This Children’s Mental Health Week (9th-15th February), I am taking a look at the core aspects of a child’s life that are important from a mental health perspective and offer advice on how families can help improve their children’s health and wellbeing.

Jones Myers family law solicitor Katie Jennings has successfully completed the key first stage of her training to become an accredited Family Law Mediator. Katie, who is based at the niche family law firm’s York city centre office, has undergone training with the Family Mediators Association, completing her assignments in the evenings and weekends.

York is gearing up for another action‑packed February half‑term as the JORVIK Viking Festival returns from 16–22 February 2026, bringing a full week of hands‑on history, craft activities and Norse‑themed entertainment to the city’s streets and historic venues.

A new year often brings about new reflections and new ambitions, whether it's rekindling old friendships, beginning a new hobby, learning a language or setting off on an adventure to a distant land. Many of us use the first few months of a new year to make plans for ourselves or for our families.

Skipton-based mobility specialist Fenetic Wellbeing has raised £15,000 in donations for the MS Society as it celebrates its fourth consecutive year of donating a percentage of all product sales to the charity.

A new maternal wellbeing support group is launching in Thirsk on Thursday 08th January 2026, marking the first community-based session delivered by Brighter Skies, the Yorkshire-based campaign founded by local parents Stef Scurr and Andrew Dunn. The group, which will run from 9am–11am at Thirsk Community Primary School in partnership with Giggle & Grow Tots group provided by Community Works.

This title may be a little confusing as it almost suggests I am using old pieces of artwork to celebrate the new year. This is totally not my intention. I hope all you wonderful young artists and your families and friends had a joyous time and are now looking forward to a healthy, happy creative new year.

We sent the Charlesworth family to experience the magical: Of the Oak in The Chapel at Yorkshire Sculpture Park. Not a typical art exhibition but an immersive sound-and-video installation that invites you to step metaphorically inside an ancient oak tree.

A recent poll by cancer charity Maggie’s, found that nearly half of people worry about speaking to family and friends with cancer. Maggie’s cancer charity is well known for its compassionate support for people living with cancer and those close to them.

Yorkshire children’s cancer charity Candlelighters is showcasing the role of outreach play specialists, within the broad range of services it offers to the families of children with cancer. Emily Wragg, Candlelighters’ CEO explains: “We’re proud to fund two NHS outreach play specialists based at Leeds Children’s Hospital.

Motorsport fans enjoyed a special evening with racing car driver Daniel Lloyd raising awareness and funds for Forget Me Not Children’s Hospice while discovering a range of supercars at the newly restored Three Acres Inn, near Huddersfield. The ‘Ignition’ event was the brainchild of BTCC driver Daniel, who has been an ambassador for Forget Me Not since 2012.

Jones Myers has helped to enhance the quality of life for disabled Artmakers by contributing presents for a festive fundraiser. Support from the niche family law firm has helped to raise £3,000 for Henshaws which supports people living with a range of disabilities to discover their talents, put them into practice - and realise their full potential.

One-thousand families of premature and sick babies in the North of England have been helped through difficult times by a generous donation. The 1,000 beneficiaries’ milestone has been achieved through three years of support from the operator of the Tyne Tunnels, TT2, to Tiny Lives Trust which pays for the transport costs of families with babies in hospitals.

Candlelighters, the children’s cancer charity, is holding their Big Give Christmas campaign, from midday Tuesday, December 2nd to midday Tuesday, December 9th, when donations will be matched by pledges from generous organisations. The charity is hoping to raise £40,000 in online donations in seven days, which will be matched to achieve a target of £80,000.

The For Baby’s Sake Trust has launched its 2025 Christmas campaign, Safe for Christmas, Secure for Life, calling on people to donate to help protect babies from the harm of domestic abuse in the North East.

Making arrangements for the care of children over the Christmas period as a separated parent can feel daunting, and without a court order specifying where children should live or spend time during school holidays or special occasions, disagreements can quickly arise. There are however, several ways to ease the pressure and reduce any potential conflict.

Madison Lord, 11, a Forget Me Not fundraiser from Brighouse joined Children in Need presenters Mel Giedroyc, Rochelle Humes, Vernon Kay, Paddy McGuinness, Lenny Rush and Big Zuu in the BBC studio for a special evening of fundraising.

Our second visit to Trentham Winter Lights was every bit as enchanting as the first. Last year, my then 4- and 7-year-olds were utterly captivated by the spectacle, and this year the magic returned with a delightful twist. The trail featured a subtle Wizard of Oz theme, punctuated by rainbows that appeared at every turn, creating a wonderfully whimsical atmosphere reminiscent of a storybook.

I recently attended a gallery, where one of my paintings was one of the entries in the exhibition. At the launch evening, I realised that not all artists immerse themselves in colour. The subject matter may determine the medium and palette they use, yet a lot seemed to be the artist's own personal style as the main factor. One artist used pen and ink.

The Norse god, Skadi, may have brought the snow and ice down to Viking-age Coppergate, but the 10th century inhabitants are promising a very warm welcome to visitors making winter trips to JORVIK Viking Centre in York – where sub-zero temperatures are forecast to stay until February!

As the clocks have now gone back and the nights are drawing in, Paragon Veterinary Practice in Carlisle is reminding pet owners to take extra precautions to keep their animals safe and visible during walks. With reduced daylight hours and darker mornings and evenings, pets and their owners are more at risk of being unseen by drivers or cyclists.

This Christmas, British Garden Centres is inviting homeowners across the country to spread festive joy and light up their streets as part of its #LightUpChristmas campaign with the launch of its sparkling new competition, Light Up Your House.

A groundbreaking trial exploring the potential of blood tests to diagnose dementia is now underway at two NHS Trusts in Sheffield marking a significant step toward improving the UK’s dementia diagnosis rate.