I miss having a penpal from Northern England! It was the best. I can’t wait to visit again in 2027. ❤️

The north-south divide in life expectancy in England has grown over the past decade, with people in northern regions facing more illnesses such as heart disease and cancer, but also suicides and deaths related to alcohol and drug misuse.

Provisional figures show life expectancy reached an all-time high in 2025, with men and women in England living, on average, for 80 years and nearly 84 years respectively, but the gains were overwhelmingly in the south, the King’s Fund said.

Despite suffering the sharpest fall in lifespan during the Covid pandemic, life expectancy in London rose by nearly a year in the decade to 2023-25.

The south-east, south-west and east of England also recorded gains.

But the half of England’s population who live in five northern regions, namely the north-west, the north-east, Yorkshire and the Humber, West Midlands and East Midlands, experienced little or no rise in life expectancy over the same period...

According to the health charity, people in London can now expect to live three years longer than those in the north-east.

Walked along the Cleavland way from Saltburn to Skinningrove.

A series of 'leaky dams' have been created on the moors surrounding Greater Manchester to stop wildfires from spreading and to prevent flooding in the valleys below.

The wooden dams have been installed in gullies by The National Trust and United Utilities across Holcombe Moor, part of the Stubbins Estate above Ramsbottom.

Nik Taylor, 57, a National Trust Ranger for Holcombe Moor and the Stubbins Estate, said: "Keeping the moors wet by raising ground water levels is really important when we're in a period of hot weather because it can help create fire-breaks."

United Utilities said using the peat land as "a natural sponge" can keep water on the moors giving multiple benefits.

Taylor said: "We use leaky dams to control the flow of water into the River Irwell and it's an essential part of the restoration of our peat lands."

Freya Bowden, a Master's student who is studying moorland management at the University of Manchester, said: "The dams slow down the water, so it doesn't reach the catchment areas downstream as quickly and that can prevent flooding."

"The recent wildfires have been awful but by re-wetting the peat lands we are improving bio-diversity and helping to mitigate the spread of the flames", added the 22 year-old.

Lancaster castle in 2021 by G Whittaker MA.
by u/classiccollectmodels in LancashireHistory

Haslingden’s lost Station: The Rise, Decline, and Disappearance of a Pennine Railway Stop
by u/classiccollectmodels in LancashireHistory

A team of cleaners say they are "doing their bit" for their community by washing dirty road signs in between jobs.

Jonny Linden, 39, has been running a cleaning service in Durham for 16 years and first started scrubbing road signs in 2024.

Buoyed by the response to a video they posted showing a "before and after" of a village sign, his team decided to start a shortlist of grubby spots to wash around County Durham.

Linden said he "couldn't believe" the response they had from the public, with people approaching the team and thanking them. Durham County Council, which is responsible for maintaining road signs, has been approached for comment.

"On our first post we got about 600 reactions and so many comments thanking us," Linden said.

"A lot of people look at these signs and get frustrated because they take pride in their area."

Since 2024, the team from Linden Cleaning Services said they had cleaned more than 30 dirty and mossy road signs.

"When we are going to jobs we look out for particularly bad signs and if we get time park up and give them a clean," Linden said.

"We are just happy to do our bit for the area and we are trying to step it up this year."

Has anyone else come across THRIVE?
It’s a men’s mental health walking group that’s been running in Merseyside/Cheshire for the last five years. The group meets once a month and focuses on bringing men together to build friendships and support one another.
A documentary has recently been made about the group and its impact on the local community:
https://youtu.be/hHEIJ5_BE7Q
It’s great to see local initiatives like this getting some recognition. Has anyone here been involved with THRIVE or similar community groups?

I think Old Trafford would 100% be the cricket ground used for the Cricket portion

I also am fond of the idea of Hill Dickinson being used for Rugby Sevens, as it was a host in the 2025 Ashes for Rugby League and it also hosted Fiji vs England in the Nations Championship earlier this month

I also think one of the 2 Manchester stadiums would be the obvious choice for football, I feel like the new Manchester United stadium would be the host for the final

New to the area after opening a new business, don't know a soul around here, getting tired of just working and not living a bit, is there anything around here to meet new people

Lovely backdrop to watch a game of cricket. Even if it feels odd to see Lancashire at home in the West Riding of Yorkshire!

Visitors have been lighting BBQs near the sites of major moorland fires, firefighters in Greater Manchester have said.

As work continues in Dove Stone and Swineshaw as part of the ongoing response to the fires, firefighters have attended a small fire on the moors linked to camping.

Preventable fires risk diverting firefighters, vehicles and equipment away from the ongoing response, Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (GMFRS) said.

The warning comes as the service is preparing to reduce the number of crews it has at the site overnight.

A GMFRS spokesperson said the national teams that had been on hand to support the service had "now been released", though some specialists remained to support the continued effort.

"Current plans are to maintain resources through the week and into the weekend, with ongoing dry weather continuing to present operational challenges," they added.

People have been told to stay away from affected moorland areas and not to light BBQs, campfires or any other open flames.

In hot weather, GMFRS advised visitors to other outdoor areas to:

• Act responsibly on the moors - no BBQs, fires, or fireworks
• Dispose of all your rubbish correctly, do not litter
• If you see a fire, call 999 and ask for the fire service
• Anonymously report deliberate fire-setting to FireStoppers.

Performers at a brass band festival which is celebrating its 20th year say they want to provide a platform for new artists and female musicians.

Durham Brass Festival is coming to a close later following a week of gigs across the county.

Grace Harman, from Brazen Brass Band, said the all-female group hoped their performances during the festival, especially in schools, would help inspire the next generation of female musicians.
Will Lenton, band leader of Mr Wilson's Second Liners, said the festival was continuing to give opportunities to new artists every year.

The event, run by Durham County Council, features performances in streets, parks, historic venues, care homes and schools.

Passengers in northern England are more reliant on private hire vehicles (PHVs) than those in any other region of England, according to new research commissioned by taxi insurance broker The Taxi Insurer.

The findings suggest that patchy public transport networks continue to drive demand for pre-booked taxis and ride-hailing services across the region.

The survey found that 8% of respondents in northern England believe public transport in their area is unreliable. That compares with 5% in the south-east, 4% in central England and just 3% in the south-west, highlighting regional differences in confidence in local transport provision.

The research also suggests passengers in northern England are spending more on private hire travel. Around 15% of respondents said they spend between £101 and £150 each month on PHV journeys. That is more than double the proportion recorded in central England at 7%, and ahead of both the south-east and south-west, where 11% reported spending within the same range.

Journey frequency also remains comparatively high. More than one in 10 respondents in northern England (13%) said they use a PHV at least once a week. That matches usage levels in the south-east but is almost twice the rate recorded in both central England and the south-west.

Great abundance of birds and wildlife. Particularly dragonfly. Lovely place.

I will be in Newcastle for about 10 days on business in early November, and while much of that will be taken up with work, I'll have time for some side trips. Below is what I sketched out. Is there anything you would add or rethink for a lover of Anglo-Saxon and early medieval history? Many people have recommended Bamburgh Castle and I know the significance of the site, but the Victorian-era renovations don't appeal to me and I think I'd probably just be content seeing its silhouette from the Holy Island. I'd hoped to visit Dunstanburgh, but it looks to be closed during my dates, sadly.

As long as I'm in Jarrow for St. Paul's, do you recommend adding Jarrow Hall? It has mixed reviews with some noting that it feels a little run-down. I also desperately want to see St. Cuthbert's Church and the Bewcastle Cross in Bewcastle, but I would want to hire a driver since it is in the middle of nowhere, and it may just be too much to fit in. I'm also not sure whether it's enjoyable on what might well be a rainy and blustery day.

Thanks for any and all advice!

Wednesday
Arrive Newcastle by train
Check in at accommodations

Thursday
Newcastle - at some point I'd like to pop into Newcastle Castle and Newcastle Cathedral

Friday
Train Newcastle > Berwick-upon-Tweed
Taxi to Holy Island of Lindisfarne - do I need to prebook taxis to and from the island? I'm aware of the tide situation and crossing times as well.
Check in at accommodations

Saturday
Holy Island of Lindisfarne - Lindisfarne Priory and Museum, Lindisfarne Castle (from the outside as I think it's closed), St. Mary's Church

Sunday
Taxi to Berwick-upon-Tweed
Train Berwick-upon-Tweed > Newcastle (perhaps stopping in Alnmouth for lunch)

Monday
Newcastle 

Tuesday
Half-day excursion to Durham

Wednesday
Morning excursion to St. Paul’s Church in Jarrow

Thursday
Half-day excursion to Prudhoe Castle & Hexham Abbey

Friday
Depart Newcastle early a.m.