Instability seems to be the word of the week. Liz Truss truly cannot catch a break; the disastrous mini-budget and its impact on the UK economy has forced a u-turn, and we see Jeremy Hunt return to the cabinet in place of Kwasi Kwarteng. Whatever your opinion of Truss, there is still an argument to be made that a 3rd female prime minister still looks like progress to some of us. Here at Belong, we are questioning whether this kind of representation might cause greater long-term damage. If Truss continues the way she has begun, it may well be the case that her less-than-sparkling premiership is the result of her female traits.
World Mental Health Day
Elsewhere, we celebrated World Mental Health day on October 10th, this year dedicated to ‘Make mental health and wellbeing for all a global priority.’ This day shines light on the gaps in mental health services and gives us all a reason to check in with friends and loved ones. In a time where low mental health can get you labelled a “snowflake” by some, it is more important than ever to have these conversations with one another.
TikTok helps spread awareness of endometriosis
Despite having a reputation for hosting damaging content and exploiting an addictive algorithm, this week saw a positive discussion emerge from TikTok users about endometriosis. Endometriosis is a condition affecting the female reproductive organs. It affects 1 in 10 women in the UK, yet it takes an average of 8 years for a diagnosis, and there is no cure. TikTok users have amassed over 1.3 billion views on videos addressing the condition, spreading awareness to potential sufferers and hopefully generating more conversation about the condition in medical circles.
Glasgow club powered by new eco-friendly technology
Glasgow nightclub SWG3 has made a move that could revolutionise the industry and give customers a much more eco-friendly way to party. The club’s ingenious new system BODYHEAT is designed to capture the heat generated by visitors and store it in a series of shafts across the site. Dr Jon Gluyas, geo-energy, carbon capture and storage chair in the Earth sciences department at Durham University, said “Storing the heat and playing it back is a major way that can positively influence the energy crisis in the UK and improve energy security. This is a really good move.”
New investment in Black farming community
Entrepreneur Wilfred Emmanuel-Jones has taken another step in his mission to diversify the farming industry. As the owner of the Black Farmer produce brand, Wilfred stands out among Britain’s farming community, which was reportedly 99.8% white in the government’s latest survey of Agriculture. He is seeking investment for the Black Farmer Experience, to “be a bridge between urban and rural Britain, because still there’s this massive divide between those communities. One of the things I’m really trying to fight is how can we get people from diverse backgrounds into the farming community.”
