I’m sitting at the bus stop opposite the old Blockbuster in Chelmsford town centre. In the late 1990s, my sister and I would spend Friday nights inside picking out a film and overpriced popcorn. Today, 30 years later, it’s long gone – along with the nearby Argos and Iceland – and I’m instead waiting for a bus. It’s not a bus that I need to get on, nor is it displayed on the electronic arrivals board, but it is nevertheless well known among locals.
These unmarked minibuses are the transportation for asylum seekers living in Home Office accommodation at Wethersfield airfield, in the Essex countryside 20 miles north of Chelmsford. The site has been housing male migrants since July 2023 but in June this year, the capacity was increased from 800 beds to 1,245 on a permanent basis. Residents are not detained so buses permit them to come into town to access services they don’t have on the base.
Chelmsford is my hometown. I went to school here and now live in another town nearby. It still feels familiar but it has changed. To me, the most obvious signs are the high street full of boarded-up shops, the disappearance of our favourite nightclubs, the replacement of grand department stores with pound shops, and the giant XL- bully-type dogs that are inexplicably everywhere.
It is also more diverse than it was — but for somewhere that was 94 per cent white in 2011 (now 89 per cent white) that’s really not hard to do. It is still Brexit-voting conservative middle England (Tory MP Simon Burns had this seat from 1987 to 2017, only to be replaced by another Tory and then a Lib Dem in 2024).
How to be more grateful for daily life in five easy steps
The world feels like a difficult place at the moment, and it can feel very hard sometimes to find things to be thankful for; when we are overwhelmed, we have less capacity to notice and reflect on the good things. Yet, ironically, proactively cultivating gratitude is one of the things that can actually help us feel less stressed.
NHS GP dR RADHA
The science
Research has shown that feeling or expressing thanks can actually alter our brain.
- The balance of neurotransmitters change; more serotonin and dopamine (feel good chemicals) are produced.
- This can be long lasting if we make gratitude a regular habit.
- We also get a decrease in our cortisol (stress hormone) levels which helps lower anxiety.
- Being grateful can strengthen the nerve pathways which triggers positive emotion.
How can we build gratitude?
Change your words
Instead of seeing something as a problem, try to see the opportunities within it.
Our brains are very receptive and what we read or write can alter our emotional system.
Express it
This will not only make you feel good, but you will also get a positive response from others.
How can we build gratitude?
Notice more
Throughout your day, try to notice all the things that are going well; has someone opened a door for you, or smiled?
The basics
By being thankful for the small things every day, we are far more likely to be and stay healthy so that we can enjoy them.
What to do
Gratitude can lead to feelings of optimism, lower our blood pressure, and improve sleep quality.
- Write down what potential good aspects there are to the things you don’t feel like doing, or even what could be worse about it.
- Spend a few minutes writing down three things that you are looking forward to that day, or the good things that have happened to you that day.
- Say thank you to yourself for the things you have achieved, or managed to get through and changed that day.
Sales of battery
electric vehicles hit a record high last year.
Starts at £22,995 for the smaller battery
Available with either a 40kWh battery or a larger 52kWh pack, that offers almost 255 miles, the latest, retro-inspired Renault 5 is both a joy to behold and a hoot to drive.
The interior has been lavished with a level of detail that’s typically reserved for more expensive cars.
4 min read
A champion of EV efficiency
It offers a remarkable 491 mile range on a single charge from the 85kWh battery.
It is a technological masterclass inside with the ability to option screens that span the entire width of the dashboard, including an optional display for the front passenger.
Priced from £37,400
2 min read
It’s a lot of money to part with, but this is arguably all the car you will ever need.
The £89,000 Macan is a premium SUV that somehow manages to blend Porsche’s reputation for dynamics and sporty driving with everyday practicality.
The 95kWh batteries can go from 10 to 80 per cent in as little as 21 minutes from the fastest public charging outlets.
With the business class-style six seat configuration costing a staggering £76,995, it is by far the most expensive Kia ever made, but it backs up its financial demands with a suite of genuinely useful and impressive onboard technology.
It’s fast, goes a long way between stops and charges relatively quickly but the interior is bland, the onboard technology is infuriating and the experience is devoid of emotion.
All of its gadgetry can’t disguise the fact that performance is weak, even for a typically zippy EV, the ride is fussy at slower speeds and it’s not in the least bit enjoyable to drive on a country road.
- While good value (prices start at £17,935) for the 200-mile max range, there are more interesting options from Hyundai, Citroen and Renault for similar money.
- It attempts to wow with tech, much of which hinders, rather than helps.
- There’s no tangible benefit over mounting your phone to the dash.
- Simply an average driving experience, adequate range and slow charging speeds.
2 min read
The kitchen gadgets under £25
Victorinox paring knife
It’s comfortable to hold, with a point sharp enough for scoring pastry.
ProCook cast iron pan
For unbeatable searing and heat-retention, cast iron is the top choice.
Tesco chopping board
Priced at just £22, I’ve yet to find another board that matches it for sheer value and quality.
The kitchen gadgets under £25
Pyrex jug
It is the perfect vessel for blending smooth sauces, melting butter, or warming stock. It won’t stain like plastic and the red measurements never fade.
Salter scales
“I’ve had my slim little set of Salter Disc Scales for over a decade, and I’m delighted to see they are still made to exactly the same reliable design today.”
Microplane grater
It uses photo-etched stainless steel teeth that stay razor-sharp for a decade, something the lookalike copycats simply can’t match.
Braun hand-held blender
It’s an essential for everything from making velvety soup to getting the lumps out of white sauce.
Bodum cafetiere
As well as delivering great results, cafetieres are easy to clean and there’s no ongoing filter paper costs or pod recycling to deal with.
5 min read
The kitchen gadgets under £25
Oxo peeler
What truly sets it apart is the chunky, rubberised handle that absorbs pressure and stays completely non-slip, even if your hands are wet. It is inexpensive and incredibly durable.
Falcon pie dish
Made by fusing porcelain onto heavy-gauge steel for smooth durability, it is dishwasher, freezer, hob, air-fryer and oven-safe.
The golden rules for a happy, secure relationship
Psychiatrist and neuroscientist Dr Amir Levine, author of bestselling book , explains why we behave the way we do in love.
Golden rules for happy relationships
Start with your own behaviours
The foundation of a secure, connected life is being what I call CARRP: that means being consistent, available, responsive, reliable and predictable. All of these qualities can be enacted in small gestures every day.
Express your needs
People need consistency and connection to feel safe. This is not, ‘You hurt my feelings by never replying to me’, it’s more ‘this is the kind of contact that helps me feel secure’.
Golden rules for happy relationships
The appendix ‘inflammation’ rule
If a relationship repeatedly inflames your nervous system, you need to disengage and deprioritise it.
Lean on community
You don’t need hundreds of friends. You need people and places that regularly remind you that you belong.
Stop blaming childhood
Humans are much more complicated than: ‘this happened to you, therefore you are doomed to be anxious’.
Reach for a
secure script
When something unsettles you in a relationship, your first reaction is not always the most accurate one.
If you’re anxious, your brain may jump very quickly to: ‘this is the beginning of the end’. If you’re avoidant, your brain may say: ‘this person wants too much from me, I need to get away’. So one very practical thing you can always do is pause and ask: ‘What would a secure person do here?’
Loneliness elsewhere
When people talk about loneliness, they often assume it means you don’t have enough people in your life. But you can be surrounded by people and still feel lonely if those relationships leave you feeling excluded, ignored or disconnected.
What to do
- Build a community that works for your temperament and gives you regular, reliable moments of connection.
- You can still be kind to people while not treating them as someone who belongs in your inner circle.
- Explain what you need. Sometimes people simply don’t realise how you are experiencing them.
- Check in with people: does this person actually feel that I’m reliable? Do they experience me as predictable? That’s the only way that you can start to become more secure.
Do some foods leave
you feeling hungry rather than satiated? Experts say there are…
Foods that leave you hungrier
A bowl of cereal and glass of orange juice
More refined cereals are digested quickly, and fruit juice, whilst one of your five-a-day, contains less fibre than whole fruit. This might mean you find yourself hungry again within 1-2 hours of eating this breakfast.
Swap the orange juice for a whole orange, the cereal for oats and milk or serve it with Greek yoghurt or a boiled egg. This would increase the fibre and protein content; two nutrients strongly linked with fullness.
Foods that leave you hungrier
These pastries are made primarily from refined flour and butter, and are relatively low in protein and fibre.
Toast and jam
Shop-bought packs can contain a lot of white rice, which is digested quickly, and the protein content is often modest.
Foods that leave you hungrier
Vegetable soup
On its own, it is often very low in protein and calories, so hunger can return quickly.
Unless it’s loaded with veggies, it’s probably pretty low in fibre.
Liquids are generally less filling as they require little chewing which may not trigger satiety signals.
Foods that leave you hungrier
Snack bars
They are ideal for a quick pick-me-up, but if reducing hunger is what you’re after, it’d be better to swap it out.
Low-fat yoghurt
A full-fat plain Greek yoghurt with berries and seeds tends to be much more filling due to the protein, fat and fibre.
On an empty stomach, it can actually increase your appetite.
What to eat instead
Instead of thinking about avoiding foods, think about what you can add to them.
- Add beans, lentils or shredded chicken to your vegetable soup and pasta.
- Thicken your smoothies with Greek yoghurt, chia seeds and oats.
- Apple slices with peanut butter, yogurt with berries and hummus with oat biscuits are better snack options than a pre-made snack bar.
- Have alcohol alongside a balanced meal containing protein and fibre.
How to age well
without pain
Will Harlow, a physiotherapist
for the over-50s and author of Independence for Life, shares
the key signs you’re ageing
badly – and what to do about it.
How to know
Ageing well is maintaining the ability to do what you want you want for as long as you want without needing help. Everyone is talking about longevity but what’s the point in living longer if the last decade is painful and you’re [totally] reliant on people?”
The signs to look out for
- The most obvious early warning sign of bad ageing is pain says Harlow.
- Another is losing confidence in doing daily tasks, which can quickly lead to a lack of independence.
- One call Harlow often receives is people calling after having a fall and struggling to get up.
4 min read
How to age without pain
Not just stopping
When people retire, they often put their feet up and stop. Your body really is use it or lose it.
Throughout our entire lives, Harlow says we need between seven and nine hours of sleep.
Social isolation
The lack of connection can increase the risk of premature death by
as much as 29 per cent.
Strength training
It really is the proxy for
overall independence.
The more muscle mass you have, the less chance of heart disease, diabetes, falls and even anxiety, depression and dementia.
The brain can be linked to muscle mass too, Harlow says. It’s not just about being able to lift things. It gives you more energy, better sleep and you’ll look and feel better.
How to age without pain
Daily habits
Do short bursts of exercise, between 30 and 60 seconds, in otherwise dead time during the day.
Stretch in bed
Take joints through a full range of motion for five minutes to loosen it before getting up.
Don’t crash diet
How to age without pain
Harlow advises 1.6 grams per kilogram of body weight to stop muscle loss alongside resistance training.
Don’t wait
Harlow finds that many patients put off making a change to their lifestyle until their lives are consumed by pain.
For most people, it’s about reducing the number of times per week you’re exercising, not reducing intensity.
The three ageing tests to do
- Lie completely flat on the floor and get back up to a standing position using any technique. This should take less than 10 seconds.
See how many times you can sit on the chair and stand back up again in 30 seconds. Men should be aiming for more than 14 times and women 12.
The single-leg stand, which involves standing on one leg and balancing for 10 seconds. Everyone should be able to do that and for those under 65, Harlow asks them to do it with their eyes closed.
Despite the job market hiring fewer entry-level roles, employers are still looking for grads…
But you should be prepared to keep an open mind.
We’ve compiled the sectors hiring graduate roles, what degree is required, and what they pay.
The degrees to choose for a career
Hiring in the UK could
finally be on the up
47%
of employers offered entry-level
positions from July.
That is up nearly 15 per cent from the same period last year.
700,000
But graduate unemployment rose to six per cent in 2025 and 700,000 jobless graduates were claiming benefits.
Finance and insurance
- Around 42 per cent of UK finance and insurance employers say they will be open to graduate roles this summer.
- Business loan company Portman Finance Group has taken on 50 graduates over the past four years.
Portman graduates start on £36,000 for the two-year programme and the education you need to apply is a minimum “ABB” of A-levels, and a 2:1 or above university degree. But not in a specific subject.
Trade and logistics
What makes it particularly rewarding is that there’s always something to learn.
Nearly half (47 per cent) of trade and logistics companies will be giving graduates a go this year.
Salaries start at £30,000 with an uncapped bonus, rising to £50,000 plus a company car as a senior account partner.
Technology and IT
More than half (52 per cent) of UK tech and IT firms are actively looking for graduates.
Successful entry-level candidates can earn a basic salary of up to £35,000, with the opportunity to triple that within their first three years of working.
4 min read
Public sector, health
and social services
46 per cent of public sector, health and social services organisations are also ready to take graduates, according to a survey by Manpower.
- For example, Police Now runs a graduate programme into policing. They recruit graduates from any degree field, as long as they achieve a 2:2 or above. Starting salaries range from £31,164 to £42,210 depending on location and rising each year.
Can we treat guests without blowing our budget?
According to Waitrose, a dinner party revival is underway led by younger people trying to reduce the cost of getting together.
Always have bread
People will feast on the
ELLA RISBRIDGER, AUTHOR OF THE KITCHEN BOOK – GOOD FOOD FOR EVERY DAY
bread, and then need less fish/steak/expensive whatever. All small plates restaurants know this: this is why the first thing on the menu is always artisan bread and butter.
Use vegetables as centrepieces
Add pantry items
Graham’s recipes include a braised cabbage with a preserved lemon sauce, a roast cauliflower with saffron, and harrisa roast carrots with mango labneh.
How to host on a budget
Improve the everyday
Guests will always appreciate a stellar interpretation of the ordinary. Think lasagna or curry.
Cooking dinner for your guests is spoiling them – you’re being generous with your time, your effort, and your home. So don’t feel the need to go overboard elsewhere.
Ask for help
Ask friends to bring a contribution, be it a nibble or a pudding.
Big platter energy
[Presentation] can be the key to elevating something . Spaghetti and tomato sauce suddenly looks like a feast when tumbled on a lovely big plate, dressed with olive oil and parmesan and placed in the middle of the table.
Food writer and editor Eleanor Steafel
How to host on a budget
Taco party
Have one expensive filling, like shredded chicken, and two cheaper options, like refried beans, says Ella Risbridger.
Shop-bought ice cream is so easily zhuzhed up with the help of handy toppings, says Eleanor Steafel.
In the last few years, the buses have come up in conversation with family and friends (who have a range of political views). One family member told me he’d been unsettled by them: “It’s effectively at the end of my road, the route we walk our son to school, and my wife walks to work.” He says a woman he knows was surrounded by four of the men and followed to her gym. “It felt quite close to home.”
Others are utterly unbothered — friends who live near the centre of town say there are many other “important (and real) issues to tackle like the rising number of homeless people”. But now the newly-elected Reform UK council has seized the bus issue and decided action needs to be taken.
On the warm September day I’m at the bus stop, there are around 30 men of various ages waiting to be taken back to Wethersfield. They cluster in small groups of two or three, some texting and chatting. Others are finishing a takeaway pizza. One appears to have bought a wheelie suitcase. Another has a small Primark shopping bag. Asylum seekers are eligible for £9.95 a week if their accommodation provides meals, or £49 per week if not, which is loaded onto a debit card.
It’s late afternoon and a few members of the public come and go without any interaction with the men. They seem to keep themselves to themselves. I approach some but they’re not keen to talk; understandable given the reception they get here is often negative. The buses have become a flashpoint for rage: videos posted in Facebook groups like “Stop The Wethersfield Buses” show confrontations between locals, the men and bus drivers (who sometimes cover their faces). Protestors tell them bluntly: “Don’t unpack cause you’re going back.”
In the 10 years since Brexit, anti-migrant sentiment has been well documented across England. In particular, there is disagreement over how those seeking asylum here should be treated and housed.
But what might have once just been anger posted online, or threaded into political discourse, is increasingly translating to offline action. Last week, protestors blocked roads in Gosport, Hampshire, after reports suggested small boats were coming ashore there (in the end 51 migrants arrived in Dover). And rightwing protester Danny Tommo was arrested for appearing to slash a dingy in the Channel with a knife, while a French coastguard official was on board.
In Piddington, Oxfordshire, villagers held a symbolic referendum over plans to house asylum seekers nearby. A total of 285 people voted in favour, while 26 voted against. Now residents of Barnham in West Sussex and Crowborough in East Sussex are considering doing the same.
In Chelmsford, this month the Reform-led council announced it would be spending £150,000 of taxpayer money on rolling out “Operation Vanguard”, which it described as “Essex County Council’s response to concerns around the presence of people from Wethersfield”. “It aims to help reassure residents and make them feel safe and secure in their town,” read the statement.
The three-month scheme sees two “security operatives” dressed in red vests, deployed to Chelmsford, Braintree and Colchester (other nearby towns with similar bus issues) from 10am to 6pm, seven days a week. Employed by private security firm, My Local Bobby — which was directly awarded the council contract without a tendering process — the two operatives are not able to arrest nor stop and search. On a council FAQ page it states: “My Local Bobby operatives have no police powers and no more powers than any member of the public.”
On Friday, Prime Minister Andy Burnham said he wanted the council to “put evidence on the table” to justify why it was running the scheme. He said it was “highly unusual” and that the police should be dealing with such issues, not “taking the law into their own hands”.
Council leader Peter Harris previously said the decision had been made because “concerns for community safety are clearly there, particularly among women and girls, because of the daily gatherings of asylum seekers”. Reform says that there are as many as 17 minibuses running between Wethersfield and the three towns each day. “We are not prepared to sit on our hands and wait for the next incident. We are taking action,” said Cllr Harris.
According to Essex Police, in the three years since Wethersfield opened there have been 15 reported offences across the whole county where the suspect was identified as, or alleged to be, someone from Wethersfield, and the victim was a member of the public. Of those, five were in Chelmsford. In 2026 so far, police have made 23 arrests related to Wethersfield, with 14 of those relating to incidents happening on the site, and the majority between residents. Overall, crime levels in Essex have dropped.
In an era of difficult spending decisions for councils — Essex County Council increased council tax by 3.95 per cent in April 2026 — is this how people want to see this money spent?
At the bus stop, I speak to 76-year-old Sue from Springfield, who tells me that she sees the buses regularly. “They’re here every time I get the bus. They’re not a problem. They’re not causing trouble. [Sometimes] when you’re sitting here in the pouring rain and their bus pulls up, you think ‘maybe I’ll catch a lift’. I don’t feel threatened by them at all. It’s a waste of money, there are other things Reform could be doing like [sorting out] young lads who ride on the pavements.”
As Sue is talking, an elderly woman next to her cuts across our conversation saying that she had witnessed one of the men taking photographs of a young girl. “We were annoyed and told him off,” she says, before walking away. This is the sort of story that is regularly posted about in the online groups.
Also waiting is John*, 68, from Maldon, who — unlike Sue — felt that the scheme was needed but is sceptical it will work. “I do think people feel unsafe because of a cultural shift [in Britain], but two guys aren’t going to make a difference are they?”
John admitted he hadn’t seen the buses himself but had broader reservations about migration based on content he’d seen online and on TV. “I’m not trying to be unfair or callous but when I see mainly young blokes… and what I want the [government] can’t afford to pay for but army bases and guys in red vests they can.” He described migrants as a “total sponge” on resources. When asked if he’d support them once they could legally work, he said there weren’t enough jobs in the UK.
He worried for his grandchildren about their employment opportunities and access to housing (he says his grandchildren are “blind” to the issue of migrants). “They’ll be a forgotten chunk of people,” he said. In the last election John abstained from voting — no parties appealed.
It’s clear there is anger and political dissatisfaction bubbling away here (a younger man on a bike passes us and shouts that he supports Tommy Robinson). But no one I meet — whether critical or supportive of the buses — believes this scheme is the answer. Even my family member called it a “standard political move… a token gesture” that he thought would make headlines but nothing more.
During my day, I do come across the two-man security patrol, Jake and Ben (they weren’t present for bus pickup). They said the week had been “really positive” but when probed about the buses were keen to stress their purpose is about being a “visible presence” and wouldn’t comment more specifically. It seemed that they saw themselves more akin to old-fashioned neighbourhood policing than bus monitors (the disappearance of policing on our streets and station closure is a different but important issue).
An incident log of the scheme’s first week in Chelmsford, shared with The i Paper, seemed to confirm this. They were involved in one public safety concern, one shoplifting incident, one anti-social behaviour case regarding public drunkenness and one report of a suspicious vehicle. The council did not state whether any of these incidents were related to Wethersfield residents.
A spokesperson said: “They haven’t been deployed to address one specific issue, but it’s the specific issue of these buses that led to the decision to increase a general policing presence.”
In an era of extreme political division, it’s clear that many towns and villages are trying to take asylum policy into their own hands; through protest, referendum, or men in red vests. Whether these steps are able to actually effect change, or are more about channeling people’s fears and rage into optics and show trials, is debatable. I’m reminded of a favourite historical fact about Chelmsford: in the 1500s, there were 473 witch trials here, more than anywhere else in the country.
For the next 12 weeks, the Reform council will be hoping Operation Vanguard can live up to its name (although hopefully with fewer military connotations) and become an example of what local government can do to show residents they are on their side. That they get it.
I’m not surprised that this has happened in a town like Chelmsford but it feels a damning reflection of the times we’re living in. I don’t disagree with the men being housed at the base nor them coming into town; the men I saw largely ignored me; one smiled. And on a dark winter’s evening any potential intimidation I’d have felt would be equal to that posed by 30 British men stood on a street corner.
But what I wasn’t expecting was that even those who dislike the buses – the very people the council is presumably hoping to placate – were disillusioned and feel it’s money poorly spent. Perhaps that’s something we can all agree on.
*Some names have been changed.