Louisa Merrick-White

Jared O’Mara has today been sentenced to four years in prison at Leeds Crown Court, after being convicted of six counts of fraud. During his time in office, he attempted to claim up to £30,000 of “taxpayer’s” money by submitting “dishonest” invoices to the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (ISPA).
O’Mara rose to prominence with the general election of 2017, unexpectedly winning Sheffield Hallam for Labour, a seat which had been held by the Liberal Democrat’s Nick Clegg for 12 year...

This January marks 40 years since mandatory seatbelt laws were introduced in the UK, spearheaded by leading accident prevention charity, the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA). To celebrate, the government is taking steps which will potentially scale back the lifesaving legislation as part of its retained EU law (revocation and reform) bill (REUL).

‘So, the date is over, but not in a bad way, he’s just an idiot.’
That was the message I sent to two friends who were eagerly awaiting news of my first, first date in over four years. The only problem was that this message came just an hour after it had begun.

With the cost-of-living crisis worsening, the number of people having to turn to food banks to feed their families has increased massively. And with demand unlikely to lessen any time soon, those food banks who support so many people are themselves in need of support. That’s where Food Bank Day comes in.
The first Food Bank Day will take place on 30 November. It aims to encourage people to support these essential resources in whatever way they can.

The UK’s top hotspots for night-sky watching have been revealed as Yorkshire, Devon and Kent. A study by Cotswold Outdoor analysed contributing geographical factors including northern light sightings, cloud cover, observatories, dark sky locations, camping grounds and space phenomena-watching events.
These factors influence optimum conditions for asteroid spotting, star gazing and watching other night sky ‘shows’.

Representatives of Calderdale Council, Hebden Royd Town Council and Business Forum got first-hand experience of what it’s like to be blind walking through Hebden Bridge. Organised by West Yorkshire Sight Loss Council (WYSLC), the walk aimed to highlight the ongoing issue of pavement obstacles which cause obstructions for blind and partially sighted pedestrians, as well as the wider community.

Electric vehicles have been quickly growing in popularity over recent years but the infrastructure to allow drivers to charge them hasn’t always been able to keep up. However, a new study has shown that things are changing, and Leeds is leading the way.

In early 2018, Derek Brown’s wife Margaret was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. Shortly after, Derek began to realise how difficult it was for those with Alzheimer’s and dementia to exercise their rights and in particular, to obtain the council tax reduction they are entitled to.
Derek launched a petition to encourage the government to change the rules so that those suffering from Alzheimer’s and dementia and their families could benefit sooner from the council tax reductions they’re entitled to.

“My grandad has dementia – knowing he won’t see me walk down the aisle on the day I get married breaks me, but he will be walking with me in my heart”. A woman whose grandfather was diagnosed with dementia aged just 62 will join hundreds of fundraisers going the extra mile at Alzheimer’s Society’s Memory Walk in York in September.

On New Year’s Day 2021, my first serious relationship ended. Odd timing, you might think, but what better day to start a new chapter in your life than the first of 365? I sat my partner down for the long overdue talk, which I knew would end with the long overdue breakup, something I still didn’t want but had come to accept was necessary.
The next few months were filled with all the usual post-breakup feelings: sadness and grief at the loss of someone who’d been my person for the past three ye...

The Women’s Engineering Society is celebrating its ninth International Women in Engineering Day on 23 June. The society aims to raise the profile of women working in engineering, support professional development, advocate for gender diversity in engineering and encourage more girls to consider a career in engineering.

The RSPB is inviting people to join Rockingham Band and Chol Theatre on Sunday 19 June to discover the Dearne Valley’s coal mining heritage, including a performance based on local memories and stories, and to learn about the wildlife that now thrives in the area today.
The heritage event with Chol Theatre and Rockingham Brass Band will take place at RSPB Old Moor nature reserve, Old Moor Lane, Barnsley.

‘Stories from the pandemic’ invites local people to share stories and experiences from the pandemic via a new website or by writing on postcards available across the city. Their contributions will form a lasting testimony and historical record of the pandemic’s impact from the perspective of individuals and the communities they live in. These stories will then inform plans for localised activities and a memorial statue in the city centre.

Valentine’s Day is upon us, which means our social media feeds are once again full of people declaring their love for their partners, flaunting their elaborate gifts and showing off the grand gestures they have planned. But how do those in secret relationships celebrate their love? Four people share their stories.

Osteogenesis Imperfecta (OI), also known as Brittle Bones, is a genetic condition caused by a mutation in one of the genes responsible for the production of type one collagen, a major protein in bone. This leads to weak bones which fracture easily.