Colin Neville is the curator of the website Not Just Hockney. As I am featured in his list of artists on this website, he kindly informed me recently about a very interesting gentleman called Thomas Ablett. I immediately felt a connection to this artist.

That time of year has come round again, when students across England wait for their A Level results on Thursday 13th August 2026, followed a week later by GCSE results on Thursday 20th August. In my work as a person-centred counsellor, I have supported hundreds of young people, and many parents, through this nerve-wracking time.

Barbados conjures up images of palm trees swaying in the breeze, sun kissed, dazzling white sand - and the strains of reggae reverberating around beach bars.

I really enjoy the summer months in the North Yorkshire countryside, as almost every village hosts its own show, so there is somewhere to visit most weeks! Often kicking off as early as May, country shows offer something for everyone.

Our consumer expert shares her advice for people who are thinking of using AI software such as ChatGPT to book their 2026 holiday.

Before his breakthrough hit Sally, When the Wine Runs Out, Role Model often felt like an artist still searching for his identity. That song changed everything, pairing effortless charm with sharp songwriting, and Chuck Timely & The Hourglass proves it was no fluke. Rather than simply chasing the success of his biggest hit to date, Role Model uses it as a springboard for an album that feels more confident, more adventurous and, ultimately, more complete.

Andrew Palmer checks into London's answer to the Japanese capsule hotel — and discovers it isn't just for gap-year backpackers with more energy than sense. Ever since I saw these advertised for Japan on a travel programme many years ago, I've always wanted to try one. I wasn't disappointed — although there are a few things worth knowing before you book.

With Andy Burnham becoming Prime Minister and appointing John Healey as Chancellor of the Exchequer, attention is already focused on what the change in leadership could mean for the UK’s tax system.

Rewind a couple of years, and most UK car buyers had never heard of the Chinese car giant Chery. They certainly do now with the company storming the UK sales charts with its Omoda and Jaecoo brands. Just last month, the Jaecoo 7 and 5 models were in fourth and seventh positions, respectively, in the chart of UK registration figures.

The Pheasant breaking cover - its fluster of browns and greys like the unpainted sides of piano keys you only see when it's played. Ali Lewis' poems often reside on the margin of suggestion. That, in 'The Pheasant', he appears to have achingly little to say need not obscure the vista of meaning that his threadbare, but steadily observed, lines open on to.

Sheffield University student Will Donnelly is now back home in Maidenhead but will likely remember his three years spent “in a city with everything to offer” as much for winning his boxing bout with friend and fellow student Lennie Blagg as for his successful studies leading to a BA in business management, with his graduation having taken place on 23rd July.

Niche family law firm, Jones Myers, has been at the forefront of ongoing campaigns to overhaul outdated cohabitation laws which currently do not give couples living together legal protection or rights if they split up.

Being a paralegal is a great career option with lots of opportunities for fulfilling and interesting roles both in the UK and abroad; paralegals work in law firms, large corporates, fashion houses, football clubs, gaming and tech companies, local government, criminal law, police stations, immigration, wills and probate, sports and music – to name just a few. But what will you earn?

The Oulu Sinfonia are the real stars of this cycle: precise, accurate, never once caught fumbling for a note, with woodwind and strings that make light and melody of everything put in front of them. Four composers, one landscape, and not a single weak link in the chain — Sibelius would probably approve of the company he's keeping

Signum pairs two composers who rarely feel like strangers to one another, and this disc makes the case for their kinship well. Parry's De Profundis — a large-scale, twelve-part setting of Psalm 130 — dominates proceedings, its long arc from penitence to consolation still capable of catching a listener off guard more than a century on. God Is Our Hope and Strength offers a shorter but no less confident companion piece, while Elgar supplies the disc's more intimate corners: the partsong The Snow and the folk-inflected Scenes from the Bavarian Highlands, both far removed from the pomp he's better known for.

New Prime Minister Andy Burnham has put a powerful idea at the centre of the national conversation; that growth - good growth - is built locally, and that support for business works best when it is delivered close to the firms it serves.

Hull-based holiday home manufacturer Willerby has played a key role in a project to enhance the wellbeing of personnel at one of Europe’s largest naval bases.

Midsummer mental health pressures on employees' stem from holiday cover workloads, disrupted sleep from heat and light, and the stress of balancing family summer holidays. Many employees face the complex challenge of balancing work responsibilities with intensified home and family demands.

Children from GOSH’s Mildred Creak Unit visited London Zoo to meet the chick as the two institutions launch a new nature and wellbeing partnership. A Humboldt penguin chick hatched on 30 April at London Zoo has been named Mildred after the Mildred Creak Unit (MCU), celebrating the start of a special partnership between the Zoo and Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children (GOSH).

August is when all those hours spent digging, feeding and pruning finally show their worth. Borders are bursting with colour, pots are overflowing, and the garden becomes the place to be for lazy afternoons and long evenings with family and friends.

A pioneering summer school aimed at breaking down barriers for young people aspiring to become vets is taking place this week (starting 3rd August) in Preston, backed by one of the country's largest veterinary firms.

The architects overseeing repairs to St Mary’s Church in Kirkby Lonsdale have welcomed a major funding boost towards securing its future. The National Lottery Heritage Fund has announced £370,446 towards an ambitious programme of repairs and improvements to the 900-year-old building.

Younger savers increasingly feel the concept of ‘saving for a rainy day’ is outdated, and are focusing their efforts on saving for specific goals, new research from LHV Bank has revealed. The survey of more than 2,000 savers found 44% of respondents aged 18-24 felt the idea of rainy day savings was outdated.

Campaigners have written to Prime Minister Andy Burnham and Chancellor John Healey, urging them to meet for talks on compensating millions of WASPI women. In a letter sent today, WASPI chief Angela Madden presses the new Labour leadership to urgently meet with campaigners to ensure 1950s-born women receive “fair redress”.

Overall consumer confidence saw incremental movement in July 2026, according to the latest data from YouGov and the Centre for Economics and Business Research (Cebr). The index rose from 105.3 to 105.5 (+0.2). Any score greater than 100 indicates positive sentiment, while a score of less than 100 indicates negative sentiment.

A new briefing from the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA), Buildings: In defence of ‘stupid growth, is written by Kristian Niemietz, the IEA's Editorial Director, and forms part of a forthcoming IEA book, The Great Stagnation: Why Britain Stopped Growing, which brings together contributions from multiple authors, each examining a different explanation for Britain's growth malais…

Long-distance train operator CrossCountry has launched an industry-first digital Priority Seating Card, making it easier for customers who need additional support to discreetly communicate that they require a priority seat onboard.

St John Ambulance has launched the inaugural Lifesavers at Work Awards. A nationwide hunt is under way for the UK’s most inspirational workplace heroes; people who have used first aid skills to save a life, or support someone in a medical emergency, while at work.

New YouGov research reveals that nearly three in ten members of the British public (28%) say they are not planning ahead financially. Of the rest, a fifth plan less than one year ahead (21%) and the same proportion plan 1-3 years ahead (21%). Some 12% plan 3-5 years ahead, but only a quarter (25%) plan more than five years ahead.

The UK economy grew by 0.1% in May, official figures from the Office for National Statistics have shown, with warm weather lifting retail sales even as renewed conflict in the Middle East threatens to disrupt global supply chains and dampen business confidence.

New ticket gates for stations across England with £33 million to crack down on fare evasion and deliver a fairer railway Funding to tackle deliberate fare evasion to recover up to £400 million lost annually and reinvest in better journeys for passengers Passengers already seeing the benefits of a simpler and fairer ticketing system ahead of the creation of Great British Railways with expanded Pay As You Go and digital ticketing trials

The Beacon Museum in Whitehaven is expecting a summer boost thanks to the Government slashing VAT on family tickets for visitor attractions.

Parents across the UK are increasingly risking their own financial resilience to support their adult children, according to new research from Aldermore Bank’s latest Savings Tracker¹, highlighting the growing financial pressure facing families across generations. The findings reveal that parents of adult children have given an average of £8,096 from their savings to provide financial support.

Smart Money People's newly launched "Smart Money Risers" index reveals which financial services brands are winning over customers, and why simplicity, speed and service are driving loyalty

As nominations open for the next Prime Minister, food supply chain leaders have written an open letter to candidates setting out a five-point plan for a more resilient and affordable food system.

Residents across Cumbria are being encouraged to nominate the healthcare professionals who have made a difference to their lives as part of Stagecoach's new NHS Heroes competition. The nationwide initiative celebrates the NHS's 78th anniversary by rewarding one outstanding NHS worker with a month's free Stagecoach bus travel.

Deliveroo and Pho have joined forces with Sheffield Hallam University for the return of Deliveroo’s Sustainable Packaging Challenge for the third year. This follows the successful collaboration between the delivery platform and University with GAIL’s in last year’s competition, and the launch of the challenge in 2024.

Figures show people with red flag symptoms put off going to the GP and face barriers in seeking help. Cancer Research UK and Tesco have partnered to encourage people to seek help for potential cancer symptoms and support early diagnosis Tesco pharmacists trained by Cancer Research UK available in-store to provide information and support to customers experiencing potential symptoms or concerned about cancer

Football clubs across Yorkshire, Lancashire and Cumbria say increasingly volatile weather is leaving pitches swinging between waterlogged winters and concrete-hard summers, driving up injuries and landing already stretched grassroots organisations with thousands of pounds in extra costs, a new investigation has found.

Only one in ten adults in England and Wales understand how much water they use each day, according to research released to mark the launch of a major new campaign aimed at changing the nation's relationship with water.

Women in the North West are highly involved in household finances, with more than eight in ten (81%) actively involved in managing daily finances but are less likely to take the lead on the longer-term decisions that shape future wealth, according to new research from St James’s Place (SJP).

Dear Editor, Around 3 million people in the UK are hearing aid users. With the temperature this week reported to reach in excess of 38C in some places, RNID, are encouraging hearing aid users to give their devices some extra TLC during the hot weather so they can soak up the sunshine without missing out on conversations.

Barrovians are being given the chance this month to help shape the future of The Cumberland. The building society is going out into the town to get the views of local people on banking in the 21st century. The Cumberland is bringing its green sofa and other props to the Bridge community hub in the third stop of its unique roadshow around the county.

Sir Keir Starmer's decision to step down has triggered a pivotal moment for Labour and for the future direction of public services, with Andy Burnham the leading contender to succeed him. Burnham has previously spoken about the need for stronger community-based services and reforms to health and social care, making the sector one to watch closely as the leadership contest unfolds.