As a mum of three, PE teacher turned researcher and Lake Macquarie’s 2025 Ambassador, Dr Alyce Barnes is using her lived experience and world-leading research to champion girls, schools and communities across the region.
Evolution Advisers is calling on Newcastle artists and designers to create the official t-shirt for the 2026 Surfest Evolution Charity Cup. Celebrating 40 years of Surfest, this year’s event supports Emma’s Warriors – a local charity founded by leukaemia survivor Emma Walsh – with all funds helping families through tough hospital stays.
Doing a digital detox is about as much tech talk as you’ll hear in most slow living circles. But let’s not forget that no matter how dreamy your slow life might look on the outside, you’ll still have floors to clean and groceries to buy and a mental load to manage. So let’s take a more realistic look at how to integrate tech into a slower, more intentional life – because if there’s an app or gadget to automate the tasks you don’t enjoy, you’ll have more time to be present in other areas of your life.
Have you ever been lured by a brand of skincare purely because it was labelled natural or organic? Secondly, would you feel confident letting a baby taste any of the products currently found in your bathroom cabinet? If you answered yes and then no, you’re on your way to understanding the philosophy behind local certified organic skincare range for mothers and babies, Willow by the Sea.
Born from a love of surf, coffee and helping people live better lives, Transcend Health is redefining healthcare in Newcastle – one tailored movement at a time.
When life throws you a curveball, you don’t have to pretend it’s all okay. From loss to lockdowns, here’s how Swell writer learned to cope, reset, and find new light in everyday life.
Too busy to read? So was Hannah – until she wasn’t. Her tips for squeezing 70 books into a busy year (so far!) might just get you back on the page.
After a very drizzly old winter, we could not be more keen for some weekend adventures! Lucky for us, we don’t have to go too far from home to explore some amazing spots. From riverside towns to coastal gems, here are five easy day-trips from Newcastle to make the most of sunny days ahead (fingers crossed!)
When we first started talking about Issue 24, one theme kept circling back into the conversation: slow living. Maybe it’s because we’re all mums in the thick of family life, maybe it’s because running two businesses doesn’t leave much breathing space, or maybe it’s because the world itself feels like it’s always asking us to go faster. Whatever the reason, “slow” felt like something we were craving, and something worth exploring.
Who knew friends were so hard to come by as you get older? It’s not because you’ve suddenly become unlovable or unknowingly socially awkward (you’re still awesome). It turns out the friend-making rules change in adulthood. Here’s why making new pals now takes a heck of a lot more effort than it used to, plus ways to find your people.
