Merlows — Bridging Nations, Building Peace.

BlitzSpirit 8 Aug 2026 Carry On4 min

Volunteers Step Forward as Legion Faces Rising Demand

When Times Get Tough, Britain Turns to Those Who’ve Served – and Those Who Support Them. The Royal British Legion is appealing for volunteers across the country, reporting a significant surge in demand for its services. A report released this week details a 30% increase in requests for financial assistance, mental wellbeing support, and practical […]

Read Dispatch

BlitzSpirit 2 Aug 2026 Carry On4 min

A Simple Kindness: Checking In, Connecting Still

A modern call to neighbourliness echoes the quiet resilience of wartime Britain. The cost of living crisis continues to bite, and with winter fast approaching, a new campaign is urging Britons to reach out to isolated neighbours. Charities and community groups are reminding us that a simple phone call, a knock on the door, or […]

Read Dispatch

BlitzSpirit 28 Jul 2026 Carry On4 min

Threads Bare, Spirits High: The Return of ‘Make Do and Mend’

As Budgets Tighten, a Wartime Ethos of Resourcefulness Returns to British Homes The cost of living crisis continues to bite, and reports this week show a surge in interest around traditional skills previously consigned to history books. From online tutorials on darning socks and repairing furniture, to a boom in local workshops teaching everything from […]

Read Dispatch

BlitzSpirit 23 Jul 2026 Carry On4 min

Gardens Flourish as Cost of Living Bites: A New ‘Dig for Victory’

From Ration Books to Rising Prices, Self-Reliance Blooms Again Across Britain. Recent weeks have seen a burgeoning interest in allotments and home vegetable growing, with waiting lists for plots at record highs across many councils. Garden centres report a significant surge in sales of vegetable seeds and starter plants – particularly potatoes, beans and root […]

Read Dispatch

BlitzSpirit 18 Jul 2026 Carry On4 min

A Nation Refreshes its Resolve: First Aid Skills Rise After Recent Disruptions

From Air Raid Precautions to Modern Emergencies, Readiness Remains a Cornerstone Reports this week highlight a surge in public interest in first aid courses across the country. Driven, in part, by recent severe weather events – widespread flooding in several regions and ongoing disruption to emergency services due to staff shortages – citizens are increasingly […]

Read Dispatch

BlitzSpirit 18 Jul 2026 Carry On4 min

From Air Raid Precautions to Ambulance Response Times: Skills for Uncertain Times

As pressure mounts on emergency services, a reminder of self-reliance and community care. This week, a quiet campaign has begun to gain traction online – a call for ordinary people to learn basic first aid. Driven by rising ambulance response times and increasing pressure on the NHS, individuals across the country are signing up for […]

Read Dispatch

BlitzSpirit 13 Jul 2026 Carry On4 min

Voices Fade, Memories Remain: A Nation Urged to Record Wartime Tales

Keeping the Home Front Alive: Why preserving personal histories matters now more than ever. The call went out this week from Imperial War Museums and other heritage bodies: a renewed push to record the experiences of Britain’s dwindling number of Second World War veterans and civilians who lived through the Blitz and the long years […]

Read Dispatch

BlitzSpirit 8 Jul 2026 Carry On4 min

Across the Streets, A New Kind of Wardenship Begins

As Storms Rise, Communities Remember Old Lessons in Looking Out for Each Other Recent reports show a surge in grassroots community groups forming across the UK, spurred by the escalating frequency and severity of extreme weather events and growing concerns about the strain on emergency services. From flood-prone areas of Somerset to towns bracing for […]

Read Dispatch

BlitzSpirit 3 Jul 2026 Carry On1 min

Keep Calm and Carry On: building a household emergency kit the wartime way

thought The Modern Pantry: Preparing for the Unexpected in an Uncertain Age BlitzSpirit: How wartime wisdom informs our modern approach to household resilience. In an era of digital dependencies and “just-in-time” supply chains, the concept of the household emergency kit has returned to the foreground of British domestic life. While we no longer face the […]

Read Dispatch

BlitzSpirit 3 Jul 2026 Carry On3 min

Cost of Living Bites: Britons Dust Off Wartime ‘Make Do and Mend’ Instincts

As Bills Rise, Communities Rediscover the Strength in Shared Resourcefulness Recent reports show a significant spike in Britons embracing skills and habits reminiscent of the Second World War, not through patriotic fervour, but out of economic necessity. With energy bills soaring, inflation stubbornly high, and the cost of even basic groceries increasing week on week, […]

Read Dispatch

Author: Clara Bennett

Volunteers Step Forward as Legion Faces Rising Demand

A Simple Kindness: Checking In, Connecting Still

Threads Bare, Spirits High: The Return of ‘Make Do and Mend’

Gardens Flourish as Cost of Living Bites: A New ‘Dig for Victory’

A Nation Refreshes its Resolve: First Aid Skills Rise After Recent Disruptions

From Air Raid Precautions to Ambulance Response Times: Skills for Uncertain Times

Voices Fade, Memories Remain: A Nation Urged to Record Wartime Tales

Across the Streets, A New Kind of Wardenship Begins

Keep Calm and Carry On: building a household emergency kit the wartime way

Cost of Living Bites: Britons Dust Off Wartime ‘Make Do and Mend’ Instincts

Topics

Search

Author: Clara Bennett

Help keep independent journalism alive.

Join Merlows