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.

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…

Focus4Hope’s CEO and founder Louise Reed works with West Yorkshire’s most vulnerable people, including those who are homeless. Here’s her message for Andy Burnham. 1. Prevent homelessness – don’t just react to it. The fallout that follows homelessness, including addiction, plummeting mental health and exploitation, is far more costly in human and financial terms than prevention.

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.

Charities across Yorkshire are being encouraged to apply for funding from LNER’s 2027 Customer & Community Investment Fund (CCIF). Grants of up to £10,000 are available to small and medium-sized charities based within 15 miles of the East Coast Main Line for projects that support LNER's three key priorities: better for planet, better for people and better for places.

The Confederation of British Industry (CBI) has issued a "Roadmap for Growth" to incoming Prime Minister Andy Burnham, calling on the new administration to abandon political drift and partner with industry to drive national economic renewal.

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

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.

Teens in AI has expanded its partnership with Sage to launch the North East AI Talent Acceleration Programme, aimed at young people aged 13-19 across Northumberland, Tyne and Wear, and County Durham. The initiative gives students access to the AI Adventures learning platform, while participating schools receive AI literacy training and career support for teachers and pupils.

Professor Christoph Bluth, Professor of International Relations and Security at the University of Bradford, argues that NATO emerged from its recent summit militarily stronger but politically more fragile. In this expert analysis, he explores growing tensions over defence spending, Ukraine, Iran and US leadership, and assesses what this means for the future of the alliance.

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

The TUC has launched a new skills initiative bringing together unions, employers, and education providers to tackle Britain's deepening skills crisis. The union body says the crisis has been caused by years of underinvestment by government, falling investment by employers, a failure to listen to workers, and a skills system struggling to keep pace with rapid technological change.

Overall index increased by +0.4. Retrospective (+1.5) and forward-looking (+2.6) household finance figures continue recovery. Perceptions of house prices worsened over the past 30 days (-3.2) and looking ahead to the next 12 months (-0.5). Business activity measures improved over June (+3.6), as did outlook (+1.2)

Yorkshire Water is inviting customers to take part in one of two ‘Your Yorkshire Water, Your Say’ online events on Thursday 9 July (6pm – 7.30pm) and Tuesday 14 July (6pm – 7.30pm). The sessions are an opportunity for customers to directly engage with CEO, Nicola Shaw and the senior leadership team at Yorkshire Water.

Andy Burnham used his first major speech since launching his bid for the Labour leadership to set out an "innovation nation" vision for Britain, built around deeper devolution, a championing of science and entrepreneurship, and a fundamental rethink of how young people are educated and trained.

A third of people in the North East have never discussed inheritance, with widespread gaps in tax and estate planning knowledge

Few artists capture the complexities of human emotion quite like Scott Quinn. The British singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist returns with his poignant new single, Places in London, a heartfelt reflection on the hidden losses that linger after heartbreak.

Focus4Hope was originally created as a community organisation but became a registered charity so it could respond to increased demand. It offers a range of services to help people avoid crisis points, including food distribution, advice and guidance, and a low-cost food market. But in extreme weather, crisis can become inevitable.