My mother died when I was quite young, when I was five. My father brought me up with his sister. I remember a happy childhood in a small village in south Wales. There were lots of people around. By the time I was 16, I’d learned to play a couple of m

A new series of short films exploring why people become homeless has been made by Cardboard Citizens, a charity that uses drama and performance to transform the lives of those who have lived experienced of homelessness, in collaboration with Black Ap

Time for a Time Bandits reboot. The 1981 film featured a few ex-Pythons – directed by Terry Gilliam, co-written by Michael Palin, with John Cleese riding in as Robin Hood. Now a refreshed remake comes from a team with equally high comedy credentials.

Miles Asteri watched his eldest daughter with hawk eyes when he brought her home for the first time, excited and worried about his new responsibility for this little person. His girls, who are almost five and two, are adopted – but he had a fierce pa

2. Father has a fizzy drink (3)5. Bill repeated first-class backing for a tree (6)7. Big cat grabs a rook by part of the windpipe (6)9. Underground cleaner used to remove explosives (11)10. Sight – of the future? (6)11. Head teacher in confused, mess

As a child, regular Street Art contributor Chowdhury was enchanted by the aesthetics of the natural world around her in Dhaka, Bangladesh where she grew up. It was this passion for the wonders of the landscape that led her to pick up pencils and brus

TONY, 66 When I was young, I fished a lot. One day I took my mum fishing with me in South Africa. I baited up for her and cast her line. As her cast hit the water, it hit a big fish and I had to talk her through it. It must have been about 15kg. I d

The last Labour government was undone by financial deregulation that left it bailing out banks considered too big to fail. This time, even before its electoral honeymoon is over, Keir Starmer’s new administration is facing a consolidation of the hous

I’ve always been very close to my parents, my mum especially. When people ask, I call us the Somali Gilmore Girls, but a lot funnier and with more traumatic baggage. Family is at the heart of my life and my culture. But a trip to Calais as a young jo

On a sunny summer weekend the British seaside is a buzzing place to be. Thousands of us follow an instinctive path to the country’s edge for a sniff of the sea, a paddle and an ice cream on the prom. For all the well-rehearsed problems of our coastal

Even in the current unpredictable cinema landscape, animated movies for kids can be reliable money-spinners. Inside Out 2 (somehow not subtitled All the Feels) is easily the biggest film of 2024 so far. It is not even a close race. With $1.4 billion

Myths and folklore carry lessons, often for dark and difficult times. Through their settings, in worlds of magic, we can remove ourselves and learn through a safer lens. I grew up enamoured with folklore, always asking for more of Shetland’s tales. I

Tebay Services on the M6 in Cumbria has just been voted the best service station for dogs. For animals whose main thrill while travelling is sticking their heads out of the window and drooling, you wouldn’t think they were that fussy. But then no one

“Where would you go back in time?” asks Mark in Peep Show. “The 1960s: see The Rolling Stones and have a Coke,” replies Jeremy. “You can literally do that now,” comes Mark’s withering put-down, referencing the band’s impressive endurance and the ongo

The Atacama Desert in northern Chile is the driest place on Earth. But over recent years it has been drier still. After drought lasting years, 11mm of rain fell in April. Just a few months later, the desert is transformed. A sea of white and purple p

Children are wild with excitement because the summer holidays are here (and have been for a few weeks already in Scotland). Weeks free of homework and maths lessons? Sign us up. But parents know it can be a constant challenge to keep them entertained

STEVEN PATERSON, 47 Interacting with people is what I enjoy the most about selling the Big Issue. I was unstable on my feet when I started selling the magazine, I was really struggling in life with my mental health and my depression. Lately, that’s

A new series of short films exploring why people become homeless has been made by Cardboard Citizens, a charity that uses drama and performance to transform the lives of those who have lived experienced of homelessness, in association with Black Apro

More than two-thirds (68%) of teachers are worried at least one child in their class will experience hunger during the summer break because their parents cannot afford to feed them, new research has found. Food rescue charity The Felix Project has fo

When I was 16, I’d actually already started cycling competitively. The first time that I went to a race abroad was in 2008 and I raced in the Europeans for Great Britain. I was still at school. My mum and dad wanted me to stick at school but I thoug