I have a friend – let’s call him Tom, because that’s his name. Now, Tom does not like public transport. Not one bit. He is, however, a proud and passionate Londoner, and so is very happy to support the hackney carriage industry, and is famed for his addiction to what he calls “little black busses”. He is also very generous, so I have often found myself cadging a five-minute ride in a taxi for a journey which could easily have...

A teacher who was bullied as a schoolboy for being gay bravely came out to 1,000 of his pupils during a school assembly. Daniel Gray made the bold decision to be open about his sexuality after being told to keep it a secret while training to be a teacher. But after coming out in an assembly, the 32-year-old teacher has been inundated with support from staff, current and former pupils at Harris Academy South Norwood, in Croydon, south London. Back...

People really do look like their names - thanks to a phenomenon dubbed the "Dorian Gray effect", say scientists. In a study strangers' faces were matched to names with surprising accuracy - up to twice as often as would be expected by chance. The strange curiosity is believed to be linked to "cultural stereotypes" we attach to names. In Oscar Wilde novel The Picture of Dorian Gray the main character does a deal in return for his soul so that...

This Dream is a bit of surprise- silent weavings of the spirit (or fairies) explode at the end of director Joe Hill-Gibbins' interpretation to give us something in the epilogue that is both nightmarish and joyful and brings new meanings to the play’s normal tranquil self. To this end it is clever.  At the beginning, as the audience file in, three mirrors arranged in a triptych hang threateningly in front of the audience. We can’t see anything else and in...

A new interactive film has been launched to counter the growing threat of far-right radicalisation. ‘Choices’ is a first-of-its-kind UK film which sets out to highlight the dishonesty of far-right organisations and encourage people to think critically about what they’re being told online and in social situations. Inspired by real life events, the film encourages the viewer to make decisions in real-time in an interactive journey into the world of the far-right. The plot runs on two parallel lines as the...

In the early days of Margaret Thatcher’s tenure as Prime Minister a sociological phenomenon dubbed the "Basildon man" came into existence to describe the archetypal Thatcher supporter that had previously been expected to vote Labour. The Basildon Man was at the heart of her political machine, denoting aspirational voters who eschewed notions of working class solidarity in favour of personal self-promotion. Last week history repeated itself in Copeland - where voters looked less towards togetherness and more towards hope. If the...

Honouring Sir Gerald Kaufman MP who has died aged 86, many tributes today mention the pugnacity as well as intellectual might, influence, length of career, kindness and concern for those most marginalised by society of the outspoken former frontbencher. The controversial Labour was unafraid to tell truth to power even if that occasionally meant embarrassing powerful officials who came before the committees he served in, figures in his own party, or sometimes fellow members of Britain's Jewish community with whom he...

GHOGY, an online personal training website that provides interactive personalised fitness plans via instructional videos and customisable meal plans has launched. The online personal trainer aims to motivate and transform clients into the healthiest and happiest versions of themselves. Before online fitness subscriptions became available, fitness enthusiasts were forced to either attend fitness classes, pay for an expensive personal trainer or create a programme to follow themselves, which often resulted in people giving up or obtaining injuries. Now thanks to...

By Dominika Piasecka Fighting world hunger, defending those without a voice and making it easier for customers to choose ethically-made products are all noble goals. They also happen to be what The Vegan Society and the Fairtrade Foundation have in common. To mark the start of Fairtrade Fortnight 2017, here are some of the things that the two charities are working on to make the world a better place for all. Clear labelling for all We all want to know...