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UR WEDDING WAS A WORLD FIRST! Issue

6 February 2020

U N PUZZLES

THE LA THING WE WANTED TO HAVE IN

but left me one

D E B B A ST after s

o Why cry?

It wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t make my LIMBS GROW BACK!

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THANKS TO

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Contents On the cover

LION!

WORDSBY HANNAH POON PHOTOS: SWNS

I love my new role

Thisweek,we’re recognisingtheamazing workofAbbieColeman,41 fromChesterfield.She wrotetosay…

eturning to work just six weeks after giving birth to my son Kimi, now six, I was doing what I felt was right. At the time, I was running my own recruitment company, so I knew I couldn’t take a long maternity. However, I soon realised that now I was a mum,

Bitesize! 1

5 6 7 ACROSS 1 Charity money (4) 5 Mob violence (4) 6 Be unpleasantly sweet (4) 7 Whet (4) JUST F DOWN OR 1 Curve over (4) 2 Floating bed (4) 3 Earth’s satellite (4) 4 Eye ailment (4)

nd dads. And that’s how MMB magazine was born. I had no idea how to build a website or anything like that, but I just sat down and typed. The aim of the magazine is to help working parents and answer any of their questions. My family Whether it’s maternity comes first eave, pensions or pay rises, we want to help working parents everyone perceived get the most out of their job. me differently. But it’s not just that, it’s ‘You’re going to be about getting employers to a part-timer now,’ talk to their staff about their clients would say, as if it was a disgrace I’d needs and requirements. So, with my magazine, that I had a child. run myself, I go into One day, when I businesses and help them see was feeling what they can do differently. particularly down about it all, I even did an ‘open letter’ a client gave me some wisdom. series, where my readers ‘Now you’re a mum, your wrote in anonymously with world is going to change,’ she their issues and everyone told me, bluntly. I soon realised she was right. joined together to help give advice and support. Then one Friday in I now have around 2015, I decided to take I was 12,000 subscribers and Kimi to a cowboy treated it’s only growing. themed playgroup. like a I’ve also started But just before disgrace doing a printed version leaving, I had a call of the magazine in from a client. Leeds and Manchester. Just like always, I put Kimi For the past three years, I’ve back in his playpen and got been doing it all around Kimi straight to work. and I wouldn’t change a I worked all through the second of it. weekend, losing precious I’ve met some incredible moments with my son and people and heard some then the client didn’t need the inspiring stories. work anyway. Together we can create a I’d had enough. world that is accepting and So, I decided to set up my flexible to working mums. own online magazine,  Visit: mmbmagazi dedicated to working mums

Sneaky at this w

P40 Made with potatoes!

6 Dementia stole my son but left me one precious word 10 Why cry? It won’t make my limbs grow back! 24 Our wedding was a world first! 30 Dream labour thanks to pole dancing 32 The last thing we wanted to have in common 42 Stabbed to death by schoolmate after she told him her secret

More real life 17 22 28 34 50

Unbeatable Piece of cake Bingo winner Breaking the silence Burning love

From you 3 One in a million 12 Your brainwaves

Feelgood 4 9 15 16 20 26 36 38 39 40 46 48 49

Your pick me ups Your home Your dilemmas Your health Animal magic Your style Your telly Genius or bonkers? Look amazing! Easy eats… Solve it in 7 Food and drink Your stars

Editor: Gail Shortland enior Writer: Laea Marshall eature Writers: Rosie Crass, nnah Poon, Nia Dalton nior Designer: Victoria Elliott signe Emily Kelford gners: Yazz Williams, am Mel Walter

FUN

Read down the shaded squares for the answer. Answer on page 47.

P9 Steals at the supermarket

P26 Perfect pairings 3

me Get your hands on this re your s n ow e e e got the perfect gift for them. The Birds at the Bottom of he Garden, The Birds Down the ane, What’s in the Wood Pile? and What’s that Coming Over the Hill? are the first four volumes in the British Wildlife Tales series – crafted by author Carl Mynott. Through a series of engrossing stories, wild adventures and

dozens of playful characters, young readers ca earn to identify over 40 species of birds, bugs, mammals and more. It’s part of a wider project to excite British children about the amazing wildlife that live in the outdoors, and empower them to embrace conservation of these wonderful creatures.  £5.99, britishwildlifetales.co.uk

Have you heard of this?

here’s nothing quite like the miracle of giving birth, but there’s no denying that lying in a hospital bed afterwards doesn’t exactly make new mums feel very glamorous. Enter delivery room décor – it’s the post-birth trend that is sweeping across the world, seeing new mums ditching white hospital sheets in favour of custom-made delivery room bedding, swaddles, and even outfits. Created by US company Ruffles ‘n’ Buttons, the bright, bold, ruffly décor and bedding flies in the face of hospital rooms, giving mums a chance to express themselves after birth. These custom-designed sets are selling for hundreds of pounds and include personalised bedding, swaddles, robes, pillowcases, blankets, and even wipes cases. It may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but we’re all for making new mums feel fabulous!

WORDS: SWNS STOCK IMAGES: GETTY AND ALAMY

GET IN TOUCH

Sendusyourstoriesand photos, including all names and ages, a daytime phone number and full address. E-mailhello@pickmeupma .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 TI Media 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.

WHAT A TREAT! L ooking for the perfect Valen bath bomb is always a good lover. And this one is even bet Upgrade your special someo with this hidden jewellery bat away, a piece of jewellery wor It’s a soapy and relaxing lott are e fr klac

My daughter Niomehy and our doggie Sasha are inseparable, even at bedt e

HOW CLEVER! W

STAR LET

hile us Brits are famous for not speaking foreign languages, according to new research from Busuu, we’re top dog when it comes to multi-lingual pups. Their study found that 44% of pets could understand commands in more than one language. Britain’s canine population is more multilingual than any of their European or US counterparts. Sarah Whitehead, Certified Clinical Animal Behaviourist says: ‘Dogs really are the ultimate multilingual communicators, and can rapidly add words to their repertoire of response – no matter what language they are spoken in.’

MEET THE MULTILINGUAL PUPS:

TER

gir night out rece a cute little co bar. Check out quirky drinks! Amanda Hadle Cradley Heath

SLINKY, DACHSHUND

LYKKE, GOLDEN RETRIEVER

Understands English and Portuguese

Understands English and Swedish

SPIKE, MALTESE

SNITCHEL, MINIATURE

Understands English, French, Spanish and Arabic

Understands English and Greek

My granddaug Mia was in hea meeting Rapunzel! Carol Adams, West Midlands

I reckon my boy Amari, 4, has found his calling in life! He looks very at home. Sian Salsbury, Cradley Heath

ntroducing the revolutionary way to send – and eat – greetings with this amazing Mallow Me Marshmallow! Your smile has never looked sweeter on this sumptuously soft and delicious mallow. Upload a high-quality photo of yourself, your partner, your dog or any celeb you like, and Prezzybox will turn it into a marvellous marsh Just to sweeten the deal, you to add a personalised ribbon wit choice, and have it delivered directly to their door. The best alternative to a birthday card, and it puts other personalised photo gifts to shame. Tell all your friends your new card preference – the s’more the merrier! z Personalised jumbo mallow, £12.99, prezzybox.com

UNU SUA BUY L

My daughter Kayla asked to be a unicorn at a party and this is the result of the face painter. She wasn’t impressed but I couldn’t stop laughing! Karen LTB our 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 lyingflowers.co.uk for more details. 5

b y m Mum

Donna Mitchell, 46, from Inverness, is losing more and more of her little boy each day…

He’d been such a happy little boy...

WORDS BY LAEA MARSHALL AND LUCY BRYANT PHOTOS: SWNS

me blankly. icking his legs in his And over the next few highchair, my little months, his behaviour boy was all smiles. started to change, too. As I tried to spoon Reece would get food into his mouth, upset over little things more of it was spilling onto his and throw tantrums – bib than anything else. something he’d never ‘Mummy,’ he squealed, grinning proudly and reaching done before. Still, I put it down to to me with his chubby arms. just another phase of ‘Yes, that’s right!’ I smiled, growing up and tried kissing his head. not to worry. ‘I’m your mummy!’ At three years old, It was May 2014, and at 10 Reece started nursery. months old, Reece was just He loved it there, learning to speak, and it made was making friends, me so proud to know that and all my worries ‘Mummy’ was his first word. disappeared. When Reece was born in Until February that year... July 2013 at Raigmore One morning, as he played Hospital, weighing 6lb 3oz, with his toys on the living room he’d been perfectly healthy. floor, Reece suddenly started Bringing him home, he was shaking uncontrollably. such a happy baby. As I ran over, his eyes rolled I was a single mum ck of his head but my daugh e was foaming Courtney, the he mouth. 20 and ‘Reece!’ I Alexandra, ried in panic. 10, were on I dialled hand to 999, begged help out. for an Not that ambulance. I needed ‘My son’s much help – aving a Reece was zure!’ I yelled. Such a good baby an angel. y the time Now he wa ramedics babbling awa , eece had and it seemed he was learning a new word every day. stopped seizing. To be safe, though, we were He’d learnt to say ‘Courtney’, taken to hospital. ‘Alex’ and other words like And there, after a scan, we ‘milk’, and ‘bye’. had some news. But by January 2015, at 18 ‘Reece has autism,’ a doctor months old, it suddenly seemed as if Reece had stopped told me. ‘Right, OK,’ I said. picking up new words. To be honest, it didn’t He would repeat the ones he surprise me – Reece was quiet knew, but seemed stuck. and so clever, but also had ‘Chair,’ I said, pointing and terrible mood swings – all the trying to teach him something signs of autism. And to me, it new. But Reece just stared at 6

...then everything changed

wasn’t the end of the world. I was more worried about the fact that he’d had a seizure. And that April, he had another one. This time, back at the hospital, Reece was diagn with epilepsy and was sta on medication. After that, though, he would have regular seizures. He even fell into a routine – having a seizure once a month, always when he was asleep. By that September, they’d become more frequent. Reece started seizing during the day, sometimes up to twice a week. They were always prolonged seizures, too – often lasting for up to 13 agonising minutes. They were terrifying –every time he started shaking, I was worried I would lose him. But doctors couldn’t explain why this was happening. By December, Reece was having clusters of seizures, and

by anuary 2018, e was having up to 12 a week. Desperate, I took him to the hospital for testing. And, as he was hooked up to an EEG monitor, he had two seizures in the space of just a few minutes. That was followed by an MRI scan and blood tests. Finally, that July, I had some answers. ‘Reece has a metabolic storage disorder,’ the doctor told me. ‘But as there are over 40 different types, we need to do more tests to determine which one he has.’ The next month, an eye exam revealed that Reece was severely visually impaired. As

My boy’s diagnosis shattered all our lives

REAL LIFE

We’ll keep making happy memories fe as happy as I possibly could. Courtney, now 5, and Alexandra, 6, also vowed to give their little brother the best quality of life. That December, a friend of mine fundraised for us all to go to Lapland for Christmas. Watching the magical Christmas lights, despite his poor vision, Reece was all smiles, and I knew in that moment it had been so worth it. By July last year, did he have left? e Reece started to A few weeks later, my worst deteriorate rapidly. fears were confirmed when That month, he lost the tests revealed that Reece did ability to walk, and had to start indeed have Batten’s disease. using a buggy. I burst into tears, clutching The following month, his my little boy in my arms. body had forgotten how to As he looked up at me with swallow, and he had to be fitted his big innocent eyes, I knew with a feeding tube. what I had to do. By this point, he’d also I decided not to waste any completely lost his vision. more time being upset. ‘We’re so lucky we took him Reece wasn’t expected to live to see Lapland when we did,’ I long, so I wanted to make his said to the girls. Now six years old, Reece’s joints are I’m losing him starting to stiffen, and little by little he has seizures more and more. As Batten’s disease is a form of childhood dementia, his shortterm memory has also been affected, and he often gets confused and distressed. My poor boy has forgotten almost everything he’s learnt in his short life. But one

e r e h w e m o s e r e h t n i s i e Reec he’d been losing his ability to learn new words, too, he hadn’t been able to tell me. ‘My poor boy,’ I cried, taking him in my arms. Back home, I did my own research online. Looking up metabolic storage disorders, I came across something called Batten’s disease, a rare form of childhood dementia. Reading the symptoms – vision problems, seizures, a change in behaviour – it was as if I was reading about my little boy. My heart dropped as I read further – Batten’s disease came with an extremely short life expectancy. Many sufferers didn’t live past the age of five, and hardly any made it to their teens. Reece was five years old – how much time

thing he does remember is the word ‘Mummy’. It melts my heart every time he says it – whether he remembers me or if it’s just a comfort word for him, it makes me so happy. We don’t know how much longer Reece will be with us, but while he’s here, I’m determined to make happy memories with him. Recently, we took him to the local fire station where he got to ride in one of the fire trucks. And despite his condition, Reece understood what was going on, and was all smiles. He even got to be the mascot for our local football club, and he loved hearing the crowds cheer him on. It’s amazing to see his eyes light up. It doesn’t happen very often these days, but when it does, I know my little boy is still in there somewhere. With Batten’s disease, things can change so quickly. Everything could be different very soon, but I count myself lucky every day that Reece is still here. I know he’ll get very ill, and I’m terrified for the day when he leaves us. Life without my precious boy is unimaginable. Despite being just six, Reece has taught me more about life and love than anyone else. Sometimes, when he smiles or reaches out his hand, I see a glimmer of the old Reece, but this cruel disease has stolen his spark, and I wouldn’t wish it on my worst enemy. I know he’s still in there somewhere, and I will do my best to make the time he has left as special as possible. 7

FUN Follow it! R O F T S U J

st-coast S state

Discharge

Judi Dench’s title

Minute

Rani, TV presenter

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.

Frozen

Momentarily daze

__ dream, futile hope

Wrath, rage

Collections

Objects of play

Acid in lemon juice

Shrivelled, dried up

Gently mop up

Border

Page within a page

Shift system

Heroic work

Able to snap open (6-6)

PM Heath?

Football’s ‘Gunners’

Author unknown

Docket

Straits, pop group

Workmen

Fringe

IMAGES: GETTY

Pigpen

Written list of charges Chinese zodiac creature

Lingerie items

Puts up with, or digests

Cheeseloving rodent!

Baby sheep

Shabby articles

Nurses’ employer (inits)

A way off

Protuberance

Market pitch

Bare

O M A

__ Dean, old pub song

Opposite of ‘old’ School of religious opinion

Capture

Hot Trend!

One of Alcott’s ‘Little Women’

No longer alight, extinguished

Away

A few

Pouring sound

Short period

See photo

Be in a supine position

Attach

Obtained

Cut, revise

Restaurant list

Els, top golfer

Coach, teach Looking on the bright side (2,4)

Straw hat

Wields

More weird

More ill-mannered

In days gone by

Grade, stage

Mutt, tyke

Wretchedly

Broadcast again

Sound system (2-2)

Green gemstone

Viral illness

Posted

Profess

Agent

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E M I T NO oug th , ey sl rn a B m o fr , 4 5 s, in rk a P y d n a M , p u ke o w e sh n e h w t u B . d ve o m re s having kidney stone she was missing a lot more… news to me.

WORDS BY KATIE PEARSON AND LAEA MARSHALL PHOTOS: SWNS

licking off the TV, I headed upstairs to bed and quietly climbed under the covers. ‘Night,’ I sighed, giving my partner Steven, 55, a kiss goodnight before drifting off to sleep. It was like any other evening in May 2019, when I was suddenly woken in the middle of the night by a sharp pain in my stomach. ‘Argh,’ I screeched, clutching my side. The sharp, stabbing sensation was like nothing I’d ever experienced – so much so, it woke me and my partner from a deep slumber. ‘Are you OK?’ Steven asked, still groggy. ‘I’m fine,’ I replied unconvincingly. I hoped the pain would go if I got up for some water, but it kept getting worse. It felt like a dagger to the gut. Steven grew concerned when I couldn’t nod back off and decided to call 111 to be on the safe side. ‘It sounds like appendicitis,’ the call operator suggested. ‘What should we do?’ he worried, looking at my pained expression. They recommended I go to hospital and get things checked out. Up until that point, I 10

doctors came to speak with me and Steven. ‘We think you may have kidney stones,’ the doctor explained, flicking through his results chart. It sounded simple enough, and they planned to keep me in overnight for observation. However, in a matter of hours, things went from bad to worse. ‘Steven,’ I whispered shakily, grabbing his arm. ‘I don’t feel right.’ ‘We need some help in here, please!’ he yelled, grabbing the nearest doctor. My vision started going and I suddenly felt myself drifting in and out of consciousness. Moments later, I was I used to be surrounded by so active doctors, who broke some terrifyin

had never experienced any serious health problems. In fact, I considered myself quite fit and active for my age. I was often on my feet, walking the dogs or going for a bike ride. I also ran a small cleaning business which kept me busy, not to mention having three young grandchildren – Chloe, 10, Ellie, five, and Poppy, two – who were always keeping me on my toes! We arrived at Barnsley Hospital, South Yorkshire, in the early hours, where I was rushed through to a ward. After running a few tests, the

Doctors had to act fast to save my life

I woke up to see this...

‘Mandy, you’ve developed sepsis,’ one of them explained calmly. What we had thought were innocent little kidney stones was actually now a lifethreatening illness. The doctors weren’t sure where or how the infection began, but they had to act fast to save my life. They were in a race against time to stop my vital organs from shutting down. Everything went hazy and the next thing I remember is waking up on a new ward. I slowly peeled open my eyes to the sound of the heart monitor beeping next to me. When I spotted Steven sat next to me, I started to relax a little bit. ‘Where am I?’ I croaked, trying to get my bearings. ‘Everything’s going to be OK,’ he smiled reassuringly. Although, waking up more, something felt different – I couldn’t feel my fingers. In fact, I couldn’t actually nything at the end of rms. oked down and was rified to see both of my ands were missing! It took me a few minutes o really register what I was seeing. ‘What happened?’ I whispered, barely able to nd the words. You went into septic ck,’ Steven explained rely. The doctors had to

REAL LIFE I got a kick out of little bits of progress I made – everything was a step towards getting back to normality. In October, I was fitted with a prosthetic on my right leg. I’m still getting used to it and practising every day with my physio. One day I’ll be ready for a prosthetic on my left leg, too, and I can’t wait. The thing I found most difficult about all this was losing some of my hearing from the medication I took. It made it tough to communicate, especially in the beginning, but I will be fitted with hearing aids soon. I’m quite a stubborn person and I don’t want this to be my permanent situation. I never imagined my life going down this path, but now it has, I plan to get back on my feet and see where it takes me.

I’ve got so much to live for

! Being sad won’t make them grow back

put me into an induced coma for six weeks – terrifyingly, it was now July 2019. Sepsis had caused blood clots and blocked the flow of blood to my limbs. It killed the healthy tissue, causing my skin to turn black – there was no saving them at that point. Doctors had done everything they could, but they couldn’t save my hands and they had no choice but to amputate them. And that wasn’t the only bad news... ‘The sepsis also spread to your legs,’ the doctor explained as he sat down next to Steven. ‘Let me see,’ I asked them bravely. Steven peeled back the covers to reveal a pair of jetblack feet. ‘Oh, my God!’ I cried out. The skin was even peeling and bleeding in places. I gasped in horror, suddenly feeling faint. It didn’t look like they were attached to me. I took one glance at them and couldn’t bring myself to look again. The doctors spent the next few weeks doing all they could, but it was no use. ‘I’m sorry, Mandy, but we’ll need to amputate your feet,

too, the medics eventually explained to me. If I had any chance of walking again, it would need to be on prosthetics. I was heartbroken, but my feet weren’t going to get better – I knew it was my only option. I had to accept it and stay as positive as possible. It’s not the end of the world, I thought to myself calmly. I was still alive, and that was a miracle. Three weeks later, I was wheeled off for surgery to amputate both of my feet. Waking up from the op, I felt relieved. I felt ready to move forward and get back to living a normal life. ‘You’re staying so positive,’ the doctors beamed, amazed at my enthusiasm. ‘There’s no point feeling sorry for myself,’ I joked. ‘It won’t make my arms and legs grow back.’ I tried not to moan or dwell on my situation – even though I couldn’t do anything for myself yet. I needed help eating, washing myself and even going

I passed out then woke up six weeks later

to the loo. At times it was frustrating, but I had an incredible support system around me, including my wonderful son who stopped working at a call centre to spend more time with me. ‘How’re you doing, Mum?’ he smiled, leaning down to give me a hug. ‘Oh, you know,’ I smiled. ‘Getting by.’ I started daily physical and psychological therapy straight after my foot amputations – I couldn’t wait to get stuck in. In some ways, I actually enjoyed the new and different challenges I now faced. ‘Go on, Mandy, you’ve got this,’ Getting better the therapist every day beamed encouragingly as

Your

Be a winner !

We share your brilliant tips!

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Glitz and glam pcyc ng

I love making something out of rubbish. I think my old wine bottle vase looks a great addition to the household! Richard Adams, West Midlands

From my head tomatoes Here’s an easy way to remove thick tomato skin. Carefully drop a tomato in hot water for a few seconds and the tomato skin will easily peel off in your hands. David Anderson, Sunderland

...

I loved my bedside lamps but wanted them to be a bit more glam looking, so I attached craft stones in corresponding colours and shapes. I’m delighted with their new look! Leeanne Maginn, Coleraine

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When visitors come over to eat, it’s often hard to find enough room on the dining table. Easily solved! Just cover an iron board and place t wherever needed for extra table space. Susan Cox, Coventry

Clever thinking !

Tip top taps

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Tip of the week

To remove limescale from your taps, you need to soak two cotton wool balls in cider vinegar then wrap them in cling film and tie to the end of your taps. The result is sparkling! Patricia Cordon, Cheltenham

Remember, these are YOUR tips – we havent tried them ourselves

R O F T S U J

Fill it! N U F

ACROSS

Complete the grid then read down the shaded squares to reveal the name of an Australian animal. Answer on page 47.

DOWN

11 12

7 Bitter regret (7) 8 Weapon (7) 9 Asked for a job (7) 10 Sue ___, comedienne (7) 12 Common letter ending (5,5) 13 Cigarette end (4) 15 Having different aims (2,5,8) 18 Revise text (4) 19 Healthy dessert (5,5) 21 Dreary, boring (7) 23 Looking ill and exhausted (7) 24 Feeling the loss of (7) 25 Said, spoke (7) 1 2 3 4 5 6

Give regular bulletins to (4,6) City gent’s hat (6) Fireproof substance (8) Six times fifteen (6) Infant’s glimpsing game (8) ___ Drescher, star of The Nanny (4) 11 Anything left over (7) 14 Dated term for women (3,4,3) 16 Most irritable (8) 17 Shrinks back (8) 19 Articulate, voluble (6) 20 Had a quarrel (6) 22 Heroic story (4)

Your answer ______________________________

______________________________

JUST FOR

Strik 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

7 23 47

4 9

4 81

16 19 30 42

FUN Number fit! Which one of the listed numbers won’t fit in this mini grid? Answer on page 47.

68 59

71 81

56 68 74 88

460/480/608/648/864 13

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Visit pmu.newmarketholidays.co.uk or call 0330 160 7988 quoting code PMU A selection of cabin types is available at ranging prices. All prices and cabins are extremely limited & may be withdrawn without notice. Single supplements apply. Standard phone charges apply. Payment of on board accounts by card only. Fares exclude gratuities. Offers operated by Newmarket Holidays Ltd ABTA V7812, a company wholly independent of Pick Me Up published by TI Media Limited. Prices are correct at itme of going to press on 9/1/2020. Prices are per person. *Book by 31/1/2020. Subject to availability & may be withdrawn any time. Price shown includes discount. Choose free wine or a hamper when booking. Visit newmarketholidays.co.uk/offer-terms for full terms. †These cruises do not return to their original departure port, a coach transfer is available for a supplement.

Your Stu

! p U e M k ic P to te ri W ? do to at h w for

... od advice

My husband is frustrated that I don’t like his sister. He wants us to be best friends, but we are just such opposites. I don’t see why I have to try and like her so much. Karen,London

Q Elisabeth Hancock is a business coach, working with women to help them get their energy back so that they can have more freedom, increased success and be true to themselves. elisabethhancock.com

I think many of us want this for our loved ones, but it doesn’t always work out this way. Maybe your husband sees something you don’t and feels that you would get on like a house on fire if you gave it more of a chance? Try having a conversation with him and ask him why it’s so important. At the end of the day, you don’t have to be close, but I think it will make life easier. Think of all the benefits; fun family

Constant tension

s she addicted to it? I hate how often my daughter is always on her phone. She’s 15 and it’s glued to her hand. She says it’s how she chats to friends, but it can’t be healthy, can it? Cara,Bristol

I don’t live with my parents anymore and when we’re together all we do is argue. We used to be so close. What’s changed? Beth,Canterbury

She’s a teenager and going through lots of emotional and physical changes, so it’s important for her to be able to talk things through with her friends (and that includes chatting on social media) but it doesn’t always have to be on the phone. It’s not going to be easy, though, because we have 24/7 access to digital media these days. Maybe you could encourage other activities by making m look more appealing, such as hosting weekly or -weekly get togethers (form a rota with the other mums) or a regular movie and popcorn night. As teenagers, the last thing we want is for them to feel isolated or alone, so we want to encourage their communication with each other, but nothing beats the joy of face to face nteraction, and if it’s in a safe environment, even tter. Maybe get her some headphones, too.

STOCK PHOTOS: GETTY

There could be lots of reasons and you will only find out once you get them to open up and talk to you about their real feelings. Maybe they miss you and don’t know how to express it, or maybe they have some personal or work issues and don’t want to burden you. Why not cook them a nice meal, help them feel relaxed, and then gently ask them if something is on their mind. Be honest, but kind. Say you have felt tension and wonder if everything is OK with them. The calmer and friendlier you are, the more likely you are to get the truth. sn’t work, suggest king to ch parent eparately, s they may eel better alking without e other e there.

gatherings, back-up childcare, someone to talk to, and girl’s nights out. All this will happen organically, so you don’t have to force it – you will become closer naturally as you spend more time together. Some friendships take time to blossom, so maybe this one is more of a slow burn?

GETTING HELP If 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). If 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.

Winning an argument

YOU’VE GOT THIS

ou know you’re right (make sure you are before you start!) so how can you get your point across? The key is to be passionate without losing your cool and letting your emotions run away with you. If you let your temper take over, you’ve lost already! And never make it personal. Present the facts, as they really are hard to dispute, and when your opponent comes back with a counter argument, listen and ask questions. You need to see both sides of the point, and if you remain calm, you will be able to see any flaws in their evidence. Be prepared to concede if they bring up a good point and see if you can get them to agree you are partly right – because that’s just as much of a win.

Your

y 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.

Health

INSTANT

Avoiding bugs

appointment Dr Simran Deo, GP at UK-based online doctor, Zava.

Pain in the neck

I have a small lump in my neck. I’ve had it for a while, but it doesn’t hurt. Should I get it checked out? Jackie, Swindon.

It’s not unusual for lumps and bumps to appear from time to time. While many lumps are harmless, any new neck lumps should be examined by a doctor. There are a number of things to look out for if you note a new lump in your neck. Consider how long it’s been there and if it has changed size or colour. Does it move around or does it seems to be stuck down? Have you noticed a change in your voice where it has become more hoarse, or have you had difficulty swallowing? Have you

High cholesterol

I’ve been told my cholesterol is too high. How do I go about lowering it? Heidi, Essex

Luckily, there are lots of things you can do to lower your cholesterol. Eating less fatty foods, red meat, dairy and eggs can help. R l i th ith

noticed any breast lumps or changes to the skin around your breasts? Consider if you’ve had any unexplained weight loss in the last six months, or if you’ve lost your appetite? If any of these apply to you, see your doctor. If you are a smoker or drink alcohol, then your risk of it being more serious is higher and investigations may be necessary.

in fibre and antioxidants may also help. Drinking less alcohol and not smoking can impact your cholesterol, too. Exercise can also have an affect on your levels of ‘bad’ cholesterol, and help increase your good cholesterol levels. Aim to do at least 30 minutes per day of moderate activity, like walking, jogging, swimming, or cycling. ay recommend ns. work by g the amount ad’ cholesterol roduced by he liver.

My nine-year-old son had norovirus and I’m worried the whole family will come down with it now. Is it inevitable or can we avoid it? Emma, Leeds.

The best thing you can do to help prevent it spreading, is to make sure everyone washes their hands regularly with soap and water. All contaminated surfaces in your son’s bedroom and in the house should be cleaned. Clothes and bedding should be washed on hot. Make sure you use separate towels and flannels, and an infected person should not be preparing food. Hydration is the most important treatment, and using supplements such as Dioralyte, can help to replace minerals lost from the body. Plenty of rest is also key to recovery, and people with norovirus should not go to school or work for at least two days after the symptoms have fully resolved. If symptoms don’t clear after a couple of days, call your doctor for advice. If a family member is seriously dehydrated, feels faint or light-headed, or has bloody diarrhoea, please go to A&E as soon as possible.

CT US w. Letters and emails are selected randomly for 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… Treattonsillitis

Tonsillitis will usually go away after three or four days, but there are ways you can help ease the symptoms.

Make sure you’re getting plenty of rest and take paracetamol or ibuprofen to help relieve pain.

2 3

Drink lots of fluids. Cool drinks should help soothe your throat. Avoid irritants. Keep your home free from cigarette smoke and cleaning products that could irritate the throat.

Gargle with warm salty water. One teaspoon of salt to 8 ounces of warm water can help soothe a sore throat. (Don’t children this) oms

pt If symst after persi r days fou ur GP. ee yo

UNBEATABLE

Sam Nicol, 24, from London, woke up one night feeling as if someone was stood on his chest...

BIGlth hetaory s

Living life to the full It came as a shock

woke up suddenly. There was a massive crushing pain on my chest, as if someone was stood on me – I could barely breathe. ‘Abbi,’ I panted, waking her up. ‘I need to go to the hospital.’ As she jumped out of bed, the pain in my chest was becoming worse and worse. Abbi managed to get me d rushed don xbridge. aiting in eased what. But I ouldn’t figure out what was going on. Then, thinking back, I emembered. ack in my brother then 15, had agnosed yocarditis, ammation of t. fully, he was ealthy now, checks. ave the same ght. I told a suspicions, ly rushed in ctor. er a blood

test and an ECG, it was confirmed – I did in fact have myocarditis. I couldn’t believe it. I was healthy and physically fit. I’d never smoked or been overweight. But now, doctors explained that my troponin level was really high. It was a protein vital to the heart, and now, it being so high had put me at risk of having a heart attack. I had to stay in the hospital until my levels dropped. The next day, in my hospital bed, I looked up myocarditis. I came across the Alexander Jansons Foundation, a charity that had been set up in honour of an 18 year old who had died from myocarditis. Reading his story, and so many others’, I realised how lucky I really was. Yes I had the condition, but at least I was alive. Five days later, doctors agreed it was safe for me to leave, and I was discharged. I took a break from kickboxing for six months, and took some time off work, but after that, I felt completely fine. I had regular scans, but nothing ever showed up. I could have an attack like that again at any time, but for now, I’m making the most of being alive and feeling healthy. And that’s exactly what I did in January 2019. ‘I’m going to

I could barely breathe

run the London Marathon,’ I told Abbi proudly. I’d decided to run it to raise funds for the Alexander Jansons Foundation, to help others with myocarditis. And on 28 April, I managed to complete my first marathon. I raised £2,200 for the charity, and I also proved that having a heart condition doesn’t have to hold me back. All I had was flu-like symptoms, and while I wouldn’t advise people go to hospital every time they feel run down, I would encourage them to keep an eye on it. Today, I have to have regular checks, but I’m determined to live for the moment and make the most of life. I’m so lucky to be here.

FACT FILE

ardiomyopathy and myocarditis are the top causes of sudden death in young people, affecting around one in 300 people. New research from Cardiomyopathy UK shows that 95% of people are unaware that persistent flulike symptoms can be signs of cardiomyopathy and myocarditis. The charity is encouraging people to speak to their GP if they have breathlessness, chest pain or dizziness. Visit cardiomyopathy.org. 17

WORDS BY LAEA MARSHALL PHOTOS: SWNS AND GETTY

neeling under a boiler, I peered up. ‘Yep, that’s going to need replacing soon,’ I said. It was November 2016, and, working as a freelance heating engineer, I was rushed off my feet. Getting up from the kitchen floor, I suddenly felt dizzy. And as I busied myself packing up my tools, I started to feel strange. My legs were aching and I was out of breath. I also felt suddenly lethargic – I could barely move. ‘I think I’m coming down with something,’ I told my business partner. ‘We better make this our last call.’ Heading straight home, I crashed on the sofa. ‘Everything OK?’ my girlfriend Abbi, 24 asked ‘I think I’m get flu,’ I said. After a few ho though, I felt bac normal self. ‘I might go to kickboxing tonight,’ I said. ‘Just take it easy,’ Abbi replied. Heading out to the gym, I felt fine. But as soon as I was in the Proving ring, kicking and myself punching with m opponent, the fu feeling came rus back, and I was suddenly out of b We’d only bee for a few minute simply had no en Calling it a nig figured Abbi wa probably had th needed to take it Back home, I w bed for an early n Then, at aroun

Health n I

n a bid to tackle obesity, ASDA have decided to remove the cartoon characters from 12 of its own-brand cereal products. With many parents facing ‘pester power’ in the supermarket, the pull of the fun characters often means kids end up with sugar filled cereals. The retailer has been working hard to make their products healthier and has reduced the sugar content of its own brand cereals by 26%. The changes aim to inspire parents to make more informed choices when it comes to their children’s diets.

11million

TRUE E S or HighCholesterol

becaused by eating 1 Highcholesterolcan fattyfoods and not

w The neging packa ear on p will apves this shel nth mo That’s the number of Brits who don’t take their medication orrectly, with over half forgetting to take it altogether, according to new research by Pharmacy2U.

Have you tried... PATCH plasters, £6.99, Superdrug, Planet Organic and Holland & Barrett.

hey’re 100% compostable even down to the packaging, and are vegan, hypo-allergenic and totally plastic free. The eco friendly strips are mad with bamboo and enriched with natural ingredients.

Q s ’ n e M health with Dr Simran Deo

Vertigo is making my life miserable at the moment. How can I get rid of it? Thomas, Newquay. Try to work out whether you are experiencing vertigo or feeling unsteady, which may be aused by other medical conditions that will need to be reviewed by your doctor. Vertigo is where everything feels like it is spinning, and occurs for long enough to affect your balance. It can differ in severity and can last for

3 4

HEALT H

TIP

seconds, hours, days or even months. If your symptoms continue for more than two weeks, visit your GP to see if there is an underlying issue. If you have noticed it occurs in certain positions, have also had hearing loss, pain in your ears or feel your ears are blocked, see your GP. If you have developed vertigo very suddenly and have also noted a headache a same day call to your GP, ringing 111 or even 999 would be recommended.

exercisingenough.  True  False Youcan’tlowerhigh cholesterol.  True  False Highcholesterolhas nosymptoms.  True  False Highcholesterol can makeyou more likely tohaveheart problemsorastroke.  True  False Statins are the most commonmedicine forhighcholesterol.  True  False

1 TRUE Other causes include being overweight, smoking, drinking and it can sometimes run in families. 2 FALSE Cholesterol can be lowered and is done by eating healthily and getting more exercise. Some people may also need to take medicine. 3 TRUE You can only find out if you have it by taking a blood test. 4 TRUE Too much

cholesterol can block your blood vessels which increases your risk.

WORDS: ROSIE CRASS PHOTOS: GETTY

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.

Pester power

5 TRUE Statins reduce the amount of cholesterol your body makes, and you would Ask yo for a ch ur GP usually need test if oylesterol to take over 40ou’re them for and o v e r w life. eight

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s og d in n io ss re ep d of s gn si g n ti ot Sp

ure Pet Food have teamed up with their resident vet to look at depression in dogs. They believe that just like humans, dogs can display withdrawn, depressive behaviours. Triggers of depression include: los pet companion, loss of owner, moving home and additions to the household Changes to a routine and empathy owner who is feeling depressed or un can impact, too. Signs that you can look for include becoming inactive and loss of appetite and a c sleeping patterns. If an owner recognises any o these, they need to get their dog checked by a vet to rule out any possible underlying health problems. There are a number o ways to help your pet. Y can reward happy behaviour and encoura your pup to take part in activities they love. Maintaining a regula

Your go cat wills for banana ! this

feeding pattern is important even if your dog has lost their appetite. Fish, eggs and poultry contain tryptophan which helps increase serotonin levels and lift your pup’s mood.

I went to Copenhagen Zoo with my husband and we saw these amazing polar bears. Julia Troody, Bath

Here’s Buddy looking happy!

PET NEWS

ana peel eeping bag, £11.99, Amazon.co.uk

H. Sawyer, Bristol

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A very a-peeling bed for your favourite cat or ttle pup! This orable, colourful nug looks like a al banana and makes your pet feel fe and warm.

Fergus is my best friend.

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My gorgeous dog Willow! Lily, Portishead

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Bake off

Anna’s top ten baking tips for beginners...

PERFECT THE BASICS Start with the basics and practice until you have perfected the foundation, then move on to different types of cakes.

LEARN BASIC ICING Try different materials to 2 ice. I use a lot of modelling paste, and once I’d become advanced, I mixed modelling chocolate with icing. TEACH YOURSELF Don’t be afraid to teach 3 yourself the basics. You can learn a lot online and it’s all trial and error. You don’t need to go to professional classes.

WORK OUT WHAT’S BEST Experiment with different recipes and always keep a note of what works for you.

ENHANCE RECIPES Don’t be afraid to experiment and enhance recipes. I always use lemon zest and essence in lemon cakes instead of juice!

SECRET INGREDIENT I always add plenty of liquid 6 to a chocolate cake otherwise it dries out.

STOCK IMAGES: GETTY AND ALAMY

STARTER KIT You definitely need a good electric mixer, a spatula and a good set of pans – some round, some square.

OVEN SETTINGS I don’t ever put my oven on the cake setting. Most cakes are set to bake at 180°C but I bake it at 160°C so that it doesn’t dry out.

BAKE SEPARATELY of slicing your 9Instead es in half bake in separate sponge oist. D TRY AGAIN

CAKE s a h , d n a tl co S m o fr 1, 5 , n lo il D a n n A ible taught herself to create incredm designs from her garage at ho e…

asting the cakes that I’d just bought from a wholesaler, I frowned. ‘They are hard and bland,’ I said to my husband Kenny, 50, and daughter Stephanie, 28. In 2011, I’d been made redundant and used the compensation to buy a snack van. Except, I was disappointed with the food on offer. ‘I’m going to make my own!’ I declared. Unable to afford baking classes, I decided to teach myself how to bake from scratch at home. I’d never baked when I was younger, apart from a scones attempt in my twenties – although, they turned out like flat biscuits. This time, I was going to try properly. And my first aybake came a success! It’s delicious,’ enny said, ucking in. I began selling my traybakes in the snack van, and my customers loved them. I’m an interior designer by trade, and I enjoyed getting creative. As the years

passed, my baking skills got better and I started to collect kitchen equipment. I even mastered scones! ‘Would you bake a cake for my son?’ a regular customer asked me in 2014. ‘He loves Captain America.’ ‘I’ll give it a go,’ I said, happy to try. I dyed icing red and blue and started sculpting Captain America’s face and shield out of icing. Using household tools to create different textures, I worked with what I had. And the birthday cake went down a treat! I discovered a love for cakes, and a neighbour helped me convert the garage into a studio. Soon, my hobby had

I had never baked before

I won silver

moved out of the kitchen and into the garage. Cake requests came flooding in from all of my family and friends. ‘I’m going to sign up to do a cake competition,’ I told Kenny five years ago. In June 2015, I competed in the inaugural Cake & Bake Show in Edinburgh. As Kenny carried my model of Angelina Jolie as Maleficent into the show, my heart sank. I’m not good enough, I thought, looking around. Yet, the judges thought otherwise, zooming in to take photos on their phones. ‘It’s brilliant!’ they said awarding me second place in the amateurs. Once I started competing, I didn’t want to stop. In November 2015, I made two cakes for the world’s largest cake ompetition, Cake nternational Birmingham. My sculpture of Predator won silver, and my aricature of Dobby from Harry Potter won merit. ‘I’m so proud of you!’ Kenny said. I’ve competed every year there since. Unlike most professional cake makers, I use whatever tools I can find. Whether it’s a washing sponge, the handle of a fork or knife, I somehow get the effect I want. My family call me crazy because I come up with

REAL LIFE

n o i t c e f r e p o t d Bake lots of ideas. around my waist, I started I never let Kenny help, he’s constructing the cake with a terrible at art – but he’s very 10mm wire rod and metal bolts supportive and is my muscle to hold the structure in place. man and taxi to all Carving her paws, tail and competitions. tongue, I showed Poppy with Over the years I’ve made her ears flying as she leapt Wolverine, Tina Turner, and through the air. Sylvester Stallone. ‘It’s amazing!’ Kenny said, I usually make the portraits hugging me. out of Victoria sponge or The one-and-a-half-foot Madeira cake. cake took me four days to make The cake leftovers I used to in total. give to my dog, now I keep Since I sold the snack van them and make delicious giant last year, I bake less often. cake pops. I work as a carer and in my They’re about the size of your spare time, I continue to take hand and go down a treat in my part in competitions every year neighbourhood. On Halloween, I had queues of kids up the street waiting for my spooky cake pops. Some of my cakes are completely edible and others include non-edible components – it depends on the category of the cake. I use polystyrene, Rice Krispie treats, They are a chocolate ganache, lot of fun Pasta Scultura modelling paste and Sugarflair Airbrush paints to colour them. Recently, I was inspired to make a giant cake model of my eightmonth-old dog, Poppy. Rolling my sleeves up and tying my frilly apron

and bake for family. In April, I’ll be competing at Excel London. And in September I’m going to be a novelty cakes judge at the Scottish Baking Awards run by Melanie Andrews MBE. Melanie first pushed me towards competing, and now I’m honoured to be a judge at her awards. I’ll be alongside some of the best and

A lot of people ask me if I’m bored of eating cakes yet, but I don’t think I ever will be. My favourite cake is lemon, and I’ve recently perfected a custard cream biscuit recipe. It’s not just sweet food that I like, I cook savoury dishes, too. My signature chicken and leek pie is delicious, and I can bake a good bread loaf and hearty lasagne – that one’s a family favourite. I always like to keep on learning and improving. I’m so happy to have found a hobby that’s perfect for me. Baking cakes makes my life a little sweeter.

Characters are my favourite

I love getting creative

WORDS BY NIA DALTON AND NIAMH BUTLER-WALTON PHOTOS: SWNS

biggest names in the business, including the amazing Lady Claire Macdonald, Phil Jensen and Shona Sutherland. Whilst being a part of this e made lots g friends. e are a big e family at support ne another. Kenny couldn’t be any more supportive, either. He bought e a spray for My pup Poppy mas with a nd colours

It began with a click

MM WORDS BY NIA DALTON AND HARRIET ROSE-GALE IMAGES: SWNS

HEAD OVER HEELS Sarah Hancock, 28, and D 26, started following each … Heathrow Airport for Dan, I ry to is h is st re e th d n a k o T ik T n had butterflies in my stomach. other o Dan felt so familiar, but he

iming and dancing on camera, I filmed funny videos of myself to put on my TikTok account. I joined the social media app in July 2018, and so far, my followers had racked up to 9,000 people. Uploading light-hearted, daily music videos was my new favourite hobby! Then one day in August, I got a notification on my phone that someone had done a duet with my video. Watching a handsome guy lip syncing to Ed Sheeran’s Shape of You, I laughed. Daniel Hank was charming and funny. Following him back, I saw a message 24

pop up on my TikTok inbox – it was Dan. We quickly hit it off, and soon our conversation moved to Instagram. What do you think of this video idea? Dan asked. Brilliant! I replied. We were bouncing off each other and it felt so natural. The only problem was that Dan lived in the UK, and I lived

His humour charmed me

in Boston, America… ‘When are you coming here then?’ Dan asked the first time we video-called each other. Chatting away, Dan had got me thinking – why not get a flight over? I have always wanted to visit England, I thought. On our second ever phone call, I was talking to Dan whilst booking flights from Boston to London, UK. ‘See you soon!’ I miled excitedly. Showing Mum ideos of Dan, she aughed. ‘He’s funny,’ she aid, approvingly. Within two weeks of meeting a boy, I had organised to fly halfway around the world and visit him – crazy! Waiting at

was also a stranger to me. ‘Hey!’ Dan said, walking towards me. Hugging him, I felt so relieved – it wouldn’t be awkward after all. Walking around the wintery streets of London, everything was magical. Filming clips of our day to put online, we shared our memories with our followers on TikTok. They had seen our first duet, after all. ‘This is Windsor Castle,’ Dan said, chatting away. We had the best day being tourists, but Dan still hadn’t made a move on me. Maybe weÕre just friends, I thought, worried. Then later that night, we had our first kiss. He did like me after all! Days later, we flew to Dublin to celebrate Dan’s 26th birthday with all of his family

REAL LIFE

ME! and friends. ‘Everyone loved you!’ Dan beamed excitedly. Everything was falling perfectly into place. Except, it was soon time to leave the UK… 10 days had flown by. ‘I’ll come and visit you next,’ Dan said, hugging me. Missing each other a lot, we video called every day after that. And sticking to his promise, just six weeks later Dan arrived in Boston on Christmas Eve. ‘I’ve missed you so much!’ I said. Wrapped up in scarves and hats, we spent Christmas Day exploring New York City. Dancing in front of the Rockefeller Christmas tree, we uploaded a quick video of us two to TikTok. Then to top it all off, we welcomed in the New Year in

So many adventures Las Vegas! ‘I’ll marry you one day,’ Dan joked, as we took a picture in front of a fancy wedding chapel. On 4 January, it was time or Dan to go home, but we’d already organised for me to come to England for a flying isit just weeks later. Long distance was very xpensive, but it was so worth it. Travelling back to England, I was looking orward to seeing Dan again. His friend was performing n The Voice and we would be atching in the audience. ‘He was brilliant!’ I said to an, clapping. In between our next visit, e recorded funny duets on kTok and spoke every day. Then on 19 February, we were reunited. Dan flew to Boston and I took him to Castle Island. Walking on the seafront and looking at the ducks, I took in the cold winter air. Turning around slowly, I saw Dan down on one knee. ‘Will you marry me, Sarah?’ he asked, holding out a sparkling silver ring. ‘Yes!’ I screamed, jumping into his arms. We’d spoken about getting married one day soon, but the proposal came as a massive surprise. Best of all, Dan had captured the entire moment on camera so that we could remember it forever. Uploading the video to TikTok, Dan typed: ‘She said Yes! #iloveyou.’ I was in a romantic bubble. It was so special. On 2 March, my fiancé travelled back to England and we spent the next four weeks

ning the wedding over phone. Let’s get married in Nevada!’ we agreed, after esearching cities that would agree to marry a transatlantic couple. Flying with my sister to Vegas, we met up with Dan and his closest riends there. And on 12 April, ssed in a beautiful white wo-piece, I married my ate and best friend. It’s t we’re the first ever k couple to marry! ping into limos and ng back to the hotel casino for an after-party, Dan and I were over the moon. ‘Listen to this song!’ Dan said, as we walked into the bar. Perfect by Ed Sheeran was playing out the speakers. Remembering our first ever duet to Ed Sheeran on TikTok, Dan put his arms around my waist and we started to dance. Friends filmed our spontaneous first dance, before we partied the night away. Dan and I spent the next 11 days touring LA, Chicago and Boston, and then we had to part ways. ‘See you soon, wife,’ Dan smiled with tears in his eyes. It was going to be a long few months, but we would make it work with phone calls and TikTok videos. ‘I can’t wait to live with you! I told him. In July, I moved to England on a temporary visa and lived in Dan’s house in Weston. Continuing to share our

lives online, we filmed ourselves screaming on rides at Alton Towers and watching Lord of the Rings on the sofa. Our crazy whirlwind romance had only started eight months before, and now we were a settled couple. ‘Let’s start a YouTube!’ Dan said, creating us a joint couples account online. For the next few months, we are jetting off around America. I can’t wait to explore the world together and travel between our homes. Before meeting Dan, I never wanted a husband or children, but now I can’t wait to start a family together. I used TikTok to goof around and dance to music, and somehow managed to find the love of my life. It turns out even the silliest things you do can change your life forever.

Follow Dan andSarah onTikTok @danhank@stellarose62 Dan says: ‘I’m so grateful I redownloadedTikTok, otherwise I may neverhave metSarah.At first, I couldn’tbelieve someone thatcool andfunny would wantto follow me back. I joked about marryingSarah, butthe more I was awayfrom her, the more I realised I meantit. I’vefound my wife, and I can’twaitforour adventures together.’

We have fun together

We had only met four times before he asked

It was a whirlwind 25

ow many times a week do you visit the supermarket? Chances are it’s more often than visits to your local shopping centre. The illuminated aisles are often looked for clothes shopping, but supermarket staples next big thing! George at ASDA, Nutmeg at Morrisons, at Sainsbury’s and F&F at Tesco are all affordable ood quality ranges. So, the next time you pop o r – take your trolley down the fashion aisle

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l 25,

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My latest £2,150 jackpot win

WORDS: LIANNE LA BORDE. PHOTO (NOT OF ACTUAL HOLIDAY): GETTY

! p t o j k c a g hu e Yvonne Mead,67, from Weym t o p ck ja 50 ,1 2 £ s u lo u b a rf e h ofherfamily with

awping at all the brightly coloured, flashing lights, I exclaimed in awe. ‘Wow, you made all this?’ I gasped to my son-in-law. He’d constructed the three wooden beds himself, and decorated the room with twinkling LED lights. It was June 2019, and my grandsons – 12, 9 and 7 – thought that their new bedroom was the best in the world. And, while I couldn’t build the furniture myself, I was so

pleased I’d been able to help. See, the previous month I’d had a big bingo win. I won a £2,150 jackpot on my favourite Bingo Lounge game on Pick Me Up! Bingo. So I’d put some of my winnings towards buying the wood, lights and some of the new decor that the boys had picked out. I also put some money towards a games console for my

15-year-old granddaughter. I really loved treating my grandkids! I joined Pick Me Up! Bingo in September 2007. I used to love going out for a few games of bingo at the local bingo hall in Weymouth years ago with my daughter Pauline, 36. But, when I discovered that I could play from home, I was

I was whooping and cheering with excitement!

! in a g a e s u o H ll u F e h t it Ih while relaxing is playing O bingo and I’ve been signed up to

Pick Me Up! Bingo since 2012. In 2017, I won an amazing £1,000 Full House on Cloud Bingo. Chilling out with my husband Peter, 66, last March, I decided to have a game of Tiki Bingo, a fun 90-ball game. Usually, I play in the Sapphire Room and

And since my husband Barry, 66, retired from his work as a reservoir engineer, we’ve loved nothin more than being able to spe time having fun with the grandkids, and then going home for a nice, relaxing night in together. We enjoy each other’s company – him watching TV, while I play a few games of Pick Me Up! Bingo. I’d got to know several of the regulars in the Bingo Lounge chatroom, and we’d talk about life as we watched the numbers roll out and get automatically dabbed off our tickets. I love the community,

Jean Ward, 69, from Durham, spoiled her family with her £1,500 win natter away to my pals in the chatrooms. Tapping away in chat, I kept one eye on my numbers and realised I already had most of them dabbed off. The next ball was called…Then I saw that I’d won the Full House! ‘Pete! I’ve won again!’ I cried. A huge £1,500 this time! It was a great surprise andI loved spoiling my family with my win.

YVONNE’S BIG WINS

Just a few more of my amazing wins

TOTAL

£17,821 1st: £3,632 Session Bingo

We holidayed in Northern Ireland

a lovely sociable and friendly atmosphere. In the chatrooms, if any of us win, we all celebrate! I mainly play because of the fun of the game, so any wins –big or small – are a bonus. In October 2018, I’d won a massive £4,957 Progressive Jackpot and then the £2,192 Super Jackpot – a total of £7,149 on Bingo Lounge! I couldn’t believe it. Especially when, just a month later, I found myself celebrating once again. That time I’d won a jackpot of £3,441! With the winnings, we picked out a new kitchen, a new bathroom and had

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iday . All of those ns were hen I was ying in Bingo unge – because the one which oy playing t of all. May, round at ne’s house, ng a few games go. ught 30 tickets each in Lounge, then d chatting ends e game ut. Suddenly, I realised that I only needed a few more numbers. Then two, one… And then… JACKPOT! ‘I’ve won!’ I screamed excitedly. I was whooping and cheering with excitement. I couldn’ believe it. Double-checking the jackpot amount, I realised I’d won a massive £2,150! ‘Pauline!’ I cried. ‘I’ve had a win – over two thousand!’ She couldn’t believe it either. ‘That’s great, Mum she said, delighted for me. ‘What are you going to spend it on?’ So, of course, I

decided that I’d treat all of the grandkids. Plus I thought that Barry and I deserved a bit of a treat, too, so I booked us a coach trip to Northern Ireland. We’d never been before, and we had a fantastic time – we spent six nights seeing the sights, and staying in different hotels. So, thanks very much Pick Me Up! Bingo! It was nice to treat my whole family with my win. I still enjoy playing for fun. Winning is a lovely bonus – you never know, if you sign up, you could e celebrating, too!

2nd: £1,449 Bingo Lounge

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4th: £2,192 Bingo Lounge

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6th: £2,150 Bingo Lounge

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Pole

When Georgie Baddl t, she from Manchester, fell pregnan… refused to give up her passion

itting in my car, I chowed down on the last biscuit. Better bin this, I told myself, holding the empty packaging. It was 2016, and I’d just given birth to my second child, Anastasia, now three. I’ve never exactly been a slim chicken, but after falling pregnant in 2012 with my first child, Joseph, now six, I couldn’t stop eating. As a lover of anything sweet, I would gorge on biscuits, chocolate and tasty treats. After all, I was eating for two. By the time I was seven months pregnant, I’d gained five stone. And after giving birth, instead of losing the weight, I just continued to eat. ‘I guess I’ll just be a big girl forever,’ I laughed to my husband, Matt, 30. As I munched on any sweet thing I could, I just accepted my fate. And when I fell pregnant with Anastasia, I just continued to fill my stomach. But despite maintaining a happy and confident persona, inside my confidence had completely plummeted. Refusing to let people take photos of me, I hid behind my baggy clothing. I knew I needed to do something about it, but working in McDonald’s made that all the harder. Not only was I secretly binging on biscuits in the car, but I was also eating cheeseburgers and fries all day. Then, when I’d get home, after sorting the kids out, me and Matt would sit down with a frozen or takeaway pizza. My diet was awful, but I’d

become a secret eater and most of the time I didn’t even notice it myself. Only, when Anastasia was four months old in January 2017, I knew I had to change. I was breastfeeding and I was worried that I was fuelling her with bad nutrients. ‘I’ve got to change my diet,’ I confided in Matt. And so, I started Googling diets and that’s when I came across Slimming World. Having two young children meant I couldn’t go to group straight away, instead I slowly started changing my diet myself. ‘No more takeaways,’ I said to Matt one evening. ‘A good idea,’ he replied, agreeing with me. Swapping my morning pastries for porridge and making our own meals – soon I even ditched my secret car eating. Then, three months later in the April, I walked into my first Slimming World meeting. It was a bit daunting at first, but I knew I had to do it. Stepping on the scales, I weighed in at 18st wearing a size 18, too.

WORDS BY HANNAH POON AND HARRIET ROSE-GALE PHOTOS: SWNS

I knew I needed to make a change

I was a secret eater

I promised myself there and then that there would be no going back. Learning how to cook my own tasty ‘fakeaways’ and ditching the greasy burgers for healthy vegetable-based stir-fry’s, I quickly dropped 7lb in my first week! ‘Can you believe it!’ I squealed at Matt when I returned home. ‘You’ve got to I’m so blessed keep it up,’ he smiled, squeezing me tightly. Soon, I was hilarious! I convinced myself. absolutely loving my lifestyle Only, my first session was far and I’d lost 2st 7lb. from it. I was absolutely chuffed! In fact, it was horrendous. Then, two months later in I walked into the class the May, I was scrolling optimistic that I would be able through Facebook when I to elegantly slide down the pole came across a mum and baby and hang from the hoops. pole fitness taster class at Only, I came out from the Cloud Aerial Arts. class covered in bruises from Free taster session for mums falling hard to the ground. and mums-to-be and kids can But during the hour session, come along, too, it read. the instructor took a back I’d done a pole fitness session photo of me in a very basic when I was 16 as part of a hen Delilah pose. party and I absolutely loved it. That can’t be me, surely!? I wI squealed, eyeing up the image. be I know it was only of my back, but I looked super fit! The session may not have gone to plan, but after seeing that photo, I had to go back. And so, every Friday, I’d take the half-an-hour drive to the studio and master a new pose. Some weeks I took the kids with me and they played in the kiddies area while I hung from the pole. Of course, there were some weeks like my first where I couldn’t do anything new. At first it was a bit disheartening, but then, all of a sudden, one week I’d come in

REAL LIFE

MY BODY IS AMAZING

and master ten new poses! For every new pose, a new picture was taken and every time my body looked sexier than ever! Within 12 months I’d lost 5st and had gone down to a size 8! I’d never been a size 8 before! While I still had my baby belly and my stretch marks, sliding around the poles and in the hoops helped my body tone and change shape. It was remarkable and Matt loved my new figure, too! ‘You’re looking fab!’ he’d say, planting me a cheeky kiss. Then, in June 2018, I fell pregnant for a third time. ‘You’re a baby making machine!’ Matt joked, thrilled to become a dad again. We couldn’t wait to have another child, but this time, it was going to be different. I wasn’t going to gorge on food and slump on the sofa. Instead, I was going to fuel my body with healthy food and exercise regularly. By now, I’d quit my job at McDonald’s and was a breastfeeding specialist, so I knew how to look after myself and the baby. And that’s why I

decided to keep up with pole fitness while pregnant. ‘Are you sure you should be doing that?’ Matt fretted. ‘I’ll be careful,’ I smiled. At first, I didn’t really notice a difference, but as my pregnancy went on, I could feel myself lifting the extra weight. But I was always careful. I didn’t take on any new moves and the second I felt anything strange, I put my baby first. That’s why I gave up the hoops at 33 weeks, as one evening, putting my leg through the hoop, I felt a twinge in my stomach. But in terms of pole, I kept sliding through! Thankfully, I had a relatively good pregnancy and only had a little morning sickness, but it didn’t phase me. When my third trimester came around, I think everyone was a bit worrie knew my body c carry on with With the h my instructo carefully continued on the pole unti was 39 week ‘OK, enoug is enough no Georgie,’ Ma told me one Friday. ‘You could go into

nd out with the kids. After my first two, I felt ke I’d been hit by a train or six weeks! I couldn’t believe the fference in my recovery! My energy levels were razy and within just eight weeks, I was ready to get ack up the pole. ‘Absolutely not,’ the nstructor told me sternly, s I had to wait until 10 weeks postpartum. And as soon as I did, I was back up there. I was pleasantly urprised at how much my body could still do. Of course, I had to work my way up and it took time, but I’m getting back there. Seven months on from giving birth, I’m back up to intermediate level. I only put on 3st during my third pregnancy and I’ve already lost half of that, but my main concern is my fitness. For once, I’m proud of my body and the amazing work it has done. Currently at a size 14, I’m hoping to be back down to an eight by February, but I’m not putting any pressure on myself. The one thing I’ve learnt from all of this is patience. My body is amazing, and I have to let it do its own thing. But you can guarantee I’ll be swinging from poles for as long as I can!

labour any minute!’ As much as I hated to admit it, I knew he was right. So, reluctantly, I put my bag down and stayed at home. On 3 May 2018, we welcomed little Silas into the world – and it was my easiest labour yet. We’d already planned it to be at home, but I hadn’t expected it to be so easy. The little fella popped out in just two hours – his older brother took six days! While I knew it was my third labour and my It’s great body was more prepared, bonding I genuinely do believe pole fitness played a big role in it all. My muscles were strong and knew what they were doing. And then, just three days after giving birth, I was back up

I’m more elegant now

We can relate

WORDS BY NIA DALTON AND HOLLY SAWYER PHOTOS: SWNS AND GETTY

ouring a drink and chatting away to my friends, I was feeling festive and jolly. It was Christmas Eve 2015, and my husband Jason, 31, and I were hosting a party at home. I was enjoying the evening until I lifted my right arm up and noticed a lump in my skin, the size of a Malteser. ‘What do you think this is?’ I asked my friends, pointing to the outskirts of my armpit. ‘Might be a cyst,’ they agreed. ‘It doesn’t hurt,’ I shrugged. I decided to book a doctor’s appointment to check it out, and two weeks later I was having a scan. ‘I’d like to take a biopsy to be sure,’ the doctor said. They wouldn’t do a biopsy for a cyst, I thought. My gut feeling was that it was something bad. Whilst I waited for the results, I celebrated my 28th birthday with friends. And just two days after my birthday, I was called back into the doctors with the results. I am strong-willed and stubborn, and didn’t tell Jason about my appointment in case he worried, but I did tell my dad, Steve, 67. ‘I’ll be fine by myself,’ I promised him. Sitting in the doctor’s waiting room, I had the first 32

Joanna Terrell, Plymouth, bonded with her childhood friend over a traumatic diagnosis…

really thought about having children so soon, but I always eading,’ the doctor wanted to have the choice. explained. ‘So, you won’t need Jason and I discussed our appointment of the day. a mastectomy.’ options and decided on Looking at the clock, I was Once my surgery had healed, embryo removal. starting to feel nervous. I was given the chance to have We had two embryos frozen, And then the doors burst a fertility round. and I fell ill shortly after. open and I turned to see my I don’t think many people My ovaries swelled badly dad walking through. consider fertility when they are ‘You’re not doing it alone,’ he diagnosed with cancer, and the and I was taken back into hospital twice. said strongly. process is often rushed. Then in June, I began Thankful, I felt so relieved to Cancer can cause temporary chemotherapy and had four see his face. infertility and chemotherapy rounds – one session every Dad waited on a seat outside reduces the number of eggs three weeks. my room whilst I went in. stored in your ovaries, which At the same time, I started ‘You’ve got breast cancer, can mean fewer or no eggs are injecting Herceptin, a targeted Joanna,’ the doctor explained. released to conceive. cancer drug, every three weeks My gut instinct was right. ‘You’ve got three options,’ for a year. Neither my friends nor the consultant explained. To lift my spirits, my friends family had ever had breast ‘Egg removal, embryo and family ran the Race for cancer, it was scary to hear. removal or have your ovaries Life with me during my first I sat and listened as the in.’ round of chemo. doctor ran through the proces ever ‘We did it!’ I shouted at the with me, then my dad finish line. was called into the I don’t know how I room with me. completed it feeling so ill, but it Suddenly, I was so was a great achievement. grateful that he’d Then after a few rounds of came along. chemo, I told Jason: ‘My Afterwards, I periods have stopped.’ explained everything My skin became sensitive, to Jason and my d eight mum Karen, 62, and cally sister Louise, 34. pped. ‘It’s Grade 2 cancer The size of I always and HER2-positive,’ a Malteser ook a steroid I said. tablet the ‘We’ll get through day before it together,’ Jason chemo, promised me. which made In March 2016, I my face had surgery to uffy and remove the lump. Before I found out outh sore. ‘Your margins are ooking at my clear and there’s no

Courage and bravery

thick dark hair in the mirror, I wondered what would happen to it all. ‘This cold cap will feel like brain freeze,’ the oncologist said, placing it on my head. Gratefully, the cold cap saved about half of my hair from falling out. ‘How much is coming out?’ I asked Jason, as he washed my hair over the bath. ‘Not much,’ he reassured me, secretly disposing clumps of hair in the toilet. ‘Phew,’ I sighed. He was an amazing support. In September 2016, I started radiotherapy. I had 18 rounds – 15 on my breast and the last three targeted on the underarm lump. At the end of my treatment, I found the courage to share my story on social media. I wanted to raise awareness and encourage everyone to check their breasts. Then in November, I received a message on Facebook from a school friend, Mark, 31. We’d known each other for 17 years, and with the same network of friends, I saw him out socialising often. This is what’s happened to me… he said. Mark had come across a lump and went straight to the doctor to check. And like his dad had been diagnosed, he was diagnosed with testicular cancer. I was heartbroken for him, but I also felt relieved to finally have someone to discuss everything with. I was no-longer alone in this

scary cancer world. Mark’s chemotherapy was horrendous and he fell very ill. ‘I know exactly how you feel,’ I’d remind him. We were a great support system for one another. It was hard to revisit those dark memories, but we had a good connection. ‘I would rather die than go through chemo again,’ I admitted to Mark. I could tell him feelings that I thought would hurt my husband, family and friends. ‘The fertility side is often forgotten after a cancer diagnosis,’ Mark agreed. He already had two children, and had chosen to bank sperm before chemo. There are certain things that we talked about that we never discussed before. Especially how the mental strain affects you forever. When you have cancer, you don’t want to come across as negative. I stayed positive but inside it broke me. You constantly The best think about support the next stage or the next round of chemo, and you can’t think

He secretly flushed away my hair

REA

eflecting on my experience, I should have opened up more. During our battle, mine and Mark’s friends surprised us and shaved their heads. They started a social media campaign #mychemohero to raise money for the oncology unit at our local hospital. Wow, I thought. I really have got the best support. A year after my first round of chemotherapy, I ran the Race for Life again. It felt victorious. And in June 2017, I had my last Herceptin injection. Just six months later, I had a mammogram to check for abnormalities in my breasts. ‘My screening came back clear!’ I told family and friends. When Mark’s results came through, he was clear, too. We have both battled a lot, and came out the other side alive. Now, I’ll

treatment o and I’m at high-risk if I come off the medication. I am a completely different person to the girl I was before cancer, and I don’t think I’ll ever be the same again. But I am stronger than I’ve ever been. I am a cancer survivor. And I want to encourage everyone to check themselves – check your boobs, check your armpits and check your balls! It could save your life.

Marksays:Asfriends, I think we’re constantly building and finding more comfortin each other. It’s hard to explain, it’s a connection that’s there.

Proudly battled

BREA

THE SI

m’s finances, pening the sense being trapped. This causes the victim to be dependent upon the abuser. ‘Gaslighting refers to the practice of an abuser making the ctim believe what y know as true, is The effect is that m’s reality is gove distorted, Vanessa adds. have recently ‘The psychological harm of published a Domestic Abuse domestic abuse can be very bill in the UK. damaging. Entrapment can The bill places a new legal make people feel anxious, duty on councils to provide depressed or hopeless. secure homes for And research shows people fleeing k e violence with we n there is a high level y r e v of suicide or their children. E wome attempts of The bill also o lled w t suicide in the i introduces the are k esult domestic abuse first legal r a population,’ government as mestic Vanessa explains. definition of of do lence Alex*, a domestic domestic abuse o i v violence survivor, – which includes opens up about her economic abuse and experiences of emotional controlling and manipulative and physical abuse to help non-physical behaviour. other sufferers. Importantly, non-physical ‘I was married to my domestic abuse is now husband for 30 years, and being recognised in the throughout the entire UK as equally harmful as marriage he was abusive. From physical violence. our first day of marriage, he Vanessa Bettinson, threatened to kill me and kill Professor of Criminal Law himself if I ever left him. I was and Justice at De so terrified to go to the police Montford University that I stayed in the violent Leicester, discusses nonrelationship,’ Alex says. physical domestic abuse. ‘When I finally found the ‘A key feature of strength to leave him, I domestic abuse is the reported him to the police. breakdown of the victim’s ‘I’d advise any victims of bility to have the domestic abuse to keep a diary onfidence to think and of every incident until you feel make decisions for brave enough to escape. And hemselves,’ Vanessa says. when you do, have a safety plan ‘The abuser may have

Taboo attitudes are changing

It’s a real problem

Reports of domestic violence are on the rise in the UK, but why?

WORDS BY NIA DALTON PHOTOS: GETTY AND ALAMY *CHANGED NAME

omestic abuse is one of the largest killers of women worldwide. The number of people killed as a result of domestic violence in the UK is at a five-year high. Data from police forces in England and Wales revealed that 173 people were killed in domestic violence-related homicides in 2018 – an rise of 32 deaths from 2017. Whilst authorities attempt to tackle this alarming number, it appears there is a silver lining… Reported domestic abuserelated crimes rose by 23% in the UK from 2017 to 2018. Whilst this might immediately seem worrying, many experts believe the rise reflects an improvement in support and safety offered to domestic abuse victims. Helen Thewlis, Head of Family Law at Ramsdens Solicitors, explains; ‘Statistics reflect that reported domestic violence is on the rise. However, this may be due to the increase in awareness of options available to victims of abuse.’ ‘There is now greater help and support from the police and domestic

violence support services, encouraging victims to reach out,’ Helen says. Sarah Dagley, CEO of Broxetowe Women’s project, agrees; ‘I don’t feel that there has been a rise in domestic abuse, I think there has been a rise in reporting. Domestic abuse has always been a problem, but I think there is better awareness now and women are seeking help rather than putting up with it,’ Sarah says. ‘Domestic abuse is still a taboo subject, but it has improved over the last few years and more women are coming forward’ In line with improvements in health and support care, the

New bills are a positive step

AKING

discusses unreported cases; carefully,’ Alex recommends. ‘As a survivor, I can now look ‘There are so many unreported cases because people are often back and spot the red flags of not willing to come forward domestic abuse in our and report the abuse. relationship,’ Alex explains. ‘One reason is likely to be Red flags of abuse can fear. Others may be include love-bombing, embarrassment, shame, lack of hoovering, controlling self-esteem, financial behaviour and isolation. problems or cultural/religious Love-bombing is the reasons,’ Victoria says. practice of showering a ‘Commonly, the person with excessive abused feels love for affection in order to the abuser and it Two manipulate them. sometimes Hoovering is million adults can seem impossible an abuse tactic e x p for them to e rience that ‘sucks’ a leave the domestic person back into situation,’ an abusive a b u s e Victoria adds. e ach relationship after However, year a period of time, in improvements in an attempt to regain vital support and control of the victim. resources are encouraging Domestic abusers are often victims to come forward and controlling in their actions and report their domestic abuse. try to isolate you from family Broxetowe Women’s and friends. Project, Women’s Aid, Mind Whilst Alex felt strong and Refuge are all brilliant enough to leave her abuser, charities that help domestic many women don’t. violence victims. Women’s Aid estimates that Support is now available for only a quarter of domestic victims without directly abuse victims report their involving the police. attacks to authorities. Covert apps such as Bright Victoria Myers, Head of Sky allow victims to record Abuse Claims at Graham instances of abuse, and ve technology, such as Spot the red flags re, work to protect those of domestic violence. omestic violence is still a gely invisible crime, but ctim support is becoming more accessible and taboo attitudes are changing.

 If you or someone you know has been affected by domestic violence, contact the reephone 24-hour tional Domestic ence Helpline on 2000247.

THE BROKEN BRIDE

arzana Rahman, domestic violence survivor turned activist, is the face behind The Broken Bride campaign and shares her journey... It only took 24 hours of being married to him, for me to witness his violent streak and realise that my marriage was never just between me and my husband. I was in a marriage with his entire family. The first time he hit me, the force was hard enough for me to fall to the floor. I could feel a burning sensation on my cheek as he constantly apologised. But I had no words. He hit me. That night when we made love, he called it ‘making up’, but I felt sick inside because I forgave a man for something I frowned upon, in the name of ‘love’. However, this affection did not last. Just as I had convinced myself that he had only made a mistake, he hit me again. He had no remorse and no feeling. He brushed it off like it was some sort of play fight, but I was in tears. The vicious cycle began, and he hit me, but this time in public. Once he beat me so viciously in a car park, that I opened my eyes to find flesh on my hands. For the first time, I saw fear in his eyes. He begged for forgiveness and convinced me on how much he ‘loved’ me. Then he took me to see a doctor, under the condition that I was involved in a car accident, which I agreed to. I felt sorry for him because he was scared, and I felt like it was my fault; that I made him do this. The violence escalated when his controlling mother started abusing me, too. As if the circumstances weren’t enough, the emotional abuse was always on standby. As a result, I lost two and a half stone, and then lost my job. I never left him because I loved him, and I believed that he could change. Every night, I would sit on my prayer mat and ask

for some relief from the pain. I found myself praying for death, and often attempted suicide. Then one day, my husband and mother-inlaw tried to frame my father for my abuse, and I was forced to confess the truth to the police. It felt so freeing, and as I was released to my family, I felt safe again. Now, my husband continues to roam freely around the world, and all that’s between us in an injunction order. The mistake I, and a lot of other domestic abuse sufferers made, is not going to the police straight after the first hit. Over the past four years, I have been adamant in fighting for others like me. I’m encouraging both men and women, specifically those from the UK’s South Asian community, to stand up for their basic human rights and speak up against the injustice. I now work on numerous campaigns and speak at events to address the issue of domestic violence. I continue to strive to become the voice for the voiceless.

Domestic abuse isn’t love

Your telly ts a e tr V T e s e th s is m to t n a w ’t n o You definitely w

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The L Word: Generation Q, Sky Atlantic The original ground-breaking L Word that was on our screens over ten years ago revolutionised a generation by introducing them to TV’s first cast of lesbian characters. And now it’s back with a highly anticipated sequel. We find Bette running for mayor of LA; Shane has returned to the city after a setback; and Alice learning to balance co-parenting with her fiancée Nat and Nat’s ex-wife Gigi and the rising success of her talk show. We meet PR exec Dani Núñez, her girlfriend and TV producer Sophie Suarez, their best friend and roommate Micah Lee, and a charming former Olympic swimmer-turned-assistant. It’s still got it!

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PHOTOS: BBC, SKY ATLANTIC, YESTERDAY AND E4

Back for a third series, be prepared for more comical mysteries and dodgy dealings with private investigators Frank Hathaway (Mark Benton) and Lu Shakespeare (Jo Joyner). With the help of Frank’s assistant Sebastian Brudenell (Patrick Walshe McBride), together they solve crimes from their base in Stratford-Upon-Avon. The first outing sees Frank and Lu hired to help close down an old bingo hall. Frank is surprised to find an old nemesis at work. But what is he really up to? This series there are guest appearances from Vic Reeves, Ted Robbins and Josette Simon, and new regular character Viola (Yasmin Kaur Barn).

Plastic Surgery Undressed, BBC One A recent BBC poll of 18-30 years-olds revealed that more than half are considering future cosmetic procedures or surgery. Of those who have already taken the plunge, 29% are unhappy with the results. Plastic Surgery Undressed reveals the reality between the before and after photos. Presented by Vogue Williams and Mobeen Azhar, people who are considering going under the knife themselves are invited to see for first hand the reality and the results of surgery and help them become fully informed of the risks and the rewards. Who will still go through with it?

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Secrets Of The Museum, BBC Two In this incredible behind the scenes series, Secrets Of The Museum invites viewers into the hidden world of the Victoria and Albert Museum in London – the world-famous home of art, design and performance. The V&A’s specialist teams reveal the tricks of their trade: the painstaking craftsmanship and expertise involved in conserving, cleaning, loaning, acquiring and displaying some of the museum’s two million and more amazing objects. It’s all part of keeping the historical stories alive for future generations. Episode one explores what it took to create the spectacular Christian Dior exhibition.

Bangers and Cash, Yesterday Bangers and Cash follows the family run Mathewsons auction house that scours garages, barns and sheds of the nation for forgotten motors to take to auction. Behind every car is a human story of how and why it has been overlooked for so long and why it’s going under the hammer. Set in the picturesque Thornton-LeDale in North Yorkshire, this is a family business from a bygone era, but with their professional expertise, the family sniff out all kinds of classic cars, attracting buyers and enthusiasts from all over the world.

Pro tips Award winning make artist Stacey Whitt k is here to answer y beautyquestions:

I’m really bad at applying my eyeshadow. How do I blend it out properly so it’s not patchy? ennifer, Essex

Try to imagine painting on a canvas when you are applying your eyeshadow. Hold your brush really lightly and only pick up a small amount of product if you think your eyeshadow tends to go on patchy. Use a large fluffy brush and use ‘window wiper’ motions to sweep the product across your eyelid and into the crease of your eye. This will reduce any harsh lines. My golden rule – be patient. Start with a small amount of product and build up as this will make it easier to remove any imperfect patches.

Do face primers actually work? I’ve spent money on them before but I’ve never actually noticed a difference? Amy, Derby

Primers definitely work! Depending on your skin type you may not need to use one, however they do add longevity to your makeup and provide a nice clean base for your foundation. There are so many different primers to choose from, so my top tip would be to decide what you want from your primer before shopping for one. For example if your skin is oily you would want a primer to combat this and create a matte base.

se o o Ch sely wi

For a big night out, should I put a face mask on just before doing makeup or the ight before? Emma, Poole

Celebrity Come Dine With Me, E4 Can you believe there have been 41 series of Come Dine With Me? It’s become a staple on our screens and the celebrity spin off is just as addictive. In this brand-new series, 15 famous faces try and win cash for charity by cooking each other their best meals. The first group of celebs include Love Island 2018 winner Jack Fincham, Tracy Beaker star Dani Harmer, 5ive’s Abz Love, Donna & Verona from E4’s Pants on Fire, who will be competing as a pair, and Made In ChelseaÕs Mark Francis Vandelli.

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While we try to ensure all recipes work, we cannot take responsibility for their success. IMAGES: GETTY AND CATHERINE BENSON

hetherthey’re roasted,sautéed, mashed,fried orboiled– potatoes sonal varieties available sionate about potatoes!

For more recipes, visit seasonalspuds.com

Serves: 4

Veggiesweetpotato andchickpeaburger  2 large sweet potatoes  1 400g tin of chickpeas  20 cashew nuts, crushed  1 tsp smoked paprika  2 spring onions, finely chopped  1/2 red chilli, seeds removed and finely sliced  40g fresh coriander, leaves talks finely opped 1 clove of garlic, rushed  80g breadcrumbs

 50g vegetarian Parmesan or Italian hard cheese, finely grated  1 egg, beaten  4 brioche buns  Salt & pepper to season  Vegetable oil to fry  Your favourite toppings! Such a Cheddar cheese, tomato slices, gherkins,and ketchup

1 2 3 4 5

Pre-heat the oven to 180°C. Peel and grate the sweet potato onto an oven tray and place in the pre-heated oven for 25 minutes. Drain and rinse the chickpeas. Place in a food processor and blitz until almost smooth. Place the chickpeas in a large bowl and add the cashew nuts, spices, coriander, spring onion, chilli and garlic and season well. Once the sweet potatoes have cooled, add these to the other ingredients and use your hands to combine. Divide the mixture into 4 and form into burgers. Gently dip each burger into the beaten egg. Combine together the breadcrumbs and Parmesan and roll the burgers until coated. Place the burgers on a lined baking tray and refrigerate for 30 minutes to set. Pre-heat the oven again to 180°C. Drizzle the vegetable oil into a frying pan and gently fry the burgers on each side until golden. Place on a baking tray and cook in the oven for 20 minutes. Assemble the burgers in the buns with your favourite toppings and enjoy!

6 7

Baked potato bombs  8 medium-large potatoes  16 slices of streaky bacon  2 tbsp olive oil  Small pot of crème fraîche or mayonnaise

 Small bunch of chives FILLING OPTIONS - try corned beef, Cheddar cheese, blue cheese, or ham

1 2 3 4

Using an apple corer, force a hole all the way through each potato lengthways. Keep the cored section of potato and cut a 1cm piece from each end to use as a plug. Fill the hole of each potato with your filling of choice then plug up the ends. Wrap each potato in 2 slices of streaky bacon, rub over olive oil and wrap tightly in foil. Either cook on a BBQ or in the oven at 180°C for 1 hour to 1 hour 20 minutes until soft. Once cooked, unwrap from the foil, cut in half and serve with a dollop of crème fraîche and chopped chives.

cooked c

 1kg Maris Piper potatoes, peeled and cut into chunky chips (approx. 2cm diameter) 

the cut chips into a bowl un 1Put for 5 minutes to remove excess s Tip them into a pan and cover wit 2 add a good pinch of sea salt. Bring simmer for around 15-20 minutes, until Carefully remove the boiled chips an 3 on a cooling rack to dry out. Then plac the freezer for at least 1 hour to remove mo Heat a deep-fat fryer or a deep pan no mo 4 half filled with oil (to a depth of around 10 130°C. Fry the chips in small batches until a li forms (approximately 5 minutes), then remove f oil and drain on kitchen paper. Put the chips on a cooling rack and place in the freezer for at least an hour. (If you don’t want to cook immediately, they can be kept in the freezer for up to three days after this step.) Heat the oil in the deep-fat fryer or deep pan to 180°C and fry the chips until golden brown (approximately 7 minutes). Drain and serve immediately sprinkled with salt.

Easy sweet potato  350g sweet potato  300g peanut butter  1 tsp vanilla essence  150g rice flour  125g coconut sugar  1 tsp baking powder  Pinch of salt

 150g cocoa powd  40g cocoa nibs  40g dried cherries  250ml almond or coconut milk  Icing sugar to dus

Makes 15 squares

Pre-heat oven to 190°C. thoroughly. The mixture 1 Line a 13”x 8” brownie will be quite thick. tin with parchment paper. Gradually add the milk Peel, cube and boil the 6to the mixture, stirring 2 sweet potatoes until together until the mixture cooked through. is fully combined. Warm the peanut butter Smooth the mix 3 through in a small pan 7 into the lined tin until loosened. and place in the and n a g e In a large bowl, mash pre-heated oven for A v n-free 4 the sweet potato until 25 minutes. glute ative smooth then add the Remove from alternitional peanut butter and 8 the oven and combine well. cut into 15 squares. o trad nies! t Add all the other dried Leave to cool then 5ingredients and mix dust with icing suga brow

Two teenagers faced a difficult decision, but one chose to end it…

I WORDS BY GAIL SHORTLAND IMAGES: FACEBOOK, ST. JOSEPH COUNTY PROSECUTOR’S OFFICE AND ALAMY

t was the type of romance found in high schools throughout America. Aaron Trejo, 16, was a football player, and Breana Rouhselang, 17, was a keen cheerleader. They’d known each other since elementary school, and at Mishawaka High School in Indiana, attraction had blossomed during training and matches. One thing the young pair had in common was sport. Aaron was skilled on the pitch, and as well as being a cheerleader, Breana was in charge of the football team, and also excelled at softball and basketball. She had plans to study athletic training in college after graduation. Unlike typical teenagers, Aaron and Breana hadn’t gushed about each other on social media, and many friends and family didn’t even know they were having a relationship, despite the fact they were having sex. It seemed like a casual affair, but it was about to get more serious. In December 2018, Breana was distracted. Usually studious, her teachers were noticing that her grades were slipping. Breana had something on her mind – she’d discovered she was pregnant. Torn about what to do, the teen allowed the weeks to go by before she told Aaron

about the baby. By the time Breana told him, she was six months pregnant, past the 22-week Indiana state cut-off date to have an abortion. It would suggest that even though she didn’t have the answer, she wanted the baby to have the chance of a life. But Aaron was left reeling. Breana had a He was annoyed bright future that Breana had left it so late. Neither of them were ready to have a baby – they weren’t even going steady. Now they were facing the most grown up dilemma of their lives. They talked on an off about what to do. Adoption was on the table, but Aaron wasn’t sure how his family would react to that. Aaron spent a week coming up with a solution arranged to meet Breana to put It was a cold night as she the plan into action. headed out at around 11pm. On Saturday 8 December, Melissa went to sleep, but Breana told her mum, Melissa woke up a few hours later and Wallace, that she was going to realised that her pregnant meet Aaron in an alleyway daughter hadn’t returned. behind their home. She hurried to Aaron’s house They lived a few roads o find out if she was there, and e said she ever showed up where they had planned to meet up. Aaron said hat he’d lost his phone, so couldn’t even get messages rom Breana to explain where she’d gone. Melissa called Breana’s other friends and searched the area before calling the police. In the alleyway where Breana and Aaron had arranged to meet, officers

When his girlfrie life-changing new nd revealed s matters into his o, Aaron took wn hands 4

blood on – both Breana’s. Had she been attacked while waiting for Aaron? After more searching came a devastating discovery. In the early hours of 9 December, the body of a young woman was found in a dumpster behind the Pasquale Rulli Pizza restaurant a block away from Breana’s home. A black plastic rubbish bag covered the victim’s head and upper torso – but when it was removed, investigators knew it was Breana. She had died from multiple stab wounds and her scarf had been tied tightly around her neck, revealing she had been strangled before her death. Breana’s baby had died, too. Aaron was identified as a potential suspect and he was brought in for questioning. He stuck to the same story he’d given Melissa – and the police when they’d been searching for Breana. But before long, his story changed, and he admitted to killing his pregnant girlfriend. Aaron admitted that he’d been angry with Breana for waiting too late to tell him

AARON TRE JO

A high school romance ended in bloodshed

He stole two young lives

She’d gone to meet him in an alley about the baby, meaning that an abortion wasn’t an option. Aaron thought about killing her for a week, before arranging to meet her. He took a knife from his family home, and a black plastic rubbish bag. After stabbing Breana, and her baby, he recalled her body dropping to the ground. Aaron put her body in a dumpster and threw the knife and Breana’s phone as far as possible into a river. ‘I took action…’ Aaron said. ‘I took her life.’ Aaron was charged as an adult for the murder of Breana and her unborn baby, and he

aded not guilty. He was heading for a trial. Meanwhile, memorials quickly grew for Breana. Friends recalled her as a sweet, genuine girl who wanted to help others. Breana’s family called er unborn baby Aurora. One victim had died too n, and another hadn’t been n the chance to start life. October 2019, Aaron, 18, had a surprise change p ea. He pleaded guilty to murder and feticide – the unlawful killing of an unborn baby. He also agreed to waive his rights to appeal a conviction and sentence. In January this year, at the sentencing, Aaron’s lawyers referred to his age and lack of maturity when he committed the act at just 16. Experts testified to say that the then 16-year-old high school student felt ‘trapped’ by the situation which caused anger and hostility. But the

xtreme iolence and he planning hat went into he killing was ard to ignore. Prosecution aid that most people in the court had been 16 at some point, and under pressure, and they hadn’t thought about killing someone. ‘The goal of the defendant in this case was to kill the child, and Breana was in the way of that, so he killed her in order to accomplish that,’ they said. Aaron took the opportunity to make a statement. ‘There is no excuse for what I’ve done,’ he said. ‘Saying I’m sorry wouldn’t be enough, but it’s all I can give.’ He appeared to be trying to hold back tears, but none fell, which prompted Breana’s family to accuse him of having no remorse. Melissa talked about the utter devastation of losing her daughter and the granddaughter that she never got to meet. She spoke about the sense of failure she felt over being unable to protect them. ‘Life goes on, but for me it’s put on hold until I see her in heaven,’ she said tearfully, adding that the day her

He put his girlfriend’s body in a dumpster

aug ter’s i e en e , ers did, too. Classmates talked about he disbelief of having been to chool with Aaron without ver imagining that he had he capacity to kill. Breana’s dad, David, urged or a harsh sentence, saying hat Aaron had no ‘regret for what he’s done’ while wearing picture of his daughter round his neck. Aaron was sentenced to 65 ears in prison. Two lives had been lost in the attack and that was acknowledged. It was 55 years for Breana and another ten for their unborn baby, Aurora. Loved ones in court were dressed in T-shirts that read Justice for Bre, and a picture of Breana on the back. They hugged at the news of the long sentence. The judge said; ‘You took her life in one of the most savage and violent manners I have seen in my career.’ She noted that many teenagers feel the same way about an unplanned pregnancy, but they do not commit violent crimes like Aaron had done. ‘You had so many other options,’ she told him. Aaron will be in his 80’s when he’s released – another life wasted. Outside of court, Melissa was relieved, but it was never going to be a win for the grieving mother. ‘I’m glad we got justice for Bre, but no amount of time will ever replace what he took from me,’ she said. ‘It’s like living a nightmare every day.’ Breana had been ready to face her responsibilities, but Aaron wanted all his problems to go away. When he walked to that meeting point with a knife that night, he was making a devastating decision for all three of their lives. 43

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Swapz

good way to get items for free is to swap stuff. Swapz allows you to swap pretty much anything, whether it’s clothing, comic books, toys, gadgets or DVDs. Simply swap items for points, then use these to ‘buy’ other items on the site. www.swapz.co.uk

Thisweek’spuzzle answers Crackit!pg38 Dewily R E C A P A A E P A N O R A I D T D U O U S U R S C R U B B O S I N Q U E S V R O Z I P P E R C C S T R A F E I B R L O L L E N E N R

S H E L L U X A M I C Z M E L E A G E R D E C Y E H I D E A T S C OMM O E A D G E I T E C T I F I N O L G U

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B A MO R S E F W B P L I E D P E S S U R S T R U L O R C R O S S P U A L I T F R U I T L S D I O U S H E E S S I N G U T T

N P F I R E A R N E A E R K I N T A Y B U T O H R P O S E E F T S A L A R R I A G G A R C U S T T E R E S D X

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Pick Me Up! will still be bringing you great puzzles to pit your wits against, but will no longer be offering prizes. All puzzle entries up to and including issue 26 will be processed as normal. Don’t forget, you can do puzzles for big cash prizes every week in our sister magazine, Chat.

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FOOD K N I R D

Tilda Tasty Wholegrains range, £1.59 (250g), major retailers nationwide.

Aldi vegan range, from 99p.

A great way to add some more fibre into your diet, Tilda have launched a range of microwaveable wholegrains to make getting your fibre fix easier than ever.

OUR

From vegan sausage rolls, to tasty pizzas topped with jackfruit, the new vegan offering at Aldi is not to be missed.

Flahavan’s Oat from £1.20 Waitrose. With no added nasties, Flahavan’s oats make for the perfect porridge. Low in salt and saturated fat, they’ll slowly release energy all day long.

Plant Pioneers vegan range, from £1.20, Sainsbury’s. ant broth, £2, M&S. Making home-cooking easier than ever, itsu have launched a brandnew range of broths to create delicious ramen in minutes.

GO!

Created to change the snacking game, Boundless have been inspired by ancient Aztec and Aborigine traditions to soak and then bake nuts and seeds, in order to activate their goodness

With Jackfruit said to be the next big thing in the food world this year, Sainsbury’s new vegan range includes plenty of the meat-free alternative.

EOCACHING!

eocaching is an exciting outdoor adventure for the whole family, and all you need is a handheld GPS and a sense of fun. Seek out hidden treasures using coordinates from the geocaching.com website, and share your own treasures for others to find, too! Sykescottages.co.uk share their top spots for geocaching this month… The Peak District, Derbyshire The Peak District has proved it’s the number one spot for a wealth of outdoor pursuits, and it seems the national park can add geocaching to that list, too. There are hundreds f caches here, and the ugged terrain poses a hallenge for those trying o track them down Whether atop eaks or hidde n heathland, he cache uality here is excellent, with ots of genuine reasures to be found.

Boundless Activated Snacking Nuts and Seeds, from £1, Sainsbury’s, Morrisons, Amazon and Holland & Barrett.

Margam Country Park, South Wale There is a small offering of geocaches in Margam Country Park, and to find them all, you’ll need your walking boots! The caches are well spaced out, but if you’ve had a good breakfast and are feeling fit, it’s well worth spending the day tracking each of them down. Margam is a wonderful place to explore, with deer and other wildlife a the things you should keep an eye ou

Dunwich forest, Suffolk It’s thought there are ten active geocaches hidden among the pine trees of Forest, and though ult to find, the beauty odland makes this a ce for beginners to wn a cache or two. a bright day, the ion of sunlight gh the trees is ng, so be sure to e the camera.

7 days of hope & happiness with Claire Petulengro

ch re n ok

ARIES

TAURUS

GEMINI

CANCER

You are worrying about things that haven’t even happened yet, and in the process, all you are doing is getting yourself worked up into quite a state. Try to think outside the box and make a plan that can suit you. The fact that you haven’t so far has proved that you’ve been on someone else’s path and not your own. It’s time for that to change, starting right now.

You’ve come so far from where you started, and yet you still seem to be giving yourself a hard time. Changes you make in the home this week signify that you’re more than ready to move forward, and so you should. You may lose the support of a close one with what you decide right now, but I know that it is for the best, and so do you, deep down inside. Let life begin again, Taurus.

We have all done things we regret, but it’s how we learn not to do them again. You don’t always learn though, Gemini, as you just like to make sure, don’t you? Don’t go back in to what caused not only yourself pain, but pain for many others, too. I thought you were older and wiser now, aren’t you? Virgos give the best business advice. Make sure you seek them out.

Pride is a funny old thing. One minute it can see you doing the best thing and the next it can see you feeling and acting like a total idiot. Luckily for you, the stars offer you damage limitation this week. Just remember not to keep bringing it up to those who don’t really care and who don’t know enough. Live for today, not yesterday. There’s so much more to be gained, Cancer.

Call: 09058 170 710*

Call: 09058 170 711*

Call: 09058 170 712*

Call: 09058 170 713*

LEO

VIRGO

LIBRA

SCORPIO

The way you feel about a certain someone has changed recently, and while you try to work out what it really means, the rest of the zodiac are all vying for your attention this week. Break free, get out there, and do something you truly enjoy. It will be the key to you finally feeling like you again, Leo. A break in your usual circle reveals that all is not as it first appeared to be.

Try not to play emotional games this week, as you, my friend, are feeling more sensitive than the rest of the zodiac all put together. It seems that you are experiencing jealousy over a problem which should not even involve you. Could it be that you are using this to avoid dealing with the home issue still pending from last weekend? Take the lead. If you don’t, who else will?

Difficulties and struggles are what show a person who they really are, especially you, Libra. The wonderful thing about a sign such as you is that even through difficult and trying times, you always manage to keep your wonderful sense of humour. You also bond more with younger faces this week, getting their story from their side on the big drama which has recently affected so many of your close ones.

There is a celebratory air to your chart which could see you asking close ones for commitments you usually shy away from. Although one family member does seem to be especially stoic at the moment, you have many others who are willing to bat your side this week. Find out who they are on Tuesday to make sure you are fully prepared for this adventurous February ahead.

Call: 09058 170 714*

Call: 09058 170 715*

Call: 09058 170 716*

Call: 09058 170 717*

SAGITTARIUS

CAPRICORN

AQUARIUS

PISCES

It’s no use agreeing to something if you and I both know that you won’t actually go ahead with it. Stop talking for the sake of it and claim what you really want and say what you really mean. Money can be made via the home, and more than once if you arrange your private life to flatter your professional for a change. Be careful of being caught out in lies with Friday’s phone calls.

We don’t even know how strong we are until we are forced to bring that hidden strength forward. What you see this week is that you have been wasting time with those who are not even as ambitious as you. What you do about this is sure to be visible to all around you by next weekend. Just remember, Capricorn, you are a sign of spirit, but also a sign of dignity. Decide boundaries first.

You miss the time that you spent with someone who at some point felt like they were your whole world. Don’t forget that you are a sign who doesn’t forgive as easily as others may think you do, and it will take a bit more time before you are ready to revisit this relationship. In the meantime, honour the old friends whose offers are likely to be made for the last time, if you refuse again.

To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to turn you into something else is one of the greatest accomplishments you can achieve in your life. You finally start to understand what needs to be done in order to finally feel like you again. Try to cut back on the flashy this week and instead enjoy the day and the moment you are in. If you do, it really will be the making of you.

Call: 09058 170 718*

Call: 09058 170 719*

Call: 09058 170 720*

Call: 09058 170 721*

21 March–20 April

24 July–23 Aug

23 Nov–21 Dec

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www.theastrologyroom.com

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.

Burnin

REAL LIFE

,4 rav s one important Instagram post out of his head…

WORDS BY NIA DALTON PHOTOS: SWNS

itting on my break at work, I sighed. It was January 2018, and I’d had a long day working as a firefighter in Indiana. Scrolling through Instagram on my phone, I stopped at a photo of a black Labrador. Her brown eyes stared at me. I felt overcome with emotion seeing her burnt face poking out of a pet cone. I thought of my dog, Odie, sat at home. Hi! I’m Lexi, the caption read. I survived a house fire a few days ago, and was rescued by some really awesome people at Ruff Start Rescue. Her burns were so bad that her family wanted to put her down, but she’d been rescued by a vet. I’m working toward finding my furever family, it said. I’ve been a firefighter for 18 years, and I’m used to pulling dead dogs out of fires. I’ve rescued a few, but it really does take its toll on you. As I carried on with my shift, I couldn’t get the image of Lexi out of my head. Arriving home, Odie welcomed me at the door

I couldn’t let this one go

wagging his tail and panting. I wondered what it would be like if we had two. ‘Look at this!’ I We fell in said, showing my love instantly wife Deanna and daughter Skye the Instagram @lexi.gets.better. ‘She’s so cute!’ Skye said. ‘What happened to her?’ I messaged the account to find out more. ‘Lexi was kept in a garage in a plastic crate,’ I said. ‘The fire melted the plastic and she managed to escape.’ She was the only animal that survived the blaze. ‘Dad we’ve got to help!’ Skye pleaded. take her home. ‘We’re adopting Lexi,’ I said. ‘Now I can foster another We planned the nine-hour dog,’ Sarah smiled. journey from Indiana to She was such a good person. Minnesota, and hired a That night, Sarah posted on motorhome to travel. Lexi’s Instagram account to let In April, we arrived at Lexi’s everyone know that Lexi had home to meet her foster been adopted. parents Sarah and Tim. Thank you for opening your Lexi had horrible burns on hearts and homes to this great her feet, sides, nipples and face. gal, she wrote. But her tail wagged in ‘Will her new family keep us excitement, and her eyes stared posted?’ lots of people were straight up at me. responding on the comments. Instantly, I fell in love. I had fallen in love with Lexi, ‘Hi Lexi!’ Skye said, and it seemed like a lot of other uddling her. people had, too. I was amazed by Sarah The following day, I took to and Tim’s dedication to Lexi’s Instagram and posted a keep Lexi alive. pic with ‘#Newhome’. Most of the hair on her And the response body was singed in the was brilliant. fire, some of her burns ‘I’m so glad we get were down to the muscle, to keep updated!’ and she had a painful they said. ulcer over one eye. It looked like I’d be They described the keeping this up. strong smell of burning Lexi became so close with hair whenever they Skye straight away. washed her. She interrupts her studies for It was definitely going belly rubs and chases after her to be a long road ahead. when Skye’s swimming in our But even with all that garden pond. trauma, Lexi was We kept up the vet friendly and loveable. appointments, and two years It was time for us to

on, Lexi is doing great. She’s part of the family. I think it’s so important to rescue dogs and give them the love they really need. Now that Lexi is feeling better, she will be helping other victims of fires on their journeys back to health. I’m training Lexi to work at a burn camp near us in Indiana. Kids who have suffered with the mental and physical trauma of severe burn injuries visit the camp. They arrive really scared, and don’t know what to expect. I think if Lexi is there to welcome them, they will open up and relate to her burns. For the while, Lexi is much too hyper to work with children. She’s only two, and she loves to run, play and jump. I’m hopeful that soon she will have learnt to relax and calm down around children and can help out. Saving one dog won’t change the world, but saving Lexi changed her world forever. And now, she will help change someone else’s.

She was the only survivor

Attached at the hip 50

Holidays and Tours ﬂying from an airport near you 8 days from

6 days from

£949

£805

The Beautiful Fjords of Western Norway

Food & Wines of Northern Italy – a Gourmet Tour

Few places can match the spectacle of this breathtaking region where sheer mountainsides plunge into the deep, dark waters of the Norwegian fjords, and where soaring peaks tower over unspoilt forests, lakes and pristine glaciers.

This very special Small-Group Tour to beautiful Lake Garda is guaranteed to set the taste buds alight.

Tour Highlights & Inclusions • Enjoy a stay in a wonderful fjord-side hotel • Be treated as honoured guests by the welcoming villagers • Journey by express boat from your hotel through breathtaking scenery to ‘Fjordland Capital’ Bergen • A fascinating ‘Fjord-Life’ tour

• Explore further the pristine interior on unforgettable optional excursions • Fully escorted by a friendly, experienced tour manager • Seven nights’ four-star halfboard hotel accommodation, return flights and transfers

Flying from an airport near you, departs Apr – Oct 2020

Tour Highlights & Inclusions • Enjoy five nights in Riva del Garda • Don an apron, learn culinary secrets and cook alongside a professional chef, enjoying a gourmet dinner with paired wines in the surroundings of an Italian fortress • Visit the Liviero Estate Valpolicella vineyard and olive oil producer to enjoy tastings and lunch • Spend a day in beautiful Riva

Flying from an airport near you, departs Apr – Sep 2020

8 days from

£725

£1,239

Hidden Secrets of Northern Cyprus Discover an island dotted with the relics of the ancient civilisations, and uniquely shaped by the changing tides of history.

Tour Highlights & Inclusions • Enjoy seven nights in Kyrenia • Explore Kyrenia’s harbour and monumental castle • Discover St Hilarion’s ‘fairy-tale’ fortress and Idyllic Bellapais • Visit fascinating, divided Nicosia and walled Famagusta • ‘Ghost city’ Varosha is a poignant reminder of the recent past • Explore Salamis Roman ruins

• The Karpaz peninsula is unspoiled Northern Cyprus at its best • Discover Güzelyurt and ancient Soli on an optional excursion • Fully escorted by a friendly, experienced tour manager • Seven nights’ three-star halfboard hotel accommodation (upgrade hotel available), return flights and transfers

Flying from an airport near you, departs Feb 2020 – Mar 2021

• Visit Borghetto sul Mincio and learn the art of Tortellini • Two lunches and a gourmet dinner • Cooking demonstrations • Fully escorted by a friendly, experienced tour manager • Five nights’ three-star bed and breakfast hotel accommodation, return flights and transfers

Sardinia & Corsica Spend three nights on the edges of the stylish Costa Smeralda and four around the bay from the Corsican capital Ajaccio. Discover twin island paradises where the cultures and cuisines of Italy, France and Spain mix; and where rugged mountains tumble down to pristine beaches and bright blue seas.

Tour Highlights & Inclusions • Tour the glitzy ‘playground paradise’ of the sparkling Costa Smeralda • Discover ancient Alghero and its offshore ‘sleeping giant’ Capo Caccia • Discover Corsica’s exquisite hilltop Bonifacio • A guided tour brings Ajaccio to life

• See the amazing rock formations of the Calanques de Piana • Visit idyllic sea-side Porto • Fully escorted by a friendly, experienced tour manager • Seven nights’ half-board touring hotel accommodation, return flights and transfers

Flying from an airport near you, departs May – Oct 2020

Visit pmu.newmarketholidays.co.uk or call 0330 160 7988 quoting code PMU Price per person is based on two people sharing a twin room. Single supplement applies. These holidays are operated by Newmarket Holidays Ltd ABTA V7812, ATOL PROTECTED 2325 a company wholly independent of Pick Me Up published by TI Media Limited. Standard phone charges apply. Prices correct at time of print 19/12/2019.