edinburgh in recent days.

Murrell is expected to be given a jail sentence this month after pleading guilty to nicking over £400,000 from the SNP.

Nicola Sturgeon’s estranged husband is on remand after admitting to a crime spree spanning twelve years.

The Wings over Scotland website reported he is now behind bars in Dumfries.

A source told the Scottish Sun: “He is getting dog’s abuse 24/7. It appears that the grim reality of prison is very different to how he thought it would be. He should have taken up the offer of being kept separate from normal cons.

“Now he can’t wait to get moved to another nick. A lot of the taunts are about his wife, which isn’t nice.”

“Being in jail is tough for anyone, no matter what people might think.

“But for someone like Murrell, who has been used to a very comfortable life outside, it will be a nightmare.”

Other sources have claimed Sturgeon, who spoke of her betrayal at his crimes, has no plans to visit him behind bars.

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A report presented to the Cambuslang and Rutherglen Area Committee on June 3 highlighted how schools are continuing to embed participatory budgeting (PB) as part of efforts to tackle inequality and improve educational experiences for young people.

Schools across Cambuslang and Rutherglen have allocated more than £121,000 to projects chosen through participatory budgeting, giving pupils and families a direct say in how education funding is spent.

A report presented to the Cambuslang and Rutherglen Area Committee on June 3 highlighted how schools are continuing to embed participatory budgeting (PB) as part of efforts to tackle inequality and improve educational experiences for young people.

Participatory budgeting allows school communities to influence spending decisions by consulting with pupils, parents and staff before voting on projects and initiatives. In South Lanarkshire, schools are required to allocate at least five per cent of their Pupil Equity Funding (PEF) through the process.

During the 2025/26 academic session, schools across the Cambuslang and Rutherglen area committed a combined £121,473.09 to participatory budgeting activity. This represents around seven per cent of the area’s total Pupil Equity Funding allocation of £1.82 million, exceeding the minimum requirement.

The largest allocation came from the Cathkin learning community, which dedicated more than £52,000 to participatory budgeting projects. Schools within the Stonelaw and Trinity learning communities allocated more than £41,000 and £27,000.

Projects selected by pupils and school communities cover a wide range of initiatives, including educational excursions, playground improvements, outdoor learning spaces, sports coaching, creative workshops, digital learning resources and additional support for school trips.

Among the schools allocating funding were Cathkin High School, which committed more than £10,000 towards educational excursions, and St Bride’s Primary School, which allocated £6300 towards a whole-school trip. Cairns Primary School directed over £13,000 towards developing its school hub and outdoor garden area.

The report also highlighted the work of St Mark’s Primary School as an example of good practice. The school has integrated participatory budgeting into its wider Cost of the School Day programme, which aims to reduce financial barriers faced by families.

Through its Cost of the School Day Committee, pupils and families help identify challenges affecting participation in school life and contribute to how funding should be used. The school also provides support through subsidised activities, clothing initiatives, learning resources and free school events.

Education officers said participatory budgeting is now fully embedded within South Lanarkshire schools and will continue to form part of annual Pupil Equity Funding planning. Schools will continue to allocate at least five per cent of their funding through participatory budgeting, with additional training planned for staff during the 2027/27 session.

The initiative is intended to ensure that funding decisions are shaped by those most affected by them, while giving young people practical experience of decision making.

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British Transport Police officers were called to Blackrod station at 2.20pm on Sunday, June 7, following reports of a casualty on the tracks.

Paramedics also attended, but the individual was pronounced dead at the scene.

The force says that the incident is not being treated as suspicious, and a file will be prepared for the coroner.

A British Transport Police spokesperson said: “Officers were called to the line near Blackrod at 2.19pm on Sunday, June 7, following reports of a casualty on the tracks.

“Paramedics also attended; however, sadly, a person was pronounced dead at the scene.

“The incident is not being treated as suspicious, and a file will be prepared for the coroner.”

Northern Rail cancelled services between Bolton and Preston until 4.15pm to allow emergency services to respond to the incident.