Friends to cross Humber Bridge in wheelbarrows for mental health charity
Mr Scholey added: "Mental health isn't really spoken about around us men and it's got worse over the years. We want to show people you can talk about it. "I'm going to start by pushing. I'll have my Weetabix in the morning. If I get tired, someone can push me." Ashley Harris, 31, who is also taking part, said: "I've known people from school who've lost their lives to mental health and we've all struggled ourselves at some point."We just want to show other men in the city it's OK not to be OK." The journey will start at 09:00 BST at Darley's pub in Hessle and finish in Barton upon Humber.
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The Guardian
an hour ago
- The Guardian
‘Your nether regions will know if you've skimped': 16 summer cycling essentials
Cycling is one of the most rewarding activities around. It's good for your physical and mental health, offers a carbon-free way of getting from A to B, and can often be the quickest and most cost-effective form of transport – particularly if you live in a city. The Guardian's journalism is independent. We will earn a commission if you buy something through an affiliate link. Learn more. Once you're hooked, there are a few bits of kit that will improve your experience immeasurably, whether that's comfortable clothing to curtail chaffing, or a water bottle to help you hydrate without stopping. In summer, the longer days and generally favourable conditions mean you can forgo additional accessories such as bike lights, mudguards and head-to-toe waterproofs – although they can't be avoided forever if you become a year-round, all-weather rider. Another bit of good news is that while cycling has a reputation for being an expensive pursuit, it doesn't have to be, and many of my favourite bits of kit have more affordable price tags. In the almost three decades since I set off stabiliser-free for the first time, I've dabbled in all types of cycling – from a teenage fling with BMXing to inner-city commuting and ultra-distance off-road escapades. In that time, I've tested all manner of clothing, tools and accessories, pushing them to the limit during races, events, training rides and the daily grind. Here's my favourite gear that I reach for before setting off on a summer ride. Although it performs a similar function to a generic sports base layer, a jersey is the first 'proper' bit of cycling gear worth investing in because of the additional comfort it offers. Made from a lightweight, breathable fabric, a jersey will wick away moisture from hotspots, while a full-length zip means you can 'ventilate' on the go. Three rear pockets store essentials such as food, tools and a phone, and unlike a running or gym top, the cut is slightly longer at the back for extra coverage when riding leant forward. My favourites, which perform well without breaking the bank, are Italian-designed Sportful SRK, which includes an extra zipped compartment for keys; the 100% recycled Rapha Core; the DHB Blok and its women-specific range, Moda; and the sub-£40 Madison Flux, which comes with a lifetime guarantee. Rapha Core women's jersey Sportful men's SRK jersey DHB Moda women's short-sleeve jersey 2.0 DHB Blok men's classic short-sleeve jersey Madison Flux men's short-sleeve jersey Bib shorts might seem like an indulgent (and expensive) purchase, but you get what you pay for – and your nether regions will let it be known if you've skimped. Fitted with a saddle-shaped section of foam in the crotch (known as a chamois), the shorts add an extra layer of padding beneath your perineum that keeps the area dry and cushioned on long rides. Just don't wear underwear, as this can negate the benefits. The straps may make the item resemble a wrestler's singlet, but they keep the shorts in place more comfortably than a waistband, which can dig in over time. As the male and female anatomy are quite different down there, it's worth opting for a gender-specific set. Albion's ABR1 are my go-to for ultra-distance exploits, arriving with handy pockets on each thigh and one at the rear for extra storage. The Gregarius Essential from Q36.5, meanwhile, are soft and supportive against the skin, and breathable too. And for women, 'Petrichor Projects' PP002 offer unbeatable comfort, with a cargo pocket, easy-pee design and sleek aesthetics,' says Katherine Moore, author of Gravel Rides South West England, who also recommends Velocio's Luxe line for all-day epics. 'They're made from a super-soft, compressive material with a built-in base layer front and lovely raw-finish leg hem. A thicker-style chamois pad is the go-to for longer rides.' Albion ABR1 men's pocket bib shorts Q36.5 Gregarius Essential bib shorts Petrichor Projects PP002 women's bib shorts Velocio women's Luxe bib shorts If you'd rather cover your modesty with a normal set of shorts, then opt for a pair of undershorts instead. Secured at the waist, rather than the shoulders, this padded set from Endura will soften the sting of any terrain (as I found out when mountain biking in Colorado), while the stretchy mesh fabric minimises the buildup of sweat, even when worn under non-technical clothing. Endura men's padded Clickfast liner shorts Endura women's padded Clickfast liner shorts Cotton caps were originally designed to protect bare heads from the sun, although today's peloton professionals will rarely wear one. Since you're unlikely to be chasing every watt on your commute, though, a cycling cap under your helmet is a good way to shield from the sun or take off the chill on cooler mornings, all while adding a splash of colour to your riding wardrobe. Prendas specialises in vintage cotton caps, with the Mapei design of the 90s and early 00s team one of the loudest around. The Giro d'Italia-inspired cap from the General Classification is a bit more subtle but oozes style. Mapei retro cotton cycling cap Tour of Italy cotton cycling cap Helmets are a source of contentious debate, but if you want a model that goes above and beyond the EN1078 European standard (which every cycling helmet sold is required to pass by law), the ARO3 Endurance by Oakley is a good choice. It includes an internal Mips (multi-directional impact protection system) layer, which can move independently of the outer shell in the event of a crash, helping to protect the brain. Its 19 vents keep the air flowing even on the warmest days, and the antimicrobial liner minimises odour, ride after ride. Oakley AR03 Endurance Mips helmet Although your feet are fairly static when riding a bike, all of those revolutions will soon have you working up a sweat inside your shoes. Any sports sock will do the job, but a cycling-specific pair will be much more comfortable, providing ventilation on the tops of your feet and padded toes to support every pedal stroke. Like caps, socks can enable you to add a splash of personality, and the fluoro finish of Aussie brand Maap's training sock is sure to get nods of approval at the traffic lights. Maap training sock Oversized sports sunglasses are a must-have fashion accessory this summer, but if you're more interested in conquering hills than the catwalk, you should prioritise a set that provides good coverage against sun, rain and unsuspecting insects – as well as ventilation to prevent you from fogging up. Decathlon's Van Rysel brand is renowned for its premium products, and its RoadR 900 shades can stand up to models from Oakley for a fraction of the cost. This pair comes with a photochromic, UV-filtering nylon lens that automatically adjusts depending on the sun's intensity, meaning no need to swap between lenses and cover them in grubby fingerprints in the process. The lens has also undergone an oil-repelling treatment that helps rain and road spray run from its surface. Decathlon Van Rysel RoadR 900 Perf sunglasses Most riders will need to drink at least 500ml of fluids an hour when cycling, and even more if it's hot. You can use any water bottle, but a bidon comes with an easy-to-open valve that allows you to refresh as you ride, so you don't need to stop to unscrew any lids. The Camelbak Podium is a time-honoured design that can carry up to 710ml, allowing you to ride for longer without running dry, and its insulated version keeps contents cold. Camelbak Podium water bottle Road cyclists take pride in their tan lines, but protecting your skin is more important than chasing a golden glow. A sports-specific sunscreen will handle sweat better than an everyday cream, and Ultrasun's Sports Gel does the job without leaving any greasy marks on your clothes. The fast-absorbing gel is easier to apply than a spray, and means you can quickly see whether you've covered all your exposed skin before setting off. Sign up to The Filter Get the best shopping advice from the Filter team straight to your inbox. The Guardian's journalism is independent. We will earn a commission if you buy something through an affiliate link. after newsletter promotion Ultrasun sports gel SPF30 Instead of forking out for a dedicated cycling computer for navigation and tracking, your phone can perform a similar function if you arm it with the right apps (see below). To keep an eye on directions or distance covered, you'll want to attach it to your bike front and centre with a mount on your stem (the part that joins your handlebars to your fork). Quad Lock's offering might look simple, but its twist and dual-lock system means you can trust it will hold your phone in place, and the included cable ties will fix it firmly to your bike. Quad Lock Bike Mount Pro stem mount Quad Lock Mag case for iPhone Cycle enough and you'll eventually come a cropper with a mid-ride mechanical. A puncture is the most common culprit, so it's a good idea to arm yourself with the tools and knowhow to fix one. Tyre levers and a pump are a must, and carrying an inner tube or two that are the same size as those installed on your wheels will be the quickest fix. A puncture-repair kit is always a good backup too. For other issues, such as loose fittings or a broken chain, Crankbrothers' pocket-sized F16 multitool has the hex bolt bits to get you out of most scrapes. If you have any carbon fibre components, Topeak's Ratchet Rocket Lite NTX+ includes a torque gauge to stop you overtightening (and damaging) your bike. Crankbrothers F16 Multitool Topeak Ratchet Rocket Lite NTX+ Pedro's tyre levers Decathlon inner tube repair patch replacement kit Lezyne V2 ABS pressure-drive hand pump A solid pair of shorts will go a long way to helping you avoid saddle sores, but applying a layer of chamois cream to the area pre-ride is a belt-and-braces approach. You need to apply only a small amount of this cooling, rehydrating formula from Assos to keep everything supple and chafe-free – even after 12 hours in the saddle. Assos chamois creme There's a cycling bag for every type of ride – from panniers perfect for the daily grind to the office, to big bikepacking setups that could survive a round-the-world expedition. For everyday exploring, though, you can't beat a handlebar bag. The 3.4l Lil Presto Barrel Bag by Wizard Works can comfortably carry a waterproof layer, nutritional provisions and a multitool, and its hard-shell Cordura construction will keep contents protected from the elements (with the rigidity making it easy to unzip on the go). Wizard Works Lil Presto barrel bag The cafe stop is a sacrosanct staple of any bike ride, and can sometimes be the sole motivation for saddling up. But cycling longer distances will require you to refuel well before you can tuck into your cappuccino and cake. Sports gels deliver a convenient, compact and easy-to-digest hit of carbohydrates, with a dose recommended every 20-30 minutes. Veloforte's energy gels are half the size of those from most other manufacturers, while the use of concentrated fruit juice rather than flavourings means you won't suffer from the flavour fatigue of more synthetic-tasting alternatives. Clif Bloks are a good option for those who prefer a more solid sugar hit. Veloforte Primo natural energy gel Clif Bloks Energy Chews Looking for some local ride inspiration, or planning something farther afield? There are a host of navigation apps that can suggest tailored tours based on duration, distance and difficulty, and their cycling-specific nature means you're rarely led astray (or on to a dual carriageway). Komoot is great for finding off-road-leaning trails and has its own easy-to-use route planner that includes user-recommended highlights. And if you already subscribe to Strava, in addition to tracking and displaying your speed and distance, the app has a route tool that can generate a loop based on the most popular roads and paths. For those who prefer printed guides, Jack Thurston's Lost Lanes books are a brilliant resource and offer well-researched routes with accompanying downloadable directions. Komoot Strava Lost Lanes Southern England Pounding the pedals can leave you with sore muscles, so ramp up your recovery with a massage gun. Theragun's third-generation Mini packs an almighty punch considering its size, and is small enough to stow in a pannier if you're out on a multi-day adventure. Its three-head attachments can delve deep into aches and pains in your quads, calves and lower back, and its guided routines are handy for those new to knot-busting. Theragun mini third generation For more, read our roundup of the best massage guns Charlie Allenby is a health and fitness journalist who puts running and cycling gear through its paces on increasingly ridiculous endurance challenges
Telegraph
2 hours ago
- Telegraph
The 180-ton ‘wet wipe island' that's clogging up the Thames
To a casual observer, the pair of mechanical excavators raking through the mulch on the Thames's southern foreshore might well signify little. It's a quiet spot at the foot of London's Hammersmith Bridge, overlooked by a towpath and a few passing swans. But something major is happening here: the first-of-its-kind mechanised removal of what has been locally dubbed ' wet wipe island '. Surveys suggest this stomach-churning build-up of detritus has changed the very course of the river. Yet, until now, the work of tackling it has largely been left to volunteers for Thames21, an environmental charity. In Wellington boots and protective gloves, they have stalked the exposed shore at low tide, picking out wet wipes that Londoners have flushed down toilets – and which have, over the years, amalgamated into something far more gruesome than the sum of their parts. The numbers alone are grim: in the past eight years, volunteers have collected more than 140,000 wet wipes spewed into the river when storm overflows discharge sewage during periods of heavy rainfall. Thames Water clears 3.8 billion wipes from its network every year, at an annual cost of £18m. The 'island' of these that has formed near Hammersmith Bridge, where the river bends and the water moves slowly, is roughly the size of two tennis courts. According to modelling by the Port of London Authority (PLA), which has now taken the lead on the expensive clean-up operation, it weighs 180 tons, or the same as 15 double-decker buses. It's mostly composed of wet wipes clumped up with twigs, and has grown as high as a metre in some places. '[An] embarrassment to the capital,' the PLA has said. Were it to appear in a Don DeLillo novel, this outsized agglomeration would offer a discomfiting metaphor for how we live: as rapacious consumers who bury our waste beneath our city, creating an underworld we'd rather not consider. And for some years, indeed, the dogged, strong-stomached volunteers have shouldered the burden of doing so. 'When [they] are there, they [realise] it's worse than they expected,' says Liz Gyekye from Thames21, which has monitored this side of the bridge since 2017. 'You do hear people saying, 'I didn't know how bad the problem is…' Once you get onto the foreshore, [you can see the wet wipes] are everywhere.' It is feared they can harm wildlife and ecology locally, as well as further afield. The problem, she says, is that the wipes contain plastic, which breaks down into microplastics. These can then make their way into the stomachs of animals, according to studies. 'It will flow into oceans eventually and fish will be eating it and we eat the fish,' says Gyekye. Despite this unappetising prospect, we continue to flush the wipes down our toilets when they should be disposed of in the bin. Even better, Gyekye adds, is not buying them at all. 'We've always put out the message, 'bin it, don't flush it',' she says. '[And] we urge people to use alternatives. They're convenient but the best thing is not to use them.' Although wet wipes were invented in the middle of the 20th century, their widespread use – and hence the problem of their disposal – is a relatively recent phenomenon. 'In the 1970s and 1980s, people used cotton wool and water to wipe their babies' bottoms,' says Gyekye. 'It's only from the 1990s they started marketing this innovation. People aren't just using them for babies but to remove make-up.' Some 11 billion are used every year in the UK, with about 90 per cent containing plastic. In London, so-called 'nappy valley' areas like Battersea are responsible for particularly high usage, Gyekye suggests. This summer, inspired by the charity's action, the PLA is trying a different method to clear away the wet wipe island, deploying specially commissioned excavators to rake the foreshore, gather up the wipes and remove them, after which they will be taken to a skip and disposed of. The work, mostly funded by the PLA and started this week, will take a month and is thought to be costing hundreds of thousands of pounds. The excavators are being stored on the grounds of the adjacent independent St Paul's School while not in use. 'Frankly it is disgusting,' says Mark Anderson, the PLA's head of corporate affairs, of the wet wipe island. 'We are just as frustrated as anybody, and have wanted to see this addressed for years.' The completion of a new ' super sewer ' (the Thames Tideway Tunnel), the interest and financial commitment 'have now aligned to get this going', he adds. If it's emblematic of our throwaway culture, and the mountains of waste we generate, it is also arguably a sign of how poorly we care for our waterways. Last year, a report from The Rivers Trust found that no single stretch of river in England or Northern Ireland was in good overall health, and that toxic chemicals that remain in ecosystems for decades pollute every stretch of English rivers. Untreated sewage spills were found to blight most of our rivers. In the capital, the sewerage system was historically designed to discharge into the rivers, to prevent sewage from backing up into people's homes. Before Joseph Bazalgette created the network for Victorian London, raw sewage flowed into the Thames, from where London drew its drinking water supply. 'A portion of the inhabitants of the metropolis are made to consume, in some form or another, a portion of their own excrement, and moreover, to pay for the privilege,' observed microbiologist Arthur Hassall in 1850. Cholera epidemics served to illustrate the toll this took on people's health, although at the time the disease was believed to be airborne, carried by the stench of the river. Bazalgette engineered his way out of this, but his system was not designed to cope with a population the size of the capital's current one. After huge growth in the 19th century, there were 6.5 million people in London by the start of the 20th century. Today that figure is closer to nine million, and the city once again seems overwhelmed by its own waste. In 2023, at least 14.2 billion litres of sewage ended up in the Thames, according to figures obtained by the Liberal Democrats. Work is under way to reduce this. In February this year the Thames Tideway Tunnel became fully connected. It is expected to reduce sewage discharges into the tidal Thames by 95 per cent, including at the location where the island has formed. Thames Water, which has been criticised for its handling of the general problem, has promised £9.5bn (in 2022-23 prices) of investment over the next five years to safeguard the environment and improve river health. The water company and the Environment Agency are working with the PLA to tackle wet wipe island. 'We continue to work with partners to create a better River Thames for people and wildlife,' says Charlie Wood, the London director of the Environment Agency. The Government also plans to ban wet wipes containing plastic, something Thames21 has campaigned for. 'This is part of our wider plan to rebuild the water system, which includes a record £104bn investment to halve sewage spills by 2030 and a new, powerful regulator responsible for the entire water sector – created by abolishing Ofwat and merging four water regulators into one,' says a spokesman for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. Back near Hammersmith Bridge, a couple of passers-by look on as the excavators continue to rake away at the wet wipe problem. London continues to go about its business, consuming and then discarding material things in frightening numbers. But DeLillo's Underworld, in which waste is a central theme, carries a haunting warning. As one character tells Nick Shay, the novel's protagonist: 'What we excrete comes back to consume us.'
The Independent
4 hours ago
- The Independent
The best supermarket cakes to bring with you to a Macmillan Coffee Morning
Macmillan Coffee Morning is celebrating 35 years of bringing people together to raise money for those living with cancer. Since 1990, the fundraising event has raised more than £300m for Macmillan Cancer Support. In 2024 alone, the charity provided vital support to around 2.4 million people affected by cancer across the UK. The charity's famous Coffee Morning event is a chance for people to get involved and donate to the cause. The idea is simple: bring baked treats for the group to eat while enjoying a cup of coffee or tea and ask everyone to donate money while having a good time. You can make it as wild or as simple as you like; whether it's organised among teachers and parents at a school, a sober rave with a group of colleagues at work or in your living room with friends. And there's no reason to stick to coffee and cakes, mix things up by organising a Coffee Morning with a difference. Macmillan Cancer Support makes it easy for hosts with information and advice online on how to organise the event, and a fundraising kit that contains everything from balloons and bunting to posters and food labels. Want to be a Coffee Morning Host? Traditionally, people bake their own cakes to take to Macmillan Coffee Mornings. But if you're strapped for time (or skills), then this shouldn't dissuade you from taking part. Requiring minimal effort but often tasting just as nice, supermarket cakes are equally well-received. But with all the biggest supermarkets vying for your attention, which cake should you buy? If you're joining a Macmillan Coffee Morning soon and need some inspiration, the IndyBest team has tried and tasted the best supermarket cakes to enjoy with a cuppa (someone had to do it). How we tested The team sampled these cakes one by one, considering freshness, flavour, ingredients and the concept behind each. From classic carrot cake and tiered extravaganzas to rich red velvet and a spongey take on Eton mess, these are our favourites. The best supermarket cakes for 2025 are: Macmillan Cancer Support, registered charity in England and Wales (261017), Scotland (SC039907) and the Isle of Man (604). Also operating in Northern Ireland.
