Nicola MacDonald

There’s something about this time of year that feels like a quiet awakening. The light lingers a little longer. The air softens. Blossoms begin to appear where there was once bare branches. Birds are louder. Mornings feel gentler. Nature begins to re-emerge. And so do we. As Lia Leendertz writes in The Almanac “The first migrants arrive in the woodlands this month: listen for the chiffchaff, named after its distinctive call, willow warblers and blackcaps joining the dawn chorus… Hibernating...

I was reminded this week how important community really is. I’ve just returned from a monthly women’s circle, and it was exactly what I needed. There was tea. There was warmth. There were stories shared gently, without interruption or distraction. Phones were on silent, tucked away. No one scrolling. No one half-listening. Just presence. And it struck me how rare that feels. I’m going through a particularly tough time right now. I recently received the devastating news that someone I love is...

The debate around banning social media for under 16s is often framed as censorship versus freedom, control versus choice. But for many of us working closely with families, young people, and digital wellbeing — and for those of us raising children ourselves — the issue feels far simpler, and far more human. This isn’t about punishment. It’s about protection . It’s about recognising that powerful tech companies are competing for children’s time and attention at a scale we’ve never seen before —...