26 May 2020

Uplifting news: Connell Waldron’s chain raffled and vanishing cat goes viral

26 May 2020

The chain worn by Normal People’s Connell Waldron is being raffled for charity, while a doctor and nurse whose wedding was cancelled because of coronavirus have got married in hospital.

Here are some of the more uplifting stories you might have missed.

– Normal People’s Paul Mescal to raffle chain for charity

Normal People star Paul Mescal is raffling off his chain in order to raise money for a suicide prevention charity.

The actor, who plays Connell Waldron in the hit BBC Three series, said the chain he wears in the programme had got “a following of its own”.

An Instagram account dedicated to the chain Mescal wears in the series has 163,000 followers.

The chain is being raffled in aid of Pieta, which is an Irish charity that provides support to people who are suicidal or engaging in self-harm.

Mescal said: “I am delighted to be able to help out Pieta by raffling off my chain that has taken on a following of its own since Normal People hit television screens.”

– Nurse and doctor marry at hospital

A nurse and doctor who were forced to cancel their wedding due to the coronavirus outbreak have got married at the hospital where they work.

Jann Tipping, 34, and Annalan Navaratnam, 30, took time out from their frontline work in battling coronavirus to tie the knot in the Grade II-listed chapel at London’s St Thomas’ Hospital.

Guests enjoyed their special day remotely, thanks to one of the witnesses who live-streamed the service so that friends and family could watch.

Ms Tipping, an ambulatory emergency nurse, said: “We wanted to have the ceremony while everyone was still healthy, even if it meant our loved ones having to watch us on a screen. We wanted to make sure we could celebrate while we were all still able to.”

– Cat goes viral after vanishing beneath clergyman’s robes

A cathedral cat has become a viral sensation after brazenly disrupting a recording of morning prayers.

Oblivious to the sincere proceedings being conducted, Leo was caught on camera wandering into view before disappearing beneath the Dean of Canterbury’s robes.

Somehow keeping a straight face, the Very Revd Dr Robert Willis managed to avoid a feline fiasco and continued with his sermon.

– Band reforms via Zoom

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A band who split 13 years ago has reunited over Zoom after being inspired by the rising use of the software during the coronavirus pandemic.

Device disbanded when drummer Marcelo moved back to Rio de Janeiro, bass player Goodie moved to Connecticut in the US with his American wife and guitarist Vin migrated to Finland for his other half.

Only lead singer Woody remained in London, but amid the rising use of video calls during lockdowns across the world, the group has now been inspired to reconnect.

“I felt genuinely quite emotional when I saw each of us in our little squares on the screen, back together again after well over a decade apart,” said Woody.

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