Revealed: Fraudsters tried to claim millions from Sadiq Khan's £210m Ulez scrappage fund
'Ulez compliance is now more than 97 per cent, bringing cleaner air to millions of Londoners. London's air quality is now improving at a faster rate than the rest of England and we've also made a difference overseas, with hundreds of vehicles supporting the medical and humanitarian efforts in Ukraine.'
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Daily Mirror
a day ago
- Daily Mirror
Londoners urged to give blood with help from a classic Jamaican dish
With urgent calls for more Black heritage blood donors - a new initiative hopes to get more Londoners donating, one patty at a time While a Jamaican patty might not seem like a lifesaving tool, for thousands of Londoners, it could be the very reason they finally roll up their sleeves to donate blood. As part of a new campaign for National Blood Week, NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) has teamed up with Jamaican food brand Port Royal Patties. With demand for blood donations rising, the two have come up with a powerful way to spotlight the issue by printing QR codes on 180,000 patty wrappers. The 'food for thought' initiative aims to encourage more Londoners, especially those from Black Caribbean and Black African heritage, to donate blood. For many, blood isn't just needed - it's a lifeline. Jeannine Joseph, 28, knows this first hand. Diagnosed with sickle cell before birth, she receives eight units of blood every five and a half weeks to stay alive. 'If regular blood transfusions weren't an option for people with sickle cell, our lives would be unbearable,' she said. 'In May I was hospitalised for almost three weeks. My doctors couldn't get my crisis under control with pain meds. It wasn't until I had a blood transfusion that I instantly felt better and was able to go home.' That need is exactly what moved Port Royal's MD, Edward Johnston, to act. After stumbling across an NHSBT blood drive years ago, he learned about the urgent need for Black heritage donors and signed up himself. 'We're a London company with Jamaican heritage, and we believe it's vital to support initiatives that help the community thrive,' he said. 'I'm proud we're part of the drive to encourage more Black people to give blood. I hope other businesses follow our lead and support NHSBT's lifesaving work.' Black heritage donors are ten times more likely to have the Ro blood type - the one most needed to treat sickle cell patients and reduce the risk of complications. But despite this, they still only make up 2% of UK blood donors. Almost half of the country's 20,000 Black heritage donors are based in London, and numbers have been steadily rising since June 2024. But NHSBT still needs to recruit an extra 16,000 Black donors this year alone to keep up with demand. 'London's Black communities have stepped up in a big way,' said Iroro Agba, Assistant Director at NHSBT. 'But with sickle cell cases rising, we urgently need more people to come forward, especially those with the Ro blood type. If we can keep building partnerships and showing up in our communities, I'm confident we'll get there.' Wembley-based Port Royal's patties now carry NHSBT's 'Blood Saves Lives' message and a scannable QR code that links straight to the blood donation sign-up page - making it as easy as possible to get involved. Many people still hold back from donating whether it's down to fear of needles, not knowing they're eligible, or simply not realising how urgent the need really is. But NHSBT is working hard to challenge those misconceptions and make giving blood part of everyday community culture. And this campaign is far from a one-off. NHSBT continues to build a culture of blood donation through events, outreach, and partnerships that challenge misconceptions and raise awareness of health conditions that disproportionately impact the Black community. 'If you've got the Ro type, chances are your sibling or parent does too,' Iroro added. 'So why not go together? Bring a friend or family member - it takes just an hour and can truly change someone's life.'
Evening Standard
a day ago
- Evening Standard
Revealed: Fraudsters tried to claim millions from Sadiq Khan's £210m Ulez scrappage fund
'Ulez compliance is now more than 97 per cent, bringing cleaner air to millions of Londoners. London's air quality is now improving at a faster rate than the rest of England and we've also made a difference overseas, with hundreds of vehicles supporting the medical and humanitarian efforts in Ukraine.'
Daily Mirror
5 days ago
- Daily Mirror
Brits experience loneliness every month - but are too ashamed to admit it
New research has found that nearly four in 10 Brits feel lonelier now than they did five years ago, with those who feel lonely likely to distract themselves through entertainment Over half of Brits experience loneliness at least once a month – yet feel too embarrassed to admit it. Almost four in 10 confessed to feeling more isolated now than they did five years ago. A survey of 2,000 adults disclosed that nearly two thirds of Brits would rarely or never contemplate discussing their feelings of isolation. Reasons for this include not wanting to impose on others, doubting anyone else will comprehend, and reluctance to show vulnerability. Instead, those who feel lonely are likely to distract themselves through entertainment, such as watching telly, browsing social media, or tuning into the radio. The research was commissioned by audio brand, Pure, which is collaborating with Marmalade Trust, a Bristol-based charity committed to raising awareness of loneliness and helping people forge meaningful connections. As part of this collaboration and in support of Loneliness Awareness Week, Pure will be donating 150 radios to individuals across the UK who are seeking support during a period of loneliness. Dr Lalitaa, a behavioural psychologist and expert in emotional wellbeing, remarked: "Loneliness remains a taboo subject, often shrouded in shame and stigma. It's encouraging to see initiatives like this that provide simple, tangible comfort and help people feel part of something again. Tara Fisher, COO from Marmalade Trust, commented: "Loneliness is a natural human emotion that we are all likely to experience in our lifetime. "There is still a stigma around loneliness, which means a significant portion of the population are reluctant to speak about these feelings to others – either because they don't feel they have anyone to talk to or are worried about doing so." Despite these feelings of shame around loneliness, eight in 10 acknowledged it as a common feeling among the general population. A fifth of all those asked agreed a day is the limit for not speaking to another person before feeling lonely. However, the study emphasised that women were found to feel lonelier than men, with only 16% of women saying they never feel lonely, compared to 26% of men. Gen Z, those born between 1996-2011, also reported feeling lonelier than any other age group, with a third feeling lonely more than once a week, while 11% said they experienced loneliness every day. Regionally, Londoners were most likely to report feeling lonely with 33% of those living in the capital saying they feel lonely at least a few times a week. The top locations people reported feeling lonely were also established as at home alone, in a crowd, and when having a meal by themselves. According to data from people often listen to the radio when they're home alone. Aside from tuning in for news and their favourite music, 38% use their radios for background noise, 20% for company, and 19% to make the house feel less quiet. An additional 16% stated that listening to the radio helps them feel less lonely, with 15% enjoying hearing other people's voices, and 13% liking being part of the conversation. The stations providing the best company were identified as pop music (30%), oldies music (24%), and talk radio stations (21%). Hubert Eiter, spokesperson for Pure, which is donating £5 for every Pure radio sold between June 9 – July 9, 2025 in support of Marmalade Trust, said: "Pure has been active in supporting loneliness charities over many years and we are proud to partner with the Marmalade Trust this year. "It's great to see that everyday listening can bring a lot of comfort to people, as it has the power to immediately make a room feel livelier and less quiet – we love the fact that radio is able to provide some company for those who feel lonely from time to time."
