What Are These Remote Controlled Cars on the Field at the Olympics?

Have you seen those cute little cars zipping around the Paris Games' field events? They're actually field support robots that help keep things running smoothly. These robotic ball kids are used to retrieve projectiles in javelin, discus, shot put and hammer throw events. And when they're not busy, they even get to ferry around the Paris 2024 mascot! The Olympic Games have been using remote controlled cars like these for years, each with its own unique design - from futuristic buses in Tokyo to Mini Cooper-inspired models in London.

Read More

A Métis Game Developer is Using Roblox To Preserve His Language

Josh Nilson didn’t expect to return to gaming. After co-founding and leading East Side Games for 14 years, the Métis developer stepped away from the industry in 2023. But when he realized that Michif — one of Canada’s most endangered languages — was at risk of vanishing without a digital presence, he made a bold move: bring it to where kids already are. Not into textbooks. Not into classrooms. Into Roblox. In June 2025, Nilson launched Michif RP, a virtual world built on the massively popular online platform. Players learn the language not through drills or flashcards, but by living it — playing fiddle tunes, trying traditional foods, exploring virtual communities, and picking up new words while completing quests or chatting with friends. "We have to go to the platforms they are on," Nilson says, "and not only teach through play, but teach through building." Where culture meets code Michif is traditionally spoken by Métis people alongside French and Cree. But despite more than 624,000 Métis people in Canada, only around 1,485 are fluent, according to the 2021 Census. For years, language revitalization efforts relied on books and pamphlets — resources young people often saw as homework, not something to connect with. Nilson’s approach flips that script by meeting kids inside the digital worlds they already inhabit. And few platforms are more immersive — or more social — than Roblox. More than just a game, Roblox is a user-generated platform where players can build their own worlds, customize avatars, and even earn real money. With 380 million monthly active users and over 151 million logging in daily, most of them kids and teens, Roblox is a cultural powerhouse. Inside Michif RP, kids can try on a virtual capote (a traditional Métis coat) and learn its meaning before purchasing it — with proceeds supporting Indigenous charities. They can earn badges for practicing fiddle tunes or cooking traditional dishes. Even small, simple actions — baking bread, fishing, or greeting another player — become vehicles for language learning. And crucially, they can make mistakes. Learning without fear Nilson says one of the biggest barriers to reclaiming a language like Michif is the pressure to be perfect. “If you don’t know it, you feel like a failure,” he says. That anxiety can shut learners down. Linguist Stephen Krashen famously argued that emotional states like fear or shame can block language acquisition entirely — even if the learner understands what’s being taught. Michif RP is built to do the opposite. It’s designed to be fun, forgiving, and immersive. “When I learn Italian, I don’t pressure myself,” Nilson says. “But with Michif, there’s a cultural expectation.” So instead of pressure, Michif RP offers low-stakes repetition in a high-context setting — exactly what helps fluency stick. Building Indigenous futures Still, the project isn’t without its challenges. Even basic discoverability on Roblox has hit walls — literally. Nilson says that after flagging it to Roblox engineers, the platform still doesn’t recognize the word “Métis” in its search function. His team had to rename the game from Métis Life to Michif RP just to make it visible. “If the platform itself can’t recognize Indigenous identity, is it really the right place to build?” Nilson asked. For now, he sees it as a bridge — a way to reach young players where they are, while laying the foundation for something more lasting. To push that future forward, Nilson launched Maskwa Games in summer 2025 — a bootcamp that teaches Indigenous youth game development and coding skills, starting with Métis communities in Alberta. His goal: bring 1,000 new Indigenous digital creators into Canada’s $5.4-billion gaming industry within two years. “Think of our training as a first step,” Nilson says. “We’re giving them the overview, the support they need to get started. I think it opens your mind to what’s possible.” He’s seen the shift firsthand. Growing up with platforms like Xbox and Nintendo, game development felt like working on a factory line — build, certify, ship. But today’s generation is growing up on user-generated platforms like Roblox, where iteration is constant and creators can “build while you’re live.” That’s where Michif RP fits. It’s not just a game — it’s a community, a classroom, a sandbox for cultural expression. And Nilson wants others to copy it. “Imagine Roblox worlds designed by Māori, Cree, Sami, or Hawaiian youth,” he says. “Museum kiosks that let you step into a digital powwow. We want to ‘Robin Hood’ the model — give it away so others can build better versions.” For a language once confined to paper, it’s a whole new life — pixel by pixel.

Read More

Good Samaritan's CPR Gift Allows Family to Say Final Goodbye

Ron Snook didn’t survive his final medical emergency — but thanks to a Good Samaritan’s act of kindness, his family was able to say goodbye. The 65-year-old collapsed suddenly on King Street in Kitchener late on New Year’s Eve. He had long battled acute kidney disease and had survived close calls before, but this time, a dangerous buildup of potassium in his body stopped his heart. That could have been the end — if not for a passerby who stepped in and started CPR. “It would have been such a different story if I would have got that phone call at 1:09 a.m. saying that he was gone,” said Renée Poirier, Snook’s stepdaughter. “That person who took that time to give him that chance gave us the chance, gave our kids the chance to be able to say goodbye to grandpa.” Snook was rushed to hospital and stabilized long enough for his family to gather around him. He died three days later, surrounded by loved ones — just short of his birthday. Family searching for the stranger who made it possible Now, Snook’s family is trying to track down the person who gave them that gift of time. The search started with a heartfelt Facebook post by Victoria Lee, another of Snook’s stepdaughters. “Because of you, because you chose to act in a moment when many might freeze, our family was given an unimaginable gift — time,” she wrote. “Your kindness and humanity gave us something we will hold onto forever.” So far, the mystery Good Samaritan hasn’t come forward, but the family is hopeful. Poirier says they’d love to meet them face-to-face. “I wanna squeeze them, and hug them and let them know how grateful our whole family is that we got to say goodbye,” she said. “It means the world to every single one of us.” ‘It could ultimately change somebody’s life’ Poirier hopes her family’s story reminds others how powerful CPR can be, even when it doesn’t lead to a full recovery. “His life could have been gone that very minute, with him alone,” she said. “But he was able to be with his family because that person was able to do CPR and get his heart going again — even if it was for a short time.” Lou Taddeo, regional manager for St. John Ambulance Ontario, says that’s exactly why CPR training matters. “It’s a happy story, but also unfortunately, it’s a sad story because you’re just wondering how many people don’t have that opportunity to say goodbye,” he said. “You never know when you’re gonna be able to utilize these skills — be it a colleague, someone at work, a family member or loved one, a neighbour, a friend.” A legacy of kindness In his community of Bridgeport, Snook was known for his own quiet acts of generosity — clearing snow for neighbours, raking leaves, always ready to lend a hand. His family sees it as a full-circle moment that a stranger stepped up for him when he needed it most. Now they’re asking one more act of kindness: for the Good Samaritan to come forward, so they can thank them properly. And they’re urging others to learn CPR. Because sometimes, even a few more hours can change everything.

Read More

Homeowner Plants Clever Sign to Silence Nosy Neighbors Over a Weed-Filled Lawn

After just six weeks in their new home, one homeowner had already had enough of the unsolicited advice — and decided to respond with a dose of creativity and a touch of sass. In a post shared to the anti-lawn subreddit, the homeowner revealed a bright, cheerful sign they placed in their yard after about 15 separate conversations with neighbors offering weedkiller tips or lawn service referrals. “Pardon the weeds, we're feeding the bees,” the sign reads, surrounded by artwork of bees, butterflies, and a sun-drenched patch of dandelions. The message is friendly, but clear: thanks, but no thanks. According to the original poster (OP), their husband had been “too gentle” in telling neighbors to mind their own business, while they themselves had simply been too busy to engage. So the sign was their way of setting a polite boundary. “Will they leave us alone? Doubt it. But I can hope,” they wrote. Reddit users quickly rallied in support. “This sign is so cute!” one wrote. “People don’t like dandies?” another asked, referring to dandelions. While dandelions are sometimes labeled invasive, they’re only officially listed as such in Alaska and Oregon. More importantly, they’re a helpful early-season food source for pollinators like bees and butterflies. Unlike aggressive invaders such as English ivy, dandelions don’t tend to crowd out native plants — and they serve a useful purpose in urban ecosystems. The broader issue, of course, is the clash between traditional lawn aesthetics and the growing movement toward eco-friendly yards. Lawns dominated by a single grass species not only require constant maintenance, but also depend heavily on water, herbicides, and fertilizers. By contrast, native plants, wildflowers, clover, buffalo grass, and xeriscaping offer low-maintenance alternatives that support biodiversity and reduce environmental impact. Several commenters noted the irony of the complaints, especially given the yard in question was well-maintained by most standards. “Your lawn’s mega short and they’re complaining,” one wrote. “Good luck in a month’s time.” Others had suggestions for escalating the sign’s messaging: “Next sign should say ‘I am going to salt your yard if you ever mention the weeds again.’” While most readers enjoyed the lighthearted defiance, the underlying point is serious. As climate concerns grow and awareness spreads about the importance of pollinators, more homeowners are choosing plants that support local wildlife — even if that means a few dandelions dotting the lawn. For anyone considering a shift away from traditional turf, it doesn’t have to be all or nothing. Replacing just part of your lawn with native plants or low-water alternatives can significantly reduce maintenance and benefit the environment. And if neighbors have an opinion? There’s always room for a sign.

Read More

Firefighters Rescue Injured Deer from Frozen Lake

A rescue team in Colorado Springs pulled off a delicate operation this week, saving an injured deer that got stuck on a frozen lake. The animal had fallen through the ice at Curr Reservoir but managed to pull itself out, according to the Colorado Springs Fire Department. By the time emergency crews arrived, it was stranded, too exhausted to move away from the edge where the ice had cracked. Firefighters responded after a call from Colorado Parks and Wildlife and geared up in full ice-rescue gear. Despite being clearly frightened, the deer allowed the team to place it in a harness and guide it to safety. “As soon as it hit land, the deer found its strength and took off back into the wild,” the fire department said. They credited teamwork for making the rescue possible and said they were grateful to help “one of Colorado’s wild residents get a second chance.”

Greenland Sharks Can See in the Deep — and Their Century-Old Eyes May Hold Secrets to Lasting Vision

Greenland sharks, the mysterious giants that drift slowly through the pitch-black depths of the Arctic Ocean, may be far better equipped for seeing in the dark than scientists once thought — and their eyes are holding up impressively well, even after more than a century. A new study published in Nature Communications challenges the long-standing belief that these sharks, known to live for over 100 years and possibly up to 500, rely on little or no vision at all. Researchers from the US, Switzerland, and Denmark analyzed the eyes of sharks caught and euthanized under scientific permits between 2020 and 2024, and found a surprisingly well-preserved and functional visual system. Despite living in near-total darkness — often more than 1,000 meters below the surface — the Greenland shark (Somniosus microcephalus) appears to have evolved not only to see, but to maintain retinal health far beyond what’s seen in most vertebrates. At first glance, it’s easy to see why scientists assumed these sharks had poor eyesight. Many of them have parasites visibly clinging to their corneas. Add to that the crushing depths and minimal light in their environment, and the case seemed closed. But the new research paints a different picture. The team found that while the sharks’ retinas lack cones (which are used for color vision in bright light), they contain healthy populations of rods — the light-sensitive cells used for night vision. The absence of cones is an adaptation seen in other deep-sea animals, which don’t need to distinguish colors in perpetual twilight. Even more striking, the sharks’ rod cells contain rhodopsin, a protein crucial for low-light vision. The rhodopsin in Greenland sharks is most sensitive to blue wavelengths of around 458 nanometers — exactly the kind of faint light that filters deepest into the ocean. Perhaps most remarkable of all: the retinas showed no signs of degeneration, even in sharks estimated to be over 130 years old. While the exact mechanisms behind this longevity remain unclear, the findings suggest that some aspect of the Greenland shark’s biology — possibly its famed DNA repair capabilities — plays a role in keeping its visual system intact over time. Measurements also showed that even with a parasite attached to the cornea, light transmission remained functional, meaning the sharks likely retain some usable vision throughout their lives. “Our findings support the presence of a preserved and functional visual system in the adult Greenland shark, which seems well-adapted to extreme low-light conditions,” the researchers wrote. “The Greenland shark provides a striking example of long-term preservation of retinal integrity… and highlights the extraordinary potential for neuronal maintenance in extreme longevity.” While it’s too early to say what this could mean for human eye health, the discovery opens the door to new questions about how vision — and other aspects of neural function — might be preserved over the course of a very long life. For now, the Greenland shark remains a deep-sea enigma: ancient, slow-moving, and surprisingly sharp-eyed in the eternal night.

Read More

This Town Just Made a Local Goose a Celebrity—with His Own Pin Badge

In the Cambridgeshire town of March, one goose has gone from loner to local legend. Gary, a white-feathered goose with a cracked beak, a few stray black feathers, and striking blue eyes, lives apart from a group of about 18 other geese near the river. While the rest of the gaggle sticks together on a grassy mound known as Tellytubby Hill, Gary has carved out his own patch of territory in a nearby garden—and it’s earned him a devoted fan base. So devoted, in fact, that supporters have created a charity pin badge in his honor. The Geese of March Facebook group, which boasts 7,000 members, launched the pin to celebrate Gary’s quirks and raise money for two local animal charities. According to Chrissie Fadip, who oversees the town’s goose-themed merchandise, Gary was an easy choice. “People love him as he is the ultimate underdog,” she said. “No-one likes to see someone isolated on their own or not fitting in with a gang.” Fadip described Gary as “hilarious” and recalled one interaction that sums him up: “I was once calling him and he appeared to tell me to honk off because he does respond when you call him with a quack.” The group’s merchandise took off over Christmas, and organizers hope the Gary badge will keep that momentum going. The pin features his unmistakable features—including the signature cracked beak. Gary’s chosen home is in the riverside garden of Taff Stevens, who said the bird showed up about eight years ago and “sort of stayed there ever since.” A small ramp connects Gary’s boat landing to Stevens’ garden decking, giving the goose his own route between water and land. “Everybody sort of feeds him and walks by,” Stevens said. “The kids stop to see him before they go to school, and when the boats go up and down the river, he’ll follow them so far and then he comes back. Everybody knows him.” Not that he’s always charming. “He’s not the friendliest... he will give you a peck,” Stevens added. But that hasn’t stopped people from looking out for him. Stevens said residents often knock on his door if they haven’t seen Gary for a day or two. In one case, when the river froze over, the community had to break the ice so Gary could get to safety. Now Stevens is planning to sell his house, but there's a catch: the new owners must agree to keep Gary on. “Otherwise they will upset the people of March,” he said. “He’s very easy to live with. He’s a bit of an antisocial goose, really.” And yet, that’s exactly why Gary’s captured the town’s heart. A solitary bird with a stubborn streak and a ramp of his own—who now has his face on a pin and an entire town looking out for him.

Read More

Sharon Stone Adopted This Rescue Puppy After Falling In Love With Him On an Awards Show Red Carpet

Sharon Stone left this year’s Astra Awards with more than just a trophy — she left with a new family member. The 67-year-old actress met an 8-week-old pit bull mix named Mo on the red carpet at the Hollywood Creative Alliance’s annual event on January 9. Stone, who was at the ceremony to receive the Timeless Award, spotted the puppy among a group of adoptable dogs and immediately felt a connection. Mo wasn’t just there for the glitz and glam. She was one of several rescue puppies brought to the event by Petco Love and The Lovejoy Foundation, part of an ongoing effort to spotlight adoptable animals at high-profile events. This was the fourth year in a row Petco Love partnered with the Astra Awards to bring rescue dogs to the red carpet. Mo and two of her siblings were rescued from what Petco Love described as a “dire situation.” After arriving safely at The Lovejoy Foundation in Los Angeles, the puppies were given the chance to find new homes — and Mo found hers in the most Hollywood way possible. Stone stopped for a few photos with the pup and, according to Petco Love, made a quick video call to her youngest son, Quinn, to make sure he was on board. Once he gave the green light, Stone told the foundation she was ready to adopt. “She’s going to have a great life because she’s going to be my youngest son’s dog,” Stone said. “And my youngest son is absolutely thrilled about it.” In a statement shared with PEOPLE on Jan. 13, Stone added that Mo has already made a big impact at home. “We love our adorable new puppy. She's brought a lot of joy, cuddles & fun into our home,” she said. The actress has long spoken about the importance of pets in family life. “I think that dogs and kids go together like peanut butter and jelly,” she said. “I think it’s a good responsibility, and I think it’s good character building for kids. It’s really healthy for kids and for families to have pets.” While Mo has settled into life as a celebrity’s pet, her siblings are still waiting to be adopted. Petco Love says anyone interested in giving them a home can contact The Lovejoy Foundation. For people outside Los Angeles, more information is available at PetcoLove.org. As for Stone, Mo’s adoption capped off a milestone night. But the real prize, she says, is the joy that the little pit bull has brought to her family.

Read More

Minnesota Family's Colorful Igloo Goes Viral, Captivating Millions Worldwide

A Minnesota family’s backyard winter project has captured the internet’s attention — and it started with just a few buckets of food coloring and a lot of cold nights. Brett and Laura Ashbach, along with their two young children, spent weeks building a 12-foot igloo out of more than 700 hand-colored ice blocks. What began as a snow day activity quickly turned into a full-scale engineering project, a neighborhood attraction, and a surprise viral hit viewed by more than 22 million people online. “It was our first time attempting a structure made entirely of snow and ice,” Laura, a 39-year-old nurse practitioner, told PEOPLE. “It was a different kind of challenge, and a fun one to take on together.” The Ashbachs, who live in a suburb of Minneapolis, are used to embracing Minnesota’s extreme winters. But this project took things to a new level. Each block of ice was frozen in an 8-by-8 inch aluminum tin, colored with food dye, and left to harden outside — a process that took one to two days per block, depending on the weather. Purple turned out to be the trickiest. “More often than not, it froze into a murky gray,” Laura said. As the blocks stacked up, so did the hours. Brett and Laura each logged about 60 hours of labor — on top of their full-time jobs — carefully building the igloo one layer at a time. The kids helped mix colors, pack down snow, and even chose where individual blocks should go. “Watching the igloo grow day by day was incredibly exciting for them,” Laura said. The structure itself was built using a homemade mortar made of snow and water, with progress made mostly at night, when temperatures were coldest. Once finished, the igloo stood seven feet tall on the inside, with a 12-foot footprint and glowing LED lights beaming from within. “When the light hit it just right, it looked almost like stained glass,” Laura said. But Minnesota weather doesn’t always cooperate, even in winter. Partway through construction, a surprise warm spell melted half the igloo. The family had no choice but to start over. Still, they stuck with it. Neighbors began to take notice. What looked like a backyard snow fort turned into a glowing rainbow dome, drawing curious onlookers each night. Once complete, the Ashbachs threw an igloo party with hot chocolate, a bonfire, and even pizza delivered right to the frozen doorstep. Eventually, as temperatures rose again, the igloo started to sag. Rather than wait for it to collapse, Brett decided to bring it down himself — Kool-Aid Man–style. “It worked perfectly and made for a hilarious finale,” Laura said. “What we didn’t expect was that the break in the wall looked almost exactly like the continent of Africa.” The family posted a video of the igloo online as a way to document the memory. They didn’t expect what happened next. “It was really just our way of preserving a special family moment,” Laura said. But the video blew up, racking up millions of views on TikTok and Instagram. The family’s account, now aptly named @WhatWillWeThinkOfNext, has attracted followers from around the world. The reaction has been overwhelmingly positive, with commenters saying the video reminded them of their childhood, inspired them to try a new project, or simply made them smile. “That means everything to us,” Laura said. “Because that’s exactly why we built it — to give our kids a one-of-a-kind experience and create memories they’ll carry forever.” The viral fame has even led to a few unexpected encounters, like coworkers recognizing them from the video. But more than anything, it’s brought the family closer — and sparked ideas for future builds. “If the weather cooperates, there’s a good chance we’ll take on the challenge again someday,” Laura said. Her biggest takeaway? Don’t say no to big, weird ideas. “If your kids ever ask you to build an igloo — or dream up something wildly creative — just say yes. Make the time. It’s completely worth it.”

Read More

5 Ways NASA's Artemis 2 Mission is Set To Make Spaceflight History

After years of delays, NASA’s long-awaited mission to send astronauts around the Moon is finally nearing the launch pad—and it’s shaping up to be one for the record books. Artemis 2, the first crewed flight of NASA’s new lunar program, is now targeting a February 6 launch. The four-person crew—commander Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover, and mission specialists Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen—will lift off from Kennedy Space Center in Florida aboard the massive Space Launch System (SLS) rocket, riding inside the Orion spacecraft. It’ll be the first time in over 50 years that humans venture beyond low-Earth orbit. But this mission is more than just a warm-up for the eventual Moon landing. Artemis 2 is poised to break multiple records and mark several historic firsts on its ten-day journey around the Moon. Back to deep space—for the first time since Apollo It’s been nearly 55 years since astronauts last left low-Earth orbit. That was in December 1972, when Apollo 17 traveled to the Moon and back. Since then, every human spaceflight—from the space shuttle to the International Space Station—has stayed within about 640 kilometers of Earth’s surface. Artemis 2 will change that. After reaching orbit, Orion will separate from the rocket and fire its engines to slingshot around the Moon in what’s known as a "free return trajectory." That means the spacecraft will circle the Moon and then use Earth’s gravity to guide it back home. Once it launches, Artemis 2 will be the first human mission beyond low-Earth orbit in over five decades. And that’s just the beginning. A new record for distance Apollo 13 currently holds the record for the farthest humans have ever traveled from Earth. That mission, which famously had to abort its Moon landing due to an onboard explosion, looped around the far side of the Moon and peaked at 400,171 kilometers from Earth. Artemis 2 is set to edge past that. NASA estimates the Orion capsule will reach a maximum distance of about 400,000 kilometers, possibly setting a new benchmark for the farthest human spaceflight in history. First time humans fly on NASA’s new space hardware The mission will also mark the debut of two major pieces of NASA’s deep space ambitions: the SLS rocket and the Orion capsule, both flying with crew for the first time. Artemis 1, launched in 2022, was an uncrewed test flight that sent Orion around the Moon and back. While the rocket performed well, the mission wasn’t without issues. Orion’s heat shield charred more than expected on reentry, triggering a two-year investigation and ultimately delaying Artemis 2’s timeline. NASA says engineers have since tweaked the reentry angle to reduce exposure to extreme heat. With astronauts now on board, the margin for error is much smaller. Fastest return to Earth ever Artemis 2 won’t just travel farther—it’ll return faster. When Orion reenters Earth’s atmosphere, it’s expected to hit speeds of about 40,234 kilometers per hour. That would top the current record set by Apollo 10, which reentered at 39,897 km/h. After slamming into the atmosphere, Orion will slow to around 523 km/h before deploying parachutes and splashing down in the Pacific Ocean. A crew of firsts The astronauts themselves are already making history before even leaving the ground. Victor Glover will be the first person of color to fly to the Moon. Christina Koch will be the first woman. Jeremy Hansen, from the Canadian Space Agency, will be the first Canadian—and the first non-American—ever to make the trip. Their selection reflects a shift from NASA’s earlier era of space exploration. The Apollo program, which ran from 1961 to 1972, flew exclusively American male astronauts. Artemis aims to broaden that image and, in NASA’s words, land “the first woman and the first person of color” on the lunar surface with Artemis 3. Not just a dress rehearsal It would be easy to think of Artemis 2 as a trial run for the big show—Artemis 3, which aims to put astronauts on the Moon’s surface. But this mission is far more than that. It’s a crucial proving ground for NASA’s new generation of hardware. It’s a long-overdue return to deep space. And it’s a statement of intent: that after half a century, humanity is serious about going farther. With China accelerating its own plans for a Moon mission, the stakes are rising. But for now, Artemis 2 is focused on making it off the ground and safely back. If all goes well, this flight will set the stage for a new era of space exploration—one that reaches past Earth’s orbit and reflects a more inclusive crew charting the next steps into the cosmos.

Read More

Thrift Stores in the UK are Attracting More Young Customers, With Teenage Volunteers Leading the Way

Thrift Shops are seeing a shift in the UK — and it’s coming from a younger crowd. Alabare, a homeless charity with shops in Wiltshire, says teenage volunteers are helping attract new customers their own age, creating a knock-on effect that’s giving second-hand shopping a fresh appeal. “We have quite a lot of younger volunteers,” said Marge Goymer, retail manager at Alabare. “They will then get their friends in and they see the type of stock that we have, and it kind of gives them a passion and enthusiasm for buying second hand.” One of those volunteers is 15-year-old Cadi, a school pupil who started working at Alabare’s Wilton Emporium as part of her silver Duke of Edinburgh's Award. But even after completing the requirement, she kept coming back. "I have actually bought clothes for myself [from the shop] and also gifts for my family, just because there is so much that they offer. It's great quality," she said. Cadi now spends her free time sorting donations, handling the till, and helping design displays. For her, the work is more than just a school requirement — it’s meaningful. “It’s a privilege to give second-hand objects a new life,” she said. “Volunteering is wonderful, knowing that I was giving back to the community.” That sense of purpose is rubbing off. Alabare says the presence of young volunteers like Cadi is contributing to what it calls an “emerging trend of young people being proud of getting a bargain and getting something second hand.” It's also nudging some teens to consider careers they hadn’t thought about before. Cadi says she’s now thinking about working in the charity sector after finishing school. And it’s not just the volunteers who are shifting perceptions — young shoppers like Saskia, from Swindon, are joining in too. For her, browsing charity shops is more than just saving money. It's about the experience. "I feel like it's a little treasure hunt – I enjoy finding and coming across items that I never realised I needed, or wanted," she said. Saskia occasionally uses resale platforms like Vinted but prefers the experience of being in-store, saying she likes “finding items naturally and organically.” “It’s just items that have lived a different life,” she added. “Even if they are somewhat used, I like the storytelling of it.” For charities like Alabare, that attitude is exactly what they’re hoping to encourage — a shift toward conscious consumerism, led by a generation raised on fast fashion but increasingly drawn to sustainability, value, and purpose.

Read More