Residents of Woodbridge scored it particularly highly for feeling that they are able to “be themselves” in the area, the community spirit and friendliness of the people, and access to essential services such as doctors and schools.
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The mayor of Woodbridge, Councillor Robin Sanders, said the happy mood of the town’s residents was “a reflection of the vibrant town centre”.
Jamie Curran, the director at IP Properties in Woodbridge, said: “The amenities Woodbridge has to offer in my eyes are second to none; having boutiques, coffee shops, public houses and highly reviewed restaurants all within walking distance of each other is amazing.”
The London borough of Richmond upon Thames was placed second, having been top last year, while Hexham in Northumberland, a previous winner, was ranked third.
In other findings from the report, Monmouth was crowned the happiest place to live in Wales, while Stirling came top in Scotland.
Category: Quality of Life
Chris Osuh, writing for The Guardian »
Couples who meet in later life and decide against moving in together experience mental health benefits comparable to marriage or cohabiting – but without the “frictions”, “intense day-to-day interactions” and care commitments that come with those relationships, the research showed.
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Challenging the perception that older people prefer more “conventional” arrangements involving marriage and cohabitation, the research found that when the over-60s form a new relationship, “living apart, together” is the most popular option: 10 times more probable than marriage.
On the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, 25 November, the report Femicides in 2023: Global Estimates of Intimate Partner/Family Member Femicides by UN Women and UNODC reveals that femicide—the most extreme form of violence against women and girls—remains pervasive globally.
Globally, 85,000 women and girls were killed intentionally in 2023. 60 per cent of these homicides –51,100- were committed by an intimate partner or a family member. The data shows that 140 women and girls die every day at the hands of their partner or a close relative, which means one woman or girl is killed every 10 minutes.
In 2023, Africa recorded the highest rates of intimate partner and family-related femicide, followed by the Americas, and then by Oceania. In Europe and the Americas, most women killed in the domestic sphere (64 per cent and 58 per cent, respectively) were victims of intimate partners, while elsewhere, family members were the primary perpetrators.
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Kuan-Wei Chen, McGill University and Hoda Asgarian, Bond University, writing in The Conversation »
In April, the European Court of Human Rights ruled in favour of a group of seniors who alleged that the Swiss government’s failure to meet climate change mitigation targets is having an adverse impact on their health, well-being and quality of life.
This landmark decision by the highest human rights court in Europe confirms not only that climate change is intimately linked to human rights, but effectively holds all European governments accountable to adopt more rigorous measures to combat climate change. »