What we liked this week included the latest news from publishers’ annual charity campaigns, how clowns are making a difference for displaced Ukrainian children and an unlikely battleground for an impromptu snowball fight…
1. Millions raised for Christmas appeals
Last week, we spotlighted the many worthy causes news brands have been championing this year as part of their annual Christmas appeals. Readers have been engaging in large numbers, with two fantastic milestones reached this week on campaigns combating the cost of living crisis. The Evening Standard and The Independent’s joint ‘On The Breadline’ campaign has now broken the £3 million mark, while the Guardian and the Observer’s appeal has made £200,000 in just five days.
2. Clowning around for charity
The war in Ukraine has also been a particular focus for charity campaigns, both in news brand campaigns and wider movements. The Mirror’s Twitter feed spotlighted Clowns Without Borders UK’s action to send 19 clowns to for ‘critical emotional first-aid’ to children affected by the conflict.
3. Top search trends of the year
The news agenda over the past year has often struck a more serious tone, as war, cost of living, political scandal and the death of the Queen dominated headlines. But when it comes to what Brits most searched for in 2022, the humble puzzle comes top of the list.
Wordle, the hit word game that took the world by storm, was the top trending search on Google from the past 12 months. The Times’ Instagram post looked at what else occupied British search boxes in 2022.
4. Using tech to help readers find warmth
Rising energy bills are forcing many families to make the impossible choice between eating and heating. Metro spotlighted one IT developer’s project to map ‘warm banks’ across the country, helping readers find comfortable places to keep warm free if they cannot afford to heat their homes.
5. Snowballs on the line
If your train to West Ham was delayed on Sunday, these mischievous travellers might have had something to do with it. The Independent’s TikTok channel showed this impromptu cross-platform snowball fight breaking out as temperatures plummeted in the capital.
