Euro News

Bordeaux, France just surpassed Paris in a new ranking of the world's most beautiful cities, with Europe dominating nine out of the top 10 spots. The rankings are based on buildings that adhere to the 'golden ratio' for balanced and harmonious structures. Venice takes the lead as the most beautiful city, followed by Rome and Barcelona in second and third place respectively. Despite iconic landmarks, Paris lands at 12th place. In fifth place is the only non-European city to make the top 10: New York City.

9 Out of 10 of the World’s Most Beautiful Cities Are in Europe, Says New Ranking

Talker News

For Stephen Foster, a puppet is not a prop. It is a theatre instrument that has to move well, last for years and hold an audience’s attention.

The 47-year-old from East Kilbride in Scotland is one of as few as six people making marionette puppets in Britain, in a craft now officially recognised as endangered.

He made his first puppet at high school after finding a pattern in an old book during a woodworking class, and has kept at it ever since.

"The first time I made a marionette was at high school, when we had a woodworking class in fifth year," Stephen said.

"We could choose whatever we wanted to make.

"There was an old book by a marionette maker called Waldo Lanchester, and he had a pattern on the back of it to make a puppet.

"I redid it when I met my mentor when I went to college, and made it a bit lighter and more flexible, and then continued to make them on and off after that."

Stephen later studied theatre in college, where he focused on puppetry and met the mentor who taught him the craft. Over the years, he has worked in a range of jobs, often in theatre, while keeping puppet making as a side job.

He said that work is driven by two basic questions, what the puppet should look like and what it needs to do.

"The first part of the process is finding out what the character is and what it's going to look like, so you design the visuals of it," Stephen said.

"Then you've got to find out what it's got to do, because there's no point in making something that looks really nice but can't move well, or concentrating on the walk when in reality it's going to be static.

"It can be a long process, and especially with marionettes, a bit of trial and error, because balance is so important with them."

A single puppet can take several weeks to a month to make, depending on how detailed or flexible it needs to be. Stephen often uses them himself in workshops and performances, and has also made custom pieces for puppeteers and collectors around the country.

He said some of the pieces he made 25 years ago still work.

"I did some for an exhibition, they were designs based on real ballet costumes, so I had to interpret the costumes so you could recognise them from the original designs," he said.

"I don't know of the ones I've sold on that are still in use, but some of the early ones that I've made 25 years ago, I've still got working.

"It's important to make the puppets good from a technical point of view.

"I look at them like instruments in a theatre, you've got to make them perform properly. They've got to be robust; they've got to last.

"You don't generally get duff musical instruments in orchestras, they're all good quality.

"It's the same with the puppets. They've got to be of a standard so that they perform properly and the performer can get everything out of them."

The trade is now under pressure. A recent estimate from Heritage Crafts suggests there are only between 6 and 20 people in the UK working full-time or part-time in marionette making.

Stephen said traditional marionettes have become less popular in part because they take a long time to learn to operate smoothly.

"It's a difficult thing professionally, because it takes a long time for someone to learn," he said.

"Even if you are used to marionettes, you have to almost break one in to get used to it.

"Recently, they tend to be more private or decorative pieces to work with."

Even so, he wants to keep the craft going because he sees puppet theatre as many children’s first contact with the stage.

"A good live theatre experience is incredible," he said.

"Puppet theatre is an entryway for most kids into theatre.

"From an experience point of view for the audience, it's important that what you create is of a high standard and it encourages people to come back to the theatre.

"If you get that right, you've possibly set up an audience for future plays, future theatre-goers to keep that alive."

A Scottish Puppet Maker Says He's Vowing To Keep the Endangered Marionette Craft Alive

Smithsonian Magazine

It started with a local water problem and a lot of filter changes at home. For Mia Heller, that turned into a high school research project aimed at pulling microplastics out of drinking water without using a membrane.

A few years ago, Heller read an article in her local newspaper about water quality issues in her neighborhood in Warrington, Virginia. Tests had found that the water available for daily consumption was highly contaminated with PFAS and microplastic pollution. The article also reported that government agencies would not be providing funds for filtering the water.

“It was up to people to provide their own filtration,” says Heller, according to Smithsonian Magazine.

After that article was published, Heller’s parents bought an advanced water filtration system for their home. But the system needed constant upkeep. Heller watched her mother replace the water filter membranes again and again, and started looking for another option.

“It inspired me to design a filter without the use of membranes, to decrease the costs and maintenance needs associated with water filtration,” Heller tells Smithsonian Magazine, now 18 and a student at Kettle Run High School. Through her school, she also attends a half-day program for math, science and technology at nearby Mountain Vista Governor’s School.

Microplastics are a growing concern. The Environmental Protection Agency defines them as small particles measuring about 1 nanometer to 5 millimeters in size. The agency says primary microplastics are tiny plastics manufactured for products such as cosmetics and biomedical products. Secondary microplastics are pieces that have broken down from larger plastic consumer products.

These particles are turning up in the environment, animals and people. “Micro- and nanoplastics are getting into our bodies,” says Matthew J. Campen, a toxicologist at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque.

A recent study found microplastics in 1,300 species, including humans. Researchers have detected them throughout the human body, from the brain to the insides of bones. Concentrations have also been found in testes, semen and the placenta of unborn fetuses.

Microplastic intake by organisms has increased sixfold since 1990, and plastic production continues to rise. A 2025 University of New Mexico study co-authored by Campen found that concentrations of microplastics in human brain tissue increased by 50 percent in less than a decade.

“There are still a lot of questions as to whether these plastics are really impacting our health at this point,” Campen says. He adds that there is evidence that “there might be issues for cardiovascular disease and potentially neurological disease.” He says the links are not strong enough to be conclusive.

Recent studies have linked microplastic consumption to cancers, respiratory and cardiac diseases, hormonal disruptions, Alzheimer’s disease and other noncommunicable diseases, though the exact impacts on human health remain unclear.

Heller came up with the idea for her filtration system in the spring of 2024 and began working on it in the summer of 2025. By early January of that year, after experimenting in her garage and kitchen, she had a working prototype.

“It was essentially just a container,” she says.

Inside it was what she called a “spinning magnified vial.” Heller used a reusable magnetic oil called ferrofluid to selectively bind to microplastic particles as water moved through the filter. Her early model removed microplastics in two steps, but it still needed constant maintenance because it did not recycle the ferrofluid on its own.

“But if I could create a system that was able to basically clean itself and reuse material," she explains, “the maintenance needs could go down by a lot.”

She kept refining the design. One of the biggest challenges was arranging the units so the ferrofluid, which is thicker than water, could move into the water chamber above it without clogging. She also needed magnetic separation and ferrofluid recovery to work together as one system instead of competing with each other.

After about five more iterations, Heller says she found the answer. Her current prototype is about the size of a standard bag of flour and has three modules. The first unit, about 1 liter in volume, holds the contaminated water. The second stores the magnetic oil-based ferrofluid. The third, and much smaller module, is where the main process happens.

“A magnetic field pulls the microplastics out of the water, and the ferrofluid is recovered and reused in a closed loop,” explains Heller.

Used as a stand-alone filter, similar to a Brita pitcher, the system can filter about 1 liter of water at a time.

To test the device, Heller developed a turbidity sensor to measure the amount of suspended solids in a liquid. She used it to measure the amount of ferrofluid and microplastics in the water, and to calculate the weight-based percentage of microplastics removed.

According to her tests, the prototype removed 95.52 percent of microplastics from the water and recycled 87.15 percent of the ferrofluid. Traditional drinking-water treatment plants remove about 70 to more than 90 percent of microplastic components.

“The result is an affordable, low-waste filtration system without the use of a solid membrane,” says Heller.

Her project made her a finalist in the 2025 Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair, described as the world’s largest global science competition for high school students. There, she received a special $500 award from the Patent and Trademark Office Society for her low-cost and efficient water filtration technology.

Campen called the filtration system a “really great idea.” He added, “She is doing something that has to be done.”

He also said the test results are an early step for a high school research project and could improve with investment in engineering. Still, he has concerns about what happens after the microplastics are removed.

“We have to know that the way she extracts these microplastics captures them in a way that we can then discard them or destroy them in a way that gets rid of them completely,” he says. The system, he adds, should not “leave some other pollutant residue that we have to deal with.”

If the system removes microplastic components without leaving residues, Campen says the next question is scale. He wonders if the device would work best in individual plumbing systems or at municipal water treatment plants.

Heller sees it as an under-the-sink system for homes. “Because ferrofluid is currently expensive to produce at a large scale,” she notes, “I see this as a system for individual home use.”

For now, she wants to professionally confirm the results she found at home.

“I would love to eventually bring it out to market,” she says. “I think that would be something that would be really interesting.”

📸 credit:  Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair

She Invented a Water Filter That Removes 96 Percent of Microplastics, and She Just Turned 18

Sunny Skyz

A classic children’s show is heading to a new platform.

Fred Rogers Productions has partnered with Little Dot Studios to bring Mister Rogers' Neighborhood to YouTube for the first time, making the series available to families through a dedicated channel.

The channel will include full-length episodes, curated clips, short videos and compilations. Fred Rogers Productions said the move is aimed at meeting families where they are today while keeping the heart of the show intact.

“Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood continues to inspire viewers young and old across four generations,” said Paul Siefken, President and CEO of Fred Rogers Productions. “We’re excited to partner with Little Dot Studios… to make the wonder, kindness, and human connection of the series more discoverable and accessible than ever.”

Fred Rogers Productions said the show’s lessons of kindness, respect and curiosity will now be easier for a new generation to access in the digital age.

Little Dot Studios, which works with children’s brands including PBS KIDS, will help manage and grow the YouTube channel with a focus on modern audiences.

“As huge fans of Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, we’re honored… to build an intentional, audience-first presence on YouTube where these iconic stories can reach the next generation,” said Ben Arnold of Little Dot Studios.

Fred Rogers Productions is the nonprofit behind Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood, Donkey Hodie and Alma’s Way. The company said the move to YouTube continues its work creating values-driven content for children.

The new channel will bring Mister Rogers' Neighborhood to YouTube with full episodes, clips, short videos and compilations.

📸 credit: FredRogers.org

It's a Beautiful Day: Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood Collection Is Finally Headed To YouTube

Photo by Puwadon Sang-ngern on Pexels (https://www.pexels.com/photo/crop-woman-with-stethoscope-and-heart-5340274/)

Science Daily

For people already living with heart disease, a shingles shot may do more than prevent a painful rash.

Research being presented at the American College of Cardiology's Annual Scientific Session, ACC.26, found that adults with atherosclerotic heart disease who received a shingles vaccine had nearly half the rate of serious heart-related events within a year compared with similar patients who were not vaccinated.

The study reviewed data from more than 246,822 adults in the United States diagnosed with atherosclerotic heart disease, which is caused by plaque buildup in the arteries. The findings add to growing evidence that the shingles vaccine may have benefits beyond preventing shingles, including a reduced risk of conditions such as heart disease and dementia.

"This vaccine has been found over and over again to have cardioprotective effects for reducing heart attack, stroke and death," said Robert Nguyen, MD, a resident physician at the University of California, Riverside and the study's lead author. "Looking at the highest risk population, those with existing cardiovascular disease, these protective effects might be even greater than among the general public."

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends the shingles vaccine for adults aged 50 years and older, along with younger people with weakened immune systems. The vaccine protects against herpes zoster, a condition that causes a painful rash and can sometimes lead to long-lasting nerve pain. It develops when the virus responsible for chickenpox becomes active again in the body, often years after the original infection.

Earlier research has shown shingles infections can trigger blood clot formation near the brain and heart, raising the risk of heart attacks, strokes and venous thromboboembolism. By preventing shingles, the vaccine may also lower the chance of these clotting events.

For the new study, researchers used TriNetX, a large database containing medical records from millions of Americans. They looked at adults aged 50 years or older with atherosclerotic disease between 2018 and 2025.

The analysis included 123,411 people who had received at least one dose of the Shingrix or Zostavax vaccine and an equal number who had not been vaccinated. Both groups were similar in demographics and other health conditions.

Researchers examined heart-related outcomes between one month and one year after vaccination, or the same period for people who were not vaccinated. Across all measures, vaccinated individuals had lower risk.

They were 46 percent less likely to experience a major adverse cardiac event and 66 percent less likely to die from any cause. Their risk of heart attack fell by 32 percent, stroke by 25 percent, and heart failure by 25 percent.

Nguyen said those reductions are substantial and comparable to the benefits seen from quitting smoking. He said the findings support current recommendations for adults over 50 to get the vaccine.

"Vaccines are one of the most important medicines we have to prevent disease," he said. "Sometimes patients are unsure about whether they should get a vaccine or not, particularly in an age of disinformation. These results provide another reason for them to elect to get the vaccine."

The analysis tracked outcomes only during the first year after vaccination, so the long-term effects may be different. But a previous study published in 2025 found shingles vaccination was linked to a 23 percent reduction in cardiovascular events in generally healthy adults, with benefits that could last up to eight years.

One limitation is that people who choose vaccination may also have healthier habits overall. Researchers adjusted for several health and socioeconomic factors, including problems related to housing and economic circumstances, social environment, employment status, education and literacy. Even so, the study says some of the observed benefit may still be influenced by those differences.

Nguyen will present the study, "Herpes Zoster Vaccination and Risk of Cardiovascular Events in Patients with Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease," on Monday, March 30, at 12:30 p.m. CT, 17:30 UTC in Posters, Hall E.

Photo by Puwadon Sang-ngern on Pexels (https://www.pexels.com/photo/crop-woman-with-stethoscope-and-heart-5340274/)

New Study Finds Common Vaccine Nearly Halves Heart Risk

Photo by RDNE Stock project on Pexels (https://www.pexels.com/photo/boy-in-blue-shirt-and-blue-cap-in-bathtub-5593646/)

CTV News

March break can leave a house looking a little busier than usual, and for many parents, the cleanup battle comes with it.

Organizing expert Megan Arthurs joined CTV Your Morning on Wednesday to share practical ways to teach kids how to clean up after themselves. Speaking with host Kelsey McEwen, Arthurs said tidying is something children need to learn, not something they automatically know how to do.

She said one of the biggest mistakes parents make is giving directions that are too broad.

Many parents tell their children to “clean your room,” but Arthurs said that can work against them.

“If someone were to say ‘clean your room’ to you or I, we know what that is,” Arthurs said.

She said adults understand what that task means, but children can feel overwhelmed by an instruction that covers too much at once.

“We want to use focused direction. So instead of saying ‘clean your room,’ we might say, ‘can you pick the books up off the floor and put it on the bookshelf?’”

Arthurs said breaking a task into smaller steps helps kids feel more confident and makes them more likely to finish what they have been asked to do.

McEwen also asked how parents can get kids to actually take part in tidying up. Arthurs said it helps to make cleaning feel less like a punishment and more like an activity.

“A 10-minute reset is really effective for children, (and) honestly, for adults as well,” the expert said.

Arthurs said parents can set a timer and challenge their children to clean as quickly as possible. She said that turns cleanup into something fun instead of something negative. It also helps show kids that cleaning can be a short daily habit, rather than a big job that feels overwhelming.

The discussion also turned to the tools children use around the house. Arthurs said size matters.

“We know if you put a clunky vacuum in front of a child, it’s not manageable. It’s probably twice as big as they are,” she said.

She said children do better with tools that are easier for them to handle, including microfibre cloths, mini brooms and dustpans. Arthurs said those kinds of tools make cleaning more accessible and help children feel capable of helping.

Toy storage was another focus of the conversation. McEwen pointed to the success of setting up designated spaces at home, and Arthurs said that strategy works because it gives children a clearer system.

She said putting all toys into one large bin may seem convenient, but it can overwhelm kids when they are playing and when they are cleaning up.

Instead, Arthurs recommends clear, labelled bins. For younger children, she said picture labels can work well. She said these defined “toy zones” make it easier for children to find what they want and return it to the right place afterward.

McEwen also asked about clutter that builds up beyond toys. Arthurs said the problem often starts when children move quickly from one activity to another without finishing the first one.

“So what typically happens is it’s not the type of toy that’s creating the mess, it’s the quantity of toys,” she said.

Her answer is what she calls the “one activity rule.” Arthurs said children should clean up one activity before starting another. She said that prevents mess from piling up and also teaches life skills tied to moving from one task to the next.

Throughout the segment, Arthurs kept coming back to the same point, that simple systems and clear instructions can help children build habits that make cleanup easier at home.

She said those approaches can be especially helpful during busy times like March break, when kids are spending more time at home. “A 10-minute reset is really effective for children, (and) honestly, for adults as well,” the expert said.

Photo by RDNE Stock project on Pexels (https://www.pexels.com/photo/boy-in-blue-shirt-and-blue-cap-in-bathtub-5593646/)

Experts Are Sharing March Break Tips To Get Kids Cleaning Up

People

For Roxy, things look very different now.

The bulldog, who was left badly injured while protecting her newborn puppies during an attack in Doncaster, England, has recovered and been rehomed, along with all seven of her pups, the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals said in a recent Facebook post.

“A bulldog who was left badly injured while protecting her newborn puppies is now safe, healed and starting a new chapter surrounded by love,” the RSPCA said in the update shared around Mother’s Day.

The charity said Roxy was attacked in the Doncaster area at the end of November. In an earlier press release, the RSPCA said police found the injured dog with a serious head wound after her owner admitted to striking her while she tried to shield her litter.

Officers removed Roxy and her puppies from the property and contacted the RSPCA’s Doncaster and Rotherham Animal Centre. Staff then arranged urgent veterinary treatment and moved the dogs to what the charity described as a safe, warm environment so they could begin to recover.

The RSPCA used its latest post to mark how far Roxy has come since then.

“Do you remember Roxy?” the organization wrote. “The mum who bravely protected her puppies during an... attack back in December.”

The group said Roxy spent months recovering with support from the rescue team. During that time, she received medical treatment and care, while her puppies were closely monitored as they grew stronger at the shelter.

The update said Roxy’s recovery has now led to a new home.

“After receiving expert care and plenty of love at RSPCA Doncaster and Rotherham Animal Centre, Roxy has officially landed on her paws,” the organization shared. “She is now unconditionally loved in an amazing home, and all seven of her pups have started their own new chapters, too.”

The RSPCA said it chose to post the update around Mother’s Day because of Roxy’s actions during the attack and her care for her litter.

“We couldn’t think of a better way to celebrate Mother’s Day than by sharing this update,” the post said.

The case drew a strong response online from people who had followed Roxy’s story since the attack was first reported.

“Bless her! What a strong Mumma!!!” one commenter wrote beneath the post.

Another added, “Hope Roxy and her puppies have a gorgeous long happy life with endless love.”

The charity described the latest news as an uplifting outcome after the violence Roxy suffered. Its post said Roxy is now “safe, healed and starting a new chapter surrounded by love.”

It also said all seven puppies have been rehomed.

The original incident happened when Roxy was with her newborn litter. After police stepped in, the dogs were taken to the Doncaster and Rotherham Animal Centre, where the RSPCA said staff coordinated emergency help and supported the family through recovery.

Months later, the group’s message was simple. Roxy survived, recovered and found a home.

“She is now unconditionally loved in an amazing home, and all seven of her pups have started their own new chapters, too.”

 📸credit:  RSPCA Facebook

Dog Who Shielded Her Puppies After an Attack Finally Finds A Loving Home

Penguins at Edinburgh Zoo are celebrating Easter with new eggs! 

Gentoo couple Muffin and Mittens have laid the first egg of the year, marking their second consecutive win in the penguin race. 

This joyful event follows a delightful visit from children at Edinburgh's Children's Hospital who placed painted rocks for "pebbling." 

The zoo's dedicated team will ensure top-notch care for these future chicks, contributing to international breeding programs that protect these amazing species. 

The zoo says visitors might even catch a glimpse of their charming nesting rituals.

Edinburgh Zoo Penguins and Their Keepers are Welcoming Their First Eggs Of The Year

GoodGoodGood

What started with two shelter neighbors sorting through abandoned storage units has turned into a grassroots donation effort helping hundreds of Rhode Islanders.

Shula Kitkowska, 42, and Louis Peralta, 56, became friends in a local supportive housing program after both fell on hard times. Kitkowska had been living in her car. Peralta needed housing after he was discharged from cancer treatment. Once they were in a shelter, they lived next to each other.

As they worked to get back on their feet, Kitkowska got a close look at Peralta’s longtime hobby of buying discounted storage lockers, like the ones featured on the A&E Network show “Storage Wars.”

Peralta told WJAR News he had been doing it for 25 years, buying abandoned units at a steep discount, looking for items he could sell at a high price, and throwing the rest away.

“By becoming neighbors, she could see what I was doing … so she asked me what was going on, and I told her to subsidize myself, I would buy storage lockers, but I would throw away 80-90% of what I got because you just can't accumulate too much,” Peralta told WJAR News.

“And she got upset because she knew she could do a lot with it to give back.”

That idea has since grown into Up 2 Us Neighbors, an effort the two now run after getting their own permanent housing.

“When I saw him doing that, I thought, ‘I can do something with this. I can redistribute it so it doesn't end up at the landfill,’” Kitkowska told WJAR.

“When I came out of homelessness I had nothing. I didn't have furniture, I didn't have any of that, so what I can do for people today is give what I can.”

Now, the pair shop storage units with a plan. Kitkowska keeps household items, shoes and other essentials in her home so they can be passed along to people who need them.

The first time they put out a call on social media, several people responded. Since then, they have helped hundreds, according to the source text.

Kitkowska told WJAR she handles requests directly.

“I take in the requests and then if I have the stuff, whoever needs a coffee table or size 12 clothes or children's clothes or anything, then I give it to them,” Kitkowska said. “I’ll deliver it or they’ll come and pick it up.”

The policy is simple, according to the pair’s GoFundMe page: “Upon request. No questions asked.”

The items range from nursery furniture to new clothes. The goal, according to the source text, is to connect people with things they need to rebuild their lives.

The effort has expanded in recent months. The duo now has three storage lockers of their own where they keep donated items. But demand has kept climbing, and they are fundraising for a box truck or cargo van to support the work.

Kitkowska said people across Rhode Island have come to Up 2 Us Neighbors for help, and the effort has grown into a network of at least 30 to 40 volunteers.

Still, she said the requests keep coming.

“I have over 100 requests right now and I can only do a couple a day. Just yesterday, I received over 100 requests,” she said. “I mean, everything is up, you can’t buy clothes, everything is expensive. You’re a family with multiple kids, how do you do it?”

According to the source text, Kitkowska spends about 10 hours a day working to fill requests and does not receive any money of her own for the work.

“I do it because it makes me feel good,” she told WJAR. “That’s all.”

On Facebook, Kitkowska reflected on what the experience has meant to her.

“From a homeless shelter to a new apartment, my journey has taught me one thing,” Kitkowska wrote on Facebook.

“We are stronger when we look out for each other.”

📸 credit: WJAR

They Were Once Homeless — Now They’re Helping Hundreds Get Back On Their Feet

Goodable

Netflix is bringing gardening, and Zach Galifianakis’s sense of humor, to a new series next month.

The streamer has released a trailer for *This Is A Gardening Show*, a six-episode series hosted by Galifianakis that premieres on Earth Day, April 22. In the trailer, Galifianakis says, “If I were to offer a remedy to the human condition, it would be a garden. Or acid,”

Director Brook Linder said Galifianakis’s interest in the subject was real.

“He is genuinely interested in how to grow stuff,” Linder said. “Making this show often felt like Zach’s excuse to talk to other gardeners. I kinda think his garden was struggling and he needed help he couldn’t get by walking up to these people in their backyard. You will see a grown man honestly gasp when shown the proper way to plant a seed. This is peak TV.”

Chris Kim is the producer. Galifianakis, Frank Schema and Jon Kamen are executive producers.

Netflix described the series as “a refreshing and whimsical take on gardening, hosted by Zach Galifianakis.”

“Rather than positioning himself as an expert, Galifianakis approaches the subject with curiosity and self-effacing humor, with the goal of learning alongside his audience and giving viewers valuable, accessible, and educational tools to use in their own gardens,” Netflix said.

The streamer said the series “blends lighthearted comedy with a sincere appreciation for people and the planet and is ultimately about the joy of connecting with the earth.”

 📸credit: Netflix

Zach Galifianakis is Launching an Offbeat, Sustainable Gardening Show On Netflix

For Elliot Caswell, getting dressed has often meant asking for help. Now he is modelling a new adaptive clothing range from Primark, and he says the change has been dramatic.

Living with cerebral palsy, Caswell told the BBC that shopping for clothes that are easy to put on with his disability has often been difficult.

“It’s been a struggle,” Caswell told the BBC. “I would need my parents, friends and family, and my carers to help me out to put clothes on.”

That changed when the United Kingdom-based department store released a clothing line with adaptive features for adults with disabilities.

“It’s life-changing stuff,” he told the BBC.

Caswell is also one of the models for the new line.

“He was fantastic on the campaign shoot,” the collection’s designer, Victoria Jenkins, said. “We’re going to see more and more of Elliot, and I have every intention of sending him down the runway for London Fashion Week.”

The new Primark range includes magnetic zippers and buttons, loops designed to be easy to hold, pants with adjustable zips on the legs, and a pouch for stoma bags.

Jenkins said the design process focused on practical needs that can affect disabled shoppers.

“A lot of it centers around dignity and modesty,” Jenkins added.

She also said she has a number of gastrointestinal conditions herself, which helped shape her thinking about what disabled shoppers might want from their clothes. That included stretchier pieces that are easier to put on or take off when pain or mobility are top concerns.

“Everyone needs choice, everyone dresses differently, and everyone has the right to self expression,” she said. “That’s been denied to far too many of us for too long.”

Jenkins is an award-winning adaptive designer and leads her own adaptive clothing brand, Unhidden. Primark brought her in to help speed up the company’s work in adaptive fashion.

“I didn’t think we’d see adapted fashion on the high street in my lifetime,” Jenkins told The Guardian.

In a statement for the brand, she said Primark’s move could have a broad impact.

“Primark recognizing the needs of disabled and [the] chronic sick community, and acting upon it in such a meaningful way, is going to be life-changing for millions of people,” she added in a statement for the brand.

The clothing line has already had an effect on Caswell, and on the other disabled models wearing the adaptive fashions in Primark storefronts across the UK.

“It doesn’t feel real,” Caswell said. “But I know it’s real when I see the pictures.”

The range is built around features intended to make clothes easier to wear for people with different disabilities and health conditions. Along with magnetic fastenings and adjustable zips, the collection includes design details aimed at making dressing and undressing easier when mobility is limited or pain is a factor.

Jenkins said that kind of access to choice matters.

“Everyone needs choice, everyone dresses differently, and everyone has the right to self expression,” she said.

For Caswell, that has meant access to clothes that work better with his daily life, after years of relying on help from others to get dressed.

“It’s been a struggle,” Caswell told the BBC. “I would need my parents, friends and family, and my carers to help me out to put clothes on.”

Now he is part of the campaign for the line he says has changed that.

“It doesn’t feel real,” Caswell said. “But I know it’s real when I see the pictures.”

📸 credit: Photo courtesy of Primark

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