Money & Work / Tips & Advice
Who ate all the pies? Snack bars galore and the wonder of football food
From hatches to huts, sheds to retooled vehicles, let’s hear it for our terrace tuckshops and their indomitable staff. A Thursday morning in July and tourists gather outside the birthplace of the Patron Saint of Football Snack Bars. There are seven such visitors in...
Green ‘healthy’ fingers: How gardening can save your life -from cutting isolation to mental health benefits
It’s amazing the calm that can descend when you are surrounded by greenery. All those problems suddenly seem manageable and your brain quietens right down. And actually putting your hands in the soil, can be life-changing. According to mental health charity Mind, more...
A new start after 60: ‘I became an adventure cyclist at 65 – and rode from Mongolia to Scotland’
Within months of retiring as a mental health nurse, Len Collingwood began a 13,000km solo cycle ride. But that wasn’t the feat that got him into Guinness World Records… The Guardian reports that Len Collingwood, a clinical nurse specialist in psychotherapy, retired on...
Success of experimental Alzheimer’s drug hailed as ‘historic moment’
Study shows cognition in early-stage patients on lecanemab declines by 27% less than those on placebo. The Guardian reports that an experimental drug has slowed the rate of decline in memory and thinking in people with early Alzheimer’s disease in what is being...
Oh wow! How getting more awe can improve your life – and even make you a nicer person
Whether it’s the immensity of the Grand Canyon or the beauty of an intricate spider’s web, feeling awestruck is good for you. Here are 10 ways to get awed. A few years ago I went on a solo walking holiday to Lanzarote. On day one, I walked up a coastal hill path and...
South American beauties: Vibrant cities, mind-boggling landscapes and ancient wonders
TV’s Simon Reeve had the trip of a lifetime criss-crossing the continent. Here are his highlights… Travelling through South America is an amazing privilege, each day rich with experiences. Covering more than 4,000 miles over many months, my journey for my new TV...
A fistful of flavour: ‘Herbs give a dish that extra zing!’
The parsley and coriander grown by Joe Cottingham bring a hit of freshness to some of Charlie Bigham’s most popular ready-to-cook dishes. Sophie Goddard hears about the blood, sweat and tears that go into growing herbs. Joe Cottingham’s day begins hours before most of...
Into the woods: How an old shed inspired hundreds of stories
A derelict property in Surrey has been transformed into a storybook haven for artists. The garden designer Anthony Paul has lived in the same black-and-white cottage in the Surrey Hills for more than 40 years. He is surrounded by villages that recall the trees that...
Sustainable gardening: Ways to be less wasteful in the garden
We’re all looking towards sustainability and not chucking garden stuff away, whether it be old tools, gluts of veg or clippings. As you start your great garden clear-up at the end of summer, spare a thought for what you may be throwing away. Old squeaky tools, blunt...
Drink in the views: The UK’s 20 best waterside pubs
Stunning views over lakes and rivers make these the prettiest places to enjoy a pint, and maybe stay a night. The Cross Guns, Wiltshire A honey-stone exterior gives way to beautiful gardens with panoramic views of the River Avon, fringed with weeping willows. There is...
Sugarcane cabins and floating seats: The future of air travel
A lot goes into a best-ever flight experience - seat comfort, service and safety to name but a few factors. And all three could look completely different in a few decades’ time. Plane cabins are ever-changing, particularly in the long-haul world. In the past few...
9 ways to treat a headache without taking medication
Can you relieve a headache without popping pills? A headache can strike at any time, and they’re often more common during the warmest days of summer - particularly when the mercury soars in the midst of a heatwave. “Headaches can be triggered by a multitude of...