Money & Work / Tips & Advice
GPs to prescribe walking and cycling in new trial to improve mental wellbeing
The DfT announced that 11 local authorities have received £12.7 million to fund pilot social prescriptions and projects like adult cycle training. Silver Surfers reports that GPs will start prescribing walking and cycling as part of a trial in England to help improve...
Dance like no one’s watching! And six more ways to recapture childhood fun
It’s never too late to attempt an activity you might have missed out on as a kid. Learning to dance, skip, swim, blow bubbles, play football, or go to a funfair can bring you unexpected joy, as our writers discover. Skills such as riding a bike or learning to swim are...
A new start after 60: 2 stories about embracing life in later years
After decades in hairdressing, 65-year-old Sharon McAllister was ready for a change rather than a rest. And her yoga classes are just the beginning. And at 70 Erik Wilkinson went camping for the first time - and stopped cocooning himself from life. When Sharon...
Adults aged 50 and over are best at being ‘happy with what they have’, study finds
Holidays and time to spend on hobbies and interests featured in the top 10 things the over 50s are satisfied with, along with being debt free, having good health and knowing the children are happy. Adults aged 50 and over are most content with their lives, according...
Inspirational 82-year-old man eight peaks away from completing challenge to climb all 282 Munros
Two years after setting off into the hills, the grandfather of four only has eight of Scotland's Munros to climb. Sky News reports that an 82-year-old man is just eight peaks away from completing his challenge of climbing the peaks of Scotland's 282 Munros. Nick...
Cheese, cider & cycling: A tasty tour of the West Country
Following the Somerset Food Trail by e-bike offers the chance to meet growers and makers, enjoy beautiful scenery, and sample delicious local produce. What more do you need than good cheese and a glass of cider?” I’m at Batch Farm, in the Somerset village of East...
Scorchio! How to prepare your garden for the potential drought
Worried there might be a hosepipe ban on the horizon? There are some things you can do to protect your garden now. After the blistering heatwave and more warm weather coming our way, we could be set for a drought. Most of England (except for the North West) has moved...
Frugal food: 9 tips to make food last longer as prices soar
Keeping produce fresher for longer will hopefully help you cut down on trips to the supermarket. The cost of living crisis means many of us are feeling the pinch. We’re looking to make savings wherever we can - particularly as data from Kantar suggest Britons are set...
Rubbish gardens: How to create a sustainable garden out of old junk and rich planting
Cement mixers, radiators and other throwaways can have a place in the garden. TV gardener Frances Tophill, a regular on BBC Gardeners’ World, is well qualified to advise on how to reuse, reclaim and recycle. She’s just won Best Show Garden at BBC Gardeners’ World Live...
Future food security: The surprising green innovations that could revolutionise food production…and help with rising costs
You might not give much thought to the way your potatoes have been grown when you're doing the weekly shop. But with costs rising for farmers and shoppers alike, what goes on behind the scenes across farms and production lines can have a big impact not only on the...
Europe on a shoestring: 14 of the best budget city breaks
We’ve found the budget breaks across Europe that won’t break the bank, from Balkan hotspots to Barcelona. Various factors enable a great budget break in Europe. Flights - and not to an airport 50 miles away - shouldn’t break the bank, and nor should a good-quality...
Growing pains? How to stop yourself getting injured while gardening – from essential exercises to the perfect posture
Bending to dig, twisting to prune and carrying heavy loads can all mean gardeners end up with unnecessary aches. Here are some expert tips to keep you healthy as your garden blooms. One of the reasons gardening is such good exercise is that the sheer joy of it...