Network Rail has teamed up with mental health charity Chasing the Stigma as part of a new mental health awareness campaign.
To raise awareness for the important cause, the campaign will be touring around England with a huge floral arrangement that spells out 'Brighter Journeys'- the name of their campaign.
The flowers will be on display in London's Liverpool Street station until Wednesday 11 May to mark Mental Health Awareness Week before the display will embark on a national tour across the UK until the end of the month- starting with a stop in Leeds.
From Friday 13 May - Sunday 15 May 2022, the Brighter Journeys flower display will take pride in place of Leeds Train Station before moving onto the likes of Edinburgh Waverley, Birmingham New Street and Cardiff.
The campaign will visit Leeds Train Station this weekend. / Image: Network Rail
The idea is that the flowers will bring smiles to faces whilst "helping make stations feel brighter and happier for your return to the railway", according to Network Rail.
"Brighter Journeys will signpost people to share and download the Hub of Hope app if they or someone they know are struggling with their mental health.
"The app – provided by Chasing the Stigma – is the only service of its kind that brings together all the mental health support options available to someone in any given area."
Such support includes services from the NHS, national charities Mind and Samaritans, as well as a staggering 3,500 registered private, grassroots, third party services, national, local and voluntary schemes across the UK that can assist anyone struggling with their mental health.
Founder of Chasing the Stigma, Jake Mills, outside the Brighter Days sign. / Image: Network Rail
Network Rail's chosen charity partner, Chasing the Stigma, is headed by Jake Mills, an inspiring figure who chose to develop the Hub of Hope app after his a suicide attempt. The charity founder has previously spoken out about the challenges people face when they feel as if they don't have anywhere to turn to.
In a previous press release with Network Rail, Jake Mills has commented on the impact that the pandemic has had on mental health:
"The last 18 months have been tough for so many people and it’s essential that we continue to look out for one another. Breaking down the stigma around mental health, providing tools for early intervention and giving people access to the right support at the right time is vital – it’s the reason why we set up the Hub of Hope and can make such a massive difference.”
New data from the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) reports that around 70% of UK adults have said that their mental health has been negatively impacted by the pandemic- including almost a fifth of these participants who described their mental health as poor.
Thousands of commuters will witness the flowers in person this weekend. / Image: Network Rail
Andrew Haines, chief executive of Network Rail, said:
“We must continue to prioritise our mental well-being and support one another as we tackle the various challenges life can throw at us. I care passionately about making lasting changes to support the mental wellbeing of our people and our passengers. We will be making our stations brighter, more positive and friendlier places and making access to support services easier to help vulnerable people find the support they need.”
Anyone who is struggling with their mental health is encouraged to use the Hub of Hope app regardless of whether you're visiting the Brighter Journeys display. The Hub of Hope is free to download and available from App Store, Play Store and via the Hub of Hope website.
Feature Image- Network Rail
Leeds
Leeds Festival 2026 – drinks prices for beer, cider, wine, spirits and more
Leeds Festival 2026 is officially underway and we've rounded up drinks prices at the bars on the festival site.
While many of us will be sipping on warm cans of cider and boxes of wine at the camp sites, you can't take any of your own alcohol into the arena (where all the stages are) itself.
So you'll need to budget for drinks over the course of the weekend if you want to watch the headliners with a pint in hand.
And with headline performances from the likes of Fontaines D.C., Raye, Florence and the Machine and Dave, there's masses of amazing live music on the horizon at Leeds Festival 2026.
Image: The Hoot Leeds
We're already on site at Leeds Festival ready to bring you all the action and updates from this massive weekend - staring with, importantly, drinks prices.
So, let's get into it...
This year you're looking at paying around £7 of beer and £7.50 £7.50 for a pint of cider.
Different for this year, is you'll get 10% off if paying with a Paypal debit card which you can get for free - which we think is pretty class and well worth your time.
You can take your own empty water bottles in to refill at water stations around the festival site.
You're also allowed to bring in sealed water/soft drinks which are 500ml or less.
And if you're taking your own booze into the campsites, remember that there's no glass allowed, so you'll need to decant anything into plastic bottles.
Here are all your drinks prices for Leeds Festival 2026
Beer and cider
Budweiser - £7 (£6.30 with Paypal discount)
Corona Extra - £7.50 (£6.75 with Paypal discount)
Kopparberg Crisp Apple - £7.50 (£6.75 with Paypal discount)
Kopparberg Strawberry and Lime - £7.70 (£6.93 with Paypal discount)
Rose - 175ml £10 / btl £35 (£9/£31.5 with Paypal discount)
Italian sparkling - 200ml £10 (£9 with Paypal discount)
No and Low
Budweiser Zero - £5.80 (£5.22 with Paypal discount)
Water - £2.50 (£2.25 with Paypal discount)
And that should just about do you in terms of booze - as always, please drink responsibly and look after each other.
For all the other important information, you can consult our complete 2026 Leeds Festival guide down below.
Featured image - The Hoot Leeds
Leeds
Leeds Festival warning issued as police announce speed cameras and traffic restrictions
Clementine Hall
Leeds Fest is almost here, but festival-goers heading to Bramham Park by car have been warned to take extra care on the roads.
Driving to Leeds Festival has never been particularly easy, but West Yorkshire Police have issued a warning to those driving by car in an attempt to make it somewhat easier.
Ahead of Leeds Festival 2026, temporary traffic management measures will be in place from Wednesday 26 August until Monday 31 August.
The measures are designed to improve road safety, reduce congestion, and help ensure the safe movement of the tens of thousands of people expected to attend the event.
Speed camera enforcement vans will be operating throughout the festival period alongside clearways surrounding the festival site.
Police have warned that drivers caught breaking the temporary restrictions could face prosecution, so it's definitely worth keeping an eye out for the signage as you approach the festival.
Superintendent Dan Wood said: “Leeds Festival is one of the largest events in West Yorkshire and attracts a significant increase in traffic to the local road network.
"The temporary speed restrictions and clearways are being introduced to help keep everyone safe, including festival-goers, local residents and road users.
"We would ask all motorists to pay close attention to the temporary signage in place and allow extra time for their journeys. Speed enforcement will be carried out during the event, and we encourage drivers to comply with all restrictions for their own safety and that of others."
Festival attendees are also being urged to follow the event signage rather than relying solely on their sat nav. Dedicated routes will direct different categories of visitors to the correct locations, including:
Camping entrances
Day / Non-camping ticket parking areas
Drop-off and pick-up points
Staff and authorised vehicle access routes
Motorists who follow sat nav directions alone may be directed to unsuitable routes, causing unnecessary delays for themselves and other road users.
Sophie Smith -
10th May 2022 
