Day: 2 June 2026

Swiss municipality launches Hedera-powered biodiversity voucher in cooperation with The Hashgraph Group, Swisscoast & Apps with love

Stuart Mitchell

The Municipality of Muri bei Bern, in the Canton of Bern, together with The Hashgraph Group, a Swiss-based Web3 and AI technology engineering company operating within the Hedera ecosystem and specializing in enterprise solutions, and Swisscoast, a Swiss tech company that builds blockchain applications on Hedera, and Apps with Love, Swiss Digital transformation firm, today announced the launch of Switzerland’s first live municipal blockchain initiative: the digital municipal biodiversity voucher built on the Hedera DLT network, known as BIDI (BIODIVERSITÄTS-GUTSCHEINE). Switzerland’s Biodiversitäts-Initiative, put to voters in a 2024 referendum, required…

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Waterstones Children’s Laureate, Frank Cottrell-Boyce, calls for national action to tackle children’s reading crisis at first Laureate Lecture, ‘THE KIDS ARE NOT ALRIGHT’

Stuart Mitchell

Waterstones Children’s Laureate, Frank Cottrell-Boyce, used his Laureate Lecture to call for urgent national action to tackle the children’s reading crisis, as new research from the UK’s largest children’s reading charity, BookTrust, shows families are increasingly struggling to make reading part of daily life. The lecture, being delivered at the Royal Institution, London, is hosted by BookTrust, which manages the Laureateship. It takes place during the National Year of Reading and marks the end of Frank’s two-year tenure. Frank will reflect on the progress made through his Reading Rights campaign…

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‘Emotional’ RSPCA x Alesha Dixon film lands people’s vote gong

Stuart Mitchell

An emotional RSPCA video starring Alesha Dixon and a rescue dog named Roy has scooped a major prize at the 2026 Smiley Charity Film Awards.   The four-minute film – produced by the RSPCA’s in-house broadcast team – bagged the prestigious Grand Prix People’s Choice Award at an online award ceremony. In the film, British singer, dancer and RSPCA supporter Alesha is recorded watching footage on a laptop of  Staffy-cross Roy being cruelly attacked by his former owner. The footage is so distressing the RSPCA has not released it to the wider public.…

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The bitter taste of climate change: how changing weather could ruin your cuppa

Stuart Mitchell

The familiar taste of the British cuppa is under threat from climate change, with new analysis warning that rising temperatures and extreme weather could make tea more bitter, harsher and less consistent in flavour. The report, published today by Christian Aid, finds that the delicate balance of flavour in tea depends on stable temperature and rainfall conditions – conditions that are now breaking down in key tea-growing regions across Kenya, India and Sri Lanka. The report sets out how climate change is already affecting the chemistry of tea leaves. Tea…

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DEBRA launches first TV advert to highlight butterfly skin condition

Stuart Mitchell

Charity DEBRA UK launches first TV advertisement featuring DEBRA member, Jasmine Ritchie and newly appointed president Graeme Souness. Living with a rare condition like epidermolysis bullosa (EB) creates everyday challenges for the individuals and families affected. From the physical pain of having to endure daily dressing changes, which can take up to 5 hours, to the financial strain that many parents face when they must give up work to become full time carers for their child with EB. The March-26 survey of DEBRA UK members (people living with or directly…

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