Patrick Stewart. Turned up so early and so unobtrusively to be a star in the reasonably priced car, we mistook him for a delivery driver and asked him to go round the back. Took his hat off and said, “But I’m the captain of the Enterprise”. Fucking nice guy.

When I think of Patrick Stewart, it's not Captain Picard or Professor X that springs to mind. It's this quote. May he rest in peace.

Lymphedema has left me with one arm 2/3 times the size of the other. Losing weight has made it more painful & obvious. Buying a winter coat is a huge challenge but this is a great solution from @marksandspencer for slightly cooler winter days, for anyone actually. £36 bargain!

Why be a so-so when you could be a go-go?

Chris Kamara spent years making millions of football fans laugh every Saturday. Then Kamara was diagnosed with apraxia of speech, a condition which affected his ability to communicate and eventually led to him leaving Sky Sports after more than two decades. Instead of hiding away, he spoke openly about what he was going through and made the documentary Lost for Words to raise awareness of the condition. He was later awarded an MBE for services to football, charity and anti-racism. It’s simply worth recognising what Kamara has been through and the way he’s handled it. Nothing but respect for Chris Kamara. ❤️

Just want to tell you about an amazing colleague I met last week. Victoria joined us 3 years ago when she was still in prison, via our Max Spielmann training academy inside HMP Downview. She started to go out on day release, and has now worked her way up to shop manager, and now has become a member of the area team!

Fleetwood Chippy 🤣⚒️

🚨 Jude Bellingham reveals the emotional message he sent Harry Kane after his 2026 Ballon d’Or triumph: 🎙️ Interviewer: “Jude, Harry Kane has finally won the 2026 Ballon d’Or. What was the first thing you said to him? Jude Bellingham: “I sent him a message straight away. Honestly, I don’t even know how to explain how happy I am for him. Since day one, I’ve been supporting Harry to win this award. I’ve always believed he deserved it, and I never stopped saying it” “People see the goals, the trophies and the individual awards, but I see the man behind all of that. I see what he gives to England, how much pressure he carries, and how he keeps showing up for his country even when the expectations are enormous” “We’ve fought together in that England shirt. We’ve shared difficult nights, painful disappointments and moments when we came so close to giving this country something special. I’ve seen his hunger, his discipline and how badly he wants to win something for England. That’s why this means so much to me” “My message to him was simple: ‘Harry, brother, I’m so happy for you. You deserve every second of this. I’ve believed in you from the beginning, and seeing you lift that trophy makes me proud. Now let’s bring something special home for England, because I still believe our biggest moment together is waiting for us.’ “Harry has given so much to English football. Tonight, the world has recognised what we in that dressing room have known for years. He’s not just our captain. He’s someone we respect, someone we fight alongside, and someone whose success feels personal to all of us.”

Carry a spare sunrise. Always have another reason to begin again

في التاسعة من عمره، خرج هاري كين في نزهة مع والده باتريك في الحديقة القريبة من منزلهما في تشينغفورد، شرق لندن، عند بداية غابة إيبينغ. بعد القليل من المشي، جلسا على أحد المقاعد، وقال باتريك لابنه: «عليّ أن أخبرك بشيء. أتعلم يا هاري؟ أرسنال قرر الاستغناء عنك». لم يعرف هاري ماذا يفكر، كان لا يزال صغيرًا جدًا على استيعاب الرفض كمأساة. لم يوبّخه والده باتريك، ولم ينتقد حتى قرار المسؤولين الذين قرروا استبعاده. بل قال له: «لا تقلق، إذا اجتهدت وعملت بجد، فستجد فريقًا آخر، اتفقنا؟». وبعد أربعة وعشرين عامًا، وخلال الأسبوع نفسه، سجّل هاري كين هدفه السادس عشر في مسيرته أمام أرسنال، وفاز بالكرة الذهبية. إنها مجرد واحدة من الحكايات التي تجعل قصة هاري كين أشبه بقصة خيالية. حكاية ملهمة، مليئة بالتفاصيل التي تجعلك تعتقد أن القدر موجود بالفعل، وأنه خبّأ شيئًا استثنائيًا لرجل يبدو عاديًا إلى حدّ كبير. هناك اسمه، الذي يشبه كلمة «Hurricane» التي تعني الإعصار، وهو اسم مثالي لشخص تتمثّل مهنته في تسجيل الأهداف. وهناك أيضًا الصورة التي التُقطت له مع ديفيد بيكهام، برفقة مجموعة من الأطفال، من بينهم كيت، التي أصبحت زوجته لاحقًا. أما الحكاية الأكثر غرابة، فهي التي تجمعه بجيرمين ديفو. ففي أحد الأيام العادية، مرّ ديفو بمدينة تشينغفورد برفقة أحد أصدقائه، فشاهد ملعبًا صغيرًا لكرة القدم محاطًا بسياج، وقرر أن يشارك الأطفال الموجودين فيه اللعب. وبعد بضع سنوات، وفي غرفة ملابس توتنهام، اقترب منه أحد اللاعبين المنضمّين إلى الفريق من الفئات السنية، وقال له: «هل تتذكر ذلك اليوم الذي مررت فيه بتشينغفورد؟ أنا أيضًا كنت ألعب في الملعب ذلك اليوم».

What if the most courageous thing a cancer patient can do is to stop trying to prove how courageous they are?

What an excellent idea. Ladies, you can download this video and play it on loudspeaker if you are at all concerned whilst walking home alone. Linked to original video-vm.tiktok.com/ZN8DVk4sb/

I had a few tears watching this. I used to be an addict. Nearly took my life. This should be mandatory watching in every school.

We have just had to block the account of a troll who keeps setting up accounts to post libellous accusations against us. We have nothing to hide - just a team of people trying to make life a little bit more pleasant for vulnerable people who don't have much to be glad about.

A notice from the Department of Personal Reflections: Following a comprehensive review, it has been determined that if you are going to make a change then you have to start with the person in the mirror. Buying a new mirror is not the answer.

When Gary Speed appeared on BBC’s Football Focus on Saturday the 26th of November 2011, he was approaching his first anniversary as Wales manager and had plenty to look forward to. Wales had won four of their previous five matches, climbing from 117th to 45th in the world rankings, and Speed had spent the week discussing plans for the country’s next World Cup qualifying campaign. He had travelled to the BBC studios in Salford to join presenter Dan Walker and his former Leeds United teammate Gary McAllister. And when the two met that morning, there was nothing unusual about their conversation. “It was the normal Gary Speed.” “He was a movie star in my eyes.” The pair spent the morning joking with each other, with Speed particularly amused by the jumper McAllister had chosen to wear. They talked about the Wales team and made plans to play golf together when their schedules allowed. “There were no signs, nothing.” Dan Walker had spent several hours with Speed and remembered him asking about his family, discussing his two sons and talking about taking Wales to the 2014 World Cup. “He was just the Gary Speed that I know.” “Just normal Gary stuff.” After the programme, Speed went upstairs to see Alan Shearer and Mark Lawrenson, who were watching Stoke against Blackburn in the Match of the Day production office. Shearer and Speed had become close friends during their time at Newcastle, and the two were already arranging to spend the following weekend together with their wives. Before leaving, Speed shook Walker’s hand and thanked him for having him on the programme. The following morning, Speed’s wife Louise found him dead at their family home. He was just 42 years old. Walker received the news less than twenty-four hours after they had been sitting together in the television studio. “Staggered by the news.” “I genuinely cannot believe it.” McAllister was at home when Alan Shearer rang to tell him what had happened. “It turned me to jelly.” “I couldn’t believe what he was saying.” “It shook me to the bones.” Across football, former teammates struggled to take in the news. At Swansea, Wales internationals Neil Taylor, Joe Allen and Ashley Williams were preparing to face Aston Villa when Brendan Rodgers called them into a room and told them Speed had passed away. Villa goalkeeper Shay Given had been one of Speed’s closest friends at Newcastle. As the teams prepared to kick off, Given stood in his goal crying, while supporters from both clubs joined in a tribute to the Wales manager. For the Wales players, they had lost the man who had started turning their national team around. Speed had taken the job in December 2010 after Wales had fallen to their lowest ever world ranking. He introduced new training methods, improved the professionalism around the squad and began giving younger players greater responsibility. Just two weeks before his death, Wales had beaten Norway 4-1 in Cardiff. It would be his final match as manager. Afterwards, Speed had spoken about how much the team had improved. “We’ve progressed further than I’d have thought in this space of time.” “But we’ve still got a lot of work to do.” One of the players he had placed his faith in was Aaron Ramsey. Despite being only twenty, Ramsey had been given the Wales captaincy earlier that year. Speed believed the Arsenal midfielder could lead the next generation of Welsh players, and Ramsey never forgot that decision. “He means a lot to me.” “To be named captain by him… was a very proud moment.” In January 2012, Chris Coleman was appointed Wales manager. He had been one of Speed’s closest friends and had spoken to his family before accepting the job. Coleman kept much of the backroom staff and continued the improvements Speed had begun. “I carried on some work that Gary Speed had started.” “He set the wheels in motion for that to happen.” The results did not come immediately. Wales struggled through their next World Cup qualifying campaign, and Coleman faced growing pressure after a 6-1 defeat to Serbia. But as Gareth Bale, Ramsey and the rest of the squad developed, the team began winning matches again. In October 2015, Wales qualified for the European Championship, ending a 58-year wait to reach a major tournament. For several of the players, it was a moment they had once dreamed about under Speed. “Gary put a lot of this in place.” “He got us all believing we could achieve.” The following summer, Wales travelled to France for Euro 2016. They beat Slovakia and Russia to finish top of their group before defeating Northern Ireland in the last sixteen. Then came Belgium, one of the favourites to win the tournament. Wales fell behind early but fought back to win 3-1, with goals from Ashley Williams, Hal Robson-Kanu and Sam Vokes sending them into the semi-finals. Five years after Speed’s death, Wales were one match away from a European Championship final. Before their semi-final against Portugal, Williams was asked about the man who had first brought many of the squad together. He remembered Speed giving them their opportunities as young players and wondered what he would have made of their journey. “He’s always in the back of our minds.” “When we achieve something, we think about him.” #football

We are all in the departure lounge. Some of us have earlier flights than others.

After months of cleaning, we’re finally painting. We love these shutters & doors but they’ve been badly painted over many times. After some repair work by Mr McGee, we’re giving them a fresh coat of French Gray, which isn’t really grey at all! Daniel is in the before photo. Obvs

Grit-Jitsu: The gentle art of refusing to give up.

A powerful stand against hate! Watch Rob Rinder honour hero Andrew Franks on stage with a moving tribute that brought the entire room to its feet! 🙏✨ Watch the full moment on YouTube now! @PandOCruises @DailyMirror #PrideOfBritain #RobRinder