Yes, I think my dad avoided telling me. I do not think this was a misunderstanding, a missed message, or one of those awkward family moments where everyone assumes someone else has passed the news on. Yesterday, I found out my grandad had died that morning. Not from my dad. Not from anyone on my dad’s side of the family. I found out through my mum, who had been told by my brother, who had been told by my dad. That chain of information says everything. My dad has my contact de

A blanket ban on social media for under-16s may sound like protection, but for many LGBTQ young people it could cut off one of the few safe routes to support, language, and belonging. The UK’s push to make the internet safer for children comes from a real concern. Young people can face bullying, harmful content, grooming, addiction-style app design, and pressure that adults barely understand themselves. None of that should be brushed aside. But a ban is a blunt tool. It treat

Starting a new school is always a challenge, especially when you’ve moved around a lot. For me, moving from a London school to Fareham School in the middle of Year 9 was supposed to be just another step in my military family’s journey. But that first day at Fareham turned out to be far more than just a new start. It became a moment that changed how I saw friendship, trust, and myself. A New Beginning That Felt Like Any Other I was 14 years old, used to shifting schools becaus