YP Comment: May maps out Brexit strategy - PM delivers keynote EU speech

To say this has been long-awaited is an understatement. But after months of speculation over the Government’s strategy Mrs May will set out 12 negotiating priorities based on an independent, self-governing Britain - one that is not “half-in, half-out” of the European Union.

We all have a vested interest in what the Prime Minister has to say and her speech will no doubt be watched closely across Europe’s capitals, because make no mistake whatever the outcome of Britain’s Brexit negotiations they will have ramifications far beyond our own shores.

There are a lucrative business opportunities out there and we have already seen Donald Trump offering a hand of friendship to the UK. For all the misgivings concerning President-elect Trump, the fact that he reiterated his desire at the weekend to get a trade deal signed, sealed and delivered quickly with the UK that’s “good for both sides” was encouraging.

His comments were a slap in the face for the outgoing President, Barack Obama, who made those ill-advised comments in April last year that the UK would be “at the back of the queue” if it quit the EU.

We will need more allies like the United States in the coming months and compromises will have to be made if we are to avoid getting embroiled in a trade war with our EU partners. And we must hope that Mrs May is more adept when it comes to sitting down at the negotiating table than her predecessor David Cameron who asked for little, and secured even less, during his EU renegotiations.

Ultimately, this is not about a hard or soft Brexit – it is about ensuring the best possible deal for Britain one that will, in turn, deliver the best chance of a brighter future for us all.

Eating disorders affect older women, too

Eating disorders can have a devastating impact, not only on the lives of those they afflict but their friends and family, too.

But while the common assumption is that conditions such as anorexia or bulimia are associated with teenage girls and young adults, new research – published in the journal BMC Medicine today – shows that far more older women are suffering from eating disorders than had previously been thought.

The study found that one in every 28 women aged between 40 and 50 has an active eating disorder. The report, which used data from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children, also found that out of 5,000 British women questioned more than 15 per cent reported having an eating disorder at some point in their lives.

These are alarming statistics and what this study shows is that eating disorders can strike anyone irrespective of age or social standing.

What is particularly worrying is that less than a third of those battling a disorder didn’t seek medical help, with many of the women who took part in the study admitting that they had never spoken about their eating problems before.

This suggests that either people aren’t accessing the care they need because they don’t want to admit they have a problem, or there is a wider lack of awareness among some healthcare professionals.

Either way, both issues need to be addressed urgently. Eating disorders can have a crippling affect not only physically, but psychologically and socially, and we must raise awareness if we are to tackle a deadly condition that can blight both young and old.

Bloomin’ marvellous

You don’t have to look far to find community spirit in action. All over the country bands of dedicated volunteers act as the glue that binds their communities together.

In York, local residents have embraced this idea more than most. The city’s library and archive services, along with some of its pubs and cafes are run by members of the community, and 18-council-owned allotments could be next.

The city is home to more than a thousand allotment plots and has a waiting list stretching into the hundreds. But running these allotments costs the council £17,000 a year, which is why local residents are keen to take over control of them.

At a time when local authorities are looking to make savings wherever they can this would seem like a “win-win” situation for York Council.

David Cameron used to talk about creating a Big Society but York’s army of volunteers is actually making it happen. And all power to them.