Wakefield pensioner Neil Waugh has been praised online for offering the spare room in his bungalow to Afghan refugees fleeing the Taliban.
The 76-year-old took to Twitter on Wednesday to announce that he had room for two Afghan refugees in his Wakefield home and that he would be opening up his property to house two people in need.
He wrote: “I am a 76 years old pensioner, I live on my own in a 2 bedroom bungalow. I have today informed Wakefield Council I am willing and able to give 2 refugees accommodation in my spare room.”
Members of the online community quickly flooded in to praise the pensioner's actions, with one user @ScottMurphy13 commenting: "It's always "oh why don't you have them in your house then?", until someone says sure, I will. Then it's all "oh why arent you having homeless there instead". Give over, he's doing a good thing. Keep it up mate, need more like yourself in [sic] England."
However, in a follow-up tweet, Neil was quick to assert that he wasn't looking for praise but rather to show that "there's always something we can do" - even when we might feel helpless.
Neil, who describes himself as a "revolutionary socialist / marxist" added: “I see it as a gesture to people who have been put in an impossible position by the Western coalition, in Particular America, NATO, and us in the in the UK.”
It appears his actions have now also inspired others around the UK to do the same, with tens of thousands saying that Neil's offer had encouraged them to follow suit and offer their own homes to those fleeing the situation in Afghanistan.
Twitter user @collinsedmunds replied: "That’s fantastic and inspiring, I’m off to do the same! I have followed you for a while now because I liked what you wrote, now I think your amazing and wish you lived close so I could drop in for a cuppa and chat!"
Another user @ellie46256165 said: "I have a spare room and am ready to help."
It comes as the British government launches its Afghan Citizens' Resettlement Scheme, which will welcome up to 5,000 Afghans fleeing persecution in their home country to the UK within the next year.
In the long term, the program will aim to accommodate as many as 25,000 refugees to the country. Under the scheme, councils will be working with the government on the best places to house refugees.
The Prime Minister has said that women and children will be given priority status for relocation in the first year of the program.
To find out more about the government's Afghan Citizens' Resettlement Scheme, click here.
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Leeds pizza shop hailed ‘exceptional’ and ‘best in the UK’ by major reviewer
A Leeds pizza takeaway has received a glowing review from popular review duo.
Edges Pizza opened up their first permanent spot in Leeds back in June this year, after making a name for themselves slinging out pizzas at multiple pop-ups across the city.
Owners Grace and Edge from Harrogate opened Edges Pizza two years ago, taking inspiration from trips to New York over the years.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Their pizzas are a love letter to the class New York slice, think thin and crispy rather than chewy and floppy. But above all else, think absolutely delicious.
And now, they've caught the attention of a major review page, with Bite Twice Food Reviews (a page with almost 300k followers) paying Edges a visit.
The food review duo of Gerry del Guercio and Paul Delany popped up in Holbeck beneath the arches to get their hands on a pizza, and the outcome is brilliant.
In the video, Bite Twice said that the pizza is 'f**cking exceptional' and up there with 'one of the best pizzas in the UK'.
Before even taking a bite, they said: "On aesthetic, I don't think anywhere in the UK is doing pizza like this".
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Then after the first bite, they go on to say: "There are very few pizzas in the UK that create this, I’m a little bit blown away".
As Londoners themselves, they go on to say that Edges is 'easily hitting with the best that we’ve got down south'.
And if that's not high praise enough, they sign off the video saying: "Leeds has got an absolute gem. I give this a stamp so hard my foot went through the pizza. Edges. Don Level."
Yorkshire-set Christmas film by Leeds director starring Richard E. Grant set to hit UK cinemas next month
Clementine Hall
A brand-new Christmas film is hitting cinemas nationwide next month - and it’s a proper Leeds success story.
Jack Spring directed his first feature film at just 19 years old and has spent the last decade carving out a career in independent film, as well as co-founding Leeds-based production company Shush Films.
His first movie, Destination: Dewsbury, was shot just down the road in - you guessed it - Dewsbury. And after moving to Leeds from Grimsby, Jack became determined to build his business from the city, putting down roots and growing his production company here.
Image: Supplied
Now, after years of working on independent projects, Jack has taken his biggest leap yet with a brand-new Christmas film, Merry Christmas Aubrey Flint.
Set in Yorkshire, Merry Christmas Aubrey Flint follows Aubrey Flint, a reclusive model soldier painter with a lifelong hatred of Christmas, who is sentenced to community service at Willow Lodge - a retirement home on the brink of closure.
Roped into helping with a chaotic production of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol, Aubrey clashes with its interesting set of residents...
And the cast is about as star-studded as it gets, featuring Richard E. Grant, John Bradley, Celia Imrie, Adjoa Andoh, Sophia Di Martino, Adrian Rawlins and Kiell Smith-Bynoe.
Image: Supplied
The heartwarming festive comedy will hit cinemas nationwide on Friday 6 November - a huge milestone for a Leeds-based director and production company, taking a homegrown Yorkshire story to audiences across the country.
You just can't beat a proper wholesome British Christmas film, so you can best believe we'll be watching in the cinema, popcorn in hand.
Georgina Pellant -
22nd August 2021 
