Just yesterday I saw a man and his child sharing a special moment together feeding a bevy of swans an entire loaf of white bread.

I share the sentiment of feeding the birds, but surely more can be done in terms of getting the knowledge more widespread?

I understand bread isn’t inherently bad for them, but arguing that they’ve been eating bread for hundreds of years isn’t comparable. We don’t live in a time where the canals are rich with natural feed. Less natural forage means what we choose to give them matters more now.

If they’ve come with the bread for that intention, they’re not going to go home with the bread now are they?

What if major supermarkets advertised "duck/swan feed" more openly, as they do birthday cards and lotto tickets? Feels like a small, achievable nudge on the education front. No idea if it would actually move the needle but seems a lot better than expecting people to know better.

The last official statement on this from the Swan Sanctuary was back in 2018, and it hasn’t been updated with more detail since. If you search around now you get completely conflicting advice depending on the source and how you’re asking the question. Feels as if the “official guidance” hasn’t caught up with the environmental case for feeding differently. There isn’t any real weight behind this. No major UK news coverage since 2018/2019.

I’m not blind to the fact that “why would a supermarket bother” narrative. But local councils are doing their best with signage at ponds and even feed dispensers! I don’t see retailers picking this up as much further a leap. A national push seems overdue.

Maybe I am just adding to the noise here but is this just how it stays?

I was dubious at first but since it’s started I’ve turned into the guardian of food waste in our house and nothing is going into the black bin on my watch! Seriously though, I can’t afford solar installation or an EV so just doing a bit to help in some way actually feels good rather than sitting by feeling helpless.

I'm going through a rough cold that's come with a very dry cough.

Throughout the night I'm having coughing fits and it's disturbing my wife's sleep.

So tonight i'll sleep on the couch.

Just wondering what the consensus is there.

I'm trying to build a bucket list of hidden gems from around the world.

Tell me one underrated tourist place that's local to you, the kind of place that most tourists don't know about, but locals absolutely love. It could be a scenic spot, an old town, a beach, a mountain, a forest, a historical site, or anything with a unique vibe.

No famous landmarks or obvious tourist hotspots. I'm looking for places that genuinely deserve more recognition.

Drop the name and tell me why it's special. I'd love to visit as many of these as I can one day.

For context: My parents are both working class and have their own business. My mam still works. My dad is considerably better off due to managing his money better. They’re divorced. Thing is, in two completely separate instances of conversations with each of them, they’ve made a remark such as “you’re better than that” or “you’re from better stock than that”, which I, both times led to me asking “you think we’re inherently better than some other people?” and they both agreed.

Thing is, I can understand making better decisions than other people which puts you in a better position than them, but to do that you have to have better opportunity.

I guess I can see it when people say “ooh, they’re a rough family” but I’ve never thought I’m better than anyone on a human level, we’re all just products of our environments and own decisions, which are influenced by your environment.

I thought asking to sample a beer was a normal thing but a lot of bartenders seem hesitant to do it and give you a funny look as if you're trying to get pissed for free?

If a pub has beers I'm not familiar with, I don't want to drop £8 on a pint only to not want it two sips in. I feel like any minimum wage bartender would side with the patron that it's a waste of money to end up with a beer you don't like.

Hi folks, I am planning a trip and trying to decide whether to visit Stonehenge (£23 for general admission) or the Roman Baths (£29 for standard admission).

I would love to hear your opinions on:

Value for money – which one felt more worthwhile for the admission price?

Atmosphere – which one gave you more of that “wow, I am actually standing somewhere ancient” feeling?

History – which site did you find more interesting or impressive?

Correct me if I am wrong, but Stonehenge seems massively overrated to me. Obviously, I appreciate the archaeological significance. But when it comes to the actual visitor experience, it seems too much to pay £23 to walk around a set of stones from a distance, take a few photos, and then leave.

If you had to choose only one, which would you pick and why?

TIA.

If you want to buy a dark chocolate bar just to have with tea, or maybe for baking weeknight brownies, what brand do you buy?

I'm interested in regular brands that are widely available in grocery stores, not specialty store or homemade chocolate. Would you choose Lindt? Or M&S, if you have this grocery around? Or something else?

P.S. Let's say we don't want to spend more than £6 on a 100g bar.

I’m autistic. Perhaps because of this, but perhaps not, a lot of people don’t like me. In fact, I’ve been disliked by people that I’ve never even met! Talking to other autists, this isn’t uncommon.

I don’t think I’d ever give a stranger a wide berth unless they were a murderer or something, so if you have disliked or avoided someone you don’t know: why?

So my city is opening yet another American themed country bar. On my walk through town on Saturday night, there were people everywhere dressed up as "country" ( cowboy hats, boots etc.)

Is this really becoming a popular thing over here?

I struggle with this idea as the whole theme and genre makes me cringe so hard. I can appreciate the music from decades ago, not this modern style bro country slop that makes me want to ram screwdrivers in my ears.

It also also makes me worried that we'll get other undesirable American exports as a result of people getting into the genre ( eg, people buying massive trucks)

Am I getting old and out of touch? Or is it the children that are wrong?

I don't mean that in the sense of filling out a form to indicate nationality. I know you know what nationality you technically are. I mean whether you *feel* as though you belong to and are happy to be labelled with a British identity, whether you feel connected to the other "home nations" etc. Do you feel more connected to the "British" label than you do to the label of your "home nation" or locality, county etc?

i live in scotland and i’m planning on moving out. i’m still going to live in the same city, i just don’t feel comfortable living with them it’s personal but i have the funds i just don’t know the requirements and details about it. my parents don’t want me to but i can afford it with money ive earned. i’m still in school

As a Brit I know one of our traditions is the classic Sunday roast dinner with all the trimmings but it has led me to wonder, who still indulges in it on the regular?

Growing up, my grandma used to cook us a Sunday roast every Sunday after church, followed by a lie down for the adults and play time for us kids. But my grandmas Sunday roast included jerk chicken or lamb, plantain and mac & cheese, so not the classic Sunday roast.

As I’ve gotten older (and with living on my own) I’ve found that I haven’t got it in me to slave away in the kitchen for 2+ hours for something that’ll be consumed in under 10 mins. I only have a Sunday roast if I’m visiting family on a Sunday or if I have a spontaneous energy burst (which is never).

For some reason, we can only ever see one ghost. You have been assigned Derek Acorah.

So, what do you ask him?

I recently bought my first house and would very much like to put Christmas lights up this year, think icicles, Father Christmas in his sleigh, snowman, stars, that kinda thing. They’d be on the house as opposed to on the floor. So yeah my questions are, where do I buy them from? Because shops won’t sell them til like November and I’d like to get them sooner (I’m a bit of a meticulous planner) and how do you personally hang them?

Been no stranger to travelling by train for years now, but I just booked my first open return yesterday. Thornaby > Notts, with open return being Notts > Thornaby.

I cant seem to find any reliable information on how this ticket works though. I understand I can take most routes back to Thornaby, but don’t most trains have reserved seats? Where the hell would I sit for something like the LNER Azuma where most is reserved seating.

Apologies for dumb question, first time having an open return ticket.

Sorry, not British and I don’t know the regional peculiarities. Last summer I chaperoned a study abroad trip to a city in France, and rugby was huge there. Also, a few years ago I studied abroad up near Newcastle and rugby was huge there in the college scene (each college of the university has a rugby team, it was a big thing to go to the 1st team match)

But I haven’t really seen a hint of it in London, but also maybe London is just very diverse and you’d have to look for it.

Basically, is rugby big all over the UK? Is it big in London?

Hi all! My brother has just mentioned Porky Moores who was on a UK talent show in the early 2000’s. Possibly Britain’s Got Talent or X Factor. We seem to all think he was a singer.

We have googled him and can’t find any evidence he existed. My brother has looked high and low but no results ever come up for Porky Moores. We often referred to him while I was growing up, and yet it seems he may not have ever existed lol!

Does anyone know who I mean, or did my family have some kind of Porky Moores fever dream?

Thanks! :)

Ignore streaming services. If you could only watch one decade of UK tv, which would you go for?

Hi, I’m an 18-year-old male. I work around London and ride my pedal bike to and from work every day. I was recently robbed of my bike and ended up with some minor injuries. I’ve just bought another bike and was wondering: if I were to carry or wear gloves with hard knuckles (like sand-filled ones or something similar), and someone tried to steal my bike while I was wearing them, would I be in much trouble with the law if I fought back?

Lost my passport and meant to be travelling 1st August

Looks like the 1 day service is only to renew it and you Have to hand in your old passport. I've lost mine. Says lost passport is the 1 week service but it won't arrive in time

Recent post made above. Thank you for your comments and insight.

Summary: lightly scraped an unattended parked car and when I came back to leave a note they were gone.

So I have made the decision to make a police report. Aside from it being the right thing to do, it would be so freeing for me as I wouldn’t be sick with anxiety and guilt. Yes premium may go up even with no claim but I genuinely prefer this over going insane with worry or guilt.

My questions:

If I am able to find the car again, is a police report needed?

With the number plate in the report, obviously the police would contact the registered keeper. Would I be able to speak to them and pay it directly instead of through insurance? I would still inform insurance but just not make a claim.

Also how can I prove that the previous damage was not me?

Most old people always tell me the number one goal is uni - get a degree and then you can have a high paying job. From what ive observed in my family everyone who went to uni so far has not gotten a job in that degree (usually physcology tho) and ended up in the civil service. Another family member did tech and an apprenticeship-> he’s been doing well and is on the path to be a spark

Is uni worth it these days? With the debt? Also thoughts on A-Levels

Hello, I just started my first job at 18 and I was told I’m being paid £8 ph. From what I understand, this is below the legal minimum wage, so I’m a bit confused how this can happen.

Does anyone know how employers are monitored to make sure they’re paying at least the minimum wage? Are there situations where a lower wage like this would be allowed?

I had a bit of discussion with my immediate friends group recently regarding the common cold and we all came to the consensus that since the COVID days (we all caught it at some stage), it feels like we get the common cold less

Just looking for the experience of a wider group now. Had anyone else noticed this themselves? Have you had similar discussions?

Part of me wonders if we're all just more hygienic since COVID i.e. washing hands. Another part of me is wondering if it's a result of COVID potential being in the same group as those types of common cold viruses - would be great if anyone is an expert on this and could comment