Business
Baby clothes: Strabane scheme offers helping hand to parents
Keiron TourishBBC News NI north west reporter
BBCIt’s not easy out there for families living through the cost-of-living crisis – and that’s why a new scheme in County Tyrone is offering free baby clothes in a bid to support people facing hardship.
The project in Strabane, funded by the Department for Communities, will be available to any family with children up to five years old.
It will also support people with nappies, baby and family toiletries for a nominal fee, but that can be waived in certain circumstances.
Karen Brown, a health visitor with the Western Trust, said the HiVe Baby Hub and free clothing exchange aims to support families in “one of the most socio-economically deprived areas in the entire UK”.
The project, which involves the Western Trust, the GP Federation and a local community project, will operate from the Grass Roots Centre on John Wesley Street.
Families can be referred to the service through their health visitor, family nurse and social workers or even call into the centre themselves.
The project also aims to reduce the environmental impact of clothing waste through recycling.
What does the Strabane baby clothes scheme offer?
Ms Brown, who came up with the idea, said she sees first-hand the needs of parents locally.
“The cost-of-living crisis has hit an awful lot of families hard, so this is a great initiative where we can help.
“Families who have that wee bit extra can also donate if they like.”
To support struggling families, the project already operates a wellness café and a social supermarket where people can purchase groceries at a discounted price if they are part of the membership scheme.
It also offers help with a range of services from money management to learning how to cook and grow your own vegetables.
Ms Brown said that as well as offering a free clothing exchange, it’s also a hygiene hub, which can “help with baby toiletries, nappies and anything really that a parent is going to need to look after their child”.
Ursula Doherty, from the Strabane Community Project, said people are struggling to meet the cost of baby hygiene products and clothes, and the exchange was a great initiative because it focuses on re-using and recycling.
“We do live in a very throw-away society, so it’s a great project in order to take it from landfill,” she said.
She added that people are going through real hardship.
“More and more families are finding it hard to make ends meet – food, fuel and even baby items.
“That’s right across the board. That’s people who are working and people who are on benefits. Everybody.
“In an ironic way it has equalised us all because everybody is suffering, so it’s always about looking at new initiatives.”
Derry and Strabane Deputy Mayor Niree McMorris said it was an amazing initiative.
“They have things like the clothes exchange, which is taking things out of landfill and putting them back into the community for re-use.
“In the Baby Hub, young families can avail of nappies and hygiene products.
“Everything you need to take care of your child. And also hygiene products for the mammy as well, so I think that’s really important.
“It’s amazing to see the good work that they’re doing here.”
Britain’s competition watchdog has vowed to tackle fake and misleading online reviews “head on” as it launched investigations into firms including Just Eat and Autotrader.
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said reviews are used by 90% of consumers when they buy over the internet and play a large part in the UK’s over £200 billion online retail sector.
But up to 50% of online reviews are fake, according to recent research by tech firm Truth Engine.
The CMA said its latest action against firms comes as part of a clampdown on fake and misleading reviews as shoppers increasingly rely on customer feedback when shopping online.
Emma Cochrane, executive director for consumer protection at the CMA, told the Press Association: “It’s so important that consumers can have trust in those reviews because we know that nine in 10 of us rely on them when we’re shopping, and that retail shopping in the UK is billions of pounds worth a year.
“It’s so important that consumers can have trust and confidence when they’re shopping online.”
Here are the CMA’s tips for spotting and avoiding fake reviews:
– Read the reviews
Shoppers often get taken in by five-star ratings without actually reading what people have to say about a product or service.
“You’ll be surprised at how many reviews sound dubious, overly vague or even totally unrelated to the item they’re supposedly endorsing,” the CMA said.
– Be alert to AI-generated reviews
Artificial intelligence (AI) can be used to make fake reviews sound fluent, polished and highly convincing.
“If a review feels a bit too slick, reads like it’s been perfectly crafted, or uses very similar wording to others, it may not reflect a real customer’s experience,” the CMA warned.
– Take a look at the other ratings
Look beyond the five-star ratings.
Three or four-star reviews are less likely to be fake, and they can be more useful to give a genuine, overall assessment.
– Check out multiple sites
Looking across several sites can help shoppers see patterns and provide a more consistent picture.
“Check a few different review sites. If you’re seeing the same kind of reviews coming up again and again, it’s more likely to be fake,” said Ms Cochrane.
The UK’s competition watchdog says it is looking at five firms in its investigation into misleading online reviews.
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Business
Gold price today (March 25, 2026): How much 24K and 22K gold cost in Delhi, Mumbai & more- Check rates – The Times of India
Gold futures traded higher on the Multi Commodity Exchange (MCX) on Friday with key contracts registering gains of up to 1.6 per cent amid firm buying interest and supportive global cues.The April 2026 gold contract rose by Rs 2,290, or 1.64 per cent, to trade at Rs 1,41,783 per 10 grams. The contract moved between an intraday low of Rs 1,40,287 and a high of Rs 1,42,800. The June 2026 contract, which saw higher trading activity, gained Rs 1,921, or 1.35 per cent, to Rs 1,44,435 per 10 grams. During the session, it touched a low of Rs 1,43,652 and a high of Rs 1,45,773. Meanwhile, the August 2026 contract advanced by Rs 1,480, or 1.02 per cent, to Rs 1,47,100 per 10 grams, with an intraday range of Rs 1,47,040 to Rs 1,48,600.Here is how gold prices stand across major cities today:
Gold price in Delhi today
Gold prices in the national capital declined, with 24K gold quoted at Rs 14,486 per gram, down Rs 218, while 22K gold slipped Rs 200 to Rs 13,280 per gram.
Gold price in Mumbai today
Mumbai bullion markets also saw a drop, with 24K gold priced at Rs 14,471 per gram, down Rs 218, and 22K gold at Rs 13,265 per gram, lower by Rs 200.
Gold price in Chennai today
Chennai recorded a sharper decline, with 24K gold selling at Rs 14,651 per gram, down Rs 262, while 22K gold dropped Rs 240 to Rs 13,430 per gram.
Gold price in Kolkata today
In Kolkata, 24K gold was quoted at Rs 14,471 per gram, down Rs 218, while 22K gold stood at Rs 13,265 per gram, lower by Rs 200.
Gold price in Hyderabad today
Hyderabad markets reflected a similar trend, with 24K gold priced at Rs 14,471 per gram, down Rs 218, and 22K gold at Rs 13,265 per gram, slipping Rs 200.
Gold price in Bangalore today
In Bangalore, 24K gold was quoted at Rs 14,471 per gram, down Rs 218, while 22K gold was selling at Rs 13,265 per gram, lower by Rs 200.
Gold price in Ahmedabad today
Ahmedabad bullion markets showed declines, with 24K gold at Rs 14,476 per gram, down Rs 218, while 22K gold fell Rs 200 to Rs 13,270 per gram.
Gold price in Lucknow today
In Lucknow, 24K gold was priced at Rs 14,486 per gram, down Rs 218, while 22K gold moved lower by Rs 200 to Rs 13,280 per gram.
Gold price in Patna today
Patna markets also recorded weaker rates, with 24K gold quoted at Rs 14,476 per gram, down Rs 218, and 22K gold at Rs 13,270 per gram, lower by Rs 200.
Gold price in Jaipur today
In Jaipur, 24K gold was quoted at Rs 14,486 per gram, down Rs 218, while 22K gold stood at Rs 13,280 per gram, down Rs 200.
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