Here are the latest Country and Townhouse Good News newsletters:

GOOD NEWS

YOU NEED RIGHT NOW

BY COUNTRY & TOWN HOUSE

In these strange and unusual times, we all need a little positivity in our lives, so we’re picking out the good news stories to come out amidst the coronavirus pandemic reporting for some light relief and hope for brighter times to come.

Stay safe, and please send any stories you think we might like to
share with our readers on Twitter @countryandtown or send to intern@countryandtownhouse.co.uk.
This too shall pass.

LONDON RECORDS NO NEW CORONAVIRUS CASES FOR 24 HOURS

London has recorded no new cases of coronavirus for 24 hours, after Public Health England data revealed that none of Monday’s Covid-19 swabs came back positive. This follows research by PHE and the University of Cambridge’s MRC Biostatic Unit that the rate of infection has dropped to just 24 per day. Monday’s case-free day was a fall from the 19 cases reported on the previous day. Source: Evening Standard

Above: Oliver Niblett on Unsplash

COUPLE CELEBRATES 50TH ANNIVERSARY WITH VIRTUAL NEW YORK TRIP

Ed and Barbara Higgins from Norfolk were devastated when their 50th anniversary trip to New York was cancelled due to the pandemic. They were due to fly out on the 9 May and sail home on the Queen Mary 2. However, their family ensured they didn’t have to miss out, so they scheduled them a full itinerary of online tours, dinners and photo mock-ups. Mrs Higgins said: “The day we were due to fly, we got an email from our daughter with a link to an itinerary and films and videos of the places we ought to have been visiting in person. It had instructions about where we would go each day and links to virtual tours so we could walk through Times Square, watch a Broadway musical or have a special meal.” Source: BBC

NHS 4 NHS PROVIDES HOLIDAYS FOR STAFF

The Harper in North Norfolk has launched the NHS 4 NHS (Norfolk Hotel Stays for the NHS) campaign to say thank you to frontline staff battling the pandemic. Once they open, The Harper will offer two complementary rooms to NHS staff and their families, and they are inviting fellow Norfolk Hotels and B&Bs to do the same.

Above: Annie Spratt on Unsplash

PLANTS FOR JOY

With garden centres still difficult to reach for many and those open incredibly busy, new business Plants For Joy is supporting the plant trade with its Wednesday to Saturday market. You can find them Wednesday and Saturday at Brook Green Market & Kitchen at Addison Primary School, Bolingbroke Road, W14 0DT from 10 – 2pm on a Wednesday (from 10-11am for the elderly and vulnerable) and 9-3pm on a Saturday (from 9-10am for the elderly and vulnerable). instagram.com

MOONPIG OFFERS 25,000 POSTCARDS FOR MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS WEEK

Know someone who might need a message of support this Mental Health Awareness Week? Moonpig will be offering 25,000 free postcards for Mental Health Awareness Week – 5,000 per day for five days – to encourage people to say the things that matter. Sarah-Jane Porter, Head of Cards at Moonpig said: “Written messages allow us to pour our emotions onto paper without any pressure. It’s easier to express feelings, concerns and care – things that many might feel uncomfortable saying out loud in person.” Find out more about Mental Health Awareness Week on the Mind website. moonpig.com

FOR THE LOVE OF ARTS: SUPPORT FOR ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY

British actress Michelle Collins and the Equity Benevolent Fund have announced a fundraising initiative to support entertainment industry professionals affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The appeal is backed by the likes of Sir Ian McKellen, Mandeep Dhillon, Joseph Fiennes, Sir Derek Jacobi, Lennie James, Alex Lawther, Miriam Margolyes, Lesley Manville and Elaine Paige. The stars have come together to perform monologues, all between two and five minutes long and recorded at home, to raise some much-needed funds for those in need under the hashtag #FortheLoveofArts. Michelle Collins said: “The current crisis has had a devastating effect on my industry affecting so many of us indiscriminately. I wanted to help. I started ringing around friends in the industry and one thing led to another and I suddenly had a list of fantastic, well known and highly respected film, TV and stage actors on board, all wanting to help in any way they could. I also have a group of extremely talented writers who have all agreed to write a monologue for whoever needs one.” To donate to the #FortheLoveofArts Equity Benevolent Fund visit: justgiving.com.

GAZA GIRL, 13, STARTS LOCKDOWN CLASSES

A 13-year-old girl has started teaching neighbourhood children missing out on their studies due to coronavirus lockdown. Fair Hmaid’s lessons are taking place in a wooden shack and consist of English, Arabic and maths studies. Fair is hoping to be a teacher one day. “I wanted to bring them here and teach them, this is my talent,” she said. “I have one girl in first grade. If she is absent from school for a period of time, she will forget how to grab the pen and how to write.” In addition, Gaza teachers have been giving lessons online. There have been 20 cases of coronavirus in the Hamas Islamist-run Palestinian enclave to date. Source: Reuters

Above: Lynn Keddie

AMAFFI RHS CHELSEA FLOWER SHOW GARDEN GIFTED TO THE CHELSEA AND WESTMINSTER HOSPITAL

Luxury fragrance brand AMAFFI Perfume House has donated hundreds of plants and shrubs from its RHS Chelsea Flower Show Garden 2020 to the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital as a long-term thank you to the NHS. The brand enlisted the help of RHS Ambassador Jamie Butterworth to create the perennial garden within just three days, enhancing the hospital’s outdoor space and providing solace and joy for its patients and staff. Founder and president of AMAFFI Perfume House, M. Amaffi said: “AMAFFI Perfume House sympathises with and cares for the millions of people affected by COVID-19 worldwide. Many Londoners suffered the consequences of this debilitating pandemic. We are hugely grateful to doctors, nurses and key workers who each day heroically put themselves at risk to save lives. AMAFFI Perfume House sincerely hopes this garden, as a magical present, gives joy and positive thinking and the flowers inspire with their beauty.”

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GOOD NEWS

YOU NEED RIGHT NOW

BY COUNTRY & TOWN HOUSE

In these strange and unusual times, we all need a little positivity in our lives, so we’re picking out the good news stories to come out amidst the coronavirus pandemic reporting for some light relief and hope for brighter times to come.

Stay safe, and please send any stories you think we might like to
share with our readers on Twitter @countryandtown or send to intern@countryandtownhouse.co.uk.
This too shall pass.

Above: Ella Jardim on Unsplash

#DRAWFORNHS CAMPAIGN RAISING MONEY THROUGH ART

If all this time at home has made you realise your walls are crying out for some artwork, this one is for you. DrawFor is a not-for-profit social enterprise launched by six friends during lockdown, raising money through showcasing emerging artists and selling limited-edition, affordable prints of their work. Launched less than two weeks ago, the initiative has already received 86 artist submissions and raised over £13K for NHS Charities Together. Find out more and shop the prints at drawfor.org.

COUPLE MARRIED FOR 70 YEARS REUNITED

Mary Humphreys, 88, was separated from her husband of nearly 72 years, David, when she was placed on end-of-life care in hospital suffering from sepsis. However, Mary recovered and has now returned home to her husband, from whom she has spent ‘barely any’ time away from since they married seven decades ago. Mary’s daughter Lynne said: “It shows people that in difficult times, love conquers.” Source: BBC

GIRL, 10, DONATES 1,500 ART KITS TO CHILDREN IN NEED

Chelsea Phaire, a 10-year-old from Connecticut, USA, has sent more than 1,500 art kits to children in foster care and homeless shelters to help lift spirits. The kits include pens, crayons, paper, colouring pencils and colouring books and are being sent as part of Chelsea’s Charity, founded in collaboration with her parents. “Since she was seven, she was begging me and her dad to start a charity,” Candace Phaire, Chelsea’s mom, told CNN. “She was so persistent, every couple of months she would ask, ‘Are we starting Chelsea’s Charity yet?’ When she was turning 10, she asked us again, and we decided it was time to go for it.” Chelsea said: “I feel good inside knowing how happy they are when they get their art kits”. Source: CNN

MORE FREE HOLIDAYS FOR NHS WORKERS

The NHS has announced the launch of free weekly HIIT and pilates classes through a partnership with Instructor Live. An NHS tweet read: “We’ve teamed up with fitness experts @InstructorLive to bring you some exciting new workout courses.” The first videos are available on YouTube, with new classes launching every Tuesday and Thursday. Not a fan of HIIT or Pilates? The NHS also offers yoga, pilates for back pain and even belly dancing on their fitness studio website. nhs.uk/nhs-fitness-studio. Source: Evening Standard

Above: Greg Rakozy on Unsplash

CONGRATULATIONS! IT'S A PLANET

Scientists say they have taken imagery that could be the first direct evidence of a baby planet being born. Images, captured on the European Southern Observatory’s Very Large Telescope, show a dense disc of swirling dust and gas, with a spiral structure inside thought to be an indication of a new world being formed. Anthony Boccaletti, who led the study from the Observatoire de Paris, PSL University, France, said: “Thousands of exoplanets have been identified so far, but little is known about how they form. We need to observe very young systems to really capture the moment when planets form.” Source: Independent

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GOOD NEWS

YOU NEED RIGHT NOW

BY COUNTRY & TOWN HOUSE

In these strange and unusual times, we all need a little positivity in our lives, so we’re picking out the good news stories to come out amidst the coronavirus pandemic reporting for some light relief and hope for brighter times to come.

Stay safe, and please send any stories you think we might like to
share with our readers on Twitter @countryandtown or send to intern@countryandtownhouse.co.uk.
This too shall pass.

Above: @captaintommoore

CAPTAIN TOM MOORE AWARDED KNIGHTHOOD

Having raised over £32m for NHS charities, Captain Tom Moore has been awarded a knighthood following a special nomination from the prime minister. The 100-year-old war veteran – who took to walking 100 laps of his garden before his centennial birthday to fundraise for the NHS – will receive the official title Captain Sir Thomas Moore. Her Majesty has approved the knighthood which will be ceremonially announced on Wednesday. Boris Johnson stated: “On behalf of everyone who has been moved by his incredible story, I want to say a huge thank you. He’s a true national treasure.” Source: BBC

US NEWS ANCHOR BROADCASTS WITH SON ON LAP

An NBC News anchor in America has shown that she’s right there with everyone trying to juggle work and parenting right now. Stephanie Ruhle, who is the network’s senior business correspondent, shared footage of herself giving a television report on the entertainment sector while her son takes a rest on her lap, just out of shot. The clip has since been viewed millions of times online. Source: Twitter

OPERA HOLLAND PARK VIRTUAL OPEN DAY

Looking for something new to do this weekend? Opera Holland Park is set to host its very first Virtual Open Day this Saturday 23 May, with interactive online workshops, music and activities for the whole family, all free, from 10am. Expect a dance class led by BBC Our Dancing Town’s Steve Elias, conducting classes with Dane Lam, Lada Valešová and Matthew Kofi Waldren and a performance from the Opera Holland Park Chorus. operahollandpark.com

MORE FREE HOLIDAYS FOR NHS WORKERS

St Lucia’s boutique villa resort Cap Maison is showing its support to those fighting the Covid-19 pandemic by giving away free holidays to eight NHS frontline staff. The selected winners will be given a five-night all-inclusive stay at Cap Maison with a guest to be taken once travel restrictions are lifted. Friends or family can nominate an NHS worker who they think deserves the holiday and the reason why at capmaison.com/nhs

Above: Elena Mozhvilo on Unsplash

DRAMATIC FALL IN GLOBAL CARBON EMISSIONS

Daily emissions of carbon dioxide fell by 17% by early April compared with 2019 figures, according to the first major study of global carbon output this year. The drop in greenhouse gas emissions is due to global lockdowns worldwide as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. This is the sharpest drop in carbon output since records began, with large parts of the global economy coming to a halt. The UK’s decline in emissions was 31% in this period. Corinne Le Quéré, a professor of climate change at the University of East Anglia said: “This is a really big fall, but at the same time, 83% of global emissions are left, which shows how difficult it is to reduce emissions with changes in behaviour,” pointing out that long-term change is needed to make a real impact. Source: The Guardian

SUPERMARKET MANAGER ARRANGES HOT MEALS FOR 87-YEAR-OLD CUSTOMER

Aldi manager Richard Allen noticed one of his elderly customers seemed to only buy herself tinned foods, so asked her if she needed help getting some fresh food. When the 87-year-old woman told him that she had no oven or microwave to cook with and that she had no family locally, he decided he could do something to help. Richard arranged for hot meals to be sent to the pensioner by local business Miss Molly’s cafe, which is feeding 80 vulnerable people for £5 a time, and even offered to pick up the bill. Leander Connaughton, who works at Miss Molly’s, posted about the good deed online, saying: “Bless him, he rang our cafe and arranged to have hot meals delivered to her. He has also fixed her doorbell and offered to settle her bill if necessary (it’s not) so this is a shout out to Richard, manager at Aldi Camborne who noticed a customer in need two weeks ago and stepped up to help out. You sir, are bloody amazing.” Source: Metro

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Sign up for 10 print issues of Country & Town House magazine, plus seven supplements and instant access to every digital edition for only £12.

Subscribe to C&TH

GOOD NEWS

YOU NEED RIGHT NOW

BY COUNTRY & TOWN HOUSE

In these strange and unusual times, we all need a little positivity in our lives, so we’re picking out the good news stories to come out amidst the coronavirus pandemic reporting for some light relief and hope for brighter times to come.

Stay safe, and please send any stories you think we might like to
share with our readers on Twitter @countryandtown or send to intern@countryandtownhouse.co.uk.
This too shall pass.

STAR-STUDDED JAMES & THE GIANT PEACH CHARITY READING

This is not your average bedtime story. Oscar-winning filmmaker Taika Waititi has gathered a star-studded line-up of actors for an epic lockdown reading of the Roald Dahl classic James and the Giant Peach to raise money for Partners In Health and their Covid-19 relief efforts. Meryl Streep, Ryan Reynolds, Cate Blanchett, Cara Delevingne, Chris And Liam Hemsworth, Benedict Cumberbatch, Lupita Nyong’o and Eddie Redmayne are amongst the celebrities taking part in the 10-instalment series on the Roald Dahl YouTube channel. The first two episodes are available here and you can donate here.

Above: The Ritz

BID ON DINNER AT THE RITZ

The Alpha Club’s Alpha Auction is offering people the chance to bid for an extra special prize. The online auction is offering a rare chance to dine in the prestigious William Kent Dining Room at The Ritz Hotel, London for you and up to 15 guests, hosted by the President of the Restaurant Association of Great Britain and Alpha’s “Partner in Excellence” Robert Walton MBE. Donations to the Carers Trust through the auction are also welcome, and for any donation of £20 and over, you will automatically be entered into Alpha Auction’s prize draw to win a family holiday for four to Orlando, Florida. alpha-auction.co.uk

PRIMARY SCHOOL RAISES £1.5K FOR HOSPITALS

A primary school class in Bristol has collectively run a marathon to raise money for local hospitals. Harvey Thomas, of Redfield Edge Primary School in Bristol asked his classmates if they would like to run a mile each to make the collective total, and the school set the fundraising target of £100, which they smashed to reach a total of £1,510. Harvey was reportedly inspired by his sister, who has been working hard for the NHS throughout the pandemic. Harvey’s mother Sara Thomas said every child in the class had now taken part, including the teachers who “all put their heart in it” with students who “scootered, cycled, ran and one who is a gymnast even walked on their hands”. Source: BBC

WOMAN, 96, SPEAKS WELSH FOR FIRST TIME IN 40 YEARS

An elderly woman living in the United States has spoken Welsh for the first time in 40 years, following a social media appeal from her son. Ray McDermott, 96, is originally from Carmarthenshire and has lived in the US for 70 years and was worried she may never get to speak her mother tongue again. But her son Keith asked for help online after she told him of her worries. Keith, 70, who lives in New York City, said his mum was starting to suffer from short-term memory loss. “The pandemic imposes the greatest loneliness on people. My mom is feeling that loneliness. When we get in to discussions of the past and Wales, her memory is totally sharp and she has been yearning to speak Welsh.” Following a Facebook appeal he was overwhelmed with offers to help, and was able to connect his mother to New York-based Welsh playwright Melisa Annis. Ray told BBC Wales: “My mother was the last person who spoke Welsh to me, and she has been dead 40 years so it has been a long time. It actually brought tears to my eyes. I don’t cry very often. It was lovely, it really was.” Source: BBC

CORONAVIRUS TRIALS GIVE POSITIVE RESULTS

The first human trials of a US coronavirus vaccine trial have given ‘positive results’ according to initial tests. Biotech company Moderna dosed 45 patients between the ages of 18 and 55 with varying doses of its experimental drug and according to a statement, 25 people recorded levels of antibodies found in patients who had fought off Covid-19. Chief Executive Officer Stephane Bancel said: “This is a very good sign that we make an antibody that can stop the virus from replicating.” Source: Independent

Above: GettyImages

STRICTLY STAR DANCES 24-HOUR JIVE FOR NHS

If you thought running 5k for the NHS was hard, try a 24-hour Jive. Strictly Come Dancing professional dancer Joanne Clifton has done just that, completing a 24-hour Jive on Sunday 15 May to raise money for NHS Charities Together. Clifton streamed the dancing challenge live on Facebook and Instagram – stopping only for ‘short toilet breaks’ – whilst friend and housemate Sasha Latoya was on hand with food, water and support. Friends of the dancer also called in mid-stream to offer words of encouragement, including her brother Kevin, partner AJ Jenks, and professional dancers Katya Jones, Janette Manrara and Oti Mabuse. Joanne said: “I did this challenge because people at the NHS are risking their own lives every day to save others. The amount of cases that there are, I bet they have had to stay up for 24 hours at some points treating and saving them. So yes, the Jive was a challenge, but it was the least I can do. I want to thank everyone who donated, shared or literally stayed with me online with words of encouragement. And thank you NHS.” Joanne has raised over £13k at the time of writing. Donate here.

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Sign up for 10 print issues of Country & Town House magazine, plus seven supplements and instant access to every digital edition for only £12.

Subscribe to C&TH

GOOD NEWS
YOU NEED RIGHT NOW

BY COUNTRY & TOWN HOUSE

In these strange and unusual times, we all need a little positivity in our lives, so we’re picking out the good news stories to come out amidst the coronavirus pandemic reporting for some light relief and hope for brighter times to come.

Stay safe, and please send any stories you think we might like to
share with our readers on Twitter @countryandtown or send to intern@countryandtownhouse.co.uk.
This too shall pass.

THE COUNTRY FOOD TRUSTS APPEAL DONATES ONE MILLION MEALS

The Country Food Trusts Appeal has hit an important milestone in its Coronavirus Appeal, donating more than 1,000,000 meals to people in need. Pre-pandemic, the charity was already providing meals to those in need up and down the country, and has stepped up its efforts to meet increased demands brought on by Covid-19. In the last month, extra support has enabled The Country Food Trusts to provide just under an additional 400,000 meals to people in need including over 35,000 to front line NHS workers. thecountryfoodtrust.org

Above: GettyImages

WILD WHITE STORKS HATCH IN UK FOR FIRST TIME IN CENTURIES

The White Stork Project has announced the arrival of white stork chicks in the UK for the first time in hundreds of years. Eggs in one of three nests at the Knepp estate in West Sussex have hatched, with observers witnessing the parents removing eggshells from their nest in an oak tree and feeding their young. Lucy Groves, project officer for the White Stork Project said: “After waiting 33 days for these eggs to hatch it was extremely exciting to see signs that the first egg had hatched on 6 May. The parents have been working hard and are doing a fantastic job, especially after their failed attempt last year.” Isabella Tree, who co-owns Knepp with Charlie Burrell, said: “When I hear that clattering sound now, coming from the tops of our oak trees where they’re currently nesting at Knepp, it feels like a sound from the middle ages has come back to life. We watch them walking through the long grass on their long legs, kicking up insects and deftly catching them in their long beaks as they go. There’s no other bird that does that in the UK. It’s walking back into a niche that has been empty for centuries.” Source: The Guardian

Read our interview with Isabella Tree, here

WOMAN SPEAKING AFTER 58 DAYS ON VENTILATOR

A patient at Southampton General Hospital, who is still being supported by a ventilator, is conscious and speaking for the first time since being admitted to intensive care after a record 58 days on a ventilator. Dr Sanjay Gupta, the hospital’s lead consultant for critical care says the 35-year-old woman still faces a long road to recovery but shared the positive news saying: “Suddenly she can communicate, whereas before she was so weak she could barely lift a finger to write anything.” Source: The Times

Above: Thomas Kelley on Unsplash
DOES HUMPBACK WHALE RECOVERY GIVE HOPE FOR PLANET?

A recent study of humpback whales that breed off the coast of Brazil has shown that numbers have increased back up to the numbers seen before the days of whaling, having dropped as low as 450 in the 1950s. Scientists say this is not only good news for the whales, but for the planet at large and the looming climate crisis. On average, a single whale stores around 33 tonnes of CO2. When a whale dies naturally, it exports this CO2 to the deep sea, locking it up for centuries. Protecting the current population of whales is keeping more than 800,000 tonnes of CO2 safely stored, around twice the annual emissions of a country the size of Bermuda. Source: Time

ENDANGERED PYGMY HIPPO BORN

In more pleasing news from the animal kingdom, an endangered pygmy hippo has been born at San Diego Zoo, the first in more than 30 years. The baby pygmy hippopotamus was born to mum Mabel, a four-year-old hippo last month, but the zoo has only just released the news. “Mom and calf are doing very well,” said a statement from the zoo. “The calf is nursing and getting lots of attention from the first-time mother.” Source: CNN