Opinion

It might only be for a week and not the usual fortnightly break away from the hustle and bustle of Westminster, but thank goodness for the recess.

Parishioners from across Hartlepool will publicly show their faith when they carry crosses through the streets this Good Friday.

Do you donate blood? It takes over 6,000 donations a day to treat patients across England.

Harrogate’s Spring Flower Show is the North East’s only really big gardening event (apart from its Autumn show) – just a shame it’s not closer to us.

Q. I currently claim Universal Credit and as a single parent with a child under one I currently have no job seeking or other work-related requirements attached to the claim.

A House of Lords Select Committee released a comprehensive report last week on the regeneration of seaside towns and communities.

As Easter approaches the annual guilt of gorging on chocolate looms. And if you take part in Lent, after weeks of giving up your favourite treats, the supermarket shelves are packed with chocolate eggs.

This is a great challenge for friends or even your child’s class – who can grow the biggest sunflower head?

According to latest research, some 10 million prescriptions for sleeping pills are written every year in England alone, with 86 per cent of us suffering from sleep disturbance.

Q. I am currently receiving Universal Credit (UC) as a jobseeker, my claim does not include housing costs as my property is mortgaged.

After a very heavy week in Parliament it was good to get back home to family last Friday night and to spend the weekend with them as well as being out and about in the constituency.

I’m Carolyn Tilly, Managing Partner of Tilly Bailey & Irvine Law Firm and a member of its experienced Wills, Probate and Elderly Client Department.

As organic gardening is becoming the norm, the range of environmentally friendly plant foods has become bigger.

This coming Sunday is Mothering Sunday – note, that’s its real name, not Mother’s Day, though if you’re a mum, you don’t really care so long as your children remember.

You may have seen headlines in recent weeks about the changes to neighbourhood policing across Cleveland.

Last year we reached a deal with Peel to take our local airport back into public ownership. Earlier this year we got the agreement of five Labour leaders of our local authorities to do this. This month we officially got hold of the keys and appointed an experienced operator to run the airport on our behalf.

Lots of us get frustrated and upset by things going on in the world around us, whether it’s what’s happening down the end of our street, or on the other side of the globe.

Has this ever happened to you? You’re going about your day doing your usual day-to-day jobs – something as simple as taking the rubbish out, weeding the garden, folding up washing or even changing the bed, then you feel a sharp pain in your back and you can hardly move. Sound familiar?