Reviving the Claymills Pumping Station in Staffordshire, England has been a labor of love. Restoration work has progressed steadily for over 30 years. Breakthroughs, discoveries, and DIY tips sent six days a week. It's always good to have a passion project, but what's going on in Staffordshire, England, is likely a one-of-a-kind endeavor. In the town of Burton upon Trent, a rotating team of volunteers has spent over 30 years restoring a Victorian pump house.

Coldplay's Chris Martin made a surprise appearance at a couple's wedding to play the music for their first dance. The groom's mother had asked the singer for a video message to be played at the wedding of Abbie and James Hotchkiss from Stafford. He went one better, though, and said he would appear in person, with only the newlyweds and the groom's parents in on the secret. Surprised guests saw him walk into the wedding venue, Blithfield Lakeside Barns in Staffordshire, wearing a white beanie hat to perform All My Love at the piano while the couple danced. Guests took a while to notice it was actually him, but didn't want to ruin our wedding day so asked us loads of questions once he'd gone, Mrs Hotchkiss said.

Beacon is unlike any other member of staff at Staffordshire University. It is available 24/7 to answer students' questions, and deals with a number of queries every day – mostly the same ones over and over again – but always stays incredibly patient. That patience is perhaps what gives it away: Beacon is an artificial intelligence (AI) education tool, and the first digital assistant of its kind to be operating at a UK university. Staffordshire developed Beacon with cloud service provider ANS and launched it in January this year. The chatbot, which can be downloaded in a mobile app, enhances the student experience by answering timetable questions and suggesting societies to join.