Just a heads up.

The following is VERY helpful and has meant I can complete this:

https://laracasts.com/discuss/channels/general-discussion/laravel-5-for-loop-wmultiple-relations?page=2

what does the '===' do ?

astroanu said:

what does the '===' do ?

Is absolutely equal to.

Disregard the rubbish code I wrote above. Refer to the link if you I posted if you want to do as I initially asked. :)

i've been using riari's forum package and used the following for the views. Maybe it is helpfull for you:

Show categories/Forumboards

@foreach ($categories as $category)

    <ul>
      <li class="cell-icon">
        <i class="fa fa-folder-open-o"></i>
    </li>
    <li class="cell-info">
        <a href="{{ Forum::route('category.show', $category) }}" class="title h4">{{ $category->title }}</a>
        <div class="description">{{ $category->description }}</div>
        <ul class="forums-list">
            @if (!$category->children->isEmpty())
            @foreach ($category->children as $subcategory)
            <li><a href="{{ Forum::route('category.show', $subcategory) }}"><i class="fa fa-folder-open-o"></i> {{ $subcategory->title }}</a></li>
            @endforeach
            @endif
        </ul>
    </li>
    @if ($category->threadsEnabled)
    <li class="cell-topic-count">{{ $category->threadCount }}</li>
    <li class="cell-reply-count">{{ $category->postCount }}</li>
    <li class="cell-freshness">
      @if ($category->newestThread)
      <a href="{{ Forum::route('thread.show', $category->latestActiveThread->lastPost) }}">{{ $category->newestThread->title }}</a><br>
      @else
      No Topics
      @endif
      @if ($category->latestActiveThread)
      {{ $category->latestActiveThread->created_at->diffForHumans() }}
      <p>by: {{ $category->latestActiveThread->lastPost->authorName }}

      </p>
      @endif
  </li>
  @endif
</ul>

@endforeach