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1 week ago | 
inews.co.uk | Flora Symington
At PACT House community cafe in Stanley, County Durham, local residents come in to pick up household essentials from a food bank and stick around for a chat and hot drink. While these services used to serve unemployed or young people, it is now commonly helping families who are struggling to get by on a single income.
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1 month ago | 
noon.org.uk | Flora Symington
The three female friends in The White Lotus may have their flaws, but their friendship speaks to the reality of Queenager life. Here at NOON we’ve been loving the Queenager characters on this season of The White Lotus. Jaclyn, Laurie and Kate are childhood friends reuniting for a gals trip in their mid-forties. While they have their ups and downs throughout the show, last night’s finale showed us that at least one of them has got Queenagerdom all figured out.
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1 month ago | 
noon.org.uk | Eleanor Mills |Flora Symington
Did you wake up feeling different this morning? Did you know that this weekend (30-31 March) we enter an entirely new revolutionary cycle? (It’s also Mother’s Day, although we know that 30% of Queenagers don’t have children. We also know that this day can evoke feelings of loss and sadness as well as being a happy family day. We’ve got a great piece by Bibi Lynch about surviving Mother’s Day when you’re not childless by choice.
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1 month ago | 
hackneypost.co.uk | Flora Symington
The CEO of Hackney Foodbank has said she shares Diane Abbott’s “despair” at the government’s plans to change welfare payments for disabled people. The government recently announced it would be tightening the eligibility criteria for Personal Independence Payment (PIP). Under new criteria that will come into force from November 2026, the threshold to receive PIP will increase, meaning some people might be unable to claim it, or have their payments reduced.
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1 month ago | 
hackneypost.co.uk | Flora Symington
On a sunny Saturday morning in North Hackney, residents gathered to exchange second-hand goods, and get their clothes, bikes and electrical goods repaired. This pop-up event is yet more evidence of Hackney’s commitment to reusing and recycling. From next month, Hackney residents will be able to use vouchers to pay for 50% of an electrical repair. They will be available through the website of the sustainability charity Restart and funded by the North London Waste Authority’s Community Fund.
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1 month ago | 
hackneypost.co.uk | Flora Symington
Sick of swiping, can our reporter find love the old-fashioned way – by making eyes across the room? Two months ago, I was sitting across from a beautiful girl on one of the bistro-style little tables at La Camionera, London’s hottest lesbian bar. The night felt full of possibility as we sipped our cocktails and chatted about terrible landlords. This was my first ever Hinge date, and it felt like the sky was the limit. I’ve now been on more of these dates than I care to mention.
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1 month ago | 
hackneypost.co.uk | Flora Symington
A group of housing experts has launched a survey to assess the public’s views on what kind of residences they want to see built in Hackney. The Intermediate Housing Panel wants to hear from key workers and those on middle incomes who live or work in Hackney. The survey is accessible through the council’s website for people to share their views. It closes on 10 April. Intermediate housing is aimed at people who don’t qualify for social housing but can’t afford private rent.
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2 months ago | 
hackneypost.co.uk | Flora Symington
People living in social housing in Hackney are less happy with their living situation than they were last year, an annual survey has found. Tenants are unhappy with the general maintenance of their homes and communal areas, but there has been a slight increase in satisfaction regarding how the council handles complaints. Overall satisfaction among council tenants was 57 per cent in the 2024 to 2025 survey, compared to 59 per cent last year.
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Dec 8, 2024 | 
hackneypost.co.uk | Flora Symington
Social tenants in Dalston are living with damp, mould and other problems because they can’t get hold of their landlords when they need repairs, Hackney councillors were told last month. A meeting of the Living in Hackney Scrutiny Commission, an advisory group that brings together the police, probation, council and health professionals, recommended that landlords meet residents in social housing regularly and report data about repair times.
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Dec 4, 2024 | 
hackneypost.co.uk | Flora Symington
A gastro pub style street food market opens its doors to Dalston residents this weekend, after delays to a planned summer opening. Visitors to Dalston Yard, off Hartwell Street, will choose between six restaurant-level food stalls, alongside wine, cocktails and beer. There will also be live DJ sets. Founder Dominic Cools-Lartigue, who lives in the area, said he was “excited” for the launch, as it would give outsiders and locals alike a chance to “sample the vibe of Dalston”.
