Jennifer Thetford-Kay

12 NOVEMBER 1933 🦕The day the Loch Ness Monster was supposedly caught on camera for the very first time! In November 1933, a Scottish man named Hugh Gray took a photograph that would help turn a Highland legend into an international sensation. Gray, who worked at the British Aluminium Company near Foyers, on the eastern side of Loch Ness, claimed to have spotted something extraordinary in the water while out walking. Fortunately, he had his camera with him. He reportedly took five photographs, but only one produced a recognisable image. And what an image it was! A strange, blurred shape appeared on the surface of the loch. Was it a large unidentified creature? An ordinary animal? Or simply an illusion created by movement, water and a camera? When the photograph appeared in newspapers in December 1933, it caused enormous excitement. Experts examined the negative, and contemporary reports said photographic specialists had found no evidence of tampering. But that was not the same as proving the existence of a monster! Not everyone was convinced. Professor Graham Kerr, a zoologist at Glasgow University, questioned whether the indistinct photograph demonstrated anything resembling the extraordinary animal being described. Over the decades, people have suggested all sorts of explanations: an otter, a swan, a dog swimming with a stick, or even a floating object. None has been conclusively established. And there's another interesting historical wrinkle. Although Gray's photograph is traditionally dated 12th November 1933, a newspaper report published that December gives 26th November as the date of his encounter. So even the precise date has become part of the mystery! The photograph emerged during an extraordinary year for Loch Ness. Reports of strange sightings had attracted growing newspaper attention, and improvements to the road along the loch had made it easier for motorists and visitors to see its waters. The following April, the famous Surgeon's Photograph would add still more excitement. That particular picture was eventually exposed as a hoax, but Gray's earlier image continues to attract debate. Nearly a century later, nobody has produced convincing scientific evidence of a prehistoric monster living in Loch Ness. Yet the legend survives. Perhaps that's because a little mystery is irresistible, especially when it involves a deep Scottish loch, an old photograph and something that might... just might be lurking beneath the surface!

WORLD PNEUMONIA DAY 12 NOVEMBER 2026 🫁 Pneumonia isn't simply a bad cold and some common misconceptions could delay people getting the help they need. Every year on 12th November, World Pneumonia Day raises awareness of an illness that can affect anybody, from newborn babies to older adults. Pneumonia is inflammation of the lungs, usually caused by infection. Deep inside our lungs are millions of tiny air sacs called alveoli, which allow oxygen to pass into the bloodstream. When someone develops pneumonia, these air sacs can become inflamed and fill with fluid, making breathing more difficult. Most people recover, but pneumonia can also cause serious illness, particularly in babies, older adults and people with certain existing health conditions. So let's correct some common myths. ❌ MYTH: Pneumonia is just a bad cold. ✅ FACT: Pneumonia affects the lungs themselves. Symptoms can include a cough, breathlessness, chest pain, fever, extreme tiredness and loss of appetite. It may begin after another respiratory infection, but it is a distinct condition that sometimes requires urgent medical treatment. ❌ MYTH: Only elderly people get pneumonia. ✅ FACT: People of any age can develop pneumonia, including otherwise healthy adults. However, babies, older people and those with certain long-term conditions or weakened immune systems are more vulnerable to serious complications. Worldwide, pneumonia remains a major cause of death among young children. ❌ MYTH: Pneumonia is always caused by bacteria, so everyone needs antibiotics. ✅ FACT: Pneumonia can be caused by bacteria, viruses and, less commonly in healthy people in the UK, fungi. Viruses such as influenza, RSV and COVID-19 can cause pneumonia. Antibiotics treat bacterial infections, not viruses. Nevertheless, doctors may prescribe antibiotics when bacterial pneumonia is suspected, including where the exact cause has not been established. The right treatment depends on the patient's condition and clinical assessment. ❌ MYTH: You always have a high temperature. ✅ FACT: Symptoms vary. Some people, particularly older adults, may not develop a typical high fever. New or sudden confusion, worsening breathlessness or an unexplained deterioration in general health can be particularly important warning signs. ❌ MYTH: If you've had pneumonia once, you're immune. ✅ FACT: Pneumonia is not one single infection caused by one germ. Different organisms can cause it, and having pneumonia previously does not guarantee protection against another episode. ❌ MYTH: Vaccines prevent every case of pneumonia. ✅ FACT: Vaccination can substantially reduce the risk from several infections that cause pneumonia, but no vaccine prevents every possible case. Depending on age, medical circumstances and eligibility, vaccines against pneumococcal disease, influenza, RSV and COVID-19 can provide important protection. Good respiratory hygiene, avoiding smoking and managing existing medical conditions can also help reduce risk. ⚠️ WHEN SHOULD YOU SEEK HELP? The NHS advises seeking an urgent GP appointment or NHS 111 assessment if you have concerning symptoms such as breathlessness, chest pain when breathing or coughing, or worsening respiratory symptoms. Call 999 or attend A&E immediately for severe difficulty breathing, blue or blotchy lips or skin, sudden severe confusion, or other emergency warning signs. Babies and vulnerable adults may deteriorate quickly, so don't delay seeking medical advice when something is seriously wrong. And remember that recovery can take time. Although many people improve within two to four weeks, some experience tiredness and other symptoms for longer. World Pneumonia Day isn't about frightening people. It's about recognising symptoms, understanding prevention and making sure illness is taken seriously when it needs to be. Awareness, timely medical assessment and appropriate treatment can save lives. #WorldPneumoniaDay

12 NOVEMBER 1660 The English writer who spent around 12 years in prison rather than give up preaching... On 12th November 1660, John Bunyan, the English preacher and future author of The Pilgrim's Progress, was arrested while addressing a religious gathering at Lower Samsell, near Pulloxhill in Bedfordshire. His offence? Preaching at an unauthorised religious meeting. Bunyan had been born in 1628 at Elstow, near Bedford, and worked as a tinker, repairing pots and other metal household goods. He had served in the Parliamentary army during the English Civil War and later became associated with a nonconformist Christian congregation in Bedford. By the late 1650s, he was preaching regularly. But England's political and religious landscape was changing. In May 1660, Charles II had returned to the throne, ending the period of republican government that followed the Civil Wars. The Restoration also brought renewed support for the established Church of England and increasing restrictions on forms of worship conducted outside its authority. Bunyan's preaching had attracted the attention of local magistrate Francis Wingate. A warrant was issued under an Elizabethan law directed against unauthorised religious gatherings. Despite warnings that he might be arrested, Bunyan went ahead with the meeting. He was taken into custody and appeared before Wingate the following day. In January 1661, he faced magistrates accused of maintaining unlawful religious meetings and failing to attend the established church. Bunyan could potentially have secured his freedom by undertaking not to continue preaching. But he refused to abandon what he believed to be his religious duty. He remained imprisoned, with some limited periods of liberty, until his release in 1672. His imprisonment caused enormous hardship for his family. His second wife, Elizabeth, made efforts to secure his release, while Bunyan remained deeply concerned about his children, particularly his blind daughter. Yet prison did not silence him. During his years of confinement, he continued writing, producing works that included Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners, published in 1666. He is also traditionally associated with composing The Pilgrim's Progress during imprisonment, although the precise circumstances of its composition remain debated. First published in 1678, The Pilgrim's Progress became one of the most influential works of English religious literature. Its central character, Christian, travels from the City of Destruction towards the Celestial City, facing temptation, despair, danger and doubt along the way. Places such as the Slough of Despond and Vanity Fair became part of the English literary imagination. Bunyan's story is particularly striking because he was not imprisoned for committing a violent crime. He was imprisoned for participating in religious worship that the authorities regarded as unlawful. His experience raises enduring questions about freedom of conscience, the power of the state and the right to express beliefs peacefully. Bunyan died in 1688, but his writing continued to reach readers across the world....