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Rohan Mehta, a 17-year-old from Kensington, received the Young Achiever award for his project, In The Bag, which provides hygiene kits to the homeless. Since its inception two years ago, he has donated 130 bags filled with essential toiletries. His initiative aims to restore dignity to those experiencing homelessness by addressing their daily hygiene needs.
London faces a severe housing crisis, with rough sleeping reaching an all-time high of 4,427 individuals in early 2025, a rise of 8% from the previous year. Local councils spend £4 million daily on temporary accommodation for over 183,000 homeless residents, including 90,000 children. The Mayor of London has pledged to eliminate rough sleeping by 2030 and announced an additional £10 million investment for support services.
St Mary Aldermanbury, a historic church in London, was relocated to the US Midwest after being destroyed during the Blitz. The church, originally built in the 12th century and rebuilt by Sir Christopher Wren, was dismantled in 1965 and reconstructed in Fulton, Missouri, to commemorate Winston Churchill's Iron Curtain speech. The ambitious project, endorsed by prominent figures including John F. Kennedy, aimed to preserve a piece of British history.
Somali families in north London face a crisis as children become targets for drug gangs in the county lines trade. Community leaders like Sadia Ali highlight the exploitation of young people, who are often groomed and coerced into transporting drugs, leading to serious risks of violence and abuse. The charity Minority Matters aims to combat this issue through education and community support.
Families in southeast London demand full compensation from Thames Water after a broken mains pipe left them without water for five days. Residents report underpayment and inadequate responses from the utility company, which acknowledges shortcomings in its compensation scheme. Thames Water, facing significant debts, has offered £30 for every 12 hours without water, but many feel this is insufficient.
Transport for London will restore its Book Swaps scheme at 15 surface-level Tube stations next month after addressing fire safety concerns. The London Fire Brigade had previously suspended the program due to risks posed by combustible materials. New fire-proof cabinets will be introduced to ensure compliance with safety regulations.
A 29-year-old doctor from Bristol regained her eyesight after a metagenomics test identified a rare bacterial infection that had caused her eye inflammation for five years. The innovative analysis, not typically available to patients, diagnosed leptospirosis, allowing successful treatment with antibiotics. Professor Carlos Pavesio called the case a breakthrough in diagnosing chronic infections.
The London Assembly urges Mayor Sadiq Khan to promote positive male role models to combat online misogyny affecting boys. The recommendation follows a report highlighting the influence of harmful content on social media and the need for preventative education to address violence against women and girls. A Parent Toolkit is proposed to help families discuss healthy relationships.
The 95th anniversary of Amy Johnson's historic solo flight to Australia will be commemorated at Croydon Airport, where she departed in 1930. A biplane flypast and various events aim to inspire future aviation enthusiasts and highlight women's contributions to aviation. Johnson faced significant challenges during her journey, including navigating uncharted territories with limited resources.
A fire originating from an electricity substation engulfed a block of flats in Maida Vale, north-west London, early Tuesday morning. The London Fire Brigade reported that around 80 residents were safely evacuated, with no injuries recorded. Firefighters battled the blaze, which was described as technically complex, for several hours.