
Pensioner circumnavigates Britain on his free bus pass
A pensioner is circumnavigating Britain in an epic 3,000-mile journey using his free bus pass.
Brother John Green's six-week trip will see him travel around England, Scotland and Wales to mark the approaching 900th anniversary of the almshouse where he lives.
His 'Brother on a Bus' tour will see him visit 31 cities and towns as he aims to raise awareness of the medieval Hospital of St Cross and Almshouse of Noble Poverty in Winchester, Hants.
Brother John, 85, will complete the trip dressed in the black gown and trencher hat that all 'brothers' residing at the almshouse are required to wear.
'I look a little bit different so people come up and talk to me,' he said. 'A lot of people are very friendly. I have learnt a lot about all sorts of things from people's lives.
'We get talking and they all think I'm absolutely bonkers, of course.'
The retired businessman and book-binder has been living at the almshouse, which was founded in 1132, for 10 years.
He was inspired to take action when several vacancies came up which took some time to fill, deciding it was time to spread awareness of the almshouse, which can house 25 men.
Brother John set off on the meticulously planned route on May 1 in a 'blissful' vintage vehicle provided by King Alfred Buses with many well-wishers waving him off.
He stayed in Brighton with four monks for his first evening of the trip. 'Which I can tell you is quite a different companion to the last time I was in Brighton,' he said.
He has already secured places to stay at the majority of his stops, but is still looking for accommodation in Glasgow, Cardiff and Bangor.
The trip has already seen its share of drama, thanks to roadworks in Great Yarmouth, which meant he was dropped off some distance away from the spot where the next bus was awaiting his arrival.
A search party was sent out, and he was eventually put back on track in a bus to Cromer, Norfolk.
Brother John's longest days will see him travel from around 9.30am to 6pm, with stops for lunch in various places, including Cromer, where he enjoyed the village's renowned crab.
In preparation for potentially bumpy journeys, he had packed several cushion seats, but having decided the bus seats are 'perfectly comfortable', he has now left the cushions with a friend.
He plans to travel Monday to Friday, carrying a copy of the book English Eccentrics, explaining: 'The weekends are for me to put my feet up and have a glass of gin and tonic.
Celebration of resilience and community
'I'm staying with people most nights so they've very kindly been providing me with supper and a chat before a jolly good night's sleep.'
'I'm thoroughly enjoying myself,' he added. 'If you don't do something to keep yourself entertained, what would you do?
'This is more than a journey; it's a celebration of resilience, community, and gratitude.
'After finding belonging at St Cross during a tough time, I want to show others that it's never too late to find purpose – or to take a leap.
'I hope to show people that almshouses are not just places to live, but places to thrive. And at 85, I want to prove it's never too late for an adventure.'
St Cross is a Grade I-listed building and has served as a home for the poor and needy since its foundation.
The almshouse – the oldest form of charitable housing in the UK – is home to a small group of men aged 65 and over.
Almshouses date back to the Middle Ages, with modern examples providing cheap social housing to older people in need.
At St Cross, brothers enjoy a self-contained flat, dating back to the 15th century, and free monthly haircuts.
Brother John's journey is expected to come to an end on June 17. Supporters can donate at

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The Independent
2 hours ago
- The Independent
Best hotels in Liverpool: Where to stay for style, location and value for money
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Neighbourhood: Moorfields This super-contemporary four-star is housed in the old Post & Echo Building, a stone's throw from Moorfields station. Design is slick, all light-wood floors, white walls and matte-black finishes with dashes of slate grey, while the Millennial touches come thick and fast: rooms come with yoga matts so you can keep up with your practice; free mini-bar snacks and drinks plus Nespresso coffee machines; soft, grey cloth robes to lounge around in; floor-to-ceiling blackout curtains; and rainforest showers with mood-boosting toiletries. On reception level, there's Gino D'acampo Old Hall Street restaurant, serving unadventurous but tasty Italian fare, such as burrata and spinach and ricotta ravioli. Head up to the 18th floor, meanwhile, and you can drink in dizzying views and killer cocktails at the Gino D'Acampo 360 Sky Bar. Neighbourhood: Moorfields Style and affordability are the keywords at this four-star hotel, tucked inside the Moorfields business district between the shopping centre and the waterfront. The hotel has contemporary-chic fittings and plenty of indigo, there's a terrace-facing cocktail bar along with a Marco Pierre White restaurant. Strong local motif with murals of the Liverpool textile trade appear throughout, plus a giant collage of Liverpool icons, while all rooms feature walk-in showers, wooden floors and free minibar items. Neighbourhood: Cathedral Quarter Of the three Epic apartment hotels in the city centre (another due winter 2018), Duke Street is the best pick. This modern conversion of a former printing office sits at the heart of Liverpool's vibrant nightlife district and offers a home-from-home experience with kitchens, lounge areas and dining tables, plus a separate bedroom. 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The 216 rooms are smart and contemporary but upgrade to a deluxe corner room with coffee machines, docking stations and an iPad to pre-order your cocktails before the support act. Neighbourhood: Cavern Quarter Heritage meets contemporary style at this millennial-friendly spin-off from the Marriott group. It feels urban with bold design, but also retains many of the heritage features of the Grade II-listed former Royal Insurance Building. The fluorescent Fatboy beanbags may be a step too far, however. The NYL restaurant andar has all-day dining, a mezzanine bar and a particularly fine line in weekend brunches, plus there are pods for impromptu creative thinking and a stage for local musicians to serenade the weekend cocktail cruisers. Neighbourhood: Waterfront The Mal was one of the original hotels for Liverpool's Capital of Culture renaissance. And it's still got it. 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Telegraph
3 hours ago
- Telegraph
I boarded the world's shortest scheduled flight, with a record time of 53 seconds
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In 2014, Orkney Islands Council began looking into a series of fixed links including tunnels, bridges and causeways across seven islands. Those proposals went quiet, but as part of the 2024/2025 budget a £20m fund was allocated to improve inter-island connectivity across Orkney and Shetland. This could be put towards a variety of infrastructural projects, whether it be ferry or road connections, but Labour's Torcuil Crichton described the idea of futuristic tunnels as a 'populist' measure. A one-mile stretch of water now beneath our aircraft, I could see Papa Westray's short air strip, marked by a drystone wall splashed in red and white paint. With a heavy clunk, we touched down, and I clicked stop to see a total flying time of 2 minutes and 7 seconds. It was a shame not to have broken two minutes, but I had no time to wallow, for I had precisely two hours until I would be boarding the flight back to Kirkwall. A tight-knit community (with Hollywood links) My bones still softly vibrating from the flight, I was welcomed onto the island (referred to as 'Papay' by the locals) by the ranger, Jonathan Ford, who was waiting for me at the terminal gate. I had heard about Orkney's islanders having a unique dialect, with Norwegian influences and an inflection similar to Welsh or Irish. But when we hopped into Jon's minibus I detected an English accent. What brought him to this most remote Scottish island? 'The great auk,' he said. 'I came here on Christmas Eve in 2013 to see where they lived. I had become very obsessed with black and white birds, mainly pied wagtails, but that grew into great auks. Obviously I couldn't see them because they're extinct, but I wanted to visit a place where they lived.' The following year the ranger job came up. 'I got the job, sold my house and came here,' he said, in the way someone might describe putting on a coat and popping to the shop. Ten years later, he remains in the post. Life is quiet here. What we just witnessed at the airport, a gathering of half a dozen people, is considered 'rush hour'. The island has a population of 85. People don't drive on the left or the right. 'We just drive straight down the middle,' said Jon. The local school has six students and three members of staff. People don't bother locking their cars, or front doors. Recently, Papay's football team even took part in the inter-island Orkney Cup for the first time. They lost 6-0 in their debut fixture against neighbouring Sanday, but made national news for having three generations of the same family in the starting 11. The heart of the community, however, is the village pub (effectively a pump in the corner of the hostel hall), which was the first stop on our tour. It opens only on Saturdays, and Jon described how the room slowly fills with locals and guests who end up joining tables. As the evening progresses, it often descends into a dance. Recently, there was a particularly famous punter in attendance. In December 2015, Amy Liptrot published her award-winning memoir, The Outrun, about life growing up in Orkney and struggling with addiction. In reality she grew up on Orkney's Mainland, but when the book was adapted into a film, scouts chose Papa Westray as the filming location. The lead star in the film was Saoirse Ronan, who spent many weeks filming on the island and was often seen at the pub during the shoot. A few people have travelled to the island off the back of the film, Jon said, but more seem to come for the flight itself. 'People do come from all over the world just to land at the airport. You can tell them a mile off because they are always dressed very inappropriately,' he laughed. Buildings older than the Pyramids Despite the speedy flight, and the Hollywood star, Papay's main attraction will always be the next stop on our tour: the Knap of Howar. 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To add to the sense of urgency, in the near distance we could see the plane approaching from the south-east. 'Ah,' said Jonathan. 'Yes, we are cutting it a bit fine now.' We raced back to the car, semi-jogging across the maritime heathland, and Jon zoomed us down the tracks to the airport. At one point the aircraft was directly overhead, and it felt like we were in a budget, very low-stakes action film. Four minutes to take-off. What is it with Papa Westray and races against the clock? We made it, of course. Jon said that even if we were a bit late, the pilot would have waited. And without so much as a check of my identity or evidence of a ticket, I hurried onto the runway, ducked under the wing and squeezed into my seat into the bread bin cabin. Next stop, Kirkwall. Spanning 27 miles and lasting 15 minutes, the journey felt practically long-haul. Getting there The Westray to Papa Westray flight is operated by Loganair and starts from £16. A sightseer round-trip ticket starting in Kirkwall costs £50, but this is subject to availability and can only be booked on the day of travel. Orkney Ferries operates services between Kirkwall, Papa Westray and Westray. Book a tour You can join Jonathan Ford, the Papa Westray Ranger, on a tour of the island starting from £60 per adult for a full day. He also skippers boats to the Holm of Papay (£30 per person) and can organise a packed lunch from the Northern Delights Cafe (£7.50). Where to stay Papa Westray has a charming, recently refurbished community-run hostel with six rooms – all with showers and sea views. Double occupancy starts from £72 per night, based on a minimum two-night stay. There are also two camping bothies which start from £62 for twin occupancy.


The Independent
3 hours ago
- The Independent
Ryanair introduces £500 fines for disruptive passengers
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