🌞 Meet the youngest King's Birthday awardee

Happy Sunday!

And hello to all 35,000 of you! How good.

Let’s try to get to 40,000 by the end of this month. If you think more people should focus on the good news, send this email to a friend or drop this link in the group chat. You’ll be their Sunday Scaries Destroyer (I should trademark that)!

👑 Youngest King’s Birthday Awardee

You will have seen in the news that last week, the King’s Birthday honours were announced. What you might not have seen is that the youngest awardee was 19-year-old Scott Michael Guerin, who was recognised for his “service to the community through charitable organisations.”

In case you’re wondering how a 19-year-old has already done enough to receive this award, Scott has quite literally dedicated his whole life to charity. At the ripe old age of four, the kindergarten student learnt about fundraising and decided he wanted to raise money for Telethon, which supports medical research into childhood diseases. To achieve this, in 2010, Scott walked 25km from his farm to town. He reflects that “Mum and dad said no, they thought it was too far, but I kept asking every day, 'Can I please walk to town today?” Finally, they said I could try. I surprised everyone when I crossed the finish line in 8 hours and 40 minutes. It was then I knew I could do anything I put my mind to.”

Since then, Scott has completed challenges and fundraisers every year, raising over $200,000 in the process. Now 19, he will be completing his 16th Great Walk in July this year. What an incredibly worthy recipient!

📸 Photo of the week

An aircraft passes in front of the full moon, known as the 'Strawberry Moon' in Chongqing, southwest China. The moon was absolutely captivating this week!

🎵 Feel good song of the week

🧸 A doll like me

This week, TDA journo Anju told me about a non-profit company that custom-makes dolls for children with disabilities, limb differences and skin conditions, so that they can have toys that look like them.

Founded by Amy Jandrisevits, ‘A Doll Like Me’ has now reached over 35 countries. Amy handmakes each unique doll from scratch, which she says is “crafted to look exactly like the child who will receive it, down to every last detail”.

Amy has launched partnerships with children's hospitals to identify kids who would benefit from having a doll “tailored to their likeness”. This partnership highlights what she says is the “therapeutic value of these dolls in medical care”. If you want to learn more, Amy is raising funds to grow A Doll Like Me. You can read about it here.

Message from Up

Here’s something we’ve been dying to tell you about…

Up’s brand new Groups feature allows split, track, and chat about shared costs with your crew, all within the app - yep, that’s right, say goodbye to chasing payments and splitting bills IRL!

How does it work?
⚡️Start a group: invite up to 10 mates via the Up app
⚡️Track it together: every time you add an expense, Up will notify each group member how much is owed
⚡️Settle Up: forget chasing payments, let Up do the math for you

Whether you’re saving for a group trip, wanting to streamline share house expenses, or simply want to rally your friends to help split costs, Up Groups is the new and easiest way to do it.

Ready to start banking with your mates? Join Up today and get $20 instantly in your account when you sign up with code TDA20.

🌞 Sunscreen for coral reefs

Researchers have developed new sunscreen safety protocols designed to protect coral reefs. More than 80% of sunscreens contain chemicals that can be harmful to coral and marine life.

However, the University of Derby in England has developed a new certification system to help consumers identify and purchase ocean-safe products. During testing for the Reef Protection Factor (RPF) system, researchers verified that one product, called Coral Care, contained ingredients that help coral grow.

The university said the sunscreen “not only avoids harming coral reefs, but actively nourishes them,” making it the first of its kind.

Science is COOL.

🥗 Free school meals in UK

The UK Government recently announced that 500,000 more children will get a free meal every day, after it expanded eligibility for free school meals.

From the 2026 school year, children with households on Universal Credit (the social security in the UK) will “have a new entitlement to free school meals”. The government says this “will lift 100,000 children across England completely out of poverty.”

Prime Minister Keir Starmer said: “This expansion is a truly historic moment for our country… [giving] every child, no matter their background, the same chance to succeed.”

🎾 World rankings take fertility into consideration

The Women’s Tennis Association (WTA), the governing body for professional women’s tennis, has introduced a policy that will protect the rankings of players who undergo fertility protection treatments, lasting until they return to play.

Players will now be able to take time off to undergo procedures such as egg or embryo freezing. The top 750 players in singles or doubles will be eligible for the protected ranking. The new policy is part of a recent series of changes the WTA has made to empower players to “combine professional sport with family life”.

Earlier this year, for example, the governing body introduced paid maternity leave for many players.

Former world number three Sloane Stephens said: “The WTA has now created a safe space for players to explore options and to make the best decisions for themselves.”

TDA asks