Last week marked the start of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe with the International Book Festival hailing from the same city kicking off tomorrow. Peggy van Overdijk sent in this photo of some familiar-looking faces admiring antiques on the Royal Mile:
What a boar!
The cast of Faulty Towers The Dining Experience went antiques shopping off the Royal Mile. They ran into a boar and an ♯unbored moose’s head instead! But no-body knows why…
Our partnership with the 99% campaign to showcase positive stories of young people in the places they love continues, and the focus is still on young Londoners who are inspirational or have interesting stories to share. sparxy shared this encouraging story about FGM campaigner Christina Ramsay, who has worked tirelessly with agencies in Croydon to set up a FGM charter:
Christina Ramsay 23 - FGM campaigner (Croydon College)
Christina has worked with agencies in Croydon to set up a FGM Charter.
Female Genital Mutilation is carried out as a cultural or religious practice, but is internationally recognised as a violation of the human rights of girls and women.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates that there are around 24,000 young girls at risk of FGM in the UK, and over 80,000 women in the UK are living with the consequences of FGM.
Christina says: “We have a lot of Human Rights in this country, but many are just ‘gathering dust on a shelf, and are not enforced. FGM is illegal in the UK and unqualified back-street practitioners are profiting from performing FGM. Generally, girls under the age of 15 are subjected to the practice and the summer months is widely understood to be the ‘cutting season.’
Christina believes that Croydon is well placed to provide the country’s first ‘safe haven’ for those at risk.
The National Eisteddfod is being held in Llanelli this week, and we’ve been asking you to share your photos and stories from the important Welsh cultural event. ID2534846 told us how important the festival is for strengthening Welsh identity:
Sharing a commonality and strengthening my sense of identity
This week, I took my 10 month old daughter to her first Eisteddfod of many. It's the one place where so much of what makes you Welsh comes together. You catch up with childhood friends and make new ones. You get the opportunity to discuss and reflect on the present and future of Wales and the language. You find out what's new in the Welsh music and literary industries. You can take part in political events or just watch the crowds mill about while you sample food from one of the many wonderful food stalls. And even if you're not Welsh and can't speak Welsh, you get to witness and take part in a tradition which I know will be around when my daughter has children of her own.
As the crisis in Iraq continues we’re asking for your photos and experiences - whether you’re caught up in the crisis yourself or helping out as an aid worker. Eujin Byun shared this moving picture of a family outside the Khazair camp after fleeing their home due to fighting:
A Glimpse Of Happiness
A newly arrived family outside of Khazair camp. Parents always want to give/show the best thing to their kids. This Iraqi parents had to flee their home because of fighting but still want to offer some glimpse of happiness to their children.
UNHCR/Eujin Byun
For the last few weeks we have been running two assignments on the Israel and Palestine conflict – one for people living in Palestine and the other for those in Israel. We received many stories and testimonies that shared a desire for reconciliation and peace, you can see them here. Thank you to everyone who shared their stories and photos with us.
Last week was National Parks Week and the Public Leaders Network asked you to share your photos and experiences of local parks, and how they’re fairing against the ongoing government cuts. lauxgled shared their intriguing insight into Hodkins Park in Gateshead, which seems to have suffered from a lack of council care in recent years:
Football in Hodkins Park, Gateshead
Our local park is just over the road. It used to be locked at dusk by the council and well looked after. Now it stays open all night and the kids play equipment has been vandalised. It is sad as I love taking the kids here. The grass is still good for football though!
We all have plenty of good holiday memories immortalised in photographs and Culture have been encouraging you to share your photos that capture your favourite summer memories. leparadis sent in this fantastic family shot from North Wales:
Me and My Dad in North Wales
When I was young we could never afford to go on a proper holiday for a week. We would have 'days out'. Me and my brother would be bundled into the back of my dad's Austin Cambridge. Dad would drive us to North Wales for a day by the seaside. That would be our summer holiday. Autumn holidays were better as they would be a day trip to Blackpool to ride a tram and see the lights. Oh happy days!
We asked you for your best August wildlife pictures, and in its first week there have already been some great submissions. One in particular from Jenny Downing captured this fly blowing bubbles on a table cloth:
Forever blowing bubbles
Spotted this fly on the tablecloth at lunchtime. It appeared to be blowing bubbles then sucking them back in again. I have since tried to find out why they do this - the most convincing theory seems to be that they are regurgitating stomach contents and using air to aid digestion ...
The British summer weather is just about holding up, which means there have been more seaside snaps for you to share with us. Darren Hopton took this photo from the Brighton eye to give us an aerial perspective of the seaside town’s beach:
Eye on Brighton beach
A view of the beach from the Brighton Eye.
Staying with the summer theme, it has been ideal cycling weather for many, and the Environment desk encouraged you to share your best summer cycling photos and stories. Jeremy Wallis shared this fantastic action shot of his daughter cycling part of the route of Stage One during this year’s Yorkshire leg of the Tour de France:
Le Grand Depart en Yorkshire, 2014
My daughter rides part of the route of Stage One before the race passes through Ilkley. The crowds cheered her on, the occasional official race vehicle would pass with their horns sounding, and the stewards policing the road furniture and traffic islands would wave their yellow pennants as she passed.
To celebrate the return of The Great British Bake Off, the Observer Food Monthly are asking to see your outrageous cake decorations. Kate Hardie sent in this amazing cake she made for her daughter’s 1st birthday:
Teddy Bears Picnic
I made this cake for my daughters 1st birthday when I had more time on my hands and pre-3 kids. I loved experimenting with the sugar craft.
GuardianWitness is now on Facebook, as we wanted to share your contributions with a wider audience. Have a look at our page and get involved.
New assignments this week
Signs of spring in the southern hemisphere
This is my team: share photos and experiences of your football club
Summer cycling: share your photos and experiences
Art Everywhere – share your photos of the world’s largest art show
Thank you to everyone who’s sent something in this week. You can see all the contributions – or add your own - on GuardianWitness.
