The Bayeux tapestry in Britain, the return of glowworms, and more uplifting stories

Good morning.

Nine panels, 68 metres, 623 men, 190 horses, 35 dogs, 37 buildings, 41 ships, and 93 (or 94 penises) – the Bayeux tapestry went on public display in Britain for the first time this week. Devoted art lovers queued online to get tickets and then waited patiently in person to catch a glimpse of the medieval artefact.

One visitor, Adrian Harris, described viewing the tapestry, which depicts the Norman conquest of England and the battle of Hastings in 1066, as “profound”. He added: “It was incredible. It was very, very moving to see the length and breadth of it.” Our art critic Jonathan Jones, meanwhile, awarded five stars to a “stupefying, thrilling, horrifying masterpiece”.

Tickets for viewings at the British Museum in London have already sold out till the end of December. But don’t worry – if you were hoping to catch a glimpse of the world’s most famous embroidery, a new tranche of tickets will be released on 21 October.

Enjoy your Sunday.

The Guardian newsletters team

Andrea Malone’s 94‑year‑old mother drove to buy a vacuum cleaner she had seen on sale, only to find her local store had sold out. Staff told her the nearest available one was an hour away, a trip she couldn’t manage.

As she stood there disappointed, a stranger in the queue offered to drive to the other store, collect the vacuum, deliver it to her home and even assemble it. The woman followed through the next day, and the two later met for coffee. Only afterwards did Andrea’s mother discover her helper was renowned Australian basketballer Michele Timms. This unexpected kindness shows that generosity and community spirit still thrive.

For the first time in a century, glow-worms are shining again in North Yorkshire. In recent decades, the bioluminescent female invertebrates had vanished from the British countryside. But after a budget reintroduction programme led by volunteer “glow-getters”, they’ve been spotted over multiple weeks this summer at Nosterfield nature reserve near Ripon.

Bogotá is not the only city to face the challenges of a rapidly aging population but, with a fertility rate lower than Tokyo, the Colombian capital is taking a creative approach. As multigenerational homes become less common, the mayor opened “care blocks”, where caregivers can drop off a toddler or an elderly relative for a few hours. Reducing social isolation is key, so the city has started prescribing culture and nature-based activities. Last December, a seniors’ grand ball saw about 4,500 older people dancing to live salsa at the city’s Movistar arena.

For decades, Robert Ashton contended with paruresis: a condition that meant he was unable to urinate in the presence of others. Turns out, all that was needed to alleviate this affliction was a trip to an Essex naturist club. Stripping down helped Robert let go of his inhibitions and alleviated a lifetime of anxieties – he’s been free-flowing ever since.

While Byker Grove is often credited for televising the first queer kiss in 1994, the UK actually first witnessed an on-screen same-sex smooch years earlier. When teen drama Two of Us first aired in 1988, the BBC insisted that the single snog be cut before broadcast, after the show had already been pushed into a late-night slot. And, initially, it was. But this didn’t stop a “gay mole” secretly sneaking the embrace back into the film, first in the version dispatched around the world for international viewers, and later when a rerun aired on the Beeb in a 1990 daytime transmission.