Latest news with #grandad
The Sun
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Roy Keane to become a grandad again at 54 as Man Utd legend's daughter and England star announce pregnancy
ROY KEANE is set to become a grandad again at 54 after his daughter and her England star partner announced their pregnancy. Keane's latest grandchild was born in April, prompting the ex-Manchester United captain to post a brilliant caption about the "big baby". 3 3 And after celebrating his recent birthday with a holiday with his grandkids, he will be looking forward to welcoming a new member in the coming months. That is because Leah Keane and Taylor Harwood-Bellis revealed they are expecting. The couple - who are engaged to get married - took to Instagram on Wednesday lunchtime to announce the happy news. They posted a wonderful black-and-white video including clips of the pregnancy test, the scans and on holiday together. The caption read: "Half of me, half of you." Harwood-Bellis, 23, memorably scored on his senior England debut against Keane's Ireland last November. The defender was relegated with Southampton last season. THIS IS A DEVELOPING STORY.. The Sun is your go to destination for the best football, boxing and MMA news, real-life stories, jaw-dropping pictures and must-see video. Like us on Facebook at and follow us from our main Twitter account at @TheSunFootball.
BBC News
04-08-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
'I guess it was in the blood'
We know the relationship between a football fan and their club is a special one so, as we gear up for the new season, we asked you to share why you fell in love with Sunderland and some of your favourite moments supporting them. Bill: My grandad took me to my first football match in 1957-58 when I was seven years old. We stood in the Fulwell End at Roker Park. That was the season. We were relegated for the first time.I have followed the club ever since. One of my first memories was of a miserable old man complaining that he had followed the club for 50 years and their only trophy was the FA Cup in 1973.I had a season ticket for many years but had to give it up due to my age. I remember in my last season at the Stadium of Light that I was complaining to the person in the next seat that the only trophy we had won was the FA Cup in 1973.I had become that miserable old man.
The Sun
15-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Steven Gerrard, 45, becomes a grandad as England legend's daughter Lilly gives birth and shares heartwarming snap
LIVERPOOL legend Steven Gerrard has become a grandad for the first time. The England legend's daughter, Lilly-Ella, 21, has given birth to a baby girl, making Gerrard proud gramps at the age of 45. 1 Gerrard, 44, and wife Alex, 42, have three other children together - Lexie, 19, Lourdes, 13 and Lio, seven. Lilly shared the heartwarming news with a gorgeous snap of her newborn on social media, sending fans wild. Lily posted on a picture of her newborn being carried away by dad on her Instagram story. She announced the news to the world in January alongside two positive pregnancy tests and a pair of baby shoes saying: "Our little secret, the best news, mini us is on the way." THIS IS A DEVELOPING STORY..
Yahoo
08-07-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Voices: I learned the power of reading on my grandad's knee – now I'm passing it on
Parents are children's first teachers. Long before a child sets foot in a classroom, it's at home that their language takes shape, their curiosity begins to grow, and their imagination starts to stretch. For me, that imagination was sparked by books. When I was young, my grandad gave me book after book to read – from the days when he would bounce me on his knee, right up to my final year of university. Books can be the fuel that powers children's development, and so often the only tool a parent needs to become a teacher. That's why yesterday I announced a National Year of Reading in 2026 – a mission not just for schools and libraries, but for all of us, and part of our Plan for Change. Because if we want children to love books, we need to show them that we love books, too. Children who read regularly do better in school, have broader vocabularies, and even experience improved mental health and wellbeing. And yet, in recent years, the number of children reading for pleasure has fallen. In fact, only one in three children say they enjoy reading. It's a decline that rings alarm bells loud and clear – and it's on every one of us to help turn it around: government, schools and parents alike. And as both the secretary of state for education and a parent of two young children, I know I have the responsibility to lead by example. So, for all of us, that means making time for reading – even just 10 minutes a day – and doing it where our children can see us: in our homes, on the sofa, on the bus. Our habits are contagious. Let them see us captivated by a story, so they'll want to discover the magic for themselves. Reading doesn't have to be serious – it just has to be real. When I wasn't engrossed in Sherlock Holmes, I was gripped by Hercule Poirot. I didn't think of those books as 'good for me' – I just couldn't wait to find out who did it. That's the point. Reading should be joyful. Some books have stayed with me throughout my life. As a young adult, Wuthering Heights showed me that literature could be wild, passionate and unsettling, while Zadie Smith's Swing Time reminds me how identity and friendship can be both complicated and compelling. Now, as a parent, I get to rediscover the joy of reading all over again with my own children. We've laughed together over The Gruffalo and been swept up in the adventures of Tracy Beaker. Those shared stories become part of our family language – a reference point, a comfort, a spark for conversation. But I know not every family finds reading easy. Not every home is filled with books. Not every parent feels confident reading aloud. Time is tight – money even more so. The National Year of Reading is about support and opportunities. We're working with the National Literacy Trust to help schools, libraries and community groups get more reading into daily life. Reading is the key that unlocks every subject. You can't excel in science, history or even maths without the ability to read and understand complex ideas. But even more than that, reading builds empathy. It allows children to step into someone else's shoes, to understand different experiences, and to imagine different futures. In an age of distractions – where screen time is rising and attention spans are shrinking – we need to make a conscious choice. The truth is, children still love stories – that hasn't changed. But we must make space for those stories to be heard. So let's start today. Let's make reading visible again. Let's talk to our children about what we're reading. Let's make reading something we do together – not something we tell them to do alone. The National Year of Reading is a call to action – but more than that, it's an invitation: to rediscover the joy of stories, to connect with our children, to lead by example. Because in the end, children learn to love books not because they're told to – but because they see the people they love reading them. Bridget Phillipson is the secretary of state for education and minister for women and equalitiesHercule Poirot novels Sherlock Holmes Oor Wullie comics The Country Girls by Edna O'Brien John le Carré's George Smiley series Swing Time, by Zadie Smith Wuthering Heights, by Emily Brontë The Gruffalo, by Julia Donaldson Tracy Beaker, written by Jacqueline Wilson and illustrated by Nick Sharratt JK Rowling's Harry Potter series
The Independent
08-07-2025
- General
- The Independent
I learned the power of reading on my grandad's knee – now I'm passing it on
Parents are children's first teachers. Long before a child sets foot in a classroom, it's at home that their language takes shape, their curiosity begins to grow, and their imagination starts to stretch. For me, that imagination was sparked by books. When I was young, my grandad gave me book after book to read – from the days when he would bounce me on his knee, right up to my final year of university. Books can be the fuel that powers children's development, and so often the only tool a parent needs to become a teacher. That's why yesterday I announced a National Year of Reading in 2026 – a mission not just for schools and libraries, but for all of us, and part of our Plan for Change. Because if we want children to love books, we need to show them that we love books, too. Children who read regularly do better in school, have broader vocabularies, and even experience improved mental health and wellbeing. And yet, in recent years, the number of children reading for pleasure has fallen. In fact, only one in three children say they enjoy reading. It's a decline that rings alarm bells loud and clear – and it's on every one of us to help turn it around: government, schools and parents alike. And as both the secretary of state for education and a parent of two young children, I know I have the responsibility to lead by example. So, for all of us, that means making time for reading – even just 10 minutes a day – and doing it where our children can see us: in our homes, on the sofa, on the bus. Our habits are contagious. Let them see us captivated by a story, so they'll want to discover the magic for themselves. Reading doesn't have to be serious – it just has to be real. When I wasn't engrossed in Sherlock Holmes, I was gripped by Hercule Poirot. I didn't think of those books as 'good for me' – I just couldn't wait to find out who did it. That's the point. Reading should be joyful. Some books have stayed with me throughout my life. As a young adult, Wuthering Heights showed me that literature could be wild, passionate and unsettling, while Zadie Smith's Swing Time reminds me how identity and friendship can be both complicated and compelling. Now, as a parent, I get to rediscover the joy of reading all over again with my own children. We've laughed together over The Gruffalo and been swept up in the adventures of Tracy Beaker. Those shared stories become part of our family language – a reference point, a comfort, a spark for conversation. But I know not every family finds reading easy. Not every home is filled with books. Not every parent feels confident reading aloud. Time is tight – money even more so. The National Year of Reading is about support and opportunities. We're working with the National Literacy Trust to help schools, libraries and community groups get more reading into daily life. Reading is the key that unlocks every subject. You can't excel in science, history or even maths without the ability to read and understand complex ideas. But even more than that, reading builds empathy. It allows children to step into someone else's shoes, to understand different experiences, and to imagine different futures. In an age of distractions – where screen time is rising and attention spans are shrinking – we need to make a conscious choice. The truth is, children still love stories – that hasn't changed. But we must make space for those stories to be heard. So let's start today. Let's make reading visible again. Let's talk to our children about what we're reading. Let's make reading something we do together – not something we tell them to do alone. The National Year of Reading is a call to action – but more than that, it's an invitation: to rediscover the joy of stories, to connect with our children, to lead by example. Because in the end, children learn to love books not because they're told to – but because they see the people they love reading them. Education secretary Bridget Phillipson: my favourite books As a child: Hercule Poirot novels Sherlock Holmes Oor Wullie comics As an adult: The Country Girls by Edna O'Brien John le Carré's George Smiley series Swing Time, by Zadie Smith Wuthering Heights, by Emily Brontë With my own children: The Gruffalo, by Julia Donaldson Tracy Beaker, written by Jacqueline Wilson and illustrated by Nick Sharratt JK Rowling's Harry Potter series
