Tag: UK Government

From cheese rolling to bagpiping: UK launches search for traditions that define our communities

Stuart Mitchell

Communities across the UK are invited to submit their most treasured traditions to a new inventory of living heritage. The UK-wide inventory will spark a national conversation about the crafts, customs and celebrations valued by communities, helping to safeguard them for future generations.  Living heritage encompasses practices passed down through generations – from tartan weaving and dry-stone walling to cèilidh dancing or Gloucestershire’s cheese-rolling and Eisteddfodau or Burn’s night suppers. It could also include traditions brought to the UK by immigrant communities, such as the Notting Hill Carnival and steel-drumming.…

Read More

UK’s best AI engineers can apply now to build tech for public services in $1 million fellowship

Stuart Mitchell

A new $1 million programme will bring the UK’s top AI experts into government to build cutting-edge AI tools, helping to make the state more agile so it can deliver the Plan for Change.  Fellows could join government to build AI tools for high-security use cases across the public sector such as language translation in a national security context, and making use of construction planning data to speed up the approvals process and get more homes built.  They could also help expand “Humphrey”, a bundle of AI tools that help…

Read More

New mapping tool launched to help bring healthy food to those who need it most

Stuart Mitchell

New project, backed by the UK Government, will develop mapping tool to bring tackle food inequality. Households that may struggle to eat nutritious meals due to a lack of accessible healthy options are to receive government support as through 6 projects across the UK, the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, Peter Kyle unveiled on Monday 7 July. One such project is based in Liverpool, where researchers are investigating the factors that influence the diets of people living in social housing and creating a mapping tool to help…

Read More

Forgotten assets to help families and young people thrive

Stuart Mitchell

Families struggling with sudden costs and young people in deprived areas will get vital help, as £440 million from forgotten assets is put to work in communities across England through the first-ever Dormant Assets Scheme Strategy. This includes £132.5 million to give young people in disadvantaged neighbourhoods new chances to take part in music, sport and drama to build skills for the future, improve their employment opportunities and ensure access is no longer the preserve of a privileged few.  A further £132.5 million will benefit those in financially vulnerable circumstances,…

Read More

UK Government to clean up communities with deposit return scheme for plastic bottles and cans

Stuart Mitchell

The UK Government recently pledged to end the throwaway society and clean up Britain, as it implements legislation for the deposit return scheme for drinks containers in England and Northern Ireland.  Once the scheme launches in October 2027, consumers will have a financial incentive to return empty containers to a collection point, such as at their local supermarket, so that the bottle or can will be recycled.  Used in more than 50 countries worldwide as a common-sense means of encouraging people to recycle more single-use bottles and cans, a DRS…

Read More