Each week, Ben Hopkinson looks back at a serious, crazy, and happy news story from the past week.
Serious News
The Freedom Pass which allows older residents to travel across London for free throughout specific times of the day is coming under fire for the cost of running the scheme, as well as fairness.
Available for those aged 66 and above, the pass costs a total of £291.5million throughout all boroughs within the 2024/25 financial year – up from £226.6million the year before.
A spokesperson for London Councils says: “We are monitoring the cost of the scheme closely, especially given the financial pressure London local government is under - boroughs are collectively facing a £1bn funding shortfall this year”.
What do you think about the Freedom Pass – are they unfair and a waste of money? Should they be scrapped in their current guise?
Crazy News
Another crazy record has been broken, as a Swedish man was inspired by his kids to stick 81 matches up his nose – breaking the previous record of 68.
42-year-old Martin Ströby says that after his children flicked through the book, they said it would be “so cool” for their dad to break a Guinness World Record.
Speaking on the feat, he says: “After doing the trial run, I discovered I could both stretch my nostrils a lot and also ignore the pain from putting all those matches in there. Three inserted matches meant one or two falling out. I did some more trial runs and did eventually find a technique I could utilise to minimize the number of matches falling out.”
He wants to be an inspiration to his children, adding: “As a father I want my children to look up to me in the same way I look up to my father who has taught me more than I can write down”.
Happy News
A shop in Wiltshire is asking customers to visit and write a kind message in a free card to someone who may be feeling lonely or needing to read a nice message, as it aims to send out 1,000 cards.
Highworth Emporium are using the initiative as part of Thinking of You week, which is also coinciding the town's volunteer week.
The cards will be delivered to local care homes, hospices and hospitals by local Scout groups.
Aga Marsden, owner of the Highworth Emporium, says: “Something as simple as a handwritten card can have such a powerful emotional impact. It reminds people that they are cared for and that they are not forgotten. We hope this project spreads a little extra joy and kindness across our community”.
Primary schools have got involved too, with approximately 500 written by children – one already delivered and read by a care home resident who does not often receive cards and was reminded that “somebody loves me”.
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