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PRIZES WORTH £££ TO BE WON! T&C’s apply. UK only. See pg22.

Issue 22

3 June 2021 76p

W IT H D E PACK IBLE

STABBED 47 TIMES

ED FE R C IN L LI S

REFUAN PUZZLE &

then killer made sick video before horror crash

We’re famous grandparents on a mission

t u o t h g i n n o t n Freak accide

WITH OUR GROOVY MOVES!

I COULD SMELL BURNING FLESH AS THEY CUT OFF MY LEG

My girl stops breathing

20 TIMES A DAY SUPERMARKET STYLES!

FAST FAKEAWAYS PLUS! Save money

with your garden!

Silly pranks got me through

MY DEADLY DIAGNOSIS Digital edition

I make a fortune ISSUE 22

FROM MY FARTS!

One in a !

N O I L L I M

This week, we’re recognising the amazing work of Kelly Cornish, 43, from Gloucester.

She says…

s a teenager, I always knew I wanted to go into childcare.

At the age of 16, I lost my cousin Corina, at just 10-months-old, after she was born with a congenital heart defect.

After the funeral, I completed my training in childcare and I began working in schools.

I loved working with kids, however it was a few years later, while volunteering for a local charity that I realised my true calling.

I wanted to offer emotional support for families and children suffering with congenital heart conditions.

I’d seen first-hand the heartbreak it can cause, and I wanted to bridge the gap between the hospital and the home. So, in July 2018, myself

WORDS BY HANNAH POON. PHOTOS: SWNS

A

Bitesize!

1

2

3

4

5 6 7 ACROSS 1 Halt (4) 5 Move the hand as a greeting (4) 6 Chopping tools (4) 7 Tinge (4) JUST FO R DOWN 1 Hit at a fly (4) 2 Cab (4) 3 Cooker (4) 4 Nuisance (4)

Ward at Bristol’s Children’s Hospital, we ensure those who need us, have our support and care.

Although my experience with congenital heart disease encouraged me to start the charity, my focus is now the children and families in need.

Every day, I am inspired by these wonderful children.

Heart disease is often an invisible illness, but they take it in their stride.

Of course they struggle at times, but that’s where we come in.

Not only can we provide professional mental health advice, but we can get kids out and about when they’re able.

Whether it’s horse riding or surfing, we’ll find a safe place for the kids to roam freely.

We celebrate what they can do, not what they can’t.

Since launching, we’ve now set up hubs in local areas.

Although our head office is in Gloucester, the hubs give families a local support system.

We’re now after sponsors to help our Heart Heroes.

Helping our Heart Heroes

and my best friend Zoe launched Heart Heroes.

We’re an emotional care charity for families and young people with heart disease.

In April 2019, we registered as an official charity and we strive to help those in need.

Offering mental health and wellbeing courses, we help our families to understand that they’re not alone.

If your child has a heart problem, it can be incredibly lonely and tough.

We’re here to offer support in any way we can.

As well as the courses, we hold coffee mornings and events for everyone to attend.

Working with the Dolphin

Sneak y peek Sneak peek at this wee eekk!

z To find out more or become a sponsor, please visit: www.heartheroes.co.uk P46 Run!

FUN

Read down the shaded squares for the answer.

Answer on page 47.

P37 Green fingers

P26 Celeb style

Contents On the cover 6 Freak accident on night out. I could smell burning flesh as they cut off my leg 20 We’re famous grandparents on a mission with our groovy moves!

22 Prizes worth £££ to be won!

24 My girl stops breathing 20 times a day 28 Silly pranks got me through my deadly diagnosis 42 Stabbed 47 times then killer made sick video before horror crash 50 I make a fortune from my farts!

More real life 10 Daisy’s dreams 17 Wake up call 32 Day by day

From you 3 One in a million 12 Your brainwaves 15 Your dilemmas

Feelgood 4 9 16 23 26 34 36 37 38 39 40 46 48 49

Your pick me ups Your home Your health Animal magic Your style Proud period Pick of the week Your garden Genius or bonkers?

Look amazing!

Easy eats Solve it in 7 Food and drink Your stars

Editor: Gail Shortland Senior Writer: Hannah Poon Feature Writers: Rosie Crass, Nia Dalton, Monica Meade Senior Designer: Victoria Elliott Designer: Yazz Williams Junior Designers: Hollie Moxham, Mel Walter

3

e m k c i Your p Organ your p ise for the lans re the ye st of ar!

What a great idea ith the world beginning to open back up, we can W finally make plans and organise our time!

Martha Brook’s mid-year diaries are perfect for

DON’T MISS THIS! S

taffordshire-based family attraction, Drayton Manor Theme Park, has announced a new, nautical-themed area that includes a host of new improvements and attractions for 2021.

An exciting addition to the park, the new Adventure Cove area will bring a vibrant maritime theme to the Midlands, offering a bright and colourful coastal feel for coaster fans and families, with barrels, boats and steering wheels aplenty.

The first of many attractions is the new River

Rapids ride.

The young and youngat-heart will be taken on a journey, through a cartoonstyle fishing port, on their very own nine-person boat around a rapids course.

Family favourites such as Shockwave have also been painted in vibrant rainbow colours.

A riveting lighthouse rescue mission awaits guests for Stormforce 10 on this wild, white-knuckle ride like no other. z Set to open in stages from spring 2021, tickets are available online at www.draytonmanor.co.uk

pencilling fun plans for summer and beyond.

Start afresh for the rest of 2021, and choose from a beautiful range of colourful, personalised notebooks.

With monthly calendar pages, a yearly planner (July 2021 – August 2022) and weekly diary pages, reflection pages and additional notes – there’s everything you need to capture important dates.

Lovingly made by hand in Martha Brook’s West London studio, the luxury hardback covers are coated in a specialist book cover material that feels soft to the touch and printed with real foil.

They make a brilliant gift for a parent, student, teacher or any academic. z Go to www.marthabrook.com to purchase yours.

Prices start from £15.95.

WORDS BY SWNS. STOCK IMAGES: GETTY AND ALAMY

GET IN TOUCH Send us your stories and photos, including all names and ages, a daytime phone number and full address.

E-mail hello@pickmeupmag.co.uk WRITE TO Pick Me Up! Media Centre, Emma-Chris Way, Abbey Wood Park, Filton, Bristol, BS34 7JU PHONE 01174400607 FACEBOOK facebook.com/pickmeupmag SEE OUR WEBSITE lifedeathprizes.com Future Publishing Limited reserves the right to reuse any submission sent to Pick Me Up! magazine, in any format or medium.

Unfortunately, we can’t return photos without a stamped sae.

Letters/photos must not be sent to any other publication.

4

Have you heard of it?

F

uroshiki: The art of Japanese fabric wrapping.

Furoshiki is a square piece of cloth or fabric used for transporting items, fashion and home décor – and more recently, gift wrapping.

The word refers both to the craft

and to the cloth itself, which usually has an elegant, decorative design.

Furoshiki has become increasingly popular with cultures around the world as it has transformed the art of gift-giving in an eco-friendly and sustainable way.

To perfect the centuries-old art of furoshiki, your cloth must be square and printed with a reversible pattern or colour.

There are many different ways you can learn to wrap – it only takes a quick YouTube search online.

So, the next time you’re wrapping a birthday gift, why not try it the furoshiki way?

me ups

SLTETATERR My granddaughter, Sophie among the daffodils. Helen

Broom, Somerset

W

ith 75% of Brits unable to book pub tables since their long-awaited reopening, Firebox has launched Pint2Go – a portable pint glass for your beer.

Pint2Go is a double-walled, insulated travel cup, perfect for takeaway pints, picnics and music festivals this summer.

Featuring an acrylic pint ‘glass’, this simple yet life-changing drink vessel keeps your pint perfectly chilled, while the silicone lid stops serious spills and pesky bugs from divebombing your beer.

Anyone fancy a cold one? z Pint2go is available at Firebox.com now for £9.99.

L A U S U Y N U BU

My Mia was so excited to meet Chase from Paw Patrol. Lisa

Adams, West Midlands

! d e p p a n S My lovely granddaughter Billi stuck a flowerpot on my head for fun in the garden on our first visit after lockdown.

Good deed of the week

Patricia Cordon, Glos

W

hen a baby dies, their memory lives on and they are always there in the hearts and minds of their parents, family and friends.

It is important throughout their journey that the right care and support is always there for bereaved parents.

For more than 40 years, leading UK baby loss charity Sands have provided comfort and support – walking with bereaved parents, providing a safe space to grieve and commemorate, working with the NHS to provide empathetic bereavement care and campaigning to save babies’ lives.

This June marks Sands Awareness Month 2021 and the charity have launched their #AlwaysThere campaign to ensure pregnant women can choose to have the same maternity team to care for them and their baby, through pregnancy, birth and beyond.

Join the campaign by sharing @sandscharity social media posts and sharing your experience in comments and on your own social media tagging #AlwaysThere. z For more information, or to aise for R donate to Sands, eness rity r a go to www. w a cha ! s d sands.org.uk/ n Sa month AlwaysThere his

t

How proud does my son Ronnie looking with his new shoes on? Bless him! Adam

Bradshaw, Halesowen

This is a pic from my son Stephen’s wedding to my new daughter-in-law Amanda.

Mar Hadley, Cradley Heath If your letter makes Star Letter of the week, you will receive some beautiful blooms from Flying Flowers. With over 30 years’ experience of helping celebrate life’s special moments and FREE delivery by post, a gorgeous bouquet by Flying Flowers is a lovely way to celebrate sharing smiles and happiness. See flyingflowers.co.uk for more details.

5

s a w I e l Whi

After eight years of pain, ClaredWtoatts, 50, from Northampton, wante watch the closing of a chapter… stop and take several breaks. tepping off the train, I ‘Hopefully it will be better in felt giddy with a few days,’ the group kept excitement and joy. telling me.

We’d just arrived in It was only a little twist, but it London and I loved was killing me! visiting the city.

And over the next few weeks, My husband Michael, now it only got worse.

59, and I usually went for our The swelling wasn’t going anniversary, but this time, we down – if anything, it was were with our friends, Tracey, getting worse, and I was 56, and her husband Gaz, 60, to struggling to walk. celebrate their birthdays.

‘I’m going to send you for an It was March 2012, and we X-ray at the hospital,’ my were off to see Mamma Mia! in doctor told me when I went to the West End. my surgery a few weeks later.

A big fan of Only, despite the musicals, I couldn’t swelling and the wait for the pain, after the scan, weekend to begin.

I was told that there As we arrived at was nothing the hotel, I obviously wrong. unpacked our bags, I’d barely been ready to glam able to walk for myself up. weeks now, which Slipping on a nice meant I hadn’t been dress and heels, I able to go to work. was ready to party.

I knew it wasn’t right and so Only, just as we were about the family I was employed by at to leave, I caught my heel on the time offered to pay for the plush carpet and felt my private health care. right foot twist.

I’d been a nanny to their ‘Well, someone’s enjoying children for years by this point, the complimentary wine,’ and so they insisted on helping Michael joked. me out – I was blown away by ‘I haven’t had a drink yet!’ I their kindness. replied, laughing it off.

Still unable to put any Collecting myself together, I forgot what a pain heels could be!

Not wanting to be late My right foot for the show, we left and began to club in headed to the underground station.

Only, within minutes, my foot was throbbing, and I noticed it looked a little swollen.

‘I really hurt it back then,’ I said to Michael, taking a breather.

For the rest of the weekend, I tried to ignore the pain and carried on.

Only, traipsing all around the city, I had to 6

S

WORDS BY HANNAH POON AND KERRY VIOLET. PHOTOS: SWNS

I caught my heel on the carpet and felt my foot twist

pressure on my foot, a few weeks later, the consultant sent me for an MRI. And after the scan, I finally had a clearer picture of what was happening.

I was riddled ‘There is with mum-guilt trauma to three of the metatarsals in your right foot,’ he told me. my job completely and spent I couldn’t believe one little the next eight years of my life twist in heels had caused so battling the pain. much damage.

Michael had to do In a bid to give the foot some everything for me, and I was relief, I was put in a cast for two overwhelmed with mummonths and I was given guilt as I couldn’t properly crutches to get around on. care for my daughter Aimee Sadly, it meant my once who was studying at college. active life was now being spent Between them, they had to on the sofa. drive me to every doctor’s I couldn’t move or put any appointment, as I just pressure on my foot – not even couldn’t move by myself. with the cast.

My life was hell and It felt like I’d stepped despite numerous trials and through stinging nettles and errors, there was nothing my entire leg was burning. that could be done.

When I came out of my cast, I I had intense physio, needed physio to try and get hydrotherapy and even had a back on my feet, and it was Dorsal Root Ganglion then that I received a Stimulator inserted into my devastating diagnosis. stomach to send shock waves ‘You have something to stop the pain. called CRPS,’ the Only, nothing worked and consultant told me. within a few years, the CRPS ‘I’ve got what?’ I asked, had spread to my left arm. none the wiser.

‘Clare, I’m so sorry,’ my It went straight over doctor told me. my head, but the doctor I knew it had spread for a explained it stood for while, but I was in denial.

Complex Regional Pain I just didn’t want it to be true.

Syndrome, which caused My life had already been prolonged pain, turned upside down. sometimes with Over time, the original injury inflammation. had become more dangerous Unfortunately, with as my foot started to club in. little known about the It meant I would fall down condition, I entered a the stairs and couldn’t get rollercoaster of a about by myself. journey from then on.

Living in a three-storey I was forced to quit house, it meant we were forced

E F I L L A E R G IN G N A H -C E IF L

. . . e k a aw

I have a new lease of life

to move.

My life was in ruin and I didn’t know how much more I could take.

And my GP knew it, too.

‘I think we need to look at an amputation,’ he told me.

It had been discussed a little in the past, but it was always a last resort.

Only now, it was looking like my only option.

I knew I didn’t have a choice.

So, I spoke to other amputees and watched YouTube videos of the operation.

Although it was difficult, I soon came around to the idea of an amputation.

I knew it would be the best thing for me.

And my five-year-old granddaughter Niamh, made that decision even easier.

‘I want to hold your hand not your crutches,’ she said. And

so, in August last year, I arrived at the hospital, ready to say goodbye to years of pain.

‘Good luck,’ Michael said as he dropped me off.

Sadly, because of Covid19, he couldn’t come in to keep me company, but I was ready for this.

I wasn’t scared.

So much so, I’d even made the controversial decision to stay awake during the complicated procedure.

I hate the way anaesthetic makes me feel and I always have a bad recovery, so I opted for an epidural instead.

‘Well, if you’re up for it, then let’s do this,’ the anaesthetist agreed.

I think everyone was a bit confused by my decision, but I wanted this.

Going into theatre, the

smell of burning flesh.

Within just a few short hours, the leg was removed, and I felt a huge wave of relief to know my pain was over once and for all.

‘What shall I do with the leg?’ the nurse asked at the end.

‘Well, unless Clare wants to keep it, just put it in a bag,’ the surgeon laughed.

The whole experience was wonderful, and I don’t have any regrets.

My recovery was amazing and although there was a bit of pain, it was nothing compared to the eight years I’d already suffered.

‘It looks like a joint of gammon,’ I joked when the bandages were removed.

I had no negative emotions With Aimee towards having my leg and Niamh chopped off. atmosphere was truly like It had ruined my life for eight no other. long years, and I was glad to be Normally, a patient shot of it. would be taken to theatre Within a week, I was back at while they’re asleep, but I home and I reaped the benefits. got to meet the team.

‘You look happier,’ Michael They were lovely and smiled at me. made me feel right at ease.

And I was.

‘I’ll put the radio on Two months after my through my phone,’ one of operation, I had my first the nurses said. prosthetic leg fitted and it was a There are not many game changer. people who can say they I adapted to using it quickly were awake, listening to and it gave me my life back. the radio and joking with Although I may not be able the surgeons while they to work again, with an adapted chopped off your leg. car, I’ve been able to get back The surgeon was behind the wheel, which is a fantastic and explained huge step in my recovery. clearly what he was doing Thanks to my amputation, I in real time. get to spend more time with my ‘I’m using the bone saw,’ family too, which I’m so he explained reassuringly, grateful for. as I heard the instrument Although I still have CRPS buzz loudly. in my left arm, the pain is much Despite the major more manageable. surgery I was going through, I Now my stump has shrunk, I felt so relaxed, and I genuinely will need a new prosthetic in couldn’t feel a thing.

October this year, but life is so The only negative was the much better nowadays.

I’m starting to get my independence back and this new chapter of my life has Life is much just begun. better now Nine years ago, a fun weekend changed my life forever.

A simple twist left me crippled with pain.

It was a dark time in my life, but now finally, the future’s looking wonderfully bright.

When the nurse put my amputated leg in a bag, she closed off a long chapter and started the next.

I’m so glad I got to watch that happen.

7

JUST FOR

FUN Follow it!

English county

Explosive device

Visage

Skye, say

Bedouins,t e.g.

Solve the puzzle to spell out a term related to the picture. The arrows show you where to put your answers.

The answer is spelled in the yellow squares.

Answers on page 47.

Choose

Settee

Continuing TV drama

Used to be

House type

Takes a seat

Subatomic particle Brazilian city, _ de Janeiro

Mountain pass

Plotter

Stinging insects

Secondhand Cardiac arrests (5,7)

Untidy state

Wheat spike

Predicament

D

Counterfoil

Asian language

To coil

Repeat (2-3)

Crowd actor

High regard

Evades

Needle

Corrosive substance

Before, in poetry

X

Botanical bristle

A

Eye up

Speech defect

Water bottles!

Fencing sword

T

R

A

Epoch

Flying insect

Ascertain (3,2)

_ Easton, singer

In reserve Entertain

Anti-aircraft fire or artillery Folded fabric edge

Article

_ Connery, Zardoz actor

Goes by plane

Greet enthusiastically

Golf peg

Stadium

Humble

Bloke

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Drink up!

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Young goats

_ Gibson, Signs actor

Cosmetic item

Hot Trend!

Farewell

Dandy

Nocturnal University, creatures in short

Concert

_ Ryan, You’ve Got Mail star

IMAGES: GETTY

E M

Round or oval item

Egyptian goddess

Flavour

Rodentcatching cat

Preposition

Upper limbs

L M

Freshwater fish

Circuit

Stretch

See photo (5,3)

I

Carribean country

Major or minor constellation

Glove

Tropical bottle, £15, Joe Browns

Butterfly bottle, £26, Daisy Park

Buzz Lightyear bottle, £17, Very

Bedding, from £40

Floral shade, £45

Pink cushion, £15

Peacock cushion, £25

Available at joebrowns.co.uk Feather dish, £18

Four bowls, £18

Feather bowl, £25

e m o h r u o Y

Check out the new collection at Joe Browns!

Rug, £30 Candlestick, £20 Basket, £18

Oven glove, £16

Doormat, £15

Velvet planter, £20 Candle, £25

9

h After losing her daughter, Sara, is Griffiths, 46, from Blackwood alive. determined to keep her legacy ottering around the kitchen, it was another busy day.

As I got to work on a few chores, my daughter Daisy, then 12, was dancing around, listening to Ed Sheeran’s, Castle on the Hill.

It was her favourite song, so we had to listen to it on repeat.

Along with Daisy, I had my son Evan, then 10, and little Zak, then four, who I’d had with my husband Leighton, now 55.

Leighton was Daisy and Evan’s stepdad, but he was amazing with them.

We had a wonderful life, but in July 2015, it all changed.

After complaining of leg spasms, Daisy was taken down for an X-ray.

‘We need you to bring her back in for an MRI,’ the doctor told me down the phone.

‘We’ve found a shadow on her hip and pelvic bone.’

I couldn’t believe it.

Daisy was such an energetic girl.

She was always off playing netball or running around.

I’d just assumed she’d over done it or was growing. She was the right age.

It’s probably nothing, I tried to convince myself.

After that, everything happened so quickly, but just a few weeks later, my world collapsed.

‘I’m afraid she has Ewing’s sarcoma,’ the consultant told us.

‘It’s a rare form of bone cancer.’

Frozen in shock, 10

P

you could have knocked me down with a feather.

How could this be happening? I thought to myself.

‘It’s going to be OK, Mum,’ Daisy suddenly said.

Staring at her, I couldn’t believe she was the one comforting me.

She was the kindest little girl.

My first-born, my best friend – why was this happening to her?

‘Is it curable?’ I asked the doctor.

‘The treatment has a good success rate,’ he smiled.

Although it was reassuring, my little girl still had cancer and I didn’t know how I would cope.

Only, Daisy was so brave.

She began chemo a few weeks later and had major surgery to remove the tumour.

Although it was the worst time of my life, Daisy just kept on smiling.

‘I’m going to be fine,’ she kept telling us. She refused to

WORDS BY HANNAH POON. PHOTOS: SWNS

Why was this happening to her?

Smiling until the very end

believe she couldn’t beat it.

When she could, she played around with her brothers and went to school.

Daisy decided to shave off her hair and we were gifted a beautiful wig by the Little Princess Trust.

When she was diagnosed, the charity Dreams and Wishes also got in touch to gift her an iPad. We’d never heard of them before, but we were so grateful.

For the next year, Daisy battled on relentlessly.

She had chemo, surgery and we flew over to America in January 2016 so she could have proton beam therapy.

Daisy was doing so well and doctors were happy with her progress.

And, in August 2016, we had the news we were so desperate for.

‘She has the all-clear,’ the consultant smiled.

Sobbing with exhaustion and relief, we were just so happy.

‘I told you I’d be fine,’ Daisy smiled.

For the past year, as a family we’d almost gone into pilot mode.

We were told Daisy would need regular check-ups, but things were looking up.

However, not three weeks later, at a followup MRI, we received

MY ANG EL more devastating news.

‘I’m afraid the cancer is back and it’s spread to her lungs,’ the consultant told us.

My heart just dropped.

She had the all-clear just three weeks before...

Looking at Daisy, she had that confident look on her face.

The look that said; ‘I’m fine, Mum’, but deep down, I knew it wasn’t good.

And so, jumping back on the rollercoaster, Daisy began chemo once again.

Every three weeks, she’d be in for her treatment.

It was absolutely gruelling for her, but she was determined to live a normal childhood.

‘I want to go to school,’ she’d tell me whenever she was feeling good.

Daisy’s strength was absolutely amazing.

Only, in January 2017, the

S M A E DR

INSPIRING REAL LIFE

Always in our hearts

doctors told us there was nothing more they could do.

‘It’s incurable,’ they said.

My whole world stopped.

From the day she was diagnosed, none of us had even considered the thought that she could die.

But now, my world was collapsing and every part of me was breaking.

Only, as usual, instead of getting upset, Daisy was comforting us.

‘It’s incurable until they find a cure, Mum’ she smiled.

She really was wonderful.

If she could smile through it, then I could, too.

And so, not knowing how long she had left, we all wanted to spoil her rotten.

With the help of family and friends, as well as Dreams and Wishes, we organised a pamper night, a school trip to Tenby, sleepovers and a Dance with Daisy night.

Dreams and Wishes also

paid for us to meet the Welsh rugby team and watch the Wales vs England match.

As the weeks passed by, Daisy’s health deteriorated.

She was tired all the time and could barely get out of bed.

However, she never gave up.

When the Dance with Daisy rolled around in March, I didn’t think she’d be able to go.

She was so poorly, but she wasn’t missing it for the world.

‘I’m going, Mum,’ she said.

And so, surrounded by her friends and family, we had the party of a lifetime.

Watching her dance the night away with her friends, it was a bittersweet evening.

As Stand by Me came on, Daisy and I took centre stage.

As I held her close, I just soaked in every second.

It was the perfect night, with so many memories, but I knew Daisy’s time on earth was running short.

Over the next few weeks, Daisy slipped in and out of consciousness.

‘Is it nearly my time?’ she asked the nurse. ‘I’m afraid it

is’ the nurse told her honestly.

For the first time, Daisy allowed herself to break down.

‘I want to grow up, I want to see my brothers grow up and I want to go to prom,’ she cried.

Watching her deteriorate in front of my eyes was so cruel.

She had such a bright future ahead of her, but she’d never get to live it.

On 1 May 2017, Daisy lost her battle at just 14-years-old.

She died peacefully in her bed, surrounded by her family.

I was left numb, but the boys all rallied around me. On 17

Zak misses her

May, over 400 people turned up to say goodbye.

Daisy never got to grow up and get married, so we decided the celebration of her life should be a beautiful white extravaganza.

Dreams and Wishes paid for her to be escorted to the church in a horse and carriage and I can’t thank them enough.

It was perfect and as we said goodbye to her, listening to Castle on the Hill, Daisy would have loved it.

Daisy was so kind and strong, and I wanted to keep that legacy alive.

Dreams and Wishes did so much for us, so I decided to start raising money for them.

With the boys, I’ve held raffle nights, candle events and parties in Daisy’s honour.

Zak, now 10, has run an incredible six miles and Leighton has done a bike ride.

Four years on and we’ve raised a whopping £70,293 for Dreams and Wishes.

Every penny goes to seriously ill children and their families, which is why I am an ambassador for them.

We miss Daisy every day and whenever Stand by Me comes on, I think of our final dance.

There’s not a day that goes by where I don’t think of her, but raising money for Dreams and Wishes gives me a focus.

She was such a wonderful person, and it breaks my heart every day that she didn’t get to grow up.

I know she’s up there looking down on us, and I hope we’re doing her proud.

My Daisy, my daughter, my princess, my angel.

z To donate, visit: Just Giving, Sarah Griffiths56 11

. . . s e v a Brainw Your

We share your brilliant tips!

Be aer! n win

Good morning Use a clothes peg to seal cereal packets to keep the contents fresh.

Donna Thompson, Co. Antrim

Tip e of th week

st a f k a Bretime!

One too many!

If you’ve spilt red wine, blot it with a paper towel, cover the stain with a thick layer of salt, let the salt soak and simply hoover to remove the mark.

Alexandra Low, Halesowen

To secr p et

Wildlife whisperer After scooping the middle of a fruit, poke holes in the sides for string and hang up full of birdseed for a zero waste bird feeder.

Laura Raynor, Bradford

BBQ better

No trace If you don’t have a shredder to get rid of personal documents, then just tear them into pieces and soak in cold water for a few minutes. Scrunch all the wet pieces together into a ball and throw away.

Julie Surtees, Tyne and Wear

USE THE LID Save the amount of fuel you use by keeping it covered – also it’ll make your food more flavoursome.

ward-winning vegan cheese, Sheese (buteisland.com) share their tips to get your sizzle on more sustainably.

A

FUEL IT UP Look for sustainably sourced charcoal that is carbon neutral. They’ll burn for longer and also aren’t linked to deforestation.

SINGLE USE Try to avoid using one-time-use barbecues, they’re pretty much impossible to recycle – invest in a good grill.

MENU ADJUSTMENTS BUY LOCAL Try some plant-based Eating local ingredients recipes to cut your carbon 2 reduces CO emissions plus footprint – you’ll be you’ll be using seasonal surprised with how produce that’s often tastier. delicious they can be.

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STOCK IMAGES: GETTY

Remember, these are YOUR tips – we haven’t tried them ourselves.

This week, our tip of the week will receive a great product from Addis! The sleek Mode two piece set is a great addition to the bathroom.

The pedal bin comes complete with a separate liner and the ultra-hygienic toilet brush which offers a discreet place for your cleaning detergent. Hard wearing and won’t dent or rust.

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R O F T S U J

ACROSS

Fill it!

N U F

Complete the grid then read down the shaded squares to reveal the hidden answer.

Clue: Bird. Answer on page 47.

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6

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8 9

10

6 Dracula’s title (5) 7 1977 sci-fi film directed by 18 Down and starring 1 Down, 4 Down, 6 Down & 24 Down (4,4) 10 Collide with (3,4) 11 Entertainment of Japanese origin (7) 12 Imprecise (7) 13 Indicator (7) 14 Obvious without proof (4-7) 19 Take advantage of (7) 21 Reinstate (7) 23 Braggart (4-3) 25 Coach (7) 26 Films (8) 27 Place of action (5)

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Alec _, Oscar-winner for his role in 1957’s The Bridge on the River Kwai (8) Verse of a poem (6) Variety (10) _ Hamill, star of 1980 epic war film The Big Red One (4) To test (3,3) _ Fisher, actor whose film credits include The Blues Brothers and When Harry Met Sally... (6) Bellicose (7) Brings up (5) Arrange in order of importance (10) Person stationed to keep watch (7) Thrashes (8) To rib (5) _ Lucas, director whose first feature film was 1971’s THX 1138 (6) Financial gain (6) Scattered or scanty (6) Harrison _, Oscar nominee for his role in 1985 neo-noir film Witness (4)

Your answer ______________________________

JUST FOR

Strike it!

On your bingo card, cross out all the numbers that appear on the balls. Read the letters beside the remaining numbers on your card from left to right to spell out your answer word. Answer on page 47.

A

3 12

43 61

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8 19 26

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89

26 71

30 40 51

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Which one of the listed numbers won’t fit in this mini grid?

Answer on page 47.

88

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30

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FUN Number fit!

64 74 67

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1624/2416/4164/4121/6241 13

Your

. . . s a m Dilem ce vi ad d oo g e m so r fo ! p U e M k ic P Stuck for what to do? Write to

Wish she’d grow up In the last four years, my mum has been engaged three times and she’s expecting her current boyfriend to propose any day. Her relationships never work out.

How can I get her to grow up? It’s ĠĨĝĜĭĭĜĮĮĤĩĢ Harriett, Somerset

Q Natalie Trice (natalietrice.co.uk) is a career and confidence coach, empowering women to be brave and lead bold, unapologetic lives they love.

She hates me

My boyfriend has a child with his ex and she clearly doesn’t like me. She’s awful to me and it’s putting a strain on our ĭĠħĜįĤĪĩĮģĤī Emma, Wells

Q

STOCK PHOTOS: GETTY

A

I’d be interested to know what discussions you’ve had with your boyfriend around this. If you can work together, it will help you approach it calmly and allow bridges to be built, rather than a greater wedge being created.

Bringing a new partner into a relationship where children are involved can be really tricky. They have to process their supercharged feelings and they simply do not know how to feel or what to do. You don’t mention what age she is, but I think that if you take her out, one on one, and just get to know each other better, that could be a starting point.

It’s hard not to take things to heart, but it’s probably not you that she doesn’t like, it’s the situation and having to share her dad with someone else. Being the adult in this kind of dilemma can feel unfair and relentless, but keep working at it and you will be surprised at the changes that can happen over time.

A

I am sure that you are only looking out for your mum, but only she can make decisions in her life and grow up on her terms. There are many reasons that your mum might be behaving in this way, and it may well be embarrassing for you to watch, but as a grown-up, I am afraid that is her prerogative.

If you think that she is in danger of being taken advantage of in any way, that is of course another matter altogether, but otherwise, she is free to do what she likes.

The more you try to get her to change, the

Awful work bully There’s a girl at work who is always trying to put me down. She points out any mistakes and undermines me in front of colleagues. I don’t want to ĞĪĨīħĜĤĩ ĝİį ĤįŧĮ ĢĠįįĤĩĢ ĨĠ ğĪIJĩ Callie, Manchester

Q

GETTING HELP zIf you’d like advice from our Pick Me Up! expert, email us at hello@ pickmeupmag.co.uk or write to us at the address on our contacts page (pg4). zIf your problem affects your mental wellbeing, you can call the helpline run by the charity Mind on 0300 123 3398, open 9am to 6pm weekdays.

more she will keep repeating her behaviour.

Be there for your mum and look out for her, but also let her live her life. I know you have her best interests at heart, but hopefully, she will find ‘the one’ in her own time and will always want you by her side whatever the outcome.

A

A very common reason for someone else to put us down is that they feel intimidated by you and could well be jealous. There is no excuse for what is, essentially, bullying, but you need to be able to work out a way to deal with it before it really does start to bring you down.

When it happens, just make a note of the conversation and what was said, in what context. Was it a typo in an email, or a comment on your conduct in a meeting? If you have the facts in black and white, when you do get to the point of talking to her or your manager, it is there for all to see. Doing this can also get the conversation out of your head and you have put it somewhere safe.

I would then look at who you can talk to about it, be that another colleague or your manager. This isn’t to gossip, but to say that it is upsetting you and you would like to see how it could be resolved.

It could be that she is feeling out of her depth, but it is not professional. Please don’t sit on it and do nothing.

Positivity pals

W

YOU’ VE GOT THIS!

hen you surround yourself with positive people, you’ll hear upbeat outlooks, happy stories and optimistic affirmations. All that buoyant encouragement will sink in and affect your way of thinking. In turn, you will reflect that cheery vibe right back to them. It’s a win – win!

It’s not always easy to have ‘glass half full’ people around you, but do look out for the friends who bring your mood down when you see them. If your optimism doesn’t seem to stop their negativity, limit the time you spend with them or they’ll sponge the happiness right out of you.

15

Your

Disclaimer: Medical advice provided is for interest only and should never be substituted for seeing a doctor or seeking medical advice. If you have specific medical concerns please seek advice from a qualified medical professional.

h t l a e H Painful problem

INSTANT

Q

I’ve suffered from piles since having a baby two years ago.

Is that normal?

appointment

Alice, North Wales

With Dr Deborah Lee, Dr Fox Online Pharmacy (www.doctorfox.co.uk)

What is it?

Q

My son has a dark line on his toenail and has had it for years what might it be?

Jennifer, Sheffield A black line under the toenail is called a splinter haemorrhage.

Most commonly this occurs following trauma, such as dropping something heavy on the toe.

However, rarely, splinter haemorrhages can be a sign of underlying disease.

I would suggest if your son

A

can’t remember dropping anything heavy on his toe, you take him to see your GP. Medical causes of splinter haemorrhages include psoriasis, fungal nail infections, being on medication that stops blood from clotting and kidney or lung disease.

It could also be a beau’s line, which are horizontal lines under the nails that are generally harmless.

These still need to be carefully checked by a doctor to exclude melanoma – a skin cancer which can develop under a nail.

Taking painkillers

Q

I keep getting headaches and take painkillers almost daily. Is that too often?

Laura, Manchester According to the NHS, people who use painkillers such as aspirin, paracetamol, or ibuprofen more than 15 days a month, or an opiate-based pain killer more than 10 days per month, are at risk of suffering from what we call ‘medication overuse headaches.’

Migraines, cluster headaches and tension headaches can cause the sufferer to reach for their medication.

However, with such frequent use as the medication wears off, it can precipitate the development of suffering from another headache.

This is more common in

A

people who are prone to getting headaches.

Medication overuse headaches are dull and throbbing, present most days and worse in the mornings.

Other symptoms include difficulty concentrating, nausea and irritability.

If this could be what’s happening to you, see your GP to discuss how best to stop your pain killers and what to do next.

There is no quick-fix. You will need to take advice about how best to try and prevent your headaches from developing in the first place.

A

The most common symptom of piles is bleeding from the rectum when you open your bowels. Don’t assume this is just piles – go and see your doctor first.

It’s important to have the diagnosis confirmed. Rarely, bowel cancer can present in exactly the same way.

Try not to be embarrassed – your doctor will understand and be as nice to you as possible about it.

Piles are generally painless lumps, that you may or may not be able to feel protruding from the rectum.

They can also be sore and itchy. They commonly cause trouble in pregnancy and can persist afterwards.

It’s important you eat a high-fibre diet and drink plenty of water to avoid constipation.

Try and stop smoking as smoking is strongly linked to piles. Take regular exercise – this stimulates your bowel movements.

You may need to take laxatives – your pharmacist can advise about this.

Local anaesthetic and steroid creams and suppositories may also help.

CONTACT US For advice, contact us via one of the methods below. Letters and emails are selected randomly for publication. Sorry, doctors can’t reply personally. WRITE TO: Pick Me Up! Media Centre, Emma-Chris Way, Abbey Wood Park, Filton, Bristol, BS34 7JU. EMAIL: hello@pickmeupmag.co.uk 16

HOW TO… Treat heartburn and indigestion

1

Lead a healthier lifestyle – lose weight, stop smoking and cut down on your alcohol intake.

2

Make sure your last meal of the day is at least three hours before you go to bed.

3

Raise the head of your bed by 4-6 inches - just raising your head by using an extra pillow won’t have the same effect. Sleeping at an angle stops acid from backing into your oesophagus.

4

Keep a food diary and make a note of any foods or drinks that make it worse and try to avoid them.

5

For short term relief, pharmacists can offer antacid medicines that will neutralise stomach acid and protect your oesophagus.

z If pain or bloating

persists, contact your GP for advice.

I was over 24st at my biggest

Jason Dury, 48, from Risca, South Wales, lost half his body weight after an embarrassing moment on a plane…

S

Slimmed down

suffering from, but the doctor explained that it was all linked to my size.

‘You’ll have a heart attack if you carry on the way you are,’ my doctor warned me.

It was shocking, but something I probably needed to hear.

My weight had spiralled since my early thirties.

Working as a truck driver, I was eating food that was convenient, but far from healthy.

Fry ups for breakfast, pasties and a sausage roll for lunch and more takeaways for dinner.

In between my shifts on the road, my bad-habits continued.

Living alone, I would eat whatever I liked and thought very little about the amount of calories I was consuming.

But as time went on, my weight was affecting all aspects of my life.

With my size meaning I wasn’t very agile, at work I’d often have to be lifted into the lorries using a forklift.

It was mortifying, but I’d

always try my best to laugh it off, hiding just how low I was really feeling.

But after the doctor’s stark warning in September 2017, I knew it was time to change.

Googling diets, I was desperate to find something that would work for me.

And when I stumbled upon Slimming World, the strap-line – you’ll never go hungry – caught my eye.

So, after finding my local meeting, I made a plan to go that Saturday.

But as I pulled up to the first meeting of the day, I just couldn’t get out of the car.

‘Come on, Jason,’ I told myself, ‘You’re being stupid!’

But I was terrified.

Driving round the block to clear my head, I finally walked into the meeting a little later than planned.

Greeted my lots of smiling faces, I didn’t need to worry.

But stepping on the scales, I was in for a shock.

‘You’re 24st 11lbs,’ the consultant told me.

I was horrified. While I knew

I needed to make changes

17

WORDS BY ROSIE CRASS. PHOTOS: SWNS AND GETTY

queezing into my seat on the plane, I attempted to pull my seat belt around me.

But at my size, it was clear it wasn’t going to make it.

‘Excuse me,’ I said to the stewardess, quietly.

‘Do you have a seat belt extender at all? Mine doesn’t seem to quite fit.’

I was absolutely mortified.

When the stewardess called out for an extender across a plane full of people, I wanted the ground to swallow me up.

It was the summer of 2017, and while I knew my weight had gone up, I’d never stopped to think about it.

But now, as I sat redcheeked on the plane, I was suddenly getting a very embarrassing wake-up call.

Just weeks later, as I sat in the doctor’s office, my weight was an issue once more.

I’d made an appointment to discuss the migraines I was

BIG health story

I was big, I had no idea I was pushing 25st. But by now, I was determined to do something about it. Buying in fresh food and cooking what I could on the road, I stuck to the diet and I didn’t feel like I was missing out on food at all.

After just one week on the plan, I’d lost a whopping 8lb.

‘Well done!’ my consultant beamed at me.

It was a great feeling and from then on, I continued losing a few pounds each week.

My migraines were gone, I had more energy and most importantly, my blood pressure was dropping at an insane rate!

‘Keep doing what you’re doing,’ my doctor encouraged.

As the weeks went on, I started to incorporate some light exercise into my days.

Walking round the park, I was huffing and puffing at first, but after a few weeks of consistent walking, it started to get easier.

‘I feel so much better for it,’ I told my mum.

She had been the only person I’d told about joining Slimming World.

Terrified I’d fail, I didn’t mention it to anyone else.

But as the months went by, it was hard to ignore.

‘Have you done something different?’ one of my colleagues asked at work, as my frame became noticeably slimmer.

‘I’ve joined Slimming World,’ I explained.

Eventually, after 22 months, I’d lost 12st 7lb and was down to an incredible12st 4lb.

Looking back, I hadn’t realised just how much my weight was affecting my life.

I was living quite a reclusive life before, and if I’m being honest, I think I was depressed.

But now, I feel like losing the weight has helped me come out of my shell.

I’m no longer the shy person I once was and it feels great to finally feel good about myself.

Boarding a plane to Italy at the start of 2020, this time I had no qualms that my belt was going to fit.

It was a small win that meant so much to me.

I’ve even got plans to walk to Everest base camp next year – something I never thought I’d be able to do.

Losing weight has opened my world up so much and I’m so grateful that I decided to do something when I did.

I might be half the size, but my world certainly seems a lot more full!

s w e n h t l a He TRUE E or FALS

M

igraines leave people feeling or being sick, having a sensitivity to light and sound and many different sensory disturbances, like dizziness.

Superintendent pharmacist Phil Day from Pharmacy2U says; ‘Migraines can be set off by triggers and these tend to be quite unique to each individual.

‘The triggers can be emotional, physical, hormonal, medicinal, and environmental.

‘Some women find their migraines occur either before or after their period,’ Phil Day explains.

As for a cure, there isn’t one.

‘Many find lying in a dark room or sleeping is the most effective method

Heat rash five One in n wome rom suffer f es migrain for relieving symptoms.

‘Over the counter painkillers can also help.

‘Or, therapies such as acupuncture, anti-sickness medicines, and ‘triptans’ can ease symptoms,’ Phil Day says.

1 in 8...

Men’s health Q

That is how many women who will be affected with breast cancer in their lifetime.

with Dr Deborah Lee

I have knee pain, but I’m only 33. Could it be arthritis?

Chris, Twickenham

A

In younger people, there are two main causes of knee pain.

One is patellofemoral syndrome, which is due to weak muscles or ligaments around the knee joint. You may have pain and stiffness and there may be a sensation of grinding or a noise of crunching, called crepitus, when moving the knee joint.

The other is osteoarthritis (OA), which can affect knee joints in young people.

In OA, ‘wear and tear’

18

Have you tried... in the knee joint damages the cartilage lining of the joint. It is often associated with obesity, and with high impact sports.

Commonly, OA runs in families.

Take care of your knees. If you have acute knee pain, rest, ice, compress and elevate the knee. Take non-steroidal antiinflammatories as needed. When you start exercising again, always warm-up for five minutes first. Wear properly fitted shoes.

Gentle Iron Complex, £8.99, from wildearthnutrition.com

L

ook after yourself and the planet with Wild Earth’s naturally nutritious, vegan, cruelty-free, allergenfree daily tablets which come in biodegradable packaging.

Women are much more likely to have iron deficiency, due to periods, causing tiredness and fatigue. Combat this with these natural energyboosting HEALT tablets, H packed full of nutrients and vitamins.

TIP

1 2 3 4 5

Heat rash is harmless.

True False It can appear anywhere on the body.

True False Perfume soothes it.

True False Staying hydrated helps.

True False The cause is unknown.

True False

1 TRUE Although heat rash is uncomfortable, it usually gets better on its own after a few days and does not cause any long-term damage.

2 TRUE The rash, which appears as small, raised spots that feel itchy or prickly with mild swelling, can begin anywhere of the body and spread to other parts. It cannot be passed on to others.

3 FALSE Don’t use perfumed products, including shower gels or creams. This may irritate the rash. Apply something cold on the affected areas such as a damp cloth or ice pack for up to 20 minutes to calm the rash.

4 TRUE Drinking plenty of fluids, taking cool baths or showers, wearing loose cotton clothing and lightweight bedding all helps to keep your skin cool and ease the symptoms of heat rash.

5 FALSE It is usually caused by excessive sweating – which usually happens during the warmer months. The sweat glands get blocked which then leads to the rash developing.

WORDS BY MONICA MEADE . PHOTOS: GETTY AND ALAMY

Disclaimer: Medical advice provided is for interest only and should never be substituted for seeing a doctor or seeking medical advice. If you have specific medical concerns please seek advice from a qualified medical professional.

Pain in the head

N A D P KEE

, rt o p th u o S m o fr 7, 6 y, ss e n h g u a Joan O’Sh ay w ir e th d ie g o o b e av h d n a sb u h and her to 500k TikTok followers… ancing in the dancing and dating, Jimmy Mardis Gras, a club proposed – and just 18 months in Liverpool in after that, in June 1973, we 1970, I couldn’t were married. help but notice a lad We carried on going to clubs across the dance floor. together until the big day, and ‘Wow, that guy can really then had our eldest son, dance!’ I said to my friend, Jonathan, now 39, followed by gesturing to the boy who was Jamie, now 33. busy busting a move.

Their arrival brought a halt Despite being just 16 I was in to our favourite hobby, as my element. parenthood and I’d never had any family life became dance lessons but I our priority. loved music and The only dancing dancing came I was doing was in naturally to me... the kitchen with a which is more than I baby on my hip, but could say for most of I couldn’t have been the guys I saw on happier at the life the dance floor.

Jimmy and I were But this chap was making for different – and I was impressed ourselves and our wonderful by the way he moved. little family.

Jimmy O’Shaughnessy and I As the boys grew up and danced to mo-town classics began to develop lives and until it was 11pm and time for hobbies of their own, it gave me to catch the last bus home.

Jimmy and I the chance to get ‘It was great meeting you – back to our roots. you’re a fantastic dance ‘I think it’s time we got back partner,’ Jimmy, then 17, on the dance floor,’ I said to smiled as he walked me to the bus stop.

To some girls it was important for a boy to be tall, sporty or dark-haired - but all that mattered to me was that he could dance, and it seemed I’d met my match.

Jimmy and I started dating, with most dates revolving around dancing and a night on the tiles in Liverpool.

He would sometimes join me for the bus ride home, just to spend more time together, before hitchhiking his own way Jimmy’s dance back to his house. moves wooed me After 18 months of 20

D

WORDS BY LUCY BRYANT. PHOTOS: SWNS AND GETTY

We wanted to keep busy in lockdown!

Jimmy one day.

‘Sounds good to me,’ he replied, equally as excited to get his dancing shoes back on.

We’d grooved to mo-town and disco in the 70s and 80s, but now in our forties, we decided it would be a brilliant challenge for us both to try something new, so took up ballroom.

We’d attended the occasional Mayor’s Ball with Jimmy’s work as a senior manager at British Aerospace in Preston, Lancashire, and were always envious of the people who waltzed across the dance floor with ease.

And taking up lessons for ourselves, we took to it like ducks to water.

In our fifties, we competed in ballroom competitions all across the country, even getting the chance to perform at the Royal Albert Hall and Blackpool Winter Gardens.

As our competing came to a close, we attended weekly dance classes in our home town of Southport, Merseyside.

But when the coronavirus pandemic hit, and lockdown was implemented across

Our competing days

Dancing brings us so much joy

the country, our dancing understandably came to an abrupt halt.

Like the rest of the world we came to terms with the fact that life would look a little different for the foreseeable future – but as I scrolled through Facebook one afternoon I realised perhaps it didn’t need to be too different after all.

‘Jimmy, do you reckon we could do this?’ I asked, showing him a video my friend had uploaded of a dance routine on this new app, TikTok. ‘Of course we can,’ he smiled. ‘Let’s give it a go.’

We downloaded the app and made an account – calling ourselves twojays2 – before watching some of the TikTok dance videos to familiarise ourselves.

Heading into the garden on 6 April 2020, we copied the

FABULOUS REAL LIFE

!

G N I C N !

G N I E I G O BO

choreography and filmed our very first TikTok. ‘I think we’re giving the youngsters a run for their money,’ Jimmy laughed as we watched it back.

After uploading it to Facebook for our friends to see, we had a great response, so decided it would be fun to do another one.

I had a great time searching for the dances and the music, and with a bit of trial, error and creativity, we started to create three or four videos a week.

It was so much fun being able to keep ourselves occupied and spend time doing what we enjoy the most – and incredibly people loved it.

By October we had 100,000 followers on the app, all commenting how much they enjoyed our videos and making requests for more.

‘We’d love to see you try this!’ one user from Nepal requested,

asking us to attempt a Nepali dance, which we gladly accepted and uploaded to huge approval from our fans.

Jimmy and I love to travel, so have been amazed when we receive messages from people as far as Malaysia, the Philippines and Russia – all of them saying how much they love our dancing.

We’ll have a go at most requests and most dance trends, but also really enjoy adding our own choreography like the cha-cha-cha or some Latin moves.

After we’ve decided what dance we’re going to do, we spend the morning practicing, before deciding where we should film to keep it varied for our followers.

‘Why don’t we wear matching hats this week?’

Jimmy will say – he loves to get dressed up and is always looking for ways for our outfits to compliment each other to give it that extra bit of pizazz.

Our sons’ friends now message them saying how much they enjoy watching our

TikTok’s – something I’m sure they couldn’t have imagined in their wildest dreams, but here we are.

We’ve recorded over 160 videos and now boast over a whopping 500,000 followers from all around the world.

We may be grandparents – after our first grandchild Ronnie, one, was born just before lockdown last year – but that doesn’t stop us from doing what we love and taking others on that journey with us.

I always use hashtags #love and #positivity on my posts.

People say that positivity comes through on our videos, and that’s all we’ve ever been aiming for.

Whenever we dance together it takes me back to the very first time I met Jimmy,

We’re groovin’ grandparents!

and reminds me of why I fell in love all those years ago.

We get messages from people saying our videos brighten their day and that they hope to be in as happy a relationship as we are when they’re older, which is an incredible feeling.

If this isn’t my life in the future then I don’t want it, one commenter wrote.

I feel incredibly blessed that our dancing and our relationship has acted as a role model for so many.

Lockdown may be over but our love for dancing and spreading positivity is not, so we won’t be logging out of TikTok anytime soon.

These groovin’ grandparents are here to stay.

We won’t be hanging up our dancing shoes any time soon...

21

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c i g a m l Anima

all! sm d an t ea gr s re tu ea cr l al of fix y kl ee w Your

WORDS BY NIA DALTON. PHOTOS: SWNS, GETTY, @MILO_THEMINIDAX. ALWAYS CONSULT AN EXPERT IF YOU ARE PLANNING ON MAKING SIGNIFICANT CHANGES TO YOUR ANIMAL’S DIET OR ROUTINE

Dogstival

T

he first fourlegged festival, Dogstival, is set to be a brilliant and well-deserved celebration for furry friends this year.

Glastonbury with the bark-factor, Dogstival 2021 will take place Saturday 5th and Sunday 6th June in the gorgeous surroundings of Burley Park in the New Forest, and promises a weekend dedicated to a dog’s enjoyment, fun, taste buds and more.

And for all the lockdown pooches, it’s the perfect opportunity to get out there and start ‘petworking’ with their fellow

Don’t miss o on thi ut s!

Our new kitten fancies herself as a barmaid!

Richard Adams, Halesowen

dog-kind.

Expect fun activities, a live cooking stage, vet demonstrations, masterclasses, live music and shows.

With more than 140 independent stalls selling every doggy delicacy imaginable.

Burley Park offers acres of space to allow easy social distancing. z For more information and tickets, visit dogstival.co.uk and follow their socials @dogstival.

This cheeky fox crept into my house and slept in my bed! Lucy Lowes, Liverpool

Pet advice

D

og-friendly holiday specialist Canine Cottages have partnered with Battersea to become the official sponsor of its Pet Advice email service, The Battersea Way. Packed with expert advice and ideas to help pet owners keep their dogs and cats healthy and happy, The Battersea Way is a free fortnightly email covering everything from behaviour and training tricks to grooming tips and recipes.

Pet owners signing up can choose to receive information about dogs, cats, or both. z Sign up to receive The Battersea Way email online www.battersea. org.uk/sign-receive-batterseaway-email

True love. My boys! Mike Dowey, England

Insta love

GARDEN WILDLIFE WEEK arden Wildlife Week 2021 is G running from 31st May to 6th June this year.

Celebrate the amazing creatures that live in your garden!

Promote ways to help preserve and support our well-balanced ecosystems using the hashtag #GardenWildlifeWeek on social media.

@milo_theminidax Milo is a miniature chocolate and tan Dachshund living in the UK. Born last year, he is a tiny little bundle of fun that loves sleeping, walking and playing with his brother.

23

t a e r b Every

Betsy Allen, 31, from Hull, didn’t give up on her daughter who has an unrecognised condition… iddy with excitement, I held my husband’s hand, Danny, 29.

The pregnancy had been great so far.

Danny and I had been trying for a baby for a year and we were over the moon to finally be at the hospital for our 20-week scan in May 2018.

I knew my boy, Joshua, 10, was going to be the best big bro.

But, when the sonographer started looking suspicious and disappeared off to get someone who looked very serious it felt like my life was slipping into a sad scene from a soap opera.

It didn’t feel real.

The woman sat down in front of us and calmly introduced herself.

She told us we were having a girl and used the probe to push down on my belly.

‘I’d like to talk to you in the family room,’ she said.

The family room, the words repeated in my head.

It’s the words every person dreads to hear.

Everyone knows from watching TV that it means something awful is about to happen.

I felt extremely protective and defensive before she even opened her mouth.

‘Your baby appears to be missing part of her brain, the condition is called agenesis of the corpus callosum or ACC,’ she said. ‘This can lead to any number of serious complications.’

‘No, you don’t know that, you get things wrong all the time,’ I said, firmly.

I was extremely cross that 24

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she was trying to tell me something was wrong with my baby.

I refused to accept what she was saying.

‘Babe, we really need to listen,’ Danny said calmly.

‘If the condition is isolated then there’s a good 70 per cent chance your baby can lead a relatively normal life,’ she said. ‘But we need to do more tests.’

Afterwards, it was a silent car journey home.

From that day I shut everyone out for a couple of weeks and hardly spoke.

When I started having more tests, like the foetal MRI and an amniocentesis, I began to process what was going on.

But when we were told that the genetic tests showed that she had a condition which no other human has had before, it was extremely hard to comprehend.

‘Your baby has a deletion of the chromosome 7Q 30.6 to 36.6, a termination is something you should really have a think about,’ the doctor said.

They had no idea whether she’d survive, and if she did what conditions she could be born with.

The suggestion of a termination went straight over my head.

Why is this happening to our baby? I thought, feeling furious at the world.

I spent nearly every waking minute from that day researching the condition.

I contacted doctors and researchers from all over the

WORDS BY MONICA MEADE. PHOTOS: SWNS

I felt extremely protective and defensive

We didn’t know if she’d survive world, joined Facebook groups, downloaded hundreds of files about genetic conditions to read and I went into Hull University library to read as much as I could there.

But still, there was nothing.

At 34 weeks I was offered a termination again.

‘Ivy won’t have any quality of life,’ we were told.

That same week, on 21 September 2018 Ivy was born through an emergency C-section at Hull royal infirmary weighing 3lb 2.9 oz.

She was blue, floppy and wasn’t breathing and needed ventilating immediately otherwise, she would die.

‘Follow them, Danny!’ I cried as they took my baby away.

He soon came back with pictures and videos of Ivy to show me that she was OK. I’d lost a lot of blood and needed a transfusion, I felt numb and completely overwhelmed with everything that was going on.

Eventually, after six hours I was starting to feel slightly

IVY STOPS BREATHING more human again and could finally go and see our Ivy. The feelings of anger and fear melted away the second I stared into her eyes properly for the first time.

But I wasn’t expecting the huge amount of noise and the massive number of machines in the room she was in.

After a few days, Joshua was finally allowed to come and meet his little sis.

I was worried that he’d be upset or react badly to the state she was in.

But he was such a brave boy and was chattering away with the nurses.

He was amazed by all of the computers in there and he was very amused by the remote control bed.

After 11 days on the ventilator, she finally came off.

Then, after a further three

UNIQUE REAL LIFE

e k a t u th yo Ivy has a CPAP machine

weeks in the NICU, we brought her home, on 26 October!

We were ecstatic and jumped around in excitement with all of the nurses.

There were several times when I never thought that day would come around, but it did.

Being together as a family felt amazing.

Ivy still needed a gastric nasal tube, which Dad and I learned to manage ourselves.

Everything was going fantastically, for weeks.

But then, when she was seven weeks old, the unimaginable happened.

I was in town grabbing some shopping when my best friend, Emma, 32, messaged me.

Are you going to pop or not? it said. Let me have a snuggle!

I decided to head over.

Emma brought me a coffee

and presented it to the table with some lovely treats from the bakery.

‘Oh she’s so tiny,’ she cooed.

Being there no more than five minutes, I noticed Ivy’s body had gone really light and floppy.

Her eyes were open but she wasn’t breathing.

‘Ivy?’ I shouted, holding her up to my face.

My instincts kicked in and I laid her down on the kitchen table and started giving her CPR. ‘Call an ambulance,’ I ordered Emma.

It was like I was on autopilot, everything

Ivy is a fighter

felt very intense but also surreal, so I didn’t cry.

‘When was the baby last fed?’ the lady on the other end of the 999-call asked.

‘Stop with the questions and just get here!’ I yelled.

Emma could hardly speak because she was so terrified.

Ivy vomited in my mouth while I was giving her CPR. The police and ambulance came quickly and Ivy was finally brought back around.

Danny raced home from work and looked pale.

‘Thank you for saving her,’ he said to me, over and over again. She’d lost oxygen

Family time is precious

for a significant amount of time which could cause learning difficulties in the future.

The trauma of that day hit me like a brick in the evening.

My head was filled with flashbacks of Ivy out cold on Emma’s kitchen table.

It turned out Ivy had fungal meningitis and had to go on some antibiotics.

She was in and out of hospital from then on with all sorts of complications.

One day when she was 11 weeks old she went grey and we couldn’t wake her up.

We were blue lighted to the hospital and she started vomiting lots of green bile.

That turned out to be sepsis.

She had a feeding peg fitted so Daddy and I became the best-trained carers we could for her.

Ivy has had sepsis several times, three operations including a stoma bag being fitted and another to remove it.

We also found out that her severe breathing difficulties are caused by obstructive apnoea, airway stenosis and tracheobronchomalacia.

She has to have a CPAP machine all night and any time she sleeps during the day.

Every day we wake up not knowing what to expect – how many times that day she’ll stop breathing, which can happen up to 20 times per day, or how her condition might suddenly change.

It’s tough trying not to live in fear all of the time.

I’m Ivy’s full-time carer, she’s incredibly unique and full of surprises.

Danny and I will never give up on her.

Every smile, fight and giggle she gives back to me, Danny and Joshua is worth more than the fight we’ll give for her.

zPlease donate to Ivy’s page to help Betsy and Danny provide a sensory room full of lights and sounds to help her sleep. gofundme/9adea4ac 25

e l y t s YF our rom maxi florals and ditsy prints to this season’s grown-up take on pink, consider this your capsule spring wardrobe! F&F ambassador Kelly Brook models the latest range of Tesco women’s clothing. The collection features much-loved classic silhouettes designed with all shapes and sizes in mind.

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E R O M NO

r e h h it w d e h g u la , 8 ,3 ey sl n e H y le sh A t… n e tm a e tr r ce n ca r e h h g u ro th husband

S WORDS BY MONICA MEADE AND HATTIE BISHOP. PHOTOS: SWNS

May 2005.

Life was perfect.

I was married to my best friend, in an easy relationship and a great job with not a care in the world.

Nick and I spent most of our time together creased over in fits of laughter, our sense of humour is identical.

Only, in late October 2020, I found a concerning lump in my right breast.

After having a mammogram and a biopsy I got the call on Friday 13 from the hospital to tell me it was cancer and that my appointment to talk about options wasn’t until Monday.

As soon as she said the word, cancer, I began to sob.

‘It should have been me,’ Nick whispered as he cried.

It was the tightest embrace and we cried together for what felt like forever.

Neither of us slept that night.

The following morning I knew I needed to get on with my day and head off to work, at the wedding.

But before I left, I needed to write the letter pouring my heart out to Nick.

The whole day was incredibly tough.

Hearing old couples tell their secrets to the younger couples about how to stay happily married for 50 years made me break down.

I kept Nick is my world having to run off for a cry

taring down at the tear-stained letter beneath me, I let the words flow straight from my heart.

You’re the person I’ve always dreamed of.

All I’ve ever wanted from life is to be happy and that’s what I have with you.

I’m not sure what lies ahead but we’ll take it on together, I scrawled on the two-page long letter to my soulmate, Nick, 41.

Folding the paper neatly and popping it inside an envelope, I headed off to work with my friend as an assistant photographer at a wedding.

It was 14 November 2020, and I’d received a phone call the day before to confirm my worst nightmare.

It was breast cancer.

I’d met my husband, Nick, when I was just 16 years old.

We were working together in the theatre industry at Regal in Knoxville, Tennessee.

After hitting it off immediately, we dated for six years before getting married in

We were crying with laughter by the end

28

and to calm myself down.

The following day I knew that I needed to be frank with Nick.

‘If something happens to me, I don’t expect you to be alone forever,’ I sobbed.

‘There’s no version of my future that exists without you,’ Nick said, looking utterly heartbroken.

On Monday, we finally went in to talk about options.

‘You can have a full mastectomy or partial mastectomy with radiation,’ we were told. ‘We won’t know until then whether the cancer has spread to your lymph nodes.’

I decided, with Nick’s unconditional support, that a partial mastectomy with radiation was right for me, and from there, we never looked back.

On 22 December Nick and I nervously waited for the operation.

Luckily it was a quick procedure, and I was able to go home that the team same day.

I turned into of ladies Incredibly, we Godzilla! who worked were thankful to there were be told that the fantastic. cancer hadn’t spread to ‘Is it OK if you take a my lymph nodes. picture of me?’ I asked them.

The relief was immense, but ‘Of course, it’s your I was still nervous about the treatment so you can do what radiation treatment. you want with it,’ one of the After a week passed I was team members replied with a called in for a second operation, to clean the margins warm smile.

I posed in front of the around where the tumour was machine holding a finger up for as it was so close to my skin.

Then, after I’d healed, I could day one.

I felt quite exhausted begin radiotherapy.

Nick, my rock, came with me afterwards, but I got on with it and was ready to tackle the for my first treatment – as he next session the following day. did with every hospital I had to go in every Monday appointment. to Friday.

I was nervous and timid, but ‘I’m going to run out of luckily it was really quick and

E F I L L A E R Y IT IV IT S PO

TEARS

through the treatment we were giggling and continuously looking forward to putting the pictures together ready to post.

I even started waking up a little less scared because I was just excited to take more pictures.

The next day I stood next to the machine holding out a stick with some toasted marshmallows on the end.

Eventually, we stopped using props and It’s toasting time! took the pictures to the next level.

Nick would go crazy with photoshop and turn the radiation room into all sorts of scenes.

I became Godzilla, The Hulk, Frankenstein, one of the Ghostbusters and I drowned in popcorn, the possibilities were endless!

Having a laugh just made each day feel so much easier.

Soon enough all of my friends on Facebook were excited to see what was in store for my next day in the radiotherapy room.

One of my friends reached out and told me that her dad was going through radiation treatment too.

He can’t wait to see what you’re doing tomorrow, she wrote, admitting that he gained comfort from my silly scenes. my treatment. the bunch of tiny, green, baby Then, on 30 March, the day Things are about to get silly. bananas cupped in my hands. we’d all been waiting for finally #5 is in the books! I wrote.

Snap, snap! came around.

All my friends and family ‘Would you mind taking one I finally got to ring the bell to online loved it! more?’ I asked, as I picked up celebrate that I was completely Did you take the bananas in the big bunch of bright yellow, cancer-free! with you? someone replied. ripe bananas and posed by It was an incredibly You are so funny, said pointing at them with a emotional day. another comment. surprised look on my face.

Nick was overwhelmed, and That evening Nick and I got Everyone burst out laughing my fantastic radiation team as they realised what was going planning for the next week of were delighted. pictures, it was such an on in the two photos.

Once we got home Nick and I amazing thing to keep I don’t know where I would everything light-hearted. edited the photos and put a be right now if it wasn’t for It meant that the whole way before and after caption onto Nick’s incredible support and each and posted it sense of humour. on social media.

The pair of us ‘What a great never take life too Who you success,’ Nick seriously and even gonna call? cackled. with cancer we Uploading it on laughed our way Facebook, I through. added a quick And thanks to caption. the radiation giving The radiology me superhero team have told Hulk powers, I me that I can do came out the other whatever I want end stronger than in there since it’s ever before.

29

y z a r c p o h s o t o h p We went

Radiation made my bananas grow

fingers to hold up pretty fast,’ I laughed to Nick. ‘I wonder if this could be an opportunity to get creative…’

We take every chance we get to do something silly and have a giggle.

Working in theatre, I’ve always loved dressing up and getting into character.

So, we threw around some incredible ideas and we were crying with laughter by the end of it.

The following day I sheepishly stepped into the treatment room holding out some bananas.

The looks on the radiation teams’ faces were priceless.

‘I’ve brought some props for the photo today,’ I said.

Standing in front of the radiation machine I held out

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acing up and down the living room, I paused whilst my husband rubbed my back.

‘I’m in so much pain,’ I sighed to John, 35.

It was 13 April 2020, and I was 25-weeks pregnant.

We were expecting our second baby – we already had a sixyear-old daughter called Amelia.

Up until this point, my pregnancy had been fine.

But now, I was experiencing the worst back ache.

‘Everything hurts,’ I winced to John.

I tried to lay down, which made it worse.

‘I’m calling 111,’ John said that evening, after I had suddenly vomited.

The operator suggested that it could be a stomach bug.

But within two minutes, I was in even more agony.

An ambulance took me to Broomfield Hospital, where they checked me over and gave me medication.

To my surprise, the doctor suspected that I was actually going into premature labour.

‘You can’t have the baby here!’ he said, transferring me straight to Cambridge Valley Hospital.

There, medics found internal bleeding and diagnosed me with having placental abruption.

They needed to get the baby out – fast.

John was waiting at home when he got a call to say I was going into theatre.

My emergency caesarean was a blur.

In and out of consciousness, I woke up feeling groggy.

‘Where’s my baby?’ I said, panicking.

Our baby girl, Olivia, had been born, weighing a tiny 1lb 14oz.

She had a brain haemorrhage and it took the doctors 16 minutes to revive her.

Afterwards, Olivia was taken immediately to NICU in an incubator.

She had heart and lung complications, and she was 32

WORDS BY NIA DALTON AND EMMA DUNN. PHOTOS: SWNS

P

BABY OLIVIA

Y B Y DA

g n ti ra b le ce is , ex ss E m o fr , 5 3 , le Kelly Keeb lt cu fi if d a r e ft a e n o g in rn tu r te h her daug start to life… very unstable.

I had lost 3.5 litres of blood during the birth.

Whilst I had another emergency operation, John rushed down to the hospital to meet Olivia.

‘Prepare for the worst, but

try and stay optimistic,’ the nurse had told John.

We were both in lifethreatening states, and there was nothing he could do as a husband and father.

A few hours after my

Born at 25-weeks

operation, I started to come around and begged to see her.

With Olivia so unstable, they were allowed to wheel me down to NICU. I didn’t know what to expect the first time I saw her.

She looked so slim and discoloured, covered in tubes and wires.

‘She’s in the best place possible,’ John reassured me.

I was wheeled back up to theatre and John was able to stay for the night.

It was touch and go for the first 48 hours.

We had no choice but to take each hour as it came.

‘Special children go to special parents,’ one of the nurses told me gently.

She was really lovely and it made me smile.

‘Your baby sister came early so she’s a little poorly,’ John

GRATEFUL REAL LIFE to take her home.

It was a mix of emotions.

The staff at Broomfield had become our family.

We felt sad and excited all at the same time.

‘Meet your baby sister,’ we smiled at Amelia in the living room at home.

For a few months, Olivia was on oxygen.

Then in November, we were able to wean her off.

Now, the hole in Olivia’s heart had almost completely closed off.

She no longer needs oxygen, but she does still use a feeding tube.

Olivia has started having episodes, which could develop into epilepsy.

She weighs 17lbs and she’s a little chunk.

We don’t know how Olivia’s brain haemorrhage will affect her when she’s older, but for now we are positive about her future.

‘I’m hopeful that she will catch up in time,’ her neurologist recently told us.

We have done a few fundraisers for Broomfield Hospital, and John raised £4,000 doing a sponsored 47-mile walk.

We couldn’t be more grateful for their support.

Olivia is cheeky and strong.

She loves people – especially her big sister. cuddle with our baby girl.

Amelia makes a fuss of her, After seven weeks, Olivia they have a lovely bond. was transferred to our local Olivia will sit in her swing, Broomfield Hospital. whilst Amelia puts on a There, we could visit her for performance in the kitchen, four hours a day. skating on her roller skates.

That time was so precious.

On 14 April, we celebrated Olivia continued to grow Olivia’s first birthday at home. from strength to strength.

We know we have been And in August, we finally got incredibly fortunate, and many other Big sister parents do not Amelia have the outcome we’ve had.

We are thankful for so many people – especially my sister Tammy and Olivia’s granny.

We owe a huge debt to the hospital, the NHS and all the amazing staff who cared for Olivia.

Celebrations

Y DAY Our strong girl

explained to Amelia at home.

Olivia had damaged brain tissue, a hole in her heart, chronic lung disease and she also developed hydrocephalus.

We were told that it was likely she would be disabled.

Four days after she was born, I was discharged.

It was so hard leaving Olivia in an incubator.

No mum expects to leave hospital without their baby.

Over 10 days, Olivia had seven lumbar punctures.

We felt more worried with each procedure.

Every time the phone rang at home, my heart sank.

What’s happened? I thought, immediately picking it up.

Focusing on Amelia was a great distraction.

‘There’s nothing more we can do,’ John reassured me.

We took each day by day.

Fortunately, Olivia was a tough cookie and showed positive signs.

Despite having

underdeveloped lungs and scarring, she came off her breathing support.

We were able to visit her in NICU two hours a day.

John drove the 100-mile journey, as I couldn’t drive with my caesarean scars, then he waited in the car whilst I went inside.

If anything became serious, I gave him a call.

On one occasion, I called him and said: ‘A specialist wants to talk to you, John.

Come in.’

We both feared the worst.

‘First of all, it’s good news,’ the specialist started.

We took a sigh of relief.

‘Olivia has gone three weeks without any intervention,’ he explained to us.

It was a great sign – they could finally start planning to move her out of NICU. In May, we were allowed to hold her for the first time.

I couldn’t believe we had lasted so long without a

It took doctors 16 minutes to revive her

zYou can donate to Kelly fundraising via www.justgiving. com/fundraising/ olivia-keeble 33

R The average woman goes through 11,000 disposable sanitary products in her lifetime.

Is it time to clean up our act? et’s talk about periods.

Although we may squirm at the word, they’re a perfectly normal part of the female body.

However, with the average woman menstruating for 2,535 days of her life, our choice of sanitary products can have detrimental effects on the environment.

According to the AHPMA (Absorbent Hygiene Product Manufacturers Association), around 11,000 disposable menstrual products are used in a lifetime, with 4.3 billion used in the UK each year.

That’s a whole lot of plastic pollution that ends up in either landfill, rivers or oceans each and every year.

With the average menstrual pad estimated to take up to 500 years to breakdown, it’s clear

L

that something has to be done about this issue.

Thankfully, in recent years, a number of sustainable and reusable sanitary products have hit the mass market.

In March of this year, popular brand Bodyform launched their #PeriodProud campaign to promote their brand-new reusable pants.

Said to keep you leak-free for up to eight hours, the reusable pants are a great sustainable switch for the everyday woman.

And they’re not the first brand to offer up a sustainable period solution.

With reusable pants and cups, more and more women are making greener choices when menstruating.

But just how important is it that we do so?

After all, pads and tampons have served us well for many years. ‘It is estimated that

K The U .3 uses 4eriod p n o i l l i b cts u d o r p ear y h c a e

conventional disposable sanitary products, and their packaging, generate a mass 200,000 tonnes of plastic waste per year,’ Kristy Chong, CEO and founder of Modibodi says.

‘It’s easy to see how numbers quickly stack up to cause a deluge of landfill waste, which has a huge impact on our planet and environment.

‘And it’s not just landfill issues, as disposable menstrual products increase each of our carbon footprints by 5.3kg

Disposable pads and tampons have served us well Our expert Kristy Chong 34

annually, and for every 100 metres of beach cleared, more than four pieces of sanitary plastic is found,’ Kristy says.

So, although the benefits of switching to reusable period products are clear, why is it, so many of us are apprehensive?

No one who has a period wants to leak in public.

Although we may be period proud, the stigma around menstruation means we like to keep it hidden.

Is it fear of leaking that puts us off, or are we potentially grossed out by the idea?

‘Disposable sanitary pads and tampons were at the core of period education at school, so it’s natural to feel apprehensive.

‘If you are feeling apprehensive, the best thing to do is trial on a lighter day or as back up with your usual tampon or pad to get used to the concept,’ Kristy advises.

Periods are personal to each and every one of us.

We all experience different symptoms, flows and lengths. We also have

RIOD HOT TOP IC

Cherie Hoeger launched Saalt

Period p can tak ads e 500 yea up to decomprs to ose

1. Modibodi pants, prices from £15.50, www.modibodi.co.uk Designed to create better lives for everybody who leaks, Modibodi delivers innovative clothing which offers protection and support. The range combines stylish and comfortable underwear, activewear and swimwear with incredible technology, to offer a range of leak protection.

With no risk of TSS, Modibodi have six absorbencies, from moisture wicking up to its Maxi-24Hrs, which holds 10 tampons worth.

2. Intimawear by Bodyform, £24.99, Tesco The new Intimawear pants boast the incredible absorption power of a Bodyform Ultra Normal towel and the comfort of your trusted favourite knickers. The result of decades of expertise in period protection means these pants allow your body to happily do its thing for up to eight to 12 hours – with the same comfort and freedom as everyday underwear.

3. Ecobravo Reusable Sanitary Pads, £17.95 for six,

Amazon Maximum comfort – these multi-layered reusable towel pads come with four layers of antibacterial charcoal bamboo fibre that will safeguard your skin. The doublelayered super-absorbent microfibre ensures that no leaks and spills will occur throughout the day, while the other two layers protect and comfort your gentle skin. Available in cut flamingo or star print.

4. Saalt Cup, £25, Feelunique The Saalt Cup is the perfect solution for any tampon lover. Made from 100% medical-grade silicone that is safe to use, hypoallergenic and naturally bio-compatible, the cup can be worn for up to 12 hours for a leak-free day.

Available in two adult sizes, plus an all new teen size, you can take the Saalt Cup Quiz to find the perfect product for you. With one cup lasting up to 10 years, this is a great sustainable switch. It’s easy to use and super comfortable.

3

1

WORDS BY HANNAH POON. IMAGES: GETTY

our own preferences of products we like to use.

Some of us have picked a side between tampon and pad and some of us like to switch it up depending on our flow and time of day.

So, it’s understandable that changing to a new product and routine may take time to come around to.

‘If it’s more comfortable for you, easing into making a complete switch is a great idea.

‘Any reduction in the number of disposables used is a positive change for you and the planet.

‘If you cut the number of disposables used by half throughout your period, that’s still a positive step,’ Kristy says.

As well as being great for the environment, switching to reusable period products can save you a lot of money in the long run.

According to a survey by OnePoll for Intimina, the average person spends more

than £4,000 on disposable menstrual products in their lifetime alone.

Typically costing less than £5 each time, it’s understandable that shortterm, this seems more affordable for most people.

However, switching to a reusable product that lasts for years could be a financial investment that is good for your purse and the planet.

So, where do you start?

You want to make the switch, but don’t know what products are best for you?

Thankfully, there are now a wide selection of sustainable products available.

If you’re an avid tampon lover, try a cup for ease.

‘One menstrual cup diverts 3,000 tampons or pads from landfills and our oceans over 10 years of use,’ Cherie Hoeger, co-founder and CEO of Saalt says.

‘This doesn’t even consider the strain on natural resources that the production of so many tampons create, and the carbon footprint of all that manufacturing.

‘The cup just uses less, wastes less and is cleaner to produce,’ Cherie says.

If you’re loyal to pads, there are also plenty of options for you, too.

‘Modibodi have the largest selection of styles and colours in the UK, with a teen range for girls aged eight to 16.

‘As a guide, Modibodi’s moderate-heavy absorbency holds two to three tampons worth,’ Kristy says.

As the world moves towards a more sustainable way of living, it’s clear we all need to adapt our routines and habits.

Switching to a reusable period product may take some getting used to, but small changes can truly make the world of difference.

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In England and Wales, black men are nine times more likely to be stopped and searched than white men. This film hopes to help the British public understand the full scale of the issue, and its wide reaching social, psychological and personal consequences.

Joey Essex: Grief And Me, BBC Three

PHOTOS: CHANNEL 4 AND BBC

After ten years in the reality TV spotlight, it might appear that everything in Joey Essex’s life is ‘reem’. But fame and a luxury lifestyle haven’t been able to heal the grief he has kept inside for 20 years. Now, as he turns 30, Joey wants to embark on a personal journey to finally confront his past.

Every year, 41,000 young people lose a parent in the UK. At the age of just 10, Joey’s world was ripped apart when his mum tragically took her own life.

Unable to comprehend the loss, Joey has buried his grief. He has kept his emotions hidden, rarely spoken about his mother, and avoided having pictures of her in his home.

With the help of a psychologist, Dr Stephen Blumenthal, Joey sets out to face the impact his beloved mother’s death has had on him.

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This is a celebratory look back at 10 years of Call The Midwife, featuring the cast’s favourite scenes, plus behind-the-scenes interviews. The compilation episode is full of births, deaths, love stories, family and faith.

It also includes scenes from the show’s decade of tough storylines including spina bifida, tuberculosis, FGM, abortion, racism and thalidomide.

Clips feature the well-loved regular cast alongside familiar characters from past episodes. Not only is it a celebration of the very popular BBC show, but it is a huge thank you to all her fans.

Britain’s Most Luxurious Hotels, Channel 4 This three part-series goes behind the scenes of the UK’s most luxurious hotels: the Corinthia, The Langham and Chewton Glen. It follows the staff as they cater to their guests’ every whim, and through an extraordinary period of turmoil for the industry.

Corinthia is possibly London’s most glamorous hotel, where no expense is spared. The chandelier in the foyer alone costs £1 million. The Langham, is home to London’s biggest suite and Chewton Glen, is opening its doors to TV cameras for the first time.

Your garden G

ardening guru Kate Turner from Miracle-Gro (lovethegarden.com) has created simple growing guides for her top three summer fruit and veg.

Perfect for novice and experienced gardeners alike, plant now, ready for summer.

‘Gardening is a great break for our minds – a good excuse to get outside, breathe in some fresh air and focus on physically doing something with your hands,’ Kate says.

How to grow… SALAD LEAVES Bags of salad leaves can be quite expensive to buy and have a fairly short lifespan in the fridge. Grow your own and pick exactly how much you need, with no waste.

Salad leaves don’t mind a bit of shade or dampness.

1

Preparation: Salads grow well in a bed but are also great in a container, as long as it has drainage holes.

Add good compost like Performance Organic’s fruit & veg compost.

Sowing: Sow seeds thinly onto damp compost, 10mm deep, and then cover them with a thin layer of soil.

Watering: Keep the soil damp at all times, but still be careful not to overwater.

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Feeding: Once they are growing well, feed the plants to encourage healthy leafy growth. I recommend using a balanced liquid feed like the Miracle-Gro purpose concentrated liquid plant food.

Harvesting: Harvest them as and when needed. You can pick individual leaves from the outside of the plants if growing ‘cut & come again’ types. It’s best to cut in the morning, at their freshest.

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How to grow… FRENCH BEANS

WORDS BY GAIL SHORTLAND. STOCK IMAGES: GETTY

French beans are a very productive summer crop, producing lots of tasty pods and are one of the easiest bean varieties to grow.

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Sowing: Sow seeds individually in 7.5 to 10cm pots of seed sowing compost, such as Levington multi purpose compost.

Preparations: Choose an open sunny site with some shelter. Beans are hungry plants so, if you can, add good organic matter to the bed or really good multi-purpose compost before planting out.

First, make sure that you remove any large lumps and stones from the area. If planting in a container use the largest you can find and make sure you use a fresh, good quality compost.

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Support: The climbing varieties in particular need support with a wigwam of canes for successful growth – ideally with 20cm between each cane.

Feeding: Apply a liquid feed to the foliage and around the roots every couple of weeks and don’t allow them to dry out.

Harvesting: Pick them regularly when they are around 10 to 15cm long to enjoy the best flavour and ensure continuous cropping.

They are ready when they snap easily and before the beans can be seen through the pod. The more you pick, the better.

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How to grow…

STRAWBERRIES Strawberries are very versatile. You’ll know when to harvest your strawberries as the fruit will have darkened in colour and look juicy. to buy: Strawberry plants can be 1asWhere found at most garden centres, often sold a pack of 6. Check them thoroughly and remove any yellowing leaves. Once you have strawberries you can learn how to propagate them from runners.

Where to grow: Strawberries do well in a prepared bed but they also grow well in most containers and hanging baskets, as long as they have drainage holes. You could use a traditional strawberry planter as it allows multiple plants to be grown in a small space.

Use a fruit and vegetable compost and space the strawberry plants about 20cm apart.

Strawberries love the sun, so make sure you put them in a sunny location to get the best harvest.

Planting: Using a trowel, dig a planting hole making sure the plant’s crown (where the leaves meet the roots) is level with the compost surface. Planting strawberries too deep can lead to rot, but planting too high will dry the roots out. Add more compost around the plant’s roots and firm down the soil with your hands. Water in well.

Watering: Strawberries are fairly low maintenance but make sure you water the plant regularly at the base, being careful not to water the foliage.

Feeding: Strawberries are hungry plants!

Feed them with a high-potassium liquid feed such as Miracle-Gro Performance organics fruit & veg liquid feed every two weeks once they start to flower.

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Genius or

JUST FOR

FUN

TOTALLY BONKERS? Personalised unicorn Oreo twin gift set, £7.99, Prezzybox.com Unicorn lovers rejoice! These handcrafted Oreos taste even better than they Verdict: look.

Crack it!

Work out which letter each number represents. When you’ve filled the grid, put the correct letters into the answer boxes at the bottom to spell out a word. We’ve given you five to start you off. Answer on page 47.

GENIUS! A magical sweet treat!

Gracula garlic twist, £16, RedCandy.co.uk The only vampire that loves garlic! Just pop in a clove and twist this sucker’s neck.

Verdict:

BONKERS! Ideal for midnight meals!

Shower in a can, £9.99, Amazon. co.uk Clean yourself without water!

Great for festivals, camping and commuting. You can even wash your hair!

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14

2

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Verdict:

GENIUS! Vegan, antiviral and antibacterial

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ANSWER 17

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S

! g n i z a m Look a re ca in k s ce n a rm o rf e p h ig H : k e e This w BEAUT Y SLEEP

Make sure beauty sleep is doing its part with Lacura’s new overnight masks. Available from ALDI.

DARE TO BARE D

Wilk Swor inson foun d was de 1772 d in !

are to bare this summer with Wilkinson Sword Women. As we take our first steps back into the real world, Wilkinson Sword Women’s hair removal range is here to make shavers feel confident, empowered and comfortable in their own skin.

Available from Superdrug.

NEW Wilkinson Sword Women Xtreme 3 Beauty Eco-Green Razor, £5 Meet the brand’s first sustainable disposable razor that is kind to both skin and earth.

Designed with a fully recyclable handle which is made from 95% recycled plastic and packaging made from 90% recycled paper, the razor is easy to open and use! A lubricating aloe vera strip provides skin with a hit of vitamin E, whilst the flexible head gently adapts to the contours of the body to ensure a smooth shave every time.

H20 Sleep Mask, £4.99 This fast-absorbing gel-textured mask hydrates and conditions with high-performing ingredients such as leaf juice and flower extract. This refreshing mask will help improve the appearance of tired looking skin while you sleep, making it the true queen of overnight masks!

SKIN GUIDE ecome an expert on your own skin with the smart new B web-app from Nivea. Now more than ever, many of us are looking for the perfect skincare routine. However, our skin is as unique as we are, therefore needs specific care and attention to look and feel its best. It’s for this reason that skin-care favourite Nivea has created a bespoke platform that allows you to analyse and score your skin in three essential areas, helping you to find solutions and products that will work. After uploading a selfie, The NIVEA SKiN GUiDE is a web-based app that runs an individual facial analysis, resulting in real-time feedback of personalised care and product recommendations in seconds. Scoring across skin age, firmness and evenness, the app allows you to scan your selfie daily, creating a personalised skincare diary.

• Visit: nivea.co.uk

WORDS BY HANNAH POON. STOCK IMAGES: GETTY

Wilkinson Sword Women’s Intuition Perfect Finish Eyebrow Styling & Facial Shaving, £3 Wilkinson Sword Women’s eyebrow shaping tool carefully and precisely gets unruly hairs back under control. The ultrafine blade allows for a close shave, removing even the smallest of stray hairs and helping to carve out a set of perfect brows. The tool can also be used to remove fine facial hairs and gently smooth the skin’s surface.

Lacura Avocado Bright Eyes Overnight Retinol Mask, £4.49 Say goodbye to dull under-eye circles with this refreshing mask.

Formulated with coffee seed extract and retinol, this sleeping mask will help the skin around the eyes appear lifted, firmer and brighter. With added avocado oil, shea butter and niacinamide (vitamin B3), this overnight mask will help skin to feel moisturised and smooth, resulting in perfectly rested looking eyes.

Wilkinson Sword Quattro for Women Bikini Razor with Electric Trimmer, £9 This handy 2-in-1 razor and trimmer is complete with four blades for an ultra-close shave, and an electric trimmer at the other end with three adjustable settings.

Allowing for a precisely groomed bikini line, no matter the style, the 2-in-1 tool can be used anywhere on the body, making it a must-pack item for staycations and getaways this summer.

Do you need beauty advice? Write to hello@pickmeupmag.co.uk and we’ll try and help!

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. . . s t a e Easy R

esearch shows we’ve turned to food during the last year – and we’re enjoying homecooked Chinese food more than ever!

Lee Kum Kee’s online shop (www.shopuk.lkk.com) has all you need to create authentic dishes, and there is a brand new ‘Wok to Wellness’ cooking bundle (£23.99), which includes an exclusive recipe book and expert tips. Here are some ‘feel-good’ recipes by celebrity chef Jeremy Pang to get you started.

Thai style salmon

Serves: 2

2 x 200g salmon fillet, skin on 300g choi sum, washed 1 cloves garlic, chopped 1 lemongrass, chopped 1 lime leaves, chopped 1 cup cornflour, on a tray ½ cup milk 80g black and white sesame seeds, spread out on a tray 25g ginger, chopped 1 tbsp vegetable oil SAUCE MIX: 1 sachet Lee Kum Kee While we try to ensure all recipes work, we cannot take responsibility for their success. STOCK IMAGES: GETTY

Serves: 4

Rainbow chow mein 200g wheat soba noodles, soaked in hot water 300g pork loin/pork fillet, cut into matchsticks 2 carrot, cut into matchsticks 1 yellow pepper, cut into matchsticks 1 green pepper, cut into matchsticks 2 spring onion, sliced 200g red cabbage, shredded 200g beansprouts 100g watercress 1 tbsp vegetable oil

1 2

Marinade the pork for 30 minutes.

Turn wok onto high heat and add ½ tbsp vegetable oil. Add marinated pork and sear until cooked, then remove. Add another ½ tbsp vegetable oil into wok. Stir-fry vegetables, then add pork, followed by noodles and

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Dash of Lee Kum Kee Pure Sesame Oil Pinch of salt and pepper to taste MARINADE: 2 tsp Lee Kum Kee Premium Oyster Sauce SAUCE MIX: 100ml chicken stock 2 tbsp Lee Kum Kee Premium Oyster Sauce 1 tbsp Lee Kum Kee Premium Dark Soy Sauce sauce mix. Stir for 1-2 minutes and serve on a plate.

Place watercress over noodles and flash fry beansprouts for 30 seconds with some salt, pepper and a dash of Lee Kum Kee Pure Sesame Oil. Pour beansprouts over the noodles. Garnish with spring onions.

3

Tomato Garlic Stir-fry Sauce 1 tbsp tamarind paste or 1 tsp white vinegar 1 ladle fresh chicken stock 1 tsp Lee Kum Kee Chiu Chow Chilli Oil Juice of ½ lime ½ tbsp honey GARNISH: Handful of coriander, torn 1 spring onion, sliced 1 long red chilli, sliced

Place the salmon skin side down in the 1 cornflour tray and press down. Place skin side down again into milk, then the sesame seed tray.

Place 1-2 tbsp vegetable oil in frying pan on a 2 medium heat. Place fish skin side down. Press fish with a spatula for 30 seconds. Turn to medium heat and cook until fish is half cooked. Turn fish.

Place ginger, garlic, lemongrass and lime leaves in the frying pan and cook for 30 seconds. Turn to high heat and pour sauce mix in the pan around the side of the fish. Boil for 2 minutes.

Boil choi sum for 2 minutes. Place onto serving plate as a ‘bed’.

Serve fish on top of the choi sum and pour the sauce around the sides. Top with coriander, spring onion and chilli.

3 4 5

Serves: 4

Pineapple & chilli fried rice 200g cauliflower (for the rice), washed, chopped into ‘rice size’ pieces 200g pearl barley 2 eggs, beaten 2 cloves garlic, sliced 100g pineapple, diced 1 red pepper, chopped 1 carrot, chopped 1 tbsp vegetable oil Pinch of salt and

pepper to taste SAUCE MIX: 1 tsp Lee Kum Kee Chiu Chow Chilli Oil 1 tbsp Lee Kum Kee Premium Oyster Sauce 2 tsp Lee Kum Kee Pure Sesame Oil GARNISH: 1 spring onion, rings 10g coriander, torn

Rinse pearl barley the pearl barley.

1 and place in a Stir fry for 2-3 saucepan, boil for 25-30 3minutes, pour sauce mins and drain through mix into the wok and stir a sieve.

Place ½ tbsp vegetable oil into a wok on a high heat.

Pour the egg inside, break it up and add vegetables. Lastly add

2

Black bean beef 500g beef short rib/ brisket 200g wild rice, washed 200g broccoli, florets 4 carrots, chunks 4 garlic cloves 2 spring onions, chopped 2 bay leaves 1 star anise 1 cinnamon stick ½ piece of ginger, sliced

1 tbsp vegetable oil 1 tbsp corn flour Pinch of sea salt SAUCE MIX: 2 tbsp Lee Kum Kee Black Bean Garlic Sauce 1 ladle of poaching liquid ½ tbsp Lee Kum Kee Premium Light Soy Sauce ½ tsp brown / palm sugar

fry for a further minute.

Garnish with coriander and spring onion. Serve.

COOK’S TIP: For a non-vegetarian alternative add 100g of minced pork or turkey.

Treat of the week

1

Place the star anise, cinnamon, cloves, bay leaves and sea salt in a saucepan on a medium heat for 30 seconds. Fill saucepan with 1-2 litres of boiling water. Place beef inside and simmer for 2-3 hours. Add the carrots and broccoli for 3-4 minutes. Remove vegetables and beef, and cool for 5-10 minutes. Rub corn flour on the meat.

Place the rice in a saucepan and cover to ⅔ full with cold water. Boil on a high heat and turn low to a simmer for 30-40 minutes.

Pour through a sieve and back into the pan until ready to serve.

Place vegetable oil in a wok on a high heat. Add ginger, spring onion, carrots, broccoli and beef into the wok and stir fry for 2 minutes. Pour sauce mix over the top and boil for 2-3 minutes. Continue to stir. Garnish with coriander and chilli. Serve.

COOK’S TIP: Add ½ tsp of Lee Kum Kee Pure Sesame Oil for nuttiness.

2 3

Serves: 4 41

CRASH CO Jan videoed Nicole’s sufferi ng

Nicole was taken from her 10-year-old

WORDS BY GAIL SHORTLAND. IMAGES: FACEBOOK, VANCOUVER SUN AND ALAMY

Nicole Porciello got into a car and it would end her life… hen first responders arrived at the scene of a serious road traffic accident on the Barnet Highway, in Vancouver, they could see the male driver was trapped in the vehicle.

Straight away, paramedics and firefighters scrambled to rescue him, using the ‘Jaws of Life’ machinery to cut through the crumpled metal of the SUV. The man, Jan Poepl, had been driving the car when it had crashed at high speed into a lamp post.

He was unconscious so couldn’t explain how the accident had happened.

As police walked around the crash scene to try and determine the chain of events, they came across the unconscious body of a woman in a ditch.

Shouts went up and

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42

paramedics rushed to help her.

The woman was called Nicole Porciello, also known as Nicole Hasselmann.

She had been a passenger in the car and had been thrown 30ft when it had crashed.

But as medics assessed her injuries, they discovered something deeply disturbing.

Nicole, 34, had injuries from the accident but she also had 47 stab wounds.

As Jan and Nicole were rushed to hospital, police had many questions, and the answers were chilling.

Nicole and Jan had dated on and off for seven years.

Jan worked in real estate and Nicole was a support worker for students with special needs, at Templeton Secondary School in Vancouver.

Nicole was also a mum to a ten-year-old boy. Everyone

would comment about how committed Nicole was to her students and how she always saw the best in every situation – and in people.

It could explain why she had continued to try and make it work with Jan, even though he could be argumentative and had a jealous streak.

He had struggled with drug addictions and had been physically abusive at least once.

It wasn’t just other men he was jealous of – but even Nicole’s friends.

In fact, it was anyone who Nicole got close to.

They would break up and get back together, with Nicole giving him another chance.

Nicole was fearful of him, but it was clear Jan had some form of control over her and his possessive attitude towards her was only getting stronger.

In November 2018, they had split up again.

Nicole had even started seeing someone else, and even though things between her and Jan had ended, it had fuelled his jealousy.

Then came the day of the

She had been a passenger in the car

suspicious crash.

On the evening of November 16, Jan picked Nicole up in a rental vehicle while her son was at hockey practise.

They’d broken up just nine days earlier.

But something went terribly wrong on that journey.

The estranged couple must have got into an argument.

With Nicole in the passenger seat, Jan pulled out two kitchen knives.

He stabbed her 47 times, with Nicole unable to escape.

She was trapped, slowly bleeding to death.

But instead of calling 911, Jan took off his bloody jacket, got out his mobile phone and recorded a video of the two of them in the car.

The footage was deeply upsetting.

Nicole was covered in blood and fighting for breath.

Despite what he’d done, Nicole was bravely trying to save her life.

She could be heard telling Jan that she loved him.

But Jan didn’t say sorry.

Instead, he kept

OURSE

cover what he’d done by causing a car crash with them both in.

He slammed his foot on the accelerator and smashed at high speed into a lamp post on the roadside.

Nicole wasn’t wearing a seatbelt and was ejected violently from the car.

She landed 30ft away in a ditch and was only found during a perimeter search of the scene.

Emergency services rushed both Jan and Nicole to hospital.

Jan survived.

Nicole tragically died from her significant amount of injuries – both the stabbing and the car crash contributed to her death.

On November 29, Jan was arrested and charged with seconddegree murder.

Nicole’s devastated family members started a social media campaign.

They spoke of their heartache over the loss of an eternal optimist.

They described Nicole as a ‘bright candle’ that was blown out, but would ‘forever shine’ inside of their hearts.

‘She brought joy, happiness and positive enlightenment to everyone she encountered. She had nothing but kindness and unconditional love for family and friends,’ the tribute read.

But they were deeply disturbed that the second-degree murder charge would mean that although Jan would automatically get life, he could get parole after just 10 years served.

In February this year, Jan pleaded guilty in court to

Mak ing of a MO

NSTE R

Jan Poepl was a jealous ex

recording and told her that the attack was her fault.

‘You just took, took, took from me,’ he said, capturing it all on his phone. ‘Disrespected me for months and years.’

Tragically, Jan still didn’t get help for Nicole.

He drove back to his home and, for the next two hours, he left Nicole bleeding to death in the car.

Neighbours believe they heard a horn sounding.

Could that have been Nicole trying to get help? Jan sent a few

emails, including sending his resignation to his work.

He did some online shopping, paid some bills and even took the time to buy a new TV and a dishwasher.

Then he drove Nicole, who was still alive at the time, to the Barnet Highway.

Perhaps he thought he could

They were both in a crash

Nicole was a caring support worker

second-degree murder.

Two months later, there was a sentence hearing.

The defence argued for 10 years parole while the prosecution was fighting for 15 years.

Jan made a statement.

‘I’ve been waiting for this moment for a long time to tell you how sorry I am,’ he said.

His lawyer provided letters from the facility where he was being held that suggested his client was making efforts at rehabilitation.

But Nicole’s family said his alleged ‘regret and remorse’ was not believable and he repeatedly failed to show any genuine emotion.

The extremely disturbing video Jan filmed in the car was played in court.

Many family members chose not to watch as Nicole fought for her life and tried to save herself by showing compassion to her killer.

Nicole’s dad, Giuseppe, said to Jan: ‘You destroyed my family.

‘Our hearts are broken.

‘You took my baby and I will never be whole again.’

Nicole’s best friend told Jan that she wished Nicole had never met him, while her brother said he’d lost all faith in humanity.

The judge called Jan’s actions ‘callous, cruel and self-absorbed.’

She said that the video Jan had made in the car showed an ‘astonishing lack of remorse’ for the women that he claimed to love.

The judge spoke of a handwritten letter written by Nicole’s son, expressing his grief, and said it was extremely difficult to read.

She sentenced him to life in prison and said that he would serve a minimum of 15 years locked up in prison.

Outside of the court, it was clear that was not enough for Nicole’s family.

‘Justice doesn’t exist in this country,’ Nicole’s dad devastatingly told reporters.

A young woman lost her entire future in a violent killing, and a young boy lost his beloved mum.

All of this was because the jealous Jan Poepl refused to let Nicole go.

Their relationship was always set on a crash course.

A young boy lost his beloved mum

43

JUST FOR

FUN 4

Cross it!

Solve the puzzle to find a word. Fit the words back in the grid and the letters in the highlighted squares spell out the answer. We’ve put in one word to help.

Answer on page 47.

3

4

7 4

7

6

5 5 6

8

MEET OUR DOG OF HONOUR

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s ’ k e e w t x e n n I

D R E S S

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3 letters 4 letters 5 letters 6 letters Ale Edge Discs Battle Bat Edit Diver Bedsit Bra Hack Dress Brewed Ink Hawk Drive Edible Opt Hint Limpet Waddle

8 letters Angelica 7 letters Approval Audible Attendee Empower Atypical Gathers Wallet

GOING TOPLESS

SAVED MY LIFE!

Sudoku!

THE SECRET I WAS HIDING

To solve the puzzle, each 3 x 3 box, each column and each row must contain the numbers 1 to 9. Solve the puzzle, then read down the numbers in the highlighted squares for the answer. Answer on page 47.

1 9 2 2 1

4 5 6 8 7 9

1 5 6 9 1

7 3 2 4 7 1 5 5 3 7 6

PHOTOS:SWNS

4 7 3

8

5

On Sale THURS 3 JUNE 45

7 n i t i e v l So

THIS WEEK

How to b a runneecome r

Improve your life in just a week!

R

unning has boomed over the last year as the nation has looked for new ways to manage physical and mental health. Steve Paterson oversees people development and product training at Runners Need, and is a passionate runner. He shares his top seven tips to help get you started on your running journey in one week.

1 I

2 ing n n A ru ner can p part to kee g helpu feelin d! yo tivate mo

Check yourself out

f you haven’t exercised in a while, or you have any health conditions, consult with your doctor before you start running. It’s always important to seek professional advice beforehand.

Start small hort distances and gentle speeds are essential to S prevent injury. Increase your training gradually – the Couch to 5k programme is great for this – and you’ll see steady and regular progress.

4

3

In fine form efore trying to run faster or B further, get your form right to reduce risk of injury. Keep your head up and hips forward, and don’t let your arms cross in front of your body. This will in turn help with your posture.

Hit the kit

A TH MENTAL HEAL Find your why hink about what you want to achieve with your running.

T While many start running to boost their physical health, Runners Need research revealed 91% of runners noticed an

s a beginner, a pair of well-fitting trainers is all you need. Wait to invest in kit when you have learned more about what type of running you enjoy. After a few months, a gait analysis could be useful. This checks how your feet hit the floor as you run, and helps you to select the best running shoes to support your feet and prevent injury.

5

improvement in their mental health after they started running and a third say it helps their mind just as much as their body.

STOCK PHOTOS: GETTY

6

46

Ditch the comparisons

7

D

on’t compare yourself to other runners.

Instead, compare your runs to your own performances a week or a month ago and you’ll see how much progress you’re making.

A running app is great for this!

ENDORP HINS

Remember the feeling fter the initial rush of A enthusiasm, it can be hard to keep going. Try to remember the way you feel after a run – the calm and clarity, the feeling that you could take on the world. That high is what keeps many runners pounding the streets or the trails for years to come.

Thrive off of the feeling!

JUST F OR

FUN

This week’s puzzle answers!

Fill it! pg 13 Starling

Bitesize! pg 3 Past

S W A T

T A X I

O V E N

P E S T

Strike it! pg 13 Removal (Cross out: 3, 8, 19, 26, 30, 40, 43, 48, 64, 71, 89) Cross it! pg 45 Koalas H A C A W A L K I M A P P N E G A T E L I N K C A T Y

K L R H

O P T

B R A A U E T D I M I P B E O V A L W E D E R S R B R D A H I N T S T I C A L S E

E D R V E S D S R I B V E W A E D D A L E

I T

L E G

A T T E N D E E

E

PLEASE NOTE Pick Me Up! will still be bringing you great puzzles to pit your wits against, but will no longer be offering prizes.

Don’t forget, you can do puzzles for big cash prizes every week in our sister magazine, Chat.

STOCK IMAGES:GETTY

S A M T N T S T A R W A R S A S R A Y R I N T O K A R A O K E Z R L U A X A C T P O I N T E R M R K S E L F E V I D E N T O N O R G L O I T R E S T O R E K I P U O W O F F T R A I N E R U O I R C G C T U R E S S C E N E D E E S

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Published by Future PLC. Colour origination by Rhapsody. Printed in England byWalstead UK Limited. Cover printed byWalstead UKLimited.

Distributed by Marketforce, 5 Churchill Place, Canary Wharf, London, E14 5HU www.marketforce.co.uk Tel: 0203 787 9001. ISSN no: 1746-0565.

S H I F T I S Y X Y L O P H T A H O C H E N D O F I S H N E N Y O F F E R S E N H E C L A I R T U T I F F I N O R K E J U D O S M I N

V A U L T I S O W O N E L R U N E A N N A T O M R T E A G A G Y M N O A N B O X B I I L O M E E U E D M U

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Number fit! pg 13 4121 Sudoku pg 45 8,6,2 2 5 7 8 4 6 3 1 9

9 4 3 7 5 1 8 6 2

1 8 6 2 3 9 4 7 5

4 7 2 1 6 5 9 3 8

6 9 8 4 7 3 2 5 1

5 3 1 9 8 2 6 4 7

3 1 9 5 2 4 7 8 6

7 6 5 3 9 8 1 2 4

8 2 4 6 1 7 5 9 3

Follow it! pg 8 Computer

Crack it! pg 38 Venezuela

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G C O U A I R U N R N I N E E S S T E X P A R S H O E F P I T

S L E A Z I N E S S

S Y C S

A T Q U R N A E T R E I D C K Y

H E N U X A F J D T WQ S Y GM V B L I C Z R O P K

S H M E A U R T L A T S T A A C K I S

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L A N C A S H I R E

R E R E U S N T E Y E M

F I R A B S C O L H E M E R B I E D M O A I T I R L T A E X T R A M M M O U S A W N L I S O S P G G H A L I N E R E G M E

O S P R O T F W A A U S E R K S T E A E Y E R A M P E F L I L A R E K

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The paper in this magazine was sourced and produced from sustainable managed forests, conforming to strict environmental and socioeconomic standards. The manufacturing paper mill holds full FSC(Forest Stewardship Council) certification and accreditation.

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FOOD AND K N I R D OUR MUST TRY

PIMM’s Sundowner, £15 (70cl bottle), Sainsburys.

Perfect to drink as the sun sets, the PIMM’s sundowner is best enjoyed as a Sundowner Spritz. Simply fill a wine glass with ice and combine 50ml of PIMM’s Sundowner with prosecco, top up with soda, then garnish with fresh raspberries.

Let’s

GO!

Grenade’s new Chocolate Chip Salted Caramel Spread, £6.99 (360g jar), Grenade.com.

High in protein and low in sugar, Grenade’s new spread is perfect for breakfast or dessert and has 86% less sugar than leading brands – without compromising on taste!

This perfect picnic partner is a fusion of two timeless classics and made using the finest ingredients – mildly spiced British chicken with apricots and sultanas wrapping a free-range egg and coated in zesty breadcrumbs.

Oxo Rubs and Marinades, £2, Asda.

Unlike traditional marinades which can take hours to infuse, these Oxo marinades need just 10 minutes to add bold flavours to any meat, fish or veg!

Walkers Football Themed Crisps, from 65p, supermarkets nationwide.

Violife’s new Vegan BBQ Pack, £6, Sainsbury’s.

Walkers have unveiled a limited-edition range of football inspired flavoured crisps! The brandnew range includes Walkers Steak and Ale ‘Pienalty’, Chicken ‘Tackle’ Masala, ‘Hotshot’ Hot Dog, Sour Cream and Chili ‘Kicker’, and even sees the return of an alltime fan favourite flavour, Salt & Lineker!

This must-have vegan BBQ pack has all the essentials for a plant-based barbecue, featuring three delicious vegan alternatives to cheese.

13 BRIDGES!

C

elebrate Armed Forces Day on Saturday 26th June by taking on the 13 Bridges Challenge to raise money for SSAFA, the Armed Forces charity.

In partnership with Fujitsu, Cors Security and Morgan Sindall Infrastructure, the event will take participants on a 10-mile walk through Greater London, exploring the 13 bridges that make up the city. Starting at Tower Bridge, the event will finish at Eel Brook Common after the final bridge, Putney Bridge, is crossed.

The event will take place on Saturday 26 June and requires a £50 fundraising target per person, which will go to SSAFA to help them continue to provide vital support to the Armed Forces, veterans, and to their families.

Sir Andrew Gregory, CEO at SSAFA, the Armed Forces charity, said: ‘Armed Forces Day is a time to thank servicemen and women for their selfless commitment to our Nation. The last year has been challenging for all, but especially for those in our Armed Forces who, in addition

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Coronation Chicken Scotch Egg, £1.50, M&S.

to continuing overseas deployments and other security tasks, have been on a new frontline - the fight against Covid, especially building Nightingale hospitals, running test and vaccine centres and providing vital logistics.

‘Some of those individuals and families need our support during and after their military service; SSAFA, the Armed Forces charity fills that need. The 13 Bridges Challenge – London’s only Armed Forces Day event – is an excellent opportunity to get together and raise money for SSAFA. Thank you for your generosity.’

To find out more and to sign up, visit www.ssafa.org. uk/13bridges

Sho yourw supp ort!

7 days of hope & happiness with Claire Petulengro www.clairepetulengro.tv

ARIES

TAURUS

GEMINI

CANCER

You’re not feeling comfortable with the situation developing around you. Mercury has seen certain faces saying they did not say what you heard. You feel you can’t trust those you did. It’s OK, you’re about to discover who will be in your inner circle. Money can be made via things which are both sold and exchanged now. This is a dramatic week.

With Saturn retrograde in Aquarius you start to revisit the past. You don’t want to go back anymore, you just want to make sense of all that happened to you. You may find it hard to get documents or facts until after Thursday. Try not to lose your manners with those you have to deal with on a professional basis this week. Timing is everything in love right now for you.

Children seem to be the cause of so much joy and pain for you recently.

Trying to understand those you love is not always easy. Luckily, your sign is good at talking to people of all ages. Give those you love time to talk this week.

Avoid groups and work out who needs one on one time to reveal what they’re really going through. You can make ALL the difference.

Someone you thought did not have your best interests at heart pleasantly surprises you with a supportive action.

Build on this and don’t allow tough times to be remembered, but look at who people are now.

You’re a sign who also had to grow through the last year. Don’t waste the lessons you have learned lately. Someone is very proud of you.

Call: 09058 170 710*

Call: 09058 170 711*

Call: 09058 170 712*

Call: 09058 170 713*

LEO

VIRGO

LIBRA

SCORPIO

Try not to get roped into doing other people’s dirty work for them. You have worked hard to get to where you are. To let others make you feel as if you don’t belong there, is you doing yourself a disservice. Gravitate only towards those who bring you joy from now on. With the line up ahead, a time is coming where you finally get to choose. Own this right of yours.

Make sure you are not giving up your time to help others, which is costing you dearly in other ways.

You can only help others when you are sorted out yourself. A lack of energy in your chart tells me you have been doing too much recently. By enjoying your journey, and not just the final destination, you are able to find those who can make your time ahead more fulfilling.

If you have to go anywhere this week, make sure that you leave yourself with plenty of extra time for the journey. You could be late if you don’t, and you don’t want to put extra pressure on an already sensitive situation for you. It seems that time is of the essence for you this week. It’s now time to tie up two important matters. You must not give in to emotional blackmail from anyone.

Make sure you give yourself extra time to study or go over work this week. Doing so can help give you the polish that you’ve been pining for. A new face is growing on you more by the day. This weekend finally sees you realising this fact. But go slow, you know that your sign likes an intense experience. You can now turn life and love around in your favour.

Call: 09058 170 714*

Call: 09058 170 715*

Call: 09058 170 716*

Call: 09058 170 717*

SAGITTARIUS

CAPRICORN

AQUARIUS

PISCES

You’re finally ready to take in a new view of an old problem. It wasn’t that you didn’t want to listen, it’s more that you couldn’t listen to someone who had begun to sound like a broken record after so long. Seeing those you’ve been parted from for an age puts the spring back in your step this week.

Work stresses bring you the possibility of new opportunity.

Are you overthinking something? You have to decide that. You have certainly learned a lot in the last few weeks. What you’re going to do about it, even you don’t know. I do know that making phone calls in this state of mind can only spell disaster. Remember this, please. Face to face equals honesty and without third parties getting involved. Make the most of opportunities this week.

If your life isn’t going as you’d hoped, then it’s time to make a change. You cannot just quit for the sake of it, or you’ll be throwing the baby out with the bathwater, so to speak. Try and turn fear into excitement this week.

Finances you require can be found by making a plan and sticking to it. New options will link you to Librans.

Travel and romance go hand in hand.

You know, Pisces, I don’t think you even realise how well you’ve done in the last year. You’re too busy seeing how much more you can take on to see how your actions are being judged. This weekend could see you crossing a line with an ex. Look before you leap, or you could end up opening Pandora’s box. After all, two wrongs cannot make a right.

Call: 09058 170 718*

Call: 09058 170 719*

Call: 09058 170 720*

Call: 09058 170 721*

21 March–20 April

24 July–23 Aug

IMAGES: GETTY

23 Nov–21 Dec

21 April–21 May

24 Aug–23 Sept

22 Dec–20 Jan

22 May–21 June

24 Sept–23 Oct

21 Jan–19 Feb

22 June–23 July

24 Oct–22 Nov

20 Feb–20 March

*Starlines updated every Thursday. Calls cost 80p per min plus your telephone company’s network access charge and last approx 4 mins. Callers must be 18+.

You must have bill payer’s permission. SP: Spoke 0333 202 3390.

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E F I L L A E R G IN T S E R E T IN

Queen of

!

S T R A F Emma*, 48, from South Carolina, makes a fortune E V selling farting videos… ’ U YO A

hen I was 28 years old, I discovered the world of camming.

‘These girls do crazy things and get paid for it!’ my friend told me.

I was working as a travel agent in a 9-5 job at the time, and my first thought was: I have to try it!

I rushed down to the shops, bought a webcam and signed up to a camming website.

If I can pay for this webcam in a month, I’ll be happy, I thought.

But pretty soon, I was making almost £1,000 a week.

I was hooked!

People paid me to perform activities, often sexual, in front of a webcam.

I was authentically myself and guys seemed to pick up on how genuine I was.

I soon learnt that there was less competition in fetishes.

I have done financial domination and forced intoxication, and I have even been paid to ignore people.

The money stacked up whilst I painted my nails or paid my bills, and ignored the person on the other side of the webcam.

In 2000, I met my husband.

He purchased a cam show and instantly, we clicked.

Fast forward to the future, and we now have a 16-yearold and a 14-year-old.

In 2005, I left my travel agency job after 13 years to cam full-time.

I discovered other sites, and

WORDS BY NIA DALTON AND HATTIE BISHOP. PHOTOS: SWNS AND ALAMY. *NAMES HAVE BEEN CHANGED

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GOT T H! G U A L

found a monthly membership site called Southern Charms.

Scrolling through the hosts forum, I came across a woman who went by the name Lizzy Queen of Farts.

I pay for fart videos, she said.

At first, I thought: Eww, what? That can’t be a fetish.

But I was intrigued.

I made a video of me doing chores around my house and farting along the way, then sent it to Lizzy Queen of Farts.

I like it! Send more, she said.

After a while, I decided to try it on my own.

I sold my videos on a separate website and eventually started my own site with fart content that ran from 2007 to 2013.

Flatulence camming is a well-hidden, secret fetish.

At the beginning of this year, I started my OnlyFans account @FartinTart.

I was surprised by the warm reception I received.

I can’t believe you’re still making content! people said.

I make almost £3,000 a

I had never heard of flatuence camming

50

My diet helps my performance

H S I T E F Y Z A CR month posting videos of myself farting online.

I charge £5 per minute for custom-made videos on Clips4sale and PayPal. My diet is specifically designed to help me perform.

I eat a lot of salad, asparagus and avocados.

I also eat lots of Mexican food – one of my favourites is coleslaw and baked beans mixed together.

Some of my customers have followed me for over 15 years.

My fart-crazed fan base falls into two social groups.

Half are white-collar professionals looking for custom videos where I’ll say their names and do things they’re too embarrassed to ask their wives for.

The other half are guys in their twenties who just follow me on OnlyFans.

I enjoy the freedom, attention and money of camming, and I’ve met some amazing people along the way.

When I first started out, I felt bad for the older women who were camming.

I assumed they had no other way to make money and were probably not making much.

I quickly learned there is something for everyone in the

cam world and I love that!

At 48 years old, I can’t compete with 18-year-olds, and I don’t want to.

Not everyone is a supermodel and 99% of guys just want to see a woman enjoying herself.

I have no plans on stopping – I will cam for the rest of my life!

I have two friends who know what I do.

They respect me and my job.

My family doesn’t know, and if they do know, they’ve never told me.

I’m not ashamed or embarrassed of it, but there tends to be a misconception of what camming is, until you actually do it.

Most people think its sex all of the time.

But I spend more time talking and dressed than I do naked on my bed.

Another misconception is that you are degrading yourself by getting naked.

We all have sex and we were all born nude.

I have never done anything I didn’t want to – I can and do say ‘no’ to anything I’m not comfortable with.

That in itself is empowering!

z Find Emma’s OnlyFans account on onlyfans.com/fartintart