Stunt Watch: Lime bike blights TfL strikes, GOSH rings bells at St Paul’s and Banksy returns

Lime bikes save the day

If there's one thing that can bring London to its knees faster than a soggy afternoon, or running out of Meal Deals, it's a tube strike.

This week's industrial action reminded us all why we need backup plans, alternative routes, and apparently a lime green salvation on two wheels.

It was absolutely destined for Lime bike to roll into the limelight during the strikes. Even if it hadn't planned a stunt (which it absolutely did), the organic sight of hundreds of Lime bikes clustered outside every station like modern-day cavalry was stunt enough. But, it went one better, hijacking the chaos with its ‘good service campaign’ — a cheeky nod to TfL's optimistic service updates when literally nothing is running, and people have actual places to be.

The reactivity was chefs kiss. Capitalising on that uniquely London moment when we're all standing outside tube stations looking lost, checking apps that tell us nothing useful, and contemplating whether walking from King's Cross to Canary Wharf is actually feasible. Lime stepped in as the hero we didn't know we needed, turning transport chaos into brand opportunity. Brilliant work that proves sometimes the best stunts are the ones that solve real problems in real time.

Great Ormond Street Hospital rings out for Childhood Cancer Awareness Month

Now onto something that genuinely made me stop scrolling and hit me squarely in my feels. Marking Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, Great Ormond Street Hospital teamed up with St. Paul's Cathedral to ring the bells 253 times — once for each child lost to cancer every year in the UK.

It's simple, it's powerful, and it cuts through the ever growing noise in the most beautiful way possible. There's something profound about using one of London's most iconic sounds to honour these young lives — turning what could have been just another awareness campaign into a moment of genuine remembrance that the whole city could hear.

The beauty is in the restraint. No flashy tech, no celebrity endorsements, just the ancient tradition of church bells carrying a message that matters —paired with beautiful butterfly sculptures in remembrance. For every parent who heard those bells ring, this campaign is a reminder of what we often take for granted. Sometimes the most powerful stunts are the quietest ones.

Banksy’s (brief) protest piece

Finally, we need to talk about Banksy's latest — the protest piece on the Royal Courts of Justice wall that appeared and disappeared faster than a chocolate bar on my desk. The artwork spoke to the current sentiment on the streets, wherever you sit politically. It felt like a return to the original Banksy, as a voice of the people.

What made it even more poignant? The fact it was washed off so quickly. There's something beautifully meta about a protest piece about silenced voices being literally silenced. The ghost of people's voices being restricted, painted on a wall, then erased — it's almost too perfect. Sometimes the removal becomes part of the artwork itself.

Whether this was intentional commentary or just government efficiency, it worked. The ephemeral nature made it more powerful, not less. Long live the protest, even when it only lasts long enough for a few Instagram stories.