Day: 18 December 2025

Call to action: UNiTE to end digital violence against all women and girls

Stuart Mitchell

Discrimination against women and girls, and violence as its gravest manifestation, remains alarmingly high in every sphere of their lives, across physical and digital spaces alike. Each year, 245 million women and girls aged 15 and older experience physical and/or sexual violence perpetrated by a current or former intimate partner. This crisis persists, despite decades of progress in global commitments, the adoption of laws, expanded services, and scaled-up prevention efforts. Together, a growing global backlash and the misuse of rapidly evolving digital technologies are amplifying violence against women and girls. Studies…

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First Sycamore Gap saplings (‘Trees of Hope’) to be planted this National Tree Week

Stuart Mitchell

The first of the 49 Sycamore Gap tree saplings given by the National Trust to individuals, community groups, and organisations across the UK will be planted this weekend. The first of the 49 Sycamore Gap tree saplings given by the National Trust to individuals, community groups, and organisations across the UK will be planted this weekend. The plantings, which mark the start of National Tree Week, are the result of the ‘Trees of Hope’ initiative launched by the charity last September to find homes for the saplings grown from the…

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Almost half of UK men lean on alcohol for a laugh as the Dry January® challenge brings banter without booze

Stuart Mitchell

New research from Alcohol Change UK, the charity behind the Dry January® challenge, reveals that many UK men rely on alcohol to feel and bring the funny.  According to the survey, nearly half of UK men who drink (48%) think they are funnier when drinking alcohol, and almost as many (45%) believe alcohol positively impacts their sense of humour.  While many UK blokes appear to lean on booze for a laugh, the data highlights deeper reasons among this group for drinking alcohol. Almost four in 10 (39%)3 men who drink…

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CIOF calls for charities to sign Donor Code of Conduct pledge.

Stuart Mitchell

The Chartered Institute of Fundraising, along with Rogare – the Fundraising Think Tank, has today called on charities across the UK to sign a pledge committing to develop and implement a Donor Code of Conduct that will safeguard fundraisers from inappropriate donor or supporter behaviour. This comes after more than half of surveyed fundraisers reported having experienced behaviour by a donor or supporter that made them feel physically or mentally unsafe.  Earlier this year, the CIOF and Rogare asked fundraisers to anonymously submit their views and experiences of inappropriate behaviour…

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Brits embrace the ‘Eat The Rainbow’ healthy food mantra as demand for colourful veg soars

Stuart Mitchell

Nutritionists are forever urging us to ‘eat the rainbow’ in order to be more healthy – and now, at last, it looks as if the message for adding colourful vegetables to the plate is starting to resonate. In the past year – and particularly the last few months – Tesco has seen rocketing demand for different coloured vegetables such as rainbow chard, rainbow carrots, purple broccoli, dark purple Cavolo Nero and pink onions. These include the following: Rainbow carrots – demand up 100 per cent this autumn versus last Pink…

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