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sortedmag.com JUL/AUG 2021 £6.00

POETRY IN MOTION

Frank Skinner

Blake Auden Harry Connick Jr.

Looking upwards A YEAR TO SAVOUR

Marcus Rashford Tokyo Olympics

Music is my gospel

Bear Grylls

Better late than never

No disguising it

Anthony Hopkins Back to his best In partnership with

MADE IN THE UK

THE LIONS vs.THE BOKS

The good, the bad and the rugby

CONTENTS JUL/AUG 2021

Features

Founding Editor Steve Legg steve@sortedmag.com Deputy Editor Tony Yorke tony@sortedmag.com

Print Halcyon halcyonline.co.uk Distribution MFD: Global Media Hub Newsstand: Warners

STARTERS

Sorted is published by Son Christian Media (SCM) Ltd. The acceptance of advertising does not indicate editorial endorsement. SCM holds names and addresses on computer for the purpose of mailing in accordance with the terms registered under the Data Protection Act 1984. Sorted is protected by copyright and nothing may be produced wholly or in part without prior permission.

Contact Sorted Magazine

PO Box 3070, Littlehampton, West Sussex, BN17 6WX, UK Tel: 01903 732190 E-mail: steve@sortedmag.com

Raising of the bar

Marcus Rashford’s campaign to tackle child food poverty goes from strength to strength

J John examines the life of Michael Faraday, the ‘patron saint of electricity’

LIFESTYLE

7 Up Front

30 Going Green

with Steve Legg

with Andy Atkins

ACTION 09 Plain sailing

Making his mark

Columnists

Advertising Candy O’Donovan candy@sortedmag.com Design Ashdown Creative ashdowncreative.co.uk

Larissa Clark recalls the trip of a lifetime

33 Life Coach with Peter Horne

34 Motoring with Tim Barnes-Clay

15 Bear Grylls

40 Top Gear

with Bear Grylls

Gadgets and gizmos galore

WORKPLACE

ADVICE

17 Mentoring

29 A Brush With Coaching

with Miles Protter

with Martin Carter

28 Get Good at Work

68 Family

with Lee Jackson

with Gerrit Bantjes

CULTURE 20 DVD & Streaming

69 Relationships with Harry Benson

71 Sex Therapy with Emma Waring

with Dave Hopwood

sortedmag.com Follow us on Twitter:

SortedMagazine Find us on Facebook:

Sorted Men’s Magazine Watch us on YouTube:

23 First man standing

with Jon Cobb

with Gareth Thompson

24 Books

OPINION

with Ali Hull

Sorted Magazine

26 Music

74 Politics

Download the App:

with Sue Rinaldi

with Andy Flannagan

Sorted Magazine Cover Picture: © Baronoskie | Dreamstime.com

93 Money

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Father figure

Leap of faith

Music maestro

Sir Anthony Hopkins talks about the challenges he faced while playing the role of a man struggling with dementia

Frank Skinner talks about his love of prayer

The gospel has inspired Harry Connick Jr’s latest album

64 Poetic justice Writing has helped Blake Auden find peace – and a new creative life

86 Game on... SPORT 76 The Tokyo Olympics July heralds the start of a games like no other

The British & Irish Lions take on world champions South Africa in what promise to be three brutal Test matches this summer

83 Trophy hunter Shauna Coxsey sets her sights on glory

HEALTH 70 The GP’s Surgery with Simon Atkins

LIGHT-HEARTED 19 Humour Enjoy the wit of the Sorted comedy team

95 In Vino Veritas with Tony Vino

96 Lucas Aid with Jeff Lucas

COMMENT 97 Back Story Alastair Burt on being a Tory Party rebel

98 The Last Word with Nathan Blackaby

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Man up and say ‘I love you’

UP FRONT WITH STEVE LEGG

What qualities define a ‘real bloke’? Maybe one of the biggest is telling the people closest to you just how much you care about them.

tongs; and I also break out in a cold sweat in department stores. However, as a man – real or not – there’s one thing I can do. It’s taken some mastering but these days I’m pretty good at being able to tell the people who matter that I love them. I think it’s important. I think it’s more important than power tools and bear-fighting (although I love them too). I think the people I love need to know it. And I mean really know it. My wife needs to know beyond all doubt that I love her; my kids, too. The people closest to me need to know they can put their roots down in that love. They need to know they can rely on me always being there; always loving them no matter what they do or where they go. You see, in reality, I reckon real men come in all shapes and sizes. Some of us simply can’t canoe or ride a motorbike up a mountain. And let’s face it, some of us (possibly a lot of us) don’t even want to. But if there’s one thing that would help every man to be open and honest (and real), it’s to not be afraid to tell the people they love just how much they mean to them. It might not be easy. It might not come naturally. But it’s a huge step in learning how to man up.

ccording to the adverts I have just watched, there are some things that ‘real men’ do. Not just your average, ordinary, run-of-the-mill type of men, by the way – but real men. Real men (apparently) wield impossiblelooking power tools and even know how to make things that don’t fall apart when they sneeze. Real men climb cliff faces using just their bare hands (and don’t use ropes, except those massive and heavy ones you find in posh gyms). Real men canoe turbulent rapids of seething white water without screaming, unlike me who cries when I get splashed

‘The truth is I am the kind of man who assembles a flat-pack wardrobe backwards’

at the log flumes in Alton Towers. They camp without tents on mountainsides in winter; and they hunt bears with nothing more than a moderately sharp steak knife!

Rely on me In the light of all this, I somehow feel compelled to reassess my own ‘real’ manhood. You see, I’ve always thought of myself as a man’s man… but real? The truth is I am the kind of man who assembles a flat-pack wardrobe backwards (true story); who loves my 42-inch TV; forbids anyone in our house (and beyond) to come within two inches of my barbecue

STEVE LEGG Steve is a British entertainer and motivational speaker. The author of 17 books, Steve launched Sorted at the Odyssey Arena, Belfast in 2007. Sorted has been voted the world’s most wholesome men’s magazine, with 100,000 readers in 21 countries. stevelegg.com @SteveLeggUK

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ACTION PROFILE

A life on the ocean wave

In her own words, trail-blazing Larissa Clark recalls adventure, friendships forged, unlimited freedom and an almighty hangover as she and an eclectic, multi-national crew embarked on a month-long voyage across the Atlantic Ocean on Europa, a stunning 100-year-old Tall Ship.

Seafarer: adventurer Larissa Clark.

had just turned 30 and was feeling burnt out from my work in environmental and human rights communications and campaigning. I desperately needed to reset. I’d been saving for a trip to South America and wondered if there was another way to get there other than to fly? I was getting into slow travel and longer journeys having cycled London to Paris in my twenties, and backpacked around the world before university. Inspired by all the great ocean sailing stories, I was curious about whether I could sail across an ocean but didn’t know where to start. I wasn’t a sailor, I didn’t have a boat – and I’d sworn I’d never go off shore again after a day trip seven years earlier in Australia, when I spent the whole time puking over the side of the boat! f Sorted. Jul/Aug 2021

The big heave-ho: members of the Europa crew take the strain as they go about their daily chores.

h Something about just turning up at the dock and blagging my way onto a private sailboat or yacht that was doing the Atlantic crossing didn’t quite add up to me. I was after adventure. But the idea of being on a really small boat, and not knowing enough about how good the skipper actually was, didn’t quite feel right. Months of searching eventually led me to a 100-year-old tall ship that was planning a month-long Atlantic crossing from Spain to Brazil. Europa was majestic and beautiful – and it looked like she had sailed across the ocean out of another time. Looking at the photographs I found online, I had no idea how to work any of her complicated-looking rope systems, but she was accepting guest crew to join her on the voyage, learning the ropes (literally) and helping with the sailing en route. I couldn’t believe it. I didn’t hesitate and booked to join her, setting sail from the Canary Islands a month later. Our destination was to be Brazil.

Anxieties I arrived at the boat in the port of Las Palmas with a major hangover. The evening before I’d tried to drink my anxieties away from the journey that lay ahead. With hindsight, this wasn’t the best of ideas, but I was trying to get into the drunken sailor spirit, plus I was absolutely terrified. It’s a strange feeling, to push yourself outside your comfort zone, to willingly risk things you take for granted by putting yourself into danger – perceived or real. Yet something I can’t explain kept me moving forward until my bag had been lifted onto the deck and I climbed aboard. I learned quickly that, contrary to the stories I’d been told on land, life at sea is a mesmerizing place of newness: new tasks, routines, friends, activities, rules, games, achievements, challenges, thoughts. While aboard ship, I added a hundred different sailing words to my 10

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vocabulary. A friend had waved me goodbye at a London bus stop with the words: ‘You’ll be bored out of your brain.’ As it turned out, he couldn’t have been more wrong. One of the things that was most powerful for me was the digital detox. Watching the signal disappear on my phone as we edged out of the port towards the ocean was a feeling that’s hard to describe. Terrifying; exhilarating; unnerving; liberating; these are just four words that spring to mind. No news. No social media. No messages. For emergencies there was a satellite phone and the guest crew could access an email account to send very short messages (charged by the character) – but few did. The mental break was like a tonic. It was a chance to focus on new tasks, on new friendships, on reflecting and healing from times in life I’d been too quick to move on from. I felt like my mind was a ballroom to move around and explore without the incessant interruptions of normal life. It was like stepping back in time to a place where the daily grind cannot find you, while in many cases you find yourself. On board, we had professional sailors to guide and train us, which was a relief because I didn’t have a clue how to sail. We were put into ‘watch groups’ on rotation of four hours ‘on’ and eight hours ‘off ’. Everyone took turns on the helm (steering to you and I), setting sails, assisting with manoeuvres, navigation, weather observations, furling the sails on the yards and much more. The professional crew were an amazing bunch. Unflappable, patient and good fun. Under their expert guidance we were able to take responsibility for important tasks such as sail handling, helming and occasionally fishing for dinner. f

EUROPA FACT FILE Here are the ship’s essential statistics... n Built: 1911 n Overall length: 56m n Number of guest crew cabins: 12 n Guest crew mates: 32 n Number of sails: 24 n Max speed: 12.5 knots n Rope on board: 5.5 km

‘It’s a strange feeling, to push yourself outside your comfort zone, to willingly risk things you take for granted by putting yourself into danger’

Hanging on: it’s time to unravel Europa’s main sails.

Cut to the bone: fish are filleted on the ship’s main deck.. Sorted. Jul/Aug 2021

‘I felt like my mind was a ballroom to move around and explore without the incessant interruptions of normal life’ NOTE ABOUT THE AUTHOR

THE BARE ESSENTIALS So you are off on the adventure of a lifetime... You have to travel light, for there can be no large suitcases, or multiple bags. We are talking one large rucksack at best So what do you take with you? According to Larissa Clark, there are five essential items you cannot do without. They are:

While completing her journey across the Atlantic, Larissa Clark met Tori Howse. They quickly became ‘best mates’. During a conversation at 4am one morning during ‘look out’ they mused about how they could help other people discover unusual experiences like the one they were having. And so Another World Adventures – an ‘adventure travel company’ – was born.

n Rainproof jacket and trousers (think waterproof not thermal) n A journal (you’ll have the time and lots of thoughts, which might be the basis for your book one day!) n Swimsuit (for a mid-ocean dip) n Two pairs of polarized sunglasses (in case one goes overboard!) n Knife or multitool (like a personal leatherman) is always useful

h With 24 sails to get to grips with (and these were big pieces of canvas), it took 45 minutes to get all the sails up. There were 5.5 kilometres of rope on board, so I got pretty good at tying knots. Within days we were taking responsibility for the safety of ourselves and the other members of our crew. It was empowering to know that we, the ‘newbie sailors’, were in charge of this century-old ship, tackling the open ocean with our regular lives a fading memory. After a couple of weeks, as we neared the Equator, I plucked up the courage to climb the mast to the skysail (the top one). At 33 metres high, and with the wind ripping through my hair, swaying over the depths of an ocean is not something I’ll ever forget. Part of the wildness of sailing is being at the whim of the weather and the waves: when you are out on the open ocean away from land there is nowhere to hide. As British sailor, Tracy Edwards, said after racing round the world: ‘The ocean is always trying to kill you’. And one evening, as we neared the coast in South America, I understood what she meant. One minute it would be calm, then Mother Nature would change her mind, forcing us to change tack, call reinforcements from below deck and battle against the waves washing over the deck to regain control. We sailed through storms, rainbows, laughter and tears. We found strength when we thought we were all out; all pulling together, all being responsible for each other. This was one of the first journeys that I’d joined as a solo traveller. Let’s face it, sailing across an ocean isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. And until I took the plunge, I had my reservations. But while I arrived at the boat solo, I really never felt alone. As 12

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so many discover, it’s the other people you meet that make the experience so special. This is particularly true on more extreme expeditions with a small team, where everyone is depending on everyone else for their safety, sanity and social contact. On my transatlantic crossing, there was a wonderful mix of people from ages and walks of life from an 18-year-old maritime student to a 70-year-old Dutch barge worker. On land, our lives were miles apart, yet we all shared this hair-brained mission to do something incredible. I made bonds on board that will last for life. I even started my adventure travel business with one of my former crewmates!

Triumphant Before I left for Spain, most people I knew told me I was crazy to want to sail across an ocean. And some actually placed bets with me that I’d never go. In a last ditch effort to get me to reconsider, my sister sent me half a dozen YouTube clips of ‘terrifying storms’. Nonetheless, I crossed the Atlantic and didn’t look back. I spent a month at sea on my tall ship and 27 days later I arrived on the coast of Brazil. We arrived triumphant, exhilarated, empowered and ever so slightly perplexed. Why aren’t more people doing this? It feels like something everyone should do; like a rite of passage. This was undoubtedly the experience of my life. As a result, I immediately signed up to continue on board from Brazil to Uruguay for another three weeks. I wasn’t done with this life yet – I needed more. And I wasn’t to be disappointed.

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Keystone/Getty Images

Keystone/Hulton Archive/Getty Images

THE BEAR FACTS WITH BEAR GRYLLS WANT TO READ ON?

Controversial figure: Lord Longford regularly visited Moors murderer, Myra Hindley (inset).

Champion of the underdog Lord Longford spent a significant part of his life serving the poor, the oppressed and those shunned by society. He used his gifts selflessly, which begs the question: could you do the same?

hen he was alive, Francis Aungier Pakenham – or Lord Longford as he was most commonly known – was a controversial figure. Over many years, he regularly visited prisoners, including murderers like the Moors killer, Myra Hindley. And despite the criticism he received from some sections of the public and media, few can doubt his compassion and his faithfulness, both to God and to those he visited. When he died on 3 August 2001, former inmates joined hundreds of mourners to say farewell to the man who had spent his life faithfully fighting for society’s outcasts. On his deathbed, he quoted the words of Jesus: ‘I was in prison and you came to visit me’.

Lord Longford understood that when Jesus told His disciples to serve the poor, the oppressed and the outcast, He was giving the clearest of instructions… ‘Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ So the next time you wonder how you can use your gifts and talents wisely, remember these words of Mother Teresa: ‘The dying, the unwanted, the unloved − they are Jesus in disguise’. When we have this attitude for how we see the vulnerable, it changes so many of our aspirations as to how we want to live and how we invest our time, love and energy. As we go about our days, let’s keep our hearts and eyes wide open to the Jesuses in disguise who are all around us.

‘Few can doubt his compassion and his faithfulness, both to God and to those he visited’

Extract taken from Soul Fuel by Bear Grylls, published by Zondervan in the US and Hodder Faith in the UK.

DON’T MISS

BEAR

IN THE NEXT EDITION

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BEAR GRYLLS Known worldwide as one of the mostrecognised faces of survival and outdoor adventure. BAFTA award-winning TV host Bear Grylls began his journey in 21 SAS before becoming one of the youngest-ever climbers of Mount Everest. @BearGrylls

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MENTORING WITH MILES PROTTER

have a habit of hanging on to jobs too long. They start well and continue that way for some time – but eventually I end up feeling stuck, lonely and anxious. The first time this happened was in 1998, when I lived in London and worked in investment banking. At this juncture, I lost control of a successful business unit and came under intense pressure to ‘create something new’. It was miserable to travel every week on my own in search of clients, but I couldn’t see what else was possible. So I slogged on. By 2006, I was in the eighth year running my own business when my top clients reduced their spending. I started worrying about what others would think if I failed! Fast forward to 2014, by which time I had moved to Australia with my family and I was in my seventh year of running a successful consulting firm in Perth. It was at this moment I started to feel the heat for declining sales and lack of a strategic plan. I sought to combat the stress by telling myself I was going to ‘have a breakthrough’. But the truth is I was on a lonely journey to nowhere. I was deluding myself – not least because my boss had wanted ‘new legs’ running the business for more than a year. On the positive side, repeatedly making the same mistakes has given me valuable insights and helped me learn some important life lessons, including: n Hanging on to things like salary, shares and status doesn’t do you any good in the long term;

When ‘moving on’ means ‘moving up’ Are you unhappy and anxious at work? If you are, maybe it’s time to start living life a different way? n Fearing the unknown prevents you from exploring what else you can do and discovering what really makes you happy. So make choices from your values, not emotions or ‘rational’ intellect; n Fearing failure and humiliation instead of confronting reality only hurts and damages you; n Be accountable and allow others to help you get to where you need to be;

n And don’t fear grieving the loss of a job in which you have invested your heart and soul. This is important if you wish to recover from the experience. I have successfully transitioned on all three occasions thanks to the support of others. But what about you: are you hanging on to anything that is causing you stress? If the answer is ‘yes’, maybe you need to re-examine your priorities and release yourself from those things holding you back. It’s a journey worth taking.

‘Making the same mistakes has given me valuable insights and helped me learn some important life lessons’

MILES PROTTER Miles has worked with thousands of people as a mentor and coach and now runs The Values Partnership, a professional mentoring practice, together with his wife Deborah. He’s also founded Men’s Business, a not-forprofit dedicated to men connecting with each other, listening and learning together how to navigate life well.

thevaluespartnership.com

youtube.com/channel/ UCqT9PK68Z9MGI-Ia_9rRdzA/

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HUMOUR

The cream of the UK’s up-and-coming comedy circuit takes a sideways look at life.

Sponsored praise ‘And now the Specsavers award for the nation’s favourite hymn goes to... Be Thou My Vision!’

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Did you know that Songs of Praise first aired on the BBC almost 60 years ago? Imagine for a moment what it might be like if it moved to a commercial channel that allowed sponsorship? With that in mind, here are some of the strange things you might end up hearing… ‘This week’s Songs of Praise comes from the V&A, as we examine How Great Thou Art. ‘And now the Specsavers award for the nation’s favourite hymn goes to... Be Thou My Vision! ‘Crown Him With Many Crowns, in conjunction with the British Dental Association.

‘In the news this week: Jeff Bezos has just re-released the popular John Newton hymn as Amazon Grace. ‘Next up, There Is Power In The Name Of Jesus is brought to you by National Grid. ‘After the break, Low In The Grave He Lay will be performed by the Co-operative Funeral Service Band. ‘And now the Duraglit-Brasso band bring us the timeless Graham Kendrick classic Shine Jesus Shine. ‘And closing this week’s Songs of Praise, here is Love As Vast As The Ocean, brought to you by P&O Ferries.’

IT’S THE SAME OLD NEWS

CAT’LL DO NICELY Cats are better than dogs – and we can prove it. Growing up, the conversation came around semi-regularly to getting pets. The conversation tended to go something like this: Toby: ‘Can we get a rabbit?’ Parent: ‘We’re not getting any pets.’ To cut a long story short, we had five by the time I was 10-years-old, including a couple of cockatiels, two guinea pigs and a dog (and my mother maintains we were never going to get any pets). Alas, new research by money.co.uk on environmentally friendly pets suggests this is the worst combo for the eco-warrior. The one to avoid, above all others, is the large dog, as it’s the least eco-friendly. That’s right: the innocent looking Labrador is secretly trying to destroy the planet! If you want to be an eco-sensitive pet owner, it is better for the environment to have a horse than a dog. Why? If a dog defecates in the allotment that won’t help your carrots. Top of the table is the tortoise, which will outlive us all and so wins both as the most eco-friendly pet, and also the animal that will benefit the most from the effort. Second to that is the rat, which has a lifespan a fraction of the tortoise. The fact that rats will likely survive an apocalypse suggests they’re not fussed if we make the effort or not. Other placements suggest goldfish are better than tropical fish (although please remember tropical juice is better than gold juice). Mid-table is the trusty cat, which proves, in the 21st century traffic light-based rankings, that cats are definitely better than dogs. Not quite as good as a tropical fish but don’t tell the cat or you won’t have any [tropical fish] left in the aquarium. Alternative conclusion: If only my parents had had access to this research they would still have five tortoises.

Looking ahead to today’s news coverage… The morning news will reveal what the Government is planning to say today, and although it is neither interesting nor important, we want you to know that we know. The lunchtime news will be mainly comprised of footage of the Government saying what it is that

we told you they told us they were going to say. There will also be some commentary from a reporter standing outside the place where it was being said. The evening news will be an in depth look at what the Government said, it will also give us a chance to confirm that we said they would say it. This report will be further padded out with interviews asking the public whether what was said was a surprise. The news will close with a story about a giraffe that has been born somewhere. This will broadly be the pattern for tomorrow as well, but the animal may vary. And now, the weather: rain.

The Ten (Zoom) Commandments And God spake all these words to the people of Israel, over Zoom: ‘I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt. Can you all hear me? ‘Thou shalt have no filter before me; ‘Thou shalt not unmute, except when permitted to do so by the chat moderator; ‘Thou shalt not turn off the video whilst thou eateth in sneak; ‘Thou shalt not kill; ‘Thou shalt not be on thy phone while I’m talking. We can all see you, Brian; ‘Thou shalt make all the titles of thine books readable on thy shelf; ‘Thou shalt not play Minesweeper in the background, for ‘tis not 1998 any more; ‘Thou shalt stand up only if thy trousers are done up; ‘Verily I tell thee… Note to reader: the Zoom call has disconnected and users are unsuccessfully seeking a reconnection… Oh well, I had to guess what he said at this point – and thou shouldst really always have thy trousers done up just in case!

CONTRIBUTORS: TOBY ISAACS

@tobyisaacs

DANIEL CAWLEY

@danielcawley

THE VISCOSITY VARIABLE The viscosity of hand gel Varies quite a lot! This makes dispensing tricky As you only need a jot. Pressing once in one shop Merely offers you a drip. But an equal pressure elsewhere Supplies enough to float a ship Signage is clearly called for Some guidance that is sound. I suggest a three-tier system: Treacle; medium; and drowned

MICHAEL BULLOCK

@theoswivel

NATHAN RAMSDEN-LOCK

NathanIYell

TANDY HOUGHTON @BigTalkTandy

IAN MACDONALD

And finally… There’s something about candles I just can’t quite put my finger on… I’ve got an Ariel on my roof! Stupid mermaid…

about.me/ian_macdonald

ROB THOMAS

robbyt.co.uk/SORTED

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DVD & STREAMING WITH DAVE HOPWOOD

One hell of a holiday Endangered Species Rating: ✪✪✪✪

Streaming from 28 June and available on DVD from 5 July When Robert and Andi Halsey and their family arrive in Kenya’s Amboseli National Park, all seems wonderful and idyllic. After all, this is the trip of a lifetime. But, underneath all the smiles and jollity, all is not well. Robert’s job at home is proving difficult and getting away from it all proves harder than they expected. Tensions bubble away as the family settles into the vibrant African setting, under endless blue skies,

Living in a woodland cabin, the film’s main character shares his life with a stray dog. But don’t be fooled – this man is no recluse. What we are confronted with is a killer par excellence, whose only human contact is with his cold-blooded boss (played by the always dependable Anthony Hopkins). When he is issued with cryptic instructions for his latest job, which simply detail a time, a place and a puzzling two-word clue, The Virtuoso must pitch up and use his intuitive skill to identify and take out the target. Anson Mount is thoroughly convincing as the humourless, totally professional assassin; a man who is emotionally arid

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the scenery alive with colours of the vast Kenyan plains. In a bid to forget their problems, the Halsey clan heads off on an unguided safari – and it’s at this point things turn from bad to worse as they quickly become targets for wild animals and humans alike. The pace of the plot eases up occasionally, but overall this is a gripping yarn. It is a tense drama with an eco-thread running through it,

The Virtuoso Rating: ✪✪✪

Available on digital download and hopeless when it comes to small talk. Such are his lack of social skills, he has to practise smiling in the mirror, and even then he can barely manage a crooked grin! When a warm-hearted local waitress, played by Abby Cornish, attempts to seduce him, he is confused and suspicious, and his deadpan response leaves her at times feeling

veering at times into edge-of-the-seat territory as the vulnerable family do all they can to survive. All the performances are strong, not least Rebecca Romjin (X-Men) and Philip Winchester (Rogue) as the fractious parents. Equally captivating is the spectacular cinematography capturing the beauty and vastness of Amboseli – imagery that may well get you planning your own trip to Kenya when life returns to a degree of normality.

frustrated and awkward. There is a lot of voiceover, some of it probably unnecessary, but that said it does give an insight into the workings of this robotic killer’s mind, particularly his attention to detail and meticulous approach to his lethal work. What unfolds before the viewer is an emotionally cold thriller, which moves at a steady pace, the tension building whenever the bullets fly and the bodies drop. A little like The Transporter, or even The Day of the Jackal, this is a tale of a meticulous dispatcher. And while it won’t warm the cockles of your heart, it should keep you engrossed from beginning to end.

Emperor Rating: ✪✪✪✪

Available on digital and DVD This pre-American Civil War epic is based on the legend of Shields ‘Emperor’ Green, a slave who cast off his shackles and became a freedom fighter. It tells the gripping story of Green’s desperate bid to escape the brutality and deprivations of life in South Carolina, where sadistic plantation owner, Randolph Stevens (played by MC Gaintly), is more than happy to dispense punishments on the slaves who are his ‘property’. It isn’t long before Green has a violent falling out with Stevens and subsequently finds himself on the run, pursued by an experienced bounty hunter. And so follows a battle of wits, guts and gun battles. Dayo Okeniyi is relentlessly impressive as the wronged slave intent on finding freedom, while Bruce Dern, Harry Lennix, James Cromwell and Gainey are suitably grim and gritty in their supporting roles. This is both an action adventure and a drama highlighting the appalling treatment of the slaves working on the plantations. It’s in the same ballpark as Twelve Years a Slave, though less brutal, and includes a fistful of action sequences.

‘Underneath all the smiles and jollity, all is not well’

He Dreams of Giants

We Intend to Cause Havoc

Rating: ✪✪✪

In cinemas from 2 July

Available on digital Terry Gilliam had been trying to make a film about Don Quixote for decades – trying and failing numerous times to get the project off the ground. Actors had come and gone ( Johnny Depp, Ewan McGregor, Leonardo DiCaprio to name a few), the weather had caused endless havoc, and various other events had brought the movie crashing to its knees. At times it seemed as if the project was cursed. Gilliam’s obsession with it was perhaps a little like Quixote and his windmill-chasing, pursuing an idea that was ultimately elusive. Yet in 2018, it finally came about: The Man Who Killed Don Quixote got made, and this documentary is about the decades-long struggle to make it happen. Gilliam loves quirky subject matter. Whether it’s the dark dystopia of Brazil, the madcap adventures of Baron von Munchausen, or his fellow Monty Python stars chasing after the Holy Grail; he can’t resist the weird and wonderful. And this documentary is a haphazard montage, fitting well with Gilliam’s approach. Told with countless flashbacks, interviews and stop-start filmmaking attempts, this is a tale of a troubled visionary. It brings insights into the problems of big budget filmmaking and draws us into the mind and motivation of a passionate artist who believes anything should be possible when it comes to visual storytelling. However, there is no narrative unravelling the tale for us, and no linear timeline, so it’s a kind of cinematic jigsaw, and we are presented with various pieces from the last few decades, to make of them what we will. If you are a Terry Gilliam fan, you probably know what to expect and will enjoy it. If you don’t know much about the man and his films, it’s an introduction of sorts.

In the 1970s, the flamboyant Emmanuel Jagari Chanda was the lead singer of We Intend To Cause Havoc (WITCH), a hugely popular and successful Zambian rock band. Combining African rhythms with psychedelic rock, WITCH was heavily influenced by the British music scene of the 1960s (indeed the name ‘Jagari’ is an Africanisation of the name Mick Jagger). The group was part of a breed of Zambian bands – known as Zamrock – formed at a turbulent time when many African states around them were battling for independence. According to a news report of the time, at one gig the roof of the hall was ripped off as fans tried to get in ‘through the windows, walls and everywhere’. This was one happening band! Using a mixture of interviews, period footage, animated visuals and sumptuous present-day cinematography, this documentary tells the singer’s story – and it is filled with the rich music of that time and place. From an early age, viewers learn that Jagari has held rock’n’roll dreams. But as these ambitions faded, he took to digging for amethyst stones to help look after his family and we learn he returned to gemstone mining in later years. He has lived through struggles and hard times, but Jagari still feels drawn to music, which he holds dearly alongside his faith in God. And it as a Christian that he has experienced some of his greatest dilemmas and tensions – as he has wrestled with his talents and sought to identify the right kind of music to play. If you like vibrant, cultural music documentaries, this may be for you.

DAVE HOPWOOD Dave Hopwood is a freelance writer and speaker. Accessible, entertaining and honest, he spends much of his time communicating the Christian faith using contemporary media and relevant language. He is author of several books, including The Bloke's Bible, and Film & Faith.

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FIRST MAN STANDING

Oh man, you need to speak up In recent years there has been a sickening escalation in the abuse of women, but the cycle must be broken, writes Gareth Thompson.

uring the storm of media coverage that followed Sarah Everard’s recent disappearance and murder, I found myself engaging in a wide range of discussions on the topic of violence against women. I had conversations with both men and women, some positive and healthy – others downright shocking. I was reminded of a recent scandal that shook the professional wrestling world in June of 2020. A former girlfriend of a well-known wrestler accused her ex-partner of sexual assault. This caught fire on social media and, inspired by her strength, many other female wrestlers and fans shared their harrowing experiences of sexual assault, harassment and even rape. Almost overnight, wrestlers from all over the UK and abroad were implicated. And from the small companies to the global juggernauts, organisations began to distance themselves from those involved. Some were stripped of championships, others fired; some were suspended

‘We have an opportunity to take action, to be the first men willing to speak out whenever we see women mistreated’

while the police carried out investigations. As the storm grew, many companies felt they had to issue statements and impose stricter safeguarding policies. It touched every corner of the wrestling scene. Within weeks, this movement (dubbed the ‘Speaking Out’ movement) had hit the

national press, and it was even being discussed within parliament. A group was formed to bring change to the wrestling industry, but it was quickly forgotten. And a lot of the people who were vocal when the issue was being covered, have now gone quiet. Here there are several parallels with Sarah Everard’s tragic story: her death sparked an outcry; national and social media were alight with stories, shared experiences and discussion; then there was nothing, the world moved on. Today, we have an opportunity to take action, to be the first men willing to speak out whenever we see women mistreated. The challenge for us going forward is keeping this at the forefront of our minds, and at the heart of our churches, groups and workplaces, until real change becomes reality. As First Men Standing, we can’t drop the ball when the next news story breaks. Jesus certainly didn’t lose focus and go the way of the world. And we must try to ensure we do the same.

GARETH THOMPSON Gareth Thompson is a First Man Standing Ambassador for the Restored charity, and a public speaker and actor. He is perhaps best known as Gareth Angel, one of the UK’s few professional Christian wrestlers. He’s also the founder and Director of GT Ministries.

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BOOKS WITH ALI HULL

Hallmarks of the new Germany: Berlin’s impressive Potsdamer Platz and railway station stand tall and proud for all to see.

Winners of the peace… After its defeat in 1945, Germany quickly rebuilt itself – becoming Europe’s economic powerhouse for more than six decades. John Kampfner’s illuminating book explores the reasons why. Why the Germans Do It Better John Kampfner | Atlantic Books

✪✪✪✪✪ The sub-title for this book is Notes from a grown-up country – and that really sums it up: why does Germany tend to do things better than we do, and why are we so keen to be locked into the past? I had never really noticed before how often we 24

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still view Germany through a lens that is skewed towards the last war and Hitler: as though that is the only thing that matters about the country. Our news is often far more focused on America than Europe anyway, so this book goes a long way towards simply educating the reader about Germany, its strengths and weaknesses, its more recent past and so on.

The book was written at a time when Covid was raging, and the UK was doing worse than Germany, both in terms of deaths and the impact of the economy. That story has changed somewhat, with the success of the vaccination programme over here, but Kampfner’s main points remain appropriate. The book is an interesting read.

Norse legacy: The wonderful Broch of Guiness in Orkney.

The Story of the British Isles in 100 places

The Viking Isles: travels in Orkney and Shetland

The last man in Europe

Neil Oliver | Penguin

Paul Murton | Birlinn

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Now out in paperback, which frankly is a much more practical format for this kind of book, The Story of the British Isles in 100 places does exactly what it promises to do – it darts around these verdant isles, focusing on first one place, then another, while telling the story from 950,000 years ago onwards. If, with lockdown hopefully over but the prospect of holidays abroad limited, you are looking to holiday in the UK, then this book may give you some ideas on places to go, either for day trips or longer stays. It has every kind of place: from Anglo-Saxon mounds, via Roman remains and Viking memories, to medieval castles and cathedrals, and then on to the relics of the Industrial Revolution, the birthplace of Winston Churchill, and so up to date with the Scottish Parliament building in Edinburgh.

Paul Murton is best known for presenting BBC TV’s Grand Tours of the Scottish Islands, and for not being the Paul Merton who appears on the BBC’s Have I Got News For You satirical TV show. If you have watched his programmes, you will know of his deep love for, and knowledge of, his native Scotland. While this book cannot have as many wonderful shots as the programmes do, it is nevertheless richly illustrated, and it contains far more information, at a much greater depth. His subjects here are a long way from most of us, both geographically and in our experience, but offer a tantalising glimpse of a world that I, for one, would love to explore.

This book looks at the life of George Orwell, and I ordered it, thinking it was a biography. It isn’t: it’s a novel. Having said that, it works as a novel, despite – or maybe because of – the timeline leaping around quite a bit. It gives the sort of insight into Orwell that would be hard for a biographer to give; limited as they are (or should be) by what their sources can prove. Writing this account of Orwell’s life as a novel allows the author to imagine the impact of much of what he went through, and to recreate his world: it is a very evocative book. It also charts his struggle to complete the writing of 1984 while at the same time fighting against the tuberculosis that would kill him, only a few years after he had finally become a successful novelist.

Dennis Glover | Polygon

‘It gives the sort of insight into Orwell that would be hard for a biographer to give’

ALI HULL

Struggles: George Orwell.

Ali Hull is addicted to books – reading them, and helping others write them, polish them, publish them and publicise them.

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MUSIC

WITH SUE RINALDI

Get ready to indulge yourself

Jonathan Veira Rating: ✪✪✪✪ Moments: The Lockdown Sessions: Volume Two

Have you heard the story of how thousands of people found support, friendship and a smile from tuning into regular live-streamed concerts from Jonathan Veira’s music room? If the answer is ‘no’, you may well find yourself in the minority. And it is the JV community, still gathering online after a year of lockdown, that has inspired the song selection for Veira’s most recent album, the second in his Lockdown Sessions.

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Volume one delivered a deluge of musical expertise – and volume two is no different. With arrangements skilfully understated but never under-imagined, it is pure indulgence! Surrounded by amazing musicians (including Ben Castle on saxophone, Bryn Haworth on guitars and slide guitar, and the genius of Mark Edwards on piano and production), Veira’s rich vocals have never sounded so comfortable and unconstrained. His bass baritone touch adds warmth

and depth to classics such as Old Man River and Danny Boy, while God of the Moon And Stars and I Want Jesus To Walk With Me highlight a scale of emotional performance that is beguiling. Lyrics from bonus track Just Around The Bend (featuring co-writer Paul Field) sums up the optimism felt by Veira’s growing community – ‘Even when the darkness is as far as we can see, the sun will shine again, just around the bend.’

Ben Howard Rating: ✪✪✪ Collections from the Whiteout

Royal Blood Rating: ✪✪✪✪✪ Typhoons

These English rockers make enough music for a band of six – which in itself is worthy of acclaim. Apart from a couple of backing singers, every brick in this wall of sound is down to Mike Kerr, the virtuoso bass player and lead vocalist, and drummer Ben Thatcher. The intrepid duo drive their songs like Formula One heroes and manage to supplement their undisputable energy with great vocal melodies, which is why they stand out from the crowd. Typhoons is their third studio album and it may sometimes veer more towards the disco side of dance than in previous releases, but it’s good, glitteringly enjoyable and never fails to feed the need for guts and grit. Three songs in particular –Boilermaker, Trouble’s Brewing and Mad Visions– will get your royal blood racing. But prepare yourself for an interesting departure with closing piano ballad All We Have Is Now, which is very likely to split opinion.

NEEDTOBREATHE Rating: ✪✪✪✪ Live from the Woods Vol 2

In March 2021, fans were invited to Tennessee’s famed ‘The Caverns’ venue to witness the live recording of a couple of socially-distanced outdoor concerts. The end result was the wildly energetic Live From The Woods Vol 2. As Great Night flows into Feet, Don’t Fail Me Now, there is no doubting Christian rock band NEEDTOBREATHE are dab hands at delivering electrifying performances. And while the mellow Banks and Garden displays a very different side to the band’s musicality, it is just as captivating.

Ben Howard’s fourth studio album kicks off in a more experimental and psychedelic fashion than previous releases, leading us into a playground of dystopian beats and discordances while still succeeding in harnessing his core flavour as a singer-songwriter. Rookery, Sorry Kid and Buzzard are perfect examples of what we’re used to, whereas others such as Finders Keepers, Sage That She Was Burning and Crowhurst’s Meme explore the zone beyond comfort. It may be Howard’s collaboration with guitarist and producer, Aaron Dessner (who for trivia addicts helped produce Taylor Swift’s excellent Folklore and Evermore albums) that’s stretched his sound, but without doubt Howard is definitely keeping his head up. Will it prove more successful? Only time will tell!

SUE RINALDI Sue Rinaldi travels internationally as a concert artist, worship coordinator, speaker and creative consultant. A selfconfessed info junkie and movie enthusiast, her interest in culture, justice, technology and the future fuels her living and writing. suerinaldi.net @suerinaldimedia

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GET GOOD AT WORK WITH LEE JACKSON

The (incredible) life of Brian We can all learn a lesson from the near-death 1960s experience of a homesick Welsh youngster.

ost people like to bag a bargain – but it seems Brian Robson, a pensioner from Cardiff, once took things to a level that almost cost him his life. When Brian was just 19, he was desperate to return home from Australia. He’d gone out there to work, but was feeling really homesick. In 1965, the fare from Melbourne to London was £700 – and he earned a wage of just £40 a month. So one night, Brian he had an idea: he would send himself as a parcel! The desperate Welsh youngster bought a small crate the size of a mini-bar fridge you find in a hotel room (minus the whiskey) and he persuaded his new friends, Paul and John, to pack him up with a ‘water in’ and a ‘water out’ bottle, a pillow and his belongings. Incredibly, he was stowed aboard a plane and the long-haul flight was scheduled to last 36 hours. Yet, somehow, it ended up taking three days. While airborne, he spent a whole day upside down trapped in the wooden box, and the extreme temperatures almost killed him. To make matters worse, Brian didn’t land in London – he only got as far as Los Angeles.

‘He was stowed aboard a plane and the long-haul flight was scheduled to last 36 hours’

Eye to eye When he landed in the US, an eagle-eyed customs worker found him, thinking he had discovered a dead body! Recalling the incident, Brian, who is now 75, told the BBC a man had ‘looked through a hole in a wood knot in the chest and we caught each other eye to eye’. Once the US authorities realised he wasn’t a spy, Brian was released. 28

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LEE JACKSON

Eventually, he found his way back to Wales and resumed a normal life, albeit he was left hobbling from sore muscles and exhaustion. And that is where he has remained all these years. Like most blokes, there is a bit of a Brian in me. But I also appreciate that sometimes it is necessary to pay someone to do things I cannot do. I paid a guy to fix our lawn the

other day. Social media friends told me I could do it myself, but rather than try it, I chose to use an expert. Both at work and at home, when have you wished you’d hired someone to help you rather than do something on the cheap? Remember: your time is valuable. And, whether you like it or not, you – like me – are a long way from being an expert at everything.

Lee Jackson is an award-winning motivational speaker and presentation coach. He delivers his ‘Get Good At Work (from home)’ sessions online and offline internationally. leejackson.biz @leejackson

A BRUSH WITH COACHING WITH MARTIN CARTER

Weighing up fact and fiction The story of Socrates and the Three Sieves can teach us all something about truth, goodness and necessity.

ow some ancient wisdom could help us all navigate the very modern problem of being able to separate truth from fiction. Facebook recently announced it was joining forces with Full-Facts, the respected fact-checkers, to tackle the rise in fake news and misinformation on its platform. Full-facts has been checking and correcting claims by politicians, institutions, journalists and online sources for over 10 years. A modern solution for a modern problem, right? Well, maybe not as modern as you’d think. The phrase ‘fake news’, first reared its head in 1890, whilst the word factitious (meaning something artificially created but designed to appear real) goes back as far as 1624, which is perhaps why advice for tackling misinformation can be found in a story involving Socrates, the ancient Greek philosopher, which goes something like this: One morning a man approached Socrates and said: ‘Have you heard about…’ ‘Wait’ said Socrates. ‘Have you first passed what you are about to share with me through the three sieves?’

The man hesitated, uncertain of how he should respond. ‘The first is the sieve of truth’, continued Socrates. ‘Are you sure what you’re about to tell me is true?’ Lacking confidence, the man said: ‘Well, not exactly. I overheard it from… Before he could finish his sentence, Socrates interjected once again. ‘The second sieve is goodness,’ he revealed. ‘If it isn’t necessarily true, is it at least good?’ The man shook his head. ‘Okay, well let’s try the last sieve,’ persevered the philosopher. ‘If it is neither true nor good, is it at least necessary to share it?’ As the man bowed his head, unable to say anything, Socrates smiled and said: ‘Well, if we cannot be sure that this story is true, good or necessary, I suggest you ignore rather than share it.’ I first heard this version of the tale several years ago and I have tried to live by it ever since. To do so is a daily challenge. And it’s why I need to confess there is no evidence that it was first told by Socrates. But let’s not let facts get in the way of a good story…

‘If we cannot be sure that this story is true, good or necessary, I suggest you ignore rather than share it.’

MARTIN CARTER Martin Carter is a professionally certified leadership coach. He works internationally with individuals, groups, and organisations, helping them to make a bigger difference in the world. He is also the founder of A Brush with Coaching, a free online resource offering coaching, support, and encouragement to anyone seeking to live a more purposeful and impactful life.

ABrushWithCoaching.com

ABrushWithCoaching @BrushCoaching

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GOING GREEN WITH ANDY ATKINS

The key to survival Is the answer to the global climate crisis simply to plant more trees? According to a growing number of experts, there could be significant merit in digging into this eco option.

he relationship between climate and nature is complicated and delicate – yet full of rich potential. In 2021, ‘nature-based solutions’ to climate change are on the political agenda like never before. They are one of the government’s priorities for the UN climate summit that the UK is hosting in November. At last, politicians are waking up. They are discovering that nature conservation activities like restoring forests, wetlands (such as peat moors and coastal marshes), grasslands, and underwater kelp forests, can all make useful contributions to fighting climate change by ‘sequestering’ carbon, extracting it from the atmosphere and locking it safely away. Such natural solutions are on our doorstep and can be win-wins. Kelp forest, for example, grows naturally around many parts of the UK coastline, providing habitat and food for numerous marine species, and it is also up to 20 times more effective at sequestering carbon than land-based forests. There used to be 177 km² of kelp off the coast of Sussex alone, but

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by 2018, this had diminished to just 6 km² thanks to, among other things, harmful fishing practices. Now a project between West Sussex County Council and the Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority (IFCA) is working to restore it. However, there are risks. According to the Royal Society, 45 per cent of expected tree planting over the next decade will be in commercial conifer systems, which are actually poor for nature and often only lock in carbon dioxide for a short time frame anyway. Therefore, reforesting Britain to help with climate change must be done with the right mix of species,

and in the right places. There is also the risk that we will put all our eggs in this basket, and fail to take other action that is also necessary. To meet the 2015 Paris Agreement's aim of avoiding catastrophic climate change, we will have to cut global greenhouse gas emissions by 45 per cent over the next decade. There is absolutely no way we will achieve this without rapidly getting our economies off fossil fuel, which is still the greatest single source of greenhouse gas emissions. So, if you have a garden, do plant a native British tree in it. You and the neighbouring birds and beasts will love it – and it will also extract carbon out of the atmosphere.

‘We will have to cut global greenhouse gas emissions by 45 per cent over the next decade’

ANDY ATKINS Andy Atkins was previously CEO of Friends of the Earth. Prior to that he was Advocacy Director at Tearfund, and a founder member of the 2005 Make Poverty History campaign. He became CEO of A Rocha UK in 2016. @ARochaUK @arocha_uk A Rocha UK

Laughter is the best tonic Why a good old chuckle can do wonders for your head and heart.

et me take you back to the late 1990s, to a wet summer’s day, when my family decided to go swimming in Newquay. We were all settled and paddling around in an indoor pool when my wife spotted her sister (who we were holidaying with). Before I knew what was happening, my wife dived underwater, swam up to her sibling – and then proceeded to pinch her backside! Instantly the

innocent victim shot out of the water – like a rocket-propelled missile – with a look of absolute horror on her face. In contrast, my wife (who had by now surfaced) played the part of an innocent bystander and, after casually adjusting her goggles, she swam away, concealing the big grin etched across her face. Whenever I think about this event, I can’t stop laughing. It really was the funniest of moments.

Timely tome Veteran comedian Billy Connolly once said: ‘When life’s hard, comedy is good’. How true. And if there’s ever been a time to apply this into our lives, it’s now. And if we take a moment to think about it, we can probably all recall moments of comedy gold in our own lives. Allow me to introduce you to a brilliant book called Humour, Seriously: Why

60 TITLE SECOND WITH NAME LIFE COACH WITH PETER HORNE Humour Is A Superpower At Work And In Life, written by Jennifer Aaker and Naomi Bagdonas. Given the Covid-related anxiety that we’ve all had to endure over the last year and a bit, this is a timely tome offering insights into the many benefits of eking out opportunities to laugh. For apparently, when we participate in this simple human behaviour, ‘our brains release a cocktail of hormones that make us feel happier (dopamine), more trusting (oxytocin) less stressed (lower cortisol) – and even slightly euphoric (endorphins)’. The authors provide a glimpse into the neuroscience of humour and an overview of behavioural research into its benefits and positive effects on relationship-building, creativity, resilience and leadership. In particular, it shows us: n Humour and comedy positively transform our life and work experiences; n A hint of levity can transform an interaction, forge a connection, and signal that you see the other person. Interestingly, I have discovered one of the authors is a behavioural psychologist by profession who naively asked her children who was the funniest person in her family. They ranked her last, after the dog! All I can say is, they can’t have read the book.

‘Whenever I think about this event, I can’t stop laughing. It really was the funniest of moments’

PETER HORNE Peter Horne is a qualified life coach with a passion for helping people change things in their lives when they feel stuck. He works with individuals and organisations and can be contacted at admin@therealyou. info. Peter is married with four adult children and attends All Saints Church in Littlehampton.

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MOTORING WITH TIM BARNES-CLAY THE NITTY-GRITTY THE SKODA ENYAQ iV 80

Price (with options on this test car):

Love at first byte

£40,920 Max. speed: 99 mph 0-62mph: 8.5 secs Combined mpg: 28.8 Electric range: 333 miles Battery and drive: 82kWh/single electric motor Max. power (PS): 204

We put three new beasts through their paces – including the all-new Skoda Enyaq – and our latest insights are sure to become the torque of the town.

SKODA ENYAQ iV ‘The performance, especially when you hit the ‘Sport’ button, is almost clinically rapid’ Wholly electric and designed from the ground up, the Enyaq iV sets new benchmarks for room and technology. As becomes a vehicle that’s starting a bold period in Skoda engineering and design, the iV ushers in a range structure based on battery size rather than customary trim designations. You can choose between a couple of battery packs, 62kWh and 82kWh, and then select one of five interior design selections. 34

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At launch, both Enyaq iV 60 Nav (62kWh) and Enyaq iV 80 (82kWh) models feature a rear-mounted motor and rear-wheel drive, marking a return to the drivetrain layout that came to typify Skoda’s products in the sixties and seventies. The entry-level 62kWh battery produces 179PS and has a combined range of 256 miles on a single charge. The meatier 82kWh model that I drove makes 204PS and can return up to 333 miles.

The Enyaq iV offers a trio of charging methods, too. On top of using a household socket, it can be charged up at home using a 7.2kW wall box. Depending on the battery size, the wall box charging process takes between nine and 13 hours. The model can also be hooked up to rapid DC charging, enabling the iV’s battery to get from 10 to 80 per cent in around half an hour. Measuring 1,879 wide and 4,649 millimetres long, the five-seat electric vehicle delivers the space and practicality people have come to expect from Skoda. Thanks to its platform, the iV has a cabin unburdened by the packaging compromises of a conventionally powered car. This means you and your passengers can make the most of a spacious cabin with a flat floor and a boot that can take 585 litres of luggage. This can be lengthened to 1,710 litres with the rear seats folded down. As for the drive, the £40,920 Enyaq iV 80 feels large, solid and planted. It accelerates

from zero to 62mph in 8.5 seconds and has a maximum speed of 99mph. The test route from Milton Keynes to the rural fringes of Northamptonshire meant I drove the electric car on a good mix of roads. The Enyaq’s size made me twitch a bit in villages. It’s a wide vehicle, but then I was in a left-hand drive version, so I was concerned about kerbing the iV’s 21-inch alloy wheels. The light steering gave me oodles of confidence to perform a U-turn, though, and the performance, especially when you hit the ‘Sport’ button, is almost clinically rapid. I also appreciated the ‘Comfort’ setting. In this mode, the iV becomes an utterly refined machine with scarcely any wail from the electric motor. Essentially, the new Skoda Enyaq iV is a car that looks and feels good. Electric vehicles are here to stay, so if you’re considering making a move away from the internal combustion engine, then as far as electrified family cars go, this is one of the best there is on the market. f Sorted. Jul/Aug 2021

HONDA CIVIC TYPE R ‘The model is scrunched so low to the bitumen that you swear it’s swallowing blacktop for breakfast’ h Honda has finally intensified the

magnetism of the Type R cast with the Sport Line and the Limited Edition. Each offers a different angle on the breath-taking GT, further spreading the appeal of the Japanese motor maker’s accolade-acquiring hatchback. The Limited Edition hunk of metal is the most uncompromising Type R. It’s crafted for the track, with a decluttered cabin and lightweight elements, both of which are responsible for the vehicle’s 47kg weight reduction. The next addition is the Sport Line, which has been assembled to appeal to motorists who want a less ‘in-your-face’ hot hatch but still crave the performance that is the trademark of Type Rs. The Sport Line bears a low posterior spoiler instead of the accustomed high-level one – and is furnished with 19-inch alloy wheels. Each version of the upgraded Type R series

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comes, of course, with front-wheel drive. What’s more, all cars in the extensive Type R troop, including the Type R GT I drove, receive improvements. A more blatant grille, LED running lights, and headlights help give a tidier visual impact. The suspension has also been adjusted for a sharper feel and more ‘on your toes’ handling. Inside, Honda has reworked the infotainment system and climate controls by introducing physical buttons and dials for optimum usability. Additionally, the driver’s binnacle now has an LCD screen that encompasses virtual gauges and a medley of function figures. So, what did I think of the up-to-date Type R GT on the move? Well, it blew me away – the model is scrunched so low to the bitumen that you swear it’s swallowing blacktop for breakfast. The modernised model keeps the same 2.0-litre VTEC petrol turbo lump, and the six-speed manual gearbox has been improved due to a bit of ‘rev match control’ tech. This makes sure the hatch keeps on performing when it comes to behind-the-wheel gratification. Now, it might seem peculiar, but the scorching Civic has a ‘Comfort’ button as well as ‘Sport’ and ‘+R’ modes. It’s there to give you some let-up from the rigid suspension and

THE NITTY-GRITTY HONDA CIVIC TYPE R GT

£35,670 Max. speed: 169 mph 0-62mph: 5.8 secs Combined mpg: 36.7 Engine layout: 1996cc four-cylinder turbo petrol Max. power (PS): 320 CO2: 176 g/km

heavy-metal-like driving noise. But whichever setting you use, the trailblazing Type R renders you awestruck with its 0-62mph time of 5.8 seconds. The steering is pin-sharp, and the feedback is just right. This means it’s a piece of pie to evaluate the amount of exploitable traction left on the R’s rubber. The Civic inspires tons of confidence, especially when zooming into a turn. The Jap-hatch never sways, and the brawny brakes are reassuring, trimming down the pace in no time at all. The Type R’s driving position is bang on, too. And the high-backed sports seats are comfier than they first appear to be. They hold you in place in bends when your grey matter is catching up inside your cranium. Even though the R is brimming with white-hot might, it’s still a functional hatchback, with five doors and an expansive boot. Load capacity is 420 litres, and packing weighty, wide and long objects is stress-free, thanks to a low sill and a charitable boot opening. I was gutted to have had only a few days with the latest R, and I’m biting at the bit to drive it for longer. Next time, I’ll locate a racing track to put the Honda through its paces without fear of losing my driving licence. f Sorted. Jul/Aug 2021

THE NITTY-GRITTY AUDI RS 6 AVANT QUATTRO TIPTRONIC

Price (with options on this test car):

£100,035 Max speed: 155 mph 0-62 mph: 3.6 secs Combined mpg: 22.6 Engine layout: 3996cc eight-cylinder turbo petrol Max. power (PS): 600 CO2: 283 g/km

AUDI RS 6 AVANT ‘Anyone with ears that work will fathom that the growling sound emanating from this estate car means something special lurks under the bonnet’ h It’s mad; it’s bad, and it’s freakin’ terrifying – but terrifying in a good way, if you know what I mean? Actually, no, maybe you don’t. You see, you need to have bottomless pockets to afford this Audi. Buying a car this expensive and this close to all-electric vehicles taking over the world would be madness. Or would it? I mean, maybe the latest RS 6 will become a collector’s item – a rare V8 gem left in the cold, clinical world of automotive electrification. Ok, so I’m being a tad dramatic, but you do need to view big performance lumps like this as the last of a dying breed. So, you’ll either make a return on the newest RS 6 when it becomes a sought after ‘classic’, or you’ll lose a wad of your money. Yep, I like to point out the obvious. Seriously, though, will you care either way? I’m not sure I would because I wouldn’t want to let my RS 6 go. Ever. Heck, I didn’t even want to let my press demo go. It’s an addictive estate car that just works. You get all your family in – and you can still burn all the pimply boy-racers off

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at the lights without trying. Yes, you can drive this Audi Sport infused motor like a complete nutter, but the truth is, you won’t. Why? Well, why would you need to? What have you got to prove? Absolutely nothing. Because anyone with ears that work will fathom that the growling sound emanating from this estate car means something special lurks under the bonnet. I never got more than early 20s mpg out of the RS 6 during the week I drove it. I even stuck some of my own money into the tank. I don’t do that often with press cars – but the RS 6 is worth it. It’s not a car you want to leave outside your house unused – it’s a proper, spacious family motor with all the practicality of the regular Audi A6 – so it begs to be driven. Ok, it’s not that practical fuel-wise, but I’ve touched on that, and I’m not going to bang on about it. If you buy a V8, you know you’re not going down the bean-soup sipping ‘green’ road. Perhaps half the fun of running a gas-guzzling V8 these days is the fact you’re going against the grain. You’re a rebel – or something like that.

So, the RS 6 is a five-seater, five-door estate – or ‘Avant’, as the Germans call it – and this fourth version is perhaps the best yet. Prickling with the technological achievements already supplied by the A6 Avant, the hottest addition to the Audi Sport stable combines daunting twin-turbo TFSI clout with features that make running this car slightly less painful. These include cylinderon-demand technology and a mild hybrid drive, which help to deliver blockbusting performance as ‘responsibly’ as possible. Sorry, I said I wouldn’t bang on about the efficiency side of things. My bad. The 4.0 TFSI engine delivers 600PS and will do 0-62mph quicker than you can say ‘self-isolate’. Well, it’s 3.6 seconds, but you get my point. Better still, and where conditions allow (which is nowhere on a public road in the UK), you can see 124mph by the time 12 seconds have ticked by. The Audi’s top speed has had its ‘wings’ electronically clipped to 155mph. But, come on, do you need it to go any faster? Actually, if you need to, then the Vorsprung variant will carry you to 174mph. The RS 6 sticks to the bends like no estate car has the right to. The car’s body is 20 millimetres lower than in the standard A6 Avant - and at speeds of 74mph and beyond, it’s lowered by a further 10 millimetres. At the other end of the spectrum, a lift mode is on hand to raise the Audi by 20 millimetres for low-speed motoring. The broad spread of the RS sport air suspension offers you a free choice between long-distance contentment and allout performance. Throughout the 25-year RS history, Audi’s RS 6 Avant is one of the German firm’s unadulterated icons and boasts a massive global fan base. You won’t go far wrong if you buy one – and, let’s face it if this pandemic’s shown us anything, shouldn’t we realise our dreams when we have the opportunity? After all, none of us knows what’s around the corner.

TIM BARNES-CLAY Tim Barnes-Clay trained in broadcast journalism and has worked in radio and at ITV. He is now a freelance automotive writer, focusing on car reviews and features. He has media accreditation with motor manufacturers’ press offices, and this enables him to test drive the latest cars. He also regularly attends new vehicle press launches around the world. @tbarnesclay TimBarnesClay/ @carwriteups

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TOP GEAR THE GREATEST GEAR, GADGETS AND GIZMOS WE CAN FIND

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Two-faced twins artwork Artists Stella and Gem, who are identical twins, collaborate on each piece of artwork, producing large and small striking pieces for contemporary homes and spaces. Working from their studio, just down the road from Sorted HQ, in Worthing, Stella creates the initial artwork and Gem works her magic on them digitally, manipulating them and adding colour. The end result is, quite simply, breathtaking. From £180 twofacedtwins.com

Cavani P22 smart sneaker House of Cavani, the menswear specialist, is widely known for its formalwear collections that provide smart stylish apparel in the form of timeless and classic three-piece suits. Cavani and TV personality Calum Best – son of legendary footballer, George – have come together on this fashion project to create Cavani’s Best Shoe. And some would say the launch of the P22 smart sneaker is a bold step into a new arena. £84.99 cavani.co.uk

Fresh ‘n Rebel Rockbox BOLD X One absolute must-have for any garden party is an amazing summer playlist turned up to keep the summer vibes going strong. This pocket-sized speaker allows for eight hours of wireless playtime, while two speakers can be paired, perfect for those garden parties and chasing the sun around the garden. It’s even waterproof so the party can keep going even if someone accidentally spills a drink or the British weather decides to put a damper on the fun. £79.99 freshnrebel.com

Halfords 40-litre electric cool box Just perfect for a sunny day in the garden, this can be powered either from 240V mains or by a 12V in-car or 24v in-truck cigarette plug. Durable wheels and a pull out handle make transportation dead easy. The cool box is able to cool up to 16 degrees C below the ambient temperature ensuring that your food and up to 56 coldies are kept cool even on the warmest day. £100 halfords.com 40

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Dog Co. was created to offer a wide range of stylish contemporary designs based on decades of design knowledge and experience at the very best prices. Everything is British made or British sourced, maintaining sustainability, reducing carbon footprints and employing staff ethically, creating beautiful, incredibly stylish dog beds in the process.

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‘Snazzy in Stripes’ blazer This sensational striped boating blazer is a real WOW piece for your summer get-up. Perfect for those summer events that need a touch of smart style. £99 joebrowns.co.uk

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Bamboo socks Have you ever thought of trying bamboo socks? Well there’s never been a better time and you’re in the right place. These organic, eco-friendly socks are all made using super-soft and sustainable bamboo fibres and have seamless toes (so there’s no annoying catch when you put them on) meaning they’re confident they will be, 100%, the most comfortable socks you’ll ever own. £12 sirluxesocks.com Sorted. Jul/Aug 2021

PROFILE

The making of

MARCUS

Paul Ellis - Pool/Getty Images

He may be known for his prowess on the football pitch, but Marcus Rashford, the popular Manchester United striker, has added a new string to his bow – being a spokesperson for millions of Britons who find themselves on skid row, as Sorted has discovered.

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ONE YEAR ON RASHFORD IS TOP DOG n Kind-hearted Rashford has topped The Sunday Times Giving List in a record-breaking year for donations – becoming the youngest person to ever head the chart. n The footballer raised £20 million for a variety of UK groups tackling child food poverty. n The Giving List ranks philanthropists by setting the charitable sums given or raised against their net worth in the annual The Sunday Times Rich List.

‘The real superstars in this country can be found in the heart of most cities, towns and villages, working tirelessly to support our most vulnerable across the UK’

ver since he burst on to the Premier League football scene at the tender age of just 17, he has been hailed as a sporting phenomenon. And with the ball at his feet, ghosting past defenders, he most certainly is. Yet nowadays, Marcus Rashford’s biggest contribution to public life can be found a long way away from the changing rooms and hallowed turf of Old Trafford – where he successfully plies his trade for Manchester United. Instead, it is in the places frequented by the vulnerable, the homeless, the abused, and the poor that this remarkable young man would appear to be having his greatest impact. In a short space of time Rashford has become the hero of the millions of Britons who are disenfranchised and who, for a myriad of reasons, struggle to pay their bills and put food on their kitchen tables. Modest, quietly spoken and highly intelligent, he has been on one heck of a journey for the last 14 months or so, during which time he has continued to smash in the goals for the Red Devils and England. Yet it is his off-the-field endeavours that have really put the 23-year-old’s name on the tip of the tongues of ordinary people, earning bucketloads of respect and admiration along the way. ‘Marcus has shown the way, demonstrating how a high-profile individual can make a huge difference if they are prepared to use their fame to speak out about a cause,’ commented a spokeswoman for FareShare, the charity which has a formal working partnership with the footballer. ‘It has been an incredible journey for all of us associated with addressing food poverty in Britain, and our voice has been heard a lot more clearly thanks to the endeavours of Marcus, who has really thrown himself into the fight.’ Almost as soon as the COVID-19 pandemic brought the UK to a grinding halt at the beginning of 2020, Rashford’s voice was heard championing the cause of the ‘have-nots’. What became clear as infection rates soared, crematoriums and cemeteries got busier, the NHS went into meltdown, and society and business was shut down, was the young footballer’s deep concern for the people he champions: his people. And throughout the entire pandemic, he has continued to speak out. Such has been the force of Rashford’s words, he has forced the Prime Minister and the government to think carefully about the way it supports children during school holidays, shoe-horning

the Tory administration into a major policy U-turn last summer, when it threatened to withdraw critical financial support to millions of hard-pressed families. Yet, unlike so many sporting icons and celebrities, who have been known to cynically exploit and use charitable causes to enhance their own public profile and standing, Rashford is content to try and stay in the background, albeit this is a battle he is increasingly losing. ‘The real superstars in this country can be found in the heart of most cities, towns and villages, working tirelessly to support our most vulnerable across the UK,’ says the footballer. ‘With demand higher than ever before, it is important that I stay connected and lend my support wherever it is needed. ‘When we stumble, there will always be a community to wrap their arms around us and pick us back up. For many of us, that is… the local food bank, who are staffed with selfless volunteers, dedicating their lives to protecting those most vulnerable - those who, in many cases, have fallen into unforeseen circumstances due to illness, personal loss and unemployment. ‘A lot of these volunteers have themselves suffered unemployment as a result of the pandemic, yet they still strive to help others less fortunate. That to me is the greatest example of what we can do, and the difference we can make, when we just work together.’ These are humble words from a young man who has never forgotten his roots – and what he and his family experienced when he was growing up. He and his siblings relied on free school meals growing up. And it’s this defining experience that has turned him into such an effective ambassador for the many people who are f Sorted. Jul/Aug 2021

out. Where they have been muted, FEATURE h now struggling to speak

Rashford has used his status to blaze a trail across the food poverty ‘front’, saying it ‘as it is’ and partnering with respected charities like FareShare in a bid to help feed children and families in need. His support has come at a critical time, and it could yet tip the balance when it comes to feeding the one-in-twenty families who continue to struggle on skid row. ‘Food poverty in England is a pandemic that could span generations if we don’t course correct now,’ he added in a letter he wrote to MPs, demanding they address the problem urgently. ‘We rely on parents, many of whom have seen their jobs evaporate due to Covid-19… hoping that their children are going to be focused enough to learn, with only a small percentage of their nutritional needs met during this period. ‘This is a system failure and without education we’re encouraging this cycle of hardship to continue. ‘To put this pandemic into perspective, from 2018-2019, nine out of 30 children in any given classroom were living in poverty

‘Our voice has been heard a lot more clearly thanks to the endeavours of Marcus, who has really thrown himself into the fight’ in the UK. This figure is expected to rise by an additional one million by 2022. In England today, 45 per cent of children in black and minority ethnic groups are now in poverty. This is England in 2020…’ Rashford has put fighting child food poverty at the heart of his personal campaign and, working alongside a number of influential and like-minded organisations, he has helped found the Child Food Poverty Taskforce. Explaining his reasons for getting involved in the work of the group, he said: ‘Parents like mine would rely on kids’ clubs over the summer break, providing a safe space and at least one meal, whilst they work. ‘Today, parents do not have this as an option. If faced with unemployment, parents like mine would have been down at the job centre first thing Monday morning to find any work that enables them to support their families. Today, there are no jobs. ‘During this pandemic, people are existing on a knife’s edge: one missed bill is having a spiral effect; the anxiety and stress of knowing that poverty is the main driver of children ending up in care, a system that is designed to fail low-income families. ‘Do you know how much courage it takes for a grown man to say “I can’t cope” or “I can’t support my family”? Men, women, caregivers, [all of them] are calling out for our help – and we aren’t listening.’ That may have been the case when Rashford started lambasting the mandarins and MPs who arbitrarily make such far-reaching decisions. But his voice (and those of others) has been heard. As a result, money and resources have flooded in. ‘What he has achieved is quite remarkable,’ said the FareShare spokeswoman, whose own organisation has just celebrated its first anniversary of working closely with the footballer. ‘He may be only 23, but he knows his own mind, and there is a maturity you often don’t find in people twice his age. And all of this effort is designed to achieve one thing: bringing about meaningful and lasting change.’ 44

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Change can only really be measured by results. And in the case of food poverty, within weeks of his involvement becoming known, millions of pounds had been donated to frontline charities like FareShare – enabling many millions of meals to be offered to families in need. And thank goodness it happened, for support networks like schools, community centres, foodbanks and youth projects went on to experience a 90 per cent increase in demand. Thanks to Rashford’s selfless campaigning and support, FareShare’s local operation in his Manchester homeland was able to take on additional warehouse space in response to the crisis. A new unit – named Melanie Maynard House after Marcus’s mother – has been opened, enabling the charity to more than treble the amount of food it distributes every week. And all of this is good news. But it will be meaningless unless it leads to long-term sustainability for families and support organisations. As the FareShare spokeswoman succinctly put it: ‘It is all well and good patching things up for a while, but unless we tackle the root cause of the problem, everything Marcus and ourselves have achieved will have been all for naught. And the two of us are certainly not prepared to allow things to go back to where they once were. ‘We now have greater resources to feed larger number of people and the ability to influence decision-makers. And without Marcus getting involved in this fight, I am not saying we wouldn’t have eventually got to where we are – but it is highly probable it would have taken a lot, lot longer.’ The experience has been a chastening and sobering one for all concerned. But it’s also been productive, and as a nation we have discovered that ‘community’ is still alive and kicking within our villages, towns and cities. And for that, we owe a huge debt of gratitude to a certain young man, once of Wythenshaw, who chose to speak out about something he felt strongly about. Let’s hope he keeps talking for a long time to come.

HEROES OF THE FAITH

There’s no place like Ohm Born into a working-class family, Michael Faraday went on to become a giant of the nineteenth-century scientific world. J John examines the man, his life and his many achievements.

he extraordinary life of Michael Faraday, perhaps the greatest scientist of the nineteenth century, reads like something out of a Charles Dickens novel. Faraday was born in 1791, into an impoverished family in what is now Southwark (in London). His father was a blacksmith and the young Faradays education was basic. The family, however, was supported by their church; and throughout his life, Faraday kept up his involvement with his church and gave a clear testimony to a personal relationship with Christ. At the tender age of 11, poverty forced Faraday into work. He began running errands for George Riebau, a French bookbinder, who recognised the youngster’s potential, and took him on as an apprentice. Soon Faraday began to read and Riebau wisely directed him towards useful books. He soon became fascinated by science, and the bookbinder encouraged Faraday, giving him space to conduct his own experiments.

As he matured, his employer enabled him to hear lectures by the world-famous chemist, Humphry Davy. Inspired by Davy’s talks, Faraday wrote to the chemist and soon became his assistant at the Royal Institution, a body specialising in applied science. Davy found the young man remarkably useful and took him on an 18-month tour of Europe, visiting many of the great scientists of the age. On his return to England, Faraday continued to help Davy, but he increasingly started to do his own experiments in chemistry and, later, physics. Faraday turned out to be a superb experimental scientist. He was imaginative and methodical and tried to test every scientific claim he came across. He was a hard worker and rapidly published his discoveries, writing nearly 500 papers in his long and distinguished career. Step by step, Faraday rose to the very highest levels of international science. He became the director of the Royal

‘Faraday turned out to be a superb experimental scientist. He was imaginative and methodical and tried to test every scientific claim he came across’ 46

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Institution, was awarded a doctorate by Oxford University and made a fellow of the prestigious Royal Society – where he was twice invited to become its President, refusing on both occasions because he wanted to continue his laboratory work. Despite his achievements and public recognition, Faraday remained a humble man. He lived on a modest salary and declined a knighthood, preferring to be ‘plain Mr Faraday’. He did, however, accept an apartment at Hampton Court, given to him by the monarch, along with a small pension. Faraday worked hard, and this work ethos was a contributing factor when his health failed. Nonetheless, a determination to succeed prevailed, and he was sustained by two important things: n His 1821 marriage to Sarah Barnard, with whom he had a long and happy, but childless, union; n A deep Christian commitment and ongoing church involvement: Faraday was not only a faithful church member, elder and preacher, but was also regularly involved in visiting the poor and sick. His achievements are even more remarkable when we consider that the odds were stacked against him. He remained something of an outsider in society; he was lower class and had almost no formal education. Yet he was accepted not just because of his brilliance as a scientist, but because of the way his gentle and humble manner won him friends. In the early 1840s, as middle age took a firm hold, Faraday’s health began to deteriorate. Typically, when it was proposed to him that he would be buried in Westminster Abbey, alongside monarchs and scientists such as Isaac Newton, he refused. He died in 1867, at his Hampton Court apartment.

Hulton Archive/Getty Images

Blessed: Faraday's discoveries aided business.

Pioneering genius: Michael Faraday’s determination changed the course of science.

List of discoveries In his prolific career, Faraday’s studies and discoveries covered a vast area. He has been referred to as the ‘Patron Saint of Electricity’ and much of today’s world relies on the principles he first discovered, such as the dynamo; the transformer; the electric motor; electrolysis; and so on. But Faraday’s expertise was much wider than just these. He invented the process we use in refrigeration; he recognised the potential of ether as an anesthetic; and he also discovered the important chemical benzene – the list of discoveries goes on. Faraday’s ascent from being an absolute nobody to a very considerable somebody is definitely inspiring, which leaves me particularly challenged by three things: n Faraday was committed to seeking truth. A particular Christian emphasis in Faraday’s thinking was the way that he saw the natural world as something created and governed by a God who had given rules which human beings could, and should, follow. Inspired by a vision that everything in nature was ultimately connected, he peered forward into the future, anticipating ideas that were to be developed

by Einstein, who had a portrait of Faraday in his office to inspire him. n Faraday was committed to sharing truth. Scientists can be notoriously bad at communication but Faraday, doubtless remembering his own experience, was different and always anxious to publicise what was being done. He himself was a good communicator and full of enthusiasm. He arranged accessible public lectures, including some for children, a tradition continued today as the Royal Institution Christmas Lectures. n Faraday was committed to serving truth. There was no gap between what he believed and what he did. In his role as the nation’s ‘chief scientist’ Faraday served society: investigating mine explosions, working on better lighthouse lamps, preventing the corrosion of ships and raising issues about industrial and water pollution. Faraday didn’t just do good, he also resisted evil, refusing to develop chemical weapons for use in the Crimean War. Michael Faraday’s life is one of towering achievement. To do all that he did, against the odds, while maintaining his Christian faith, is astonishing. You don’t have to be Einstein to find him an inspiration!

REVD CANON J JOHN An evangelist for 40 years, he has spoken at conferences across 69 countries on six continents. Minister, speaker, broadcaster and writer, he communicates the Christian faith in a practical way. He has written several books including the Theology For Little People series to help children understand biblical truth. He lives near London and is married to Killy, and they have three sons.

canonjjohn.com @canonjjohn

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EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW

MIND OVER MATTER Sir Anthony Hopkins, 83 years young and one of Britain’s greatest-ever actors, has just won an Oscar and BAFTA for his portrayal of a man suffering from the early onset of dementia. In an exclusive interview, the star of The Father talks candidly about drawing on his own life experiences for the film – and the challenges he faced while playing such a demanding role. f Sorted. Jul/Aug 2021

‘Once you lose your memory, it must be a living hell to have no anchors left’

o one apart from Sir Anthony Hopkins could have starred in The Father – because the entire screenplay, from the character’s name, to his date of birth, was written with the Welsh actor in mind. First-time filmmaker, Florian Zeller, co-wrote the screenplay with Hopkins as the inspiration for the lead character, an independent and humorous man in his eighties who is increasingly confused and lost within the confines of his own home. Despite the actor’s natural empathy for a man of his own age, the situation isn’t something he’s had to deal with. ‘I’m 83 and it’s not difficult for me to play an old guy,’ he quips, ‘even if I’m strong and fit. But neither of my parents suffered with dementia, although my father had depression in the last year of his life. I don’t really have close personal experience of it.’ Instead it was the script that touched him.

Knife-edge The Father is based upon French playwright Zeller’s play of the same name, first performed in Paris in 2012. Zeller co-wrote the screenplay with Christopher Hampton, the writer behind Atonement and Dangerous Liaisons. ‘I didn’t see the play,’ Hopkins recalls. ‘But I met Florian with Christopher, who I’ve worked with before. I thought the script was excellent. We went and had breakfast in a hotel, and Florian was such a pleasant man and the script was so good.’ The only problem, the actor continues, was that he’d already signed up to make The Two Popes, for which he would be nominated for his fifth Oscar. ‘I knew this was an independent film and finance would be on a knife-edge, so I said to Florian, ‘will you wait for me?’ Thankfully, Florian agreed to the request. The Father is seen entirely through the character, Anthony’s, growing distress, as the London apartment he’s lived in for years is no longer familiar, and his daughter Anne, played by Olivia Colman, has said that though she loves her father, she’s moving to Paris to 50

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Images on this spread: © New Zealand Trust Corporation as Trustee for Elarof Channel Four Television Corporation Trademark Father Limited F Comme Film Ciné-@ Orange Studio 2020

Towering performance: Hopkins is back to his very best in The Father.

Shared success: Olivia Coleman (above) and Imogen Poots (below) delivered powerful and sympathetic performances.

be with her new man. But if that’s the case, why is she also in his flat with her husband, and why are there sometimes strangers in his home? As well as Olivia Colman, The Father’s supporting cast also includes British actors Olivia Williams, Rufus Sewell, Mark Gatiss and Imogen Poots. For millions of cinema-goers who’ve been terrified and thrilled by the Oscar-winning actor as psychopath, Hannibal Lecter, in The Silence of the Lambs or the butler, Stevens, in The Remains of the Day, the character of Anthony in The Father will stir very different emotions. ‘I can see dementia is tough on the people around you,’ the actor says. ‘Watching Olivia’s reaction to the scenes when I’m flirting with the young lady (a nurse played by Imogen Poots) and then the turning of harshness on her and seeing her confusion – it was awful, I felt so guilty playing those scenes!’ It made him think, he says, about how precious the function of memory is – and how he tries to keep his own brain active. ‘I read a lot and I paint and I play the piano, I play five times a week and I am not a concert pianist, but it’s good exercise and I also memorise scripts,’ he reveals. ‘Being an actor is useful as you have to learn the script, that’s the one discipline I do preach to younger actors and I say that often to young kids who want to improvise. I think learning lines keeps my brain going.’ The young Anthony Hopkins pursued a stage career before moving to films in the late 1960s, and he confesses he’s still obsessive about learning his lines. ‘I know them to the extent that I would know them in my sleep,’ he laughs, ‘and that’s a good way to keep the brain healthy. And diet, eating healthily, and exercise helps. Once you lose your memory, it must be a living hell to have no anchors left. It’s the most powerful and important tool, essential to survival.’ Playing out some of the film’s deeply moving scenes, as Anthony’s reality crumbles before the audience’s f Sorted. Jul/Aug 2021

Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

h eyes, also affected Hopkins deeply, particularly in a

Stellar cast: Scott Glen (back), Hopkins and Jodie Foster gave imperious performances in the multi award-winning Silence of the Lambs.

SUCCESS AND EXCESS Born on New Year’s Eve in 1937, in the small Welsh town of Margam, Sir Anthony Hopkins has become one of Hollywood’s biggest stars. After studying at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama in Cardiff , he has starred in over 90 films, including favourites such as Hitchcock, Howards End, Hannibal, Red Dragon, Legends of the Fall, Shadowlands, Bram Stoker’s Dracula, 84 Charing Cross, The Elephant Man and The Bounty. He has also narrated Dr Seuss’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas. Now a two-time Oscar winner (his portrayal of Hannibal Lectar in Silence of the Lambs won him the leading actor award in 1992), he has received a further four Academy Award nominations for his roles in The Remains of the Day, Amistad, Nixon and The Two Popes. In addition, he has also won a BAFTA and is a double Emmy winner. But away from the silver screen, not everything has been so rosy.

‘I’m not a holy Joe; I’m just an old sinner like everyone else’ Three times married, Sir Anthony often talks about his addiction to alcohol, something he hasn’t touched for many years. And he is also estranged from his daughter, the British actress, Abigail Hopkins. He quit the booze just after Christmas 1975 and has stayed sober ever since. ‘I made that quantum leap when I asked for help,’ he recalls of the moment he stopped drinking. ‘I just found something and a woman talked to me and she said ‘just trust in God’. And I said ‘well, why not?’ Although he has never openly declared a faith, in January 2020, when asked if he was agnostic, he responded: ‘Agnosticism is a bit strange. An agnostic doubts and atheism denies. I’m not a holy Joe; I’m just an old sinner like everyone else. ‘I do believe more than ever now that there is a vast area of our own lives that we know nothing about. As I get older, I can cry at the drop of a hat because the wonderful, terrible passion of life is so short. ‘I have to believe there’s something bigger than me. I’m just a microbe. That, for me, is the biggest feeling of relief – acknowledging that I am really nothing. I’m compelled to say, whoever’s running the show, thank you very much.’

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scene with Olivia Williams playing a nurse. ‘I think as you get older, you do go around examining life more,’ he says. ‘This did make me think about my past and my parents and about the sweet sadness of it all.’ ‘I remember the scene with Olivia Williams when my character breaks down realising he’s lost his mum. We did the scene and it didn’t quite work at first, so we had a little break and I saw the chair on the set where Anthony used to sit and saw the picture of his daughters and him in younger days, and as the camera pans outside at the end of the film, you see a pair of glasses and a book, and that really hit me. ‘I remember taking my mum to the hospital to collect my Father’s things after he died. I remember looking at him lying there and his feet were cold, and it was almost 40 years ago. I thought to myself ‘you’re not so hot, either, you’ll be there one day’.’ But he asserts that the thought is also uplifting. ‘That’s the wonderful thing. It sounds weird to say, but it’s good to remember it’s all a dream, it’s all gone with the wind. I went to pick up my Father’s glasses and there was a little notebook and a map of America. I’d promised that one day, we’d drive across the States to LA. I remembered all of that in that final scene. It’s all so fragile, and that’s what I realise more and more now as I’m at that age.’ But happiness, he ventures, can go hand in hand with ageing. ‘I enjoy it all more,’ he says. ‘I have a laugh now; I like watching old guys on TV, like Sinatra. And they’ve all gone too, and there’s a great victory in recognising death and mortality while I’m here.’

Avoid acting Florian Zeller wanted to mirror the character Anthony’s sense of confusion and distress by using the set. He would regularly change its colours and layout, in order to create the feeling that the lead character is wandering through a labyrinth. ‘The set was wonderful,’ Hopkins recalls. ‘It was in a small studio outside North West London. And the lighting was extraordinary; it was that depressing afternoon light in a suburban house in London with shafts of sunlight. It all fed into my psyche. ‘I didn’t take much notice of the background changing when Florian would point out the set changes. I wanted to play a normal human being making coffee, he comes into a room and he finds a stranger. I tried to avoid acting. It’s just simple questions such as ‘what are you doing? Who are you? What’s going on?’ That’s all that’s required. ‘I think Florian is wonderful. Very simple and very direct. He was very easy and never dictatorial,’ the actor adds. Indeed, he asserts: ‘I had the best time of my life making this film. I look back on it with great nostalgia. It was a particularly vivid experience working on this film with Olivia Colman and the rest of the cast. ‘At my age, I’m not only astonished I’m still here but I’m most fortunate to be have been employed as an actor for many years, which has been the richest life I could ever dream of.’ www.thefatherfilm.co.uk Free faith resources can be found at www.cpo.org.uk/digital-film-resources

ROLL OF HONOUR Among the many awards and honours bestowed on Sir Anthony Hopkins during his glittering career, two Academy Awards and three BAFTA successes are the outstanding achievements. In total, he has been nominated for a staggering 97 international awards – winning 38 times. Among them are:

Academy Awards (Oscars)

The Silence of the Lambs (1992). Winner: Best Actor

The Remains of the Day (1994). Nominee: Best Actor

Nixon (1996). Nominee: Best Actor

Armistad (1998). Nominee: Best Supporting Actor

The Two Popes. Nominee: Best Supporting Actor

The Father (2021). Winner: Best Actor

The Lion in Winter (1969) Nominee: Best Actor in a Leading Role

Shadowlands (1994). Winner: Best Actor in a Leading Role

Magic (1979). Nominee: Best Actor in a Leading Role

The Two Popes (2020). Nominee: Best Actor in a Supporting Role

The Silence of the Lambs (1992). Winner: Best Actor in a Leading Role

The Father (2021). Winner: Best Actor in a Leading Role

‘I’m most fortunate to be have been employed as an actor for many years, which has been the richest life I could ever dream of’

Stuart Wilson/Getty Images

BAFTAs

The Remains of the Day (1994). Winner: Best Actor in a Leading Role

Two nominations Sir Anthony may wish to forget about came in 1981 and 2018, when he received nominations in The Golden Raspberry Awards, which celebrate the worst of cinematography. But the least said about those, the better.

Recognised: Hopkins received the BAFTA Fellowship in 2008. Sorted. Jul/Aug 2021

PROFILE

‘I am a cradle Catholic. It has always been at the very core of my being’

BEING

Anthony Harvey/Getty Images

Frank... He’s been making us laugh for decades. But there is a serious side to comedian, Frank Skinner – one that sees him praying twice a day and seeking salvation for his atheist friends. And to cap things off nicely, he has just published a best-selling book on the subject, as Sorted has discovered. f

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e’s been delighting audiences with his own unique blend of conversational comedy for as long as most of us care to remember, during which time he has become one of Britain’s favourite merchants of mirth. Occasionally there have been some exotic departures from the straight and narrow, not least in the mid-1990s when he teamed up with his laughter partner of the time, David Baddiel, to write the classic football song Three Lions, which caught the spirit of the European Football Championships perfectly and has since become the unofficial anthem of England football fans across the land. As far as doing things a bit differently, that’s about as far as it goes – until April 2021, when Christopher Graham Collins (Frank Skinner is his stage name), surprised us all by publishing a book about prayer. Yes, you don’t need to get your eyes tested: Frank Skinner has written a book about spiritual matters – called A Comedian’s Prayer Book – and he is getting a lot of plaudits for doing so. ‘I don’t remember never not having it [faith],’ he says. ‘I am a cradle Catholic. It has always been at the very core of my being. ‘When I was 19, I left the Catholic Church, which was the source of some major family turmoil. But I left, not because I stopped believing, but because I had doubts about… papal infallibility and many other doctrines, which worried me. So it was a sort of bureaucratic reason for leaving. ‘I read every anti-Catholic book I could find so I could become convinced of this decision. And that didn’t work. Eventually, I went to see this old priest called Father Stibbles and I told him all this. It was a sort of drive-by confession that I didn’t know was happening. The next day, I went to Mass and that’s it, I am a regular churchgoer now.’ That’s all well and good. But why did the 64-year-old decide now was the right time to dip his big toe into faith waters? ‘I am really interested in prayer,’ he revealed to the BBC’s popular Songs of Praise programme. ‘I pray twice a day as a standard thing – and a bit more when I am in

Shutterstock

Football’s coming home: Baddiel and Skinner shoot the Three Lions video.

the bookies! But I would say prayer is the only area of my life where I am completely free, honest, there’s no act, there’s no front. ‘The more I talk about faith, the more I feel sure that I have it. Otherwise why would I bemoan the prospect of losing it? Even of losing it to certainty? ‘I tried to think dangerously, to question my own motivations. I feel prayer is not the place to give yourself the benefit of the doubt. I am here [in Church] to confess, to offer myself up for inspection, to shine the light into my own dark corners. ‘But sometimes [God] intervenes. [God] actually intervenes. There is no voice and sudden smell of incense. But somewhere in the swirl of me [God] also becomes present.’ Over 112 pages, Skinner uses the book to open up about his ongoing relationship with God and the Catholic Church – and his words make very compelling reading.

‘I would say prayer is the only area of my life where I am completely free, honest, there’s no act, there’s no front’ 56

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FRANK SKINNER: FACT FILE n On stage, he is called ‘Frank’, yet his real name is Christopher Graham Skinner – and (to confuse things further) his mum and dad chose to call him ‘Graham’ n Before turning his hand to comedy, Skinner was an English Lecturer at Halesowen College n He is a lifelong fan of Elvis Presley and once paid £11,000 for a shirt reputedly worn by ‘The King’ n Skinner cut out alcohol at the age of 29, when he found himself swapping sherry for pernod at breakfast!

A Comedian’s Prayer Book (£8.99) is published by Hodder and Stoughton and is available at all good book shops.

Continues the comic: ‘I was at a college of further education doing my A-Levels, because I got expelled from school after it all went a bit wrong, and I remember the lecturer said: ‘how many people here pray?’ ‘Nobody put their hand up. I didn’t put my hand up. I didn’t want to be that one person. Afterwards it really nagged at me that I hadn’t put my hand up. This was 30 odd years ago. ‘In a way, I have been trying to put my hand up ever since, and I think this book is another example of me putting my hand up and saying I am one of these people and I am not ashamed of it.’ In today’s world, where those who believe in a Creator God are often ridiculed, or worse, it is brave for anyone in public life to slam a stake in the ground and declare: ‘This is what I believe.’

It is, of course, what Christians of all denominations are called to do. But celebrities, mindful of the often mocking and hostile reaction of the media and other influential third parties, often shy away from being bold. But not Frank Skinner. ‘Is there a place for comedy in prayer?’ he asks in a column he wrote for a national newspaper recently. ‘If there’s a place for comedy in life, there’s a place for comedy in prayer. God is a tough audience as far as audible response is concerned, but I love that I don’t have to explain the references. ‘In truth, even other Christians can find us Catholics a bit exotic. I understand that. They lack our continental taste for statue-kissing, entrail-centric saint-depictions and skeletons in bridal veils. Those are the bits I love best. ‘I looked up the word ‘believer’ on Thesaurus.com and the offered synonyms were adherent, devotee, disciple, follower, supporter, zealot, convert and freak. I like to think I cover all those bases in my book. Of course, believers are also notoriously po-faced, as indeed are atheists, so I may have come up with a formula that alienates and annoys just about everyone. At least no one can accuse me of being too commercial.’ Much of what Skinner addresses in A Comedian's Prayer Book dwells on his relationship with atheist friends and his desire to see them saved. ‘I’m not cutting a new groove here. As a kid, I remember praying, at my Catholic Junior School assembly, that Mary, Mother of Mercy, might enlighten the minds that are miserably enfolded in the darkness of ignorance and sin. All I’m doing is putting names to this shadowy ensemble so the Blessed Virgin doesn’t have to seek them amid the near-impenetrable atheist gloom. ‘So, yes, I pray for the miserably enfolded. They are much more in need of your help than the believers, be they chronically sick or violently oppressed. These latter sufferings are very much of an earthly nature. Come the glorious day, their anguish will be left behind, like when those novelty items in an amusement arcade grab-a-gift machine are lifted from their cheerless chamber of materialism by a descending claw from above. ‘The atheists, in contrast, have an illness that, if untreated, renders them sufferers for all eternity. Temporal torments of a physical nature are small beer compared to a significant endangering of the soul. ‘This is Operation Lost Sheep. So shine the light of realisation on my atheist friends. Forgive their RichardDawkins-is-so-cool trend-following superficiality, their uninformed criticisms, their arrogant certainty, and let them see that, as it turned out, I was right all along.’ Skinner admits he thought long and hard about publishing a book of this nature, and well he might. As he once mused: ‘It is easier to come out as an alcoholic than it is a Christian!’ But judging by the reception he has received and the sales he is steadily clocking up (it is the number one seller in the Spiritual Prayer category of Amazon), it was definitely a risk worth taking. Sorted. Jul/Aug 2021

INTERVIEW

HARRY’S GAME One of music’s most well-known names, Harry Connick Junior’s latest album is a rich lament inspired by gospel songs and Christianity. Jason O’Toole talks to the star about some of the biggest episodes in the singer-songwriter’s life – and an extraordinary fondness for all things Irish.

fter his most recent tour was cancelled in 2020, Harry Connick Jr. retreated to his home studio during the lockdown and emerged with an album of new music titled Alone With My Faith. Harry wrote and arranged all of the songs, played every instrument and sang every part. And, in keeping things in the family, the album cover and the video of the song Amazing Grace were conceived and directed by Harry’s daughter, Georgia. In an exclusive Q&A session with Sorted, the star talks about what his army of fans can expect from his latest album, his journey to stardom and his musical upbringing in New Orleans. And he also lifts the lid on some the personal battles he has faced – not least losing his mother to ovarian cancer when he was a teenager and his wife’s battle with breast cancer. Q: SO HARRY, YOUR NEW ALBUM IS VERY UPLIFTING – THAT’S THE KIND OF MUSIC WE NEED AT THE MOMENT?

A: ‘Thank you. I think it’s just like my faith you know, sometimes it’s uplifting and sometimes I question it and everything in between. And these songs are sort of real-time reflections on what I was feeling over the last year or so during this pandemic. It was an opportunity to record in a way that I had never done to this extent. f 58

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‘I have a pretty deep connection with gospel music and gospel musicians.’ Sorted. Jul/Aug 2021

‘When you can’t go to funerals and you can’t have closure, that’s very, very hard, as most people who have gone through this pandemic know’

h ‘I was completely alone. I was the only singer and musician. I was the recording engineer. I was the technician setting up the microphones and the amps, and stuff like that. So I got a chance to spend a lot of time sort of all by myself singing songs that helped me get through this time, which was a unique experience. So I hope that comes across?’ Q: WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO DO AN ALBUM THAT EXPRESSES YOUR FAITH?

A: ‘Well, I’ve performed a lot of these songs my whole life. You know, I’ve performed them on stage for years and I love a lot of these songs, mostly gospel songs. I have a pretty deep connection with gospel music and gospel musicians. So I knew at some point I was going to do a gospel album. But this is not the album that I could have predicted, because these are songs that were written as a result of the circumstances that I found myself in. And, yeah, I think it transcends Christianity. ‘There are many songs that are, you know, very specifically Christian. But this album wasn’t made specifically for people of the Christian faith. It was made for people who subscribe to the notion of any faith at all. Because I think most of us feel some type of faith and that’s what I was trying to address, just to see if I could bring my experience and share it with people of all faiths.’ Q: YOU GREW UP WITH A FATHER WHO HAD A CATHOLIC BACKGROUND. DID YOU REBEL AT ALL AGAINST YOUR FAITH DURING YOUR TEENAGE YEARS AS SOME TEENS DO?

A: ‘I actually clung onto it in my teens because my mother had just died [of ovarian cancer when I was 13] and I felt I needed to be a part of something that gave me comfort… I decided I wanted to be Catholic at 13, so I got baptised and confirmed. So that was when my faith was probably at its strongest. And because I was not given the Catholic faith as a baby through baptism, I had a chance to kind of look at it in a lot of different ways. And sometimes I think that’s a really good thing and sometimes I think it’s not so good. And that’s what this album was about. It was about the spectrum of faith that I experience from incredible joy and confidence to what is going on right now. You know, why am I hurting like this? I wanted all of those feelings to be on this record because I think that we all feel those things.’ Kevin Winter/Getty Images

Q: SO DID YOU FIND YOURSELF GETTING VERY DOWNBEAT DURING LOCKDOWN?

A: ‘Sometimes, I think most of the time, I felt pretty good. But I lost a lot of friends, family members and those are hard 60

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HARRY CONNICK JR: FACT FILE n The 53-year-old has recorded more No1 albums than any other US jazz artist n In 1990, he made his movie debut in Memphis Belle. Since then, he has appeared in 23 films n He is the winner of three Grammies and two Emmy Awards n Harry is a fan New Orleans Saints, one of the leading NFL teams n He was once arrested for carrying a pistol at JFK Airport. All charges were subsequently dropped

Q: YOUR MOTHER GOT CANCER WHEN YOU WERE AGED 10, AND SHE PASSED AWAY WHEN YOU WERE 13. THAT MUST HAVE BEEN VERY HARD?

A: ‘It’s something that I speak with my family about a lot. But you never really totally get over. I mean, I’m able to function and have a fulfilled life and, you know, enjoy great happiness. But, you know, that’s something that you never really… you can’t fill that hole, you know?’ Q: AND IT WAS ABOUT 10 YEARS AGO WHEN YOUR OWN WIFE UNFORTUNATELY GOT BREAST CANCER. THAT MUST HAVE REALLY BROUGHT IT HOME IN A DRAMATIC WAY, THE WHOLE THING?

Nicholas Hunt/Getty Images for Jazz At Lincoln Center

things to deal with out of a pandemic. But when you can’t go to funerals and you can’t have closure, that’s very, very hard, as most people who have gone through this pandemic know. So, yes, there were many times when I was very down and sometimes I didn’t feel like making music. But, you know, most of the time I was able to sort of try to collect my thoughts and sort of channel them through some of these songs.’

A: ‘It was absolutely terrifying. I’ll never forget when Jill went for her mammogram and was waiting for the results, and I had to go to New Orleans the next day to film something and I’ll never forget it, it was about eight or nine o’clock in the morning and my cell phone rang and I was waiting for the news. And she says, ‘I have it’. And I had to, you know, be happy and performing out on the street. I was terrified. I mean, beyond belief, because the thought of losing Jill, I don’t know how I would get through that. So thank God she made it through successfully. She’s now seven years, almost eight years in remission. So, you know, it’s experiences that I wouldn’t wish upon anybody, but I feel very, very blessed that that Jill is now fine and we’re all back on track.’ Q: DO YOU JOKE WITH YOUR WIFE, JILL, MUCH OVER HER EPISODE OF FRIENDS?

A: ‘Yeah. All my kids joke with her, a couple of them in particular imitate the way she talks, because she kind of has a high voice. And so we have a lot of laughs with her about that. f Sorted. Jul/Aug 2021

Ronald Martinez/Getty Images

‘I’m obsessed with Ireland. I love it. My father married his present wife there and we think we’re Irish’

Enduring love: Harry Connick Jr. and wife Jill Goodacre.

A: ‘I guess I had some great experiences making movies. [Copycat] was a great one. I have done one called Fear of Rain, which just came out and was an amazing experience. I don’t have many regrets, I think, because if things don’t work out, I’m one of those people, I’m sort of a fatalist in that way, I think it was supposed to happen. There may be some disappointment here and there but ultimately, I don’t really dwell on regret, I just keep on going and taking things as they come.’

h Q: WAS IT LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT WHEN YOU TWO MET?

A: ‘For me it was. I knew who she was and I introduced myself because we had a mutual friend and I had never seen a human being that looked like that before. And so I was just like taken aback by her physical beauty. And then when I got a chance to talk to her for a few minutes I was like, ‘Oh, man, this girl is really cool’. You know, we have a lot in common. We’re from neighbouring states in the South. She was just nice, funny, laid back – and she has a really firm handshake. And so, for me, that’s definitely pretty amazing. And then I found out probably years later that the day we met, she called her mother and said, ‘Mom, I met the guy I’m going to marry.’ Now she didn’t let me on to that at all and if she had, I would have relaxed a little bit. But, you know, I tried so hard to win her over, but I think she liked me more than I thought she did.’

Q: CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT IRELAND AND YOUR FONDNESS FOR THE PLACE?

A: ‘I’m obsessed with Ireland. I love it. My father married his present wife there and we think we’re Irish. We think that we were born there. My dad got married at Adare Manor 25 years ago to his wife Londa. I mean, any chance I get to come back I will. We just love it. We love the people. It’s so full of life. It’s awesome.’

A: ‘I was cast in that movie for reasons that I never understood, because when I met the director, he said, ‘What do you know about serial killers?’ I think I was 22 or 23 and I said, ‘I don’t know, I know what I read in the papers and see on the news’. And then he asked‘can you do a really strong Southern accent?’ I said ‘yeah, I can’. And next thing I knew, he said, ‘OK, we want you to play this part’. And I’m like, ‘well what did I possibly reveal to you in that short interview that would make you think I could do that?’ So I still don’t know the answer to that. But that was a fun movie to make.’ Q: WHICH FILM HAS BEEN YOUR FAVOURITE AND DO YOU HAVE ANY REGRETS ABOUT THOSE YOU HAVE TURNED DOWN? 62

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Q: SO YOU WENT INTO MOVIES. CAN WE TALK ABOUT THE MOVIE COPYCAT – WHEN YOU PLAYED A SERIAL KILLER?

Convincing: Connick Jr stars in the 1995 film Copy Cat.

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The wordsmith After starting his own business, Blake Auden became increasingly aware he was suffering from depression and other mental health problems. Determined to address the ‘black dog’ in his life, he set about creating his own recovery programme – which involved becoming a poet of international repute, as Louis Mason discovered. 64

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INTERVIEW

I FACT FILE: BLAKE AUDEN n Blake lives in Brighton n He has two degrees (one in music) and has been running a small business for more than a decade n He has three published books of poetry – Tell the Birds She’s Gone, The Things We Leave Behind and Beekeeper – which has helped him gain huge international popularity n He has now signed a publishing deal with Central Avenue Publishing n Murmuration, his latest collection of poems, is due out this year n He has a wolf’s head tattooed across the top of his left hand, which he looks at daily and acts as a reminder of the journey he has been on, and is still experiencing

t wasn’t until Blake Auden started struggling with his own mental health that he realised there was nothing ‘unmanly’ about being vulnerable – and that’s the moment he started to put his considerable creative writing talents to use as a form of self-help. Fast forward a few years and today he now has more than 200,000 followers on social media and is spearheading the ‘micro-poetry movement’, where his short and deeply moving poems, addressing a number of difficult topics and life struggles, are popular across the globe. Yet in 2015, it was a very different story. ‘I essentially had a nervous breakdown four or five years ago,’ he told Sorted. ‘I went to therapy, which would have never been an option in the past, and they encouraged me to start talking about my feelings and to open up to people, and the more I did it, the better I felt. Poetry became an outlet for that.’ Growing up, Blake was like many other boys his age. Born into a military family, he grew up around Herefordshire surrounded by the army. He had friends, a loving family, he had succeeded in school and he had an obvious flair for all things creative, including writing scripts and songs and reading poetry in his spare time. ‘I was always very aware of my father being part of the military and I think that was what sparked my interest in poetry initially,’ he recalls. ‘I started reading poems at a young age and I read a lot! I became really interested specifically in war poetry. I think reading these kinds of poems gave me some sort of understanding about what my father had gone through and what emotions he might have been feeling. He suffered from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) after having served in the Falklands War and the Gulf War, and the poetry certainly opened my eyes to his struggles.’

Macho Blake remembers his childhood fondly, but he will be the first to admit that this kind of environment growing up encouraged a stiff upper lip attitude and his feelings and emotions were rarely shared openly with his family and friends for fear of seeming weak or exposed. As a result, Blake began to craft himself a ‘macho exterior’ but, underneath it all, he was silently fighting his own battle in his head with no one to share it with. ‘I grew up around a lot of very tough, hard men. I grew up with the idea that men needed to be strong and didn’t really have emotions – or certainly they didn’t discuss them,’ he says. ‘I had this drummed into me for most of my early life and I think this is probably why my anxiety began to grow. ‘For most of my life, I’ve struggled with anxiety quite badly and it got progressively worse. I was ashamed f Sorted. Jul/Aug 2021

‘Poetry is a remedy for the soul, and I feel like I have an important job sharing it’ h of myself for feeling anxious and I would tell myself

to man up – something that I honestly believed at the time and I know now is complete nonsense.’ It wasn’t until early adulthood that Blake really began to notice a change in his mental health. And it wasn’t a discovery that made him smile or feel good about himself. He had started a successful career in graphic design straight out of university and had been performing his music and lyrics regularly on the Brighton music scene, but his years of stifling his emotions reached a terrifying crescendo and ultimately it gave him the push he needed to start his journey into poetry. That’s when he experienced a breakdown. With a newfound outlet for his anxiety, Blake was finally able to address his struggles and his mental health improved significantly. But it wasn’t until a friend of his suggested that he put some of his work online that he realised how valuable his poetry could be to other people in a similar position. ‘A friend of mine suggest I start sharing my poetry on Instagram,’ he says. ‘I must admit, my initial reaction was not positive. I thought that Instagram was probably the worst platform for my work, but my friend introduced me to a community of poets and the rest is history.’ Blake’s format of short, four- or five-line poems exploring anxiety, depression, love, loss, and the human condition, set against scenic backgrounds, has become iconic social media and the role of the ‘E-Poet’ or ‘Social Poet 2.0’ as Auden quips, has quickly become an integral part of online poetry and expression. Speaking on his newfound popularity, Auden admits that he was shocked by his sudden fame. But what has been even more surprising is how important his poetry has become to so many people who are experiencing the same torments and troubles that he faced. ‘I had spent a lot of my adulthood searching for meaning, and this is making me feel like I’m doing something meaningful. Poetry is a remedy for the soul, and I feel like I have an important job sharing it. ‘The feedback I get the most from my poems online usually goes along the lines that people are feeling less alone after reading my work because someone else is

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BLAKE’S 5-STEP ANXIETY FORMULA n Anxiety will take from you, if you let it. But staying away from something just because it’s made you feel anxious before doesn’t mean you’re removing the anxiety – it will just find you somewhere else. Try not to miss out on too much just because the wolf tells you to. n If someone with anxiety cares about you, they will probably worry about you. A LOT. There is little you can do about it, and it’s not rational — we really can’t help it. n Panic attacks can be genuinely terrifying, and there isn’t much you can do to change that. Please try not to use the words ‘calm down’ to someone who is having a panic attack, it’s very unhelpful! n Anxious people can find social events difficult, so try not to get offended if they make an excuse not to come to something. If you can respond to a cancellation with kindness and tell them not to worry, you can make a real difference to how they feel. n From my own experience, being alone can really help me cope, and I suspect it may be the same for other people. If you haven’t seen someone with anxiety for a little while, don’t assume they’re antisocial or they don’t want to spend time with you, it could just be that they need their own space in order to recharge and/or overcome a difficult period. Try reaching out just to see how they are, without trying to get them to commit to a social event or specific action – it can really help knowing the people we care about understand. Source: Authority Magazine going through what they are going through. Others have commented that they were feeling a certain emotion that they couldn’t quite articulate, and I managed to do it for them. I love hearing this feedback, knowing that I’ve made a difference.’ The author Ernest Hemingway once said: ‘There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man. True nobility lies in being superior to your former self ’. As Blake Auden changes perceptions on mental health and masculinity, one online post at a time, perhaps it is possible for us all to learn a valuable lesson about the importance of sharing our feelings and the personal growth we can all benefit from as a result.

FAMILY

WITH GERRIT BANTJES

Shall I compare thee to… If it’s peace and fulfilment you want out of life, don’t make the huge mistake of judging your deeds against those of others.

n Charlie Mackesy’s fabulous book The Boy, The Mole, The Fox and The Horse, the boy asks the mole: ‘What do you think is the biggest waste of time?’ After a moment, the mole replied: ‘Comparing yourself to others.’ There is nothing wrong with aspiring to improve, but we can drive ourselves around the bend by constantly comparing ourselves to others, when in reality, we can only ever be the ‘best me’ that we can be. But how do we do that? Tom Brady is arguably the best quarterback to have ever played gridiron football. He has won seven Super Bowl titles and astonishingly, at 43 years of age, he’s still going strong. Last season, after moving to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from the New England Patriots, a commentator remarked that Brady starts every training session by focusing on the basics for the first 20 minutes – grip, footwork,

throw, release, follow-through. Here is the best quarterback of all time and he’s still working on ‘the basics’ every single day! I think we can learn so much from that. No matter where we find ourselves in life, if we want to be the ‘best me’ that we can be, focusing on the basics every day is a good place to start. So here are a couple of the most important ‘basics’: n Be kind – not just to others, but to ourselves as well. We need to know when our energy levels are low, and how to recharge our batteries. We should surround ourselves with others who bring out the best in us, and have the courage to ask for help when we are struggling. It is a wise man who knows that he can’t do it all by himself.

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‘Here is the best quarterback of all time and he’s still working on “the basics” every single day’

n Guard our hearts – that’s where everything flows from, and it is from the heart that we love, trust and commit; emotions are stirred by the heart, and once it is moved we will almost certainly act. So, if we sow a thought, we reap an action. Sow an action; reap a habit. Sow a habit; reap a character. Sow a character; reap a destiny. I realise not everyone reading this shares my faith, but for me, daily prayer and reflection is essential for guarding my heart. To be the ‘best me’ that we can be, perhaps we should heed the words of the wise old mole, and stop comparing ourselves to others? And once we have accomplished that, then every day we can really focus on the basics.

GERRIT BANTJES South African by birth, Gerrit became fitness coach at Cardiff RFC after playing first class rugby in South Africa and Wales. He served in two armies and passed the gruelling British Army Pre-Parachute Selection Course, P-Company, at the age of 40. Married to a Welsh girl, he has lived in Cardiff for more than twenty years. Gerrit works for Care for the Family and speaks all over the UK.

careforthefamily.org.uk

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RELATIONSHIPS WITH HARRY BENSON

Is there poison in your life? Many things can affect a relationship, causing frustrations to surface – not least a lack of clarity between loving partners.

herese is a friend of my wife Kate. They used to work together and still chat from time to time. The other day, Kate asked Therese about life at home. She’s lived with her partner, Dave, for eight years and they have two young children. She told Kate she’d love to get married and used to joke with Dave about it – but as the issue never seemed to reach its natural conclusion, the whole subject became harder and harder to discuss. Now it’s a no-go area, and she’s scared that if she brings it up, he might up sticks and leave. The problem here is one of ambiguity. Therese wants to be committed for life but she isn’t sure Dave feels the same way. Instead of being open and honest together, it makes her scared and defensive. Some of their conversations are stilted; and their intimacy together is not what it should be.

It’s easy to see how they could stop talking altogether and drift apart. John is a friend of my daughter. He’s a young professional and has lived with his girlfriend, Amy, for 18 months. They’ve been going out for five years. I recently asked him if they’d talked about marriage? ‘I think we both want to do that,’ he replied. But then he stopped talking and looked away. ‘Actually, we really ought to talk about it,’ he said, before thanking me for prompting him. ‘I’m pretty sure we both want this,’ he added, ‘but a little clarity will make us both feel a whole lot more relaxed.’ For me, ambiguity lies at the root of almost all relationship problems. Two people can stand in the same place and yet see a completely different view. Clarity depends on how each of us feels now; how our past experiences shape our view of the world; and what our expectations of the future are.

‘Two people can stand in the same place and yet see a completely different view’ We assume the other person thinks the same way – but we can’t be sure. And misunderstandings, miscommunication and conflict all stem from not talking about it. For John and Amy, removing ambiguity about their future probably won’t be too hard, while for Therese and Dave, the risk seems high. But sticking with ambiguity virtually guarantees their relationship will never be all it could be. Either way, they need clarity. So, cutting to the chase: what ambiguity do you need to deal with in your relationship?

HARRY BENSON Harry Benson is research director for the Marriage Foundation and author of Commit or Quit: The Two Year Rule and Other Rules for Romance, out now

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THE GP’S SURGERY WITH SIMON ATKINS

Have you got the ‘healthy microbe’ bug? The Covid virus may have wreaked havoc around the world, but not all micro-organisms should be feared.

n the midst of a global pandemic responsible for the deaths of more than two million people, it is hard to believe there are some microbes that are actually good for us. But there are. In fact, there are millions we can’t live healthily without. The micro-organisms in question are the trillions that inhabit the dark recesses of our guts, where a mixture of bacteria, fungi, protozoa and viruses form what is known as our ‘gut biome’. There are so many living inside us that they outnumber all the other cells in our bodies added together – effectively making us 90 per cent microbe! Micro-organisms are key players in digestion and metabolism. They affect our appetite and the

number of calories we absorb; they help boost our immune system; and they also produce beneficial enzymes and vitamins. And research shows that a rich and diverse gut biome helps protect us against obesity, diabetes, a host of allergies, inflammatory bowel disease, arthritis and even depression. And the good news, according to Professor Tim Spector, who specialises in this subject, is there is plenty we can do to boost our gut biomes and reap these benefits. His tips include eating a wide variety of seasonal fruit and vegetables. and foods rich in fibre, as they help maintain a healthy balance within our gut biomes and encourage microbes to thrive. Eating fermented foods like unsweetened yoghurt, kefir and

cheeses (particularly those that are unpasteurised) also boosts microbe levels, while food and drinks that contain high levels of polyphenols, such as nuts, broccoli, cauliflower, tea, coffee, dark chocolate and red wine, provide the body with essential fuel. Foods to be avoided include processed foods and those stuffed with artificial sweeteners, as they upset microbe metabolism. The major culprits here are ready meals, cakes, pies, and fizzy drinks. Snacking between meals should also be avoided as fasting allows the biome to rest and boosts microbial diversity. And finally, in non-Covid times, don’t be a clean freak. Microbe levels are increased by avoiding antibacterial sprays and getting out in the countryside, or your garden, and getting your hands dirty.

‘A mixture of bacteria, fungi, protozoa and viruses form what is known as our gut biome’ 70

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SIMON ATKINS A GP for twenty years, Simon Atkins has also been a medical journalist and covered a wide range of health topics on TV, radio, newspapers and magazines. He is also the author of eight books on medical subjects ranging from diabetes to dementia. He is a Reader in the Church of England, a keen runner and Bristol City supporter. Married to Nikki, he has three grown-up sons.

SEX THERAPY WITH EMMA WARING

Foetal distraction Pregnancy can often lead to an explosion in the sexual drive of men – and women. But what happens when one partner is turned on, and one is turned off? My wife is 20 weeks pregnant and is expecting our first child. We have always enjoyed a good sex life but for some reason I haven’t felt sexually attracted to my wife during the pregnancy and this is causing some tension. Please help. Emma writes…

Pregnancy is a unique time for a couple and can bring with it its own challenges. I am always interested in how widely experiences differ from couple to couple and these don’t seem to be gender specific. I have met women who have struggled with pregnancy; the adjustment to an everchanging body shape virtually eradicating their sexual desire. Other women are the opposite; they enjoy their growing body and discover a heightened sex drive, especially in the second trimester (13-27 weeks). The responses of men also vary significantly, with some relishing their partner’s heightened sexual desire, while others can find the adjustment a lot harder. I am usually an enthusiastic advocate of honest communication in a relationship – but when it comes to pregnancy, I advise you proceed with caution.

Struggling Fluctuating hormones often mean that women are on an emotional rollercoaster and rational responses can be more challenging. Pregnancy is transient and is a relatively short period of time. When I was training as a sex therapist, we were taught not to engage couples in sex or relationship therapy during a pregnancy for this very reason. There is no point in couples trying to work on issues that will very likely change within weeks anyway. Explain to your partner you think she is beautiful, that you are in awe of her ever changing body, and that you have always been sexually attracted to her but – for some

‘Explain that you suspect that it has something to do with feeling overprotective towards her’ reason – you are struggling with this aspect of your relationship at the moment. Explain that you suspect that it has something to do with feeling overprotective towards her, which rather frustratingly, is trumping your feeling of sexual desire (and for many men this is case). Ensure that you are positive around her heightened sex drive and encourage this by engaging in kissing, caressing and ensure the focus is on giving her pleasure. You may find that you once you start this you do become sexually aroused (but if you don’t, that’s okay). The fact that you have focused on giving her the pleasure she is seeking will have affirmed her at a time when she might have otherwise felt vulnerable or rejected.

EMMA WARING Emma Waring is a nurse, psychosexual therapist and author of Seasons of Sex and Intimacy. She regularly writes on the topic of sexual problems for newspapers and magazines.

Sorted. Jul/Aug 2021

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Let’s make a better fist of things

POLITICS

WITH ANDY FLANNAGAN

As Britain emerges from one of the most turbulent times in its recent history, wouldn’t it be good if we used what we have learned in a positive way?

o you remember the first lockdown? It seems like ages ago – when the stench of people stuck indoors wearing the same clothes for days on end was overpowering; when you felt anxious every time someone knocked at the door; and when our kids and pets grew more agitated by the hour because they were denied regular exercise. What we have endured these past few months makes me realise that being aboard Noah’s Ark must have also been a nightmare. Yet maybe there are some things to learn from that ancient experience? For starters, it was a reset for humanity. And right now, the same sort of opportunity presents itself once again. But can we be trusted to do the right things? Will we keep

destroying our planet, or learn better ways of living with it? In the days before the flood, there must have been key decisions to make about what was important enough to cram into that nonluxury wooden yacht and what should be left to sink beneath the rising tide.

Rampant Many people involved in the world of politics have been asking questions about what we might need to leave behind. The massive shock to our world brought about by COVID-19 has exposed how petty our political squabbles often are and how much we really are all in this together, albeit we’re not exactly in the same boat. ‘America First’ or ‘Britain First’ as a strategy

has started to look pretty embarrassing. Selfishness has always been a bad plan, but the carnage that we have seen in India reminds us that nobody can bolt their doors in the midst of a global pandemic. Not only is it a selfish thing to do, it is also a bad strategy for self-protection, because until most of the world is safe, no-one is safe. I long for the day when we might realise the same applies to climate change? Yes, our rampant western selfishness is the cause of a lot of pain around the world, but soon, we’ll all know that very same pain. Seizing this opportunity for a flood-like reset isn’t just the right thing to do – it’s the best way to protect our children, our children’s children and us. Ironically, it’s also the best way to put Britain first.

‘The carnage that we have seen in India reminds us that nobody can bolt their doors in the midst of a global pandemic’ Anindito Mukherjee/Getty Images

ANDY FLANNAGAN

Family members wearing PPE perform the last rites for a Covid-19 victim at a crematorium in New Delhi, India.

Sorted. Jul/Aug 2021

Andy is Executive Director of christiansinpolitics. org.uk and takes the message of positive political engagement around the UK. His book Those Who Show Up has inspired many people to get involved in politics: andyflan.com. andyflan.com

British athletes have delivered a succession of gold medal-winning performances at recent Olympics. But what about this time round – do our sportsmen and women really cut the mustard against the very best? We take a look at those who have the greatest chance of striking gold this summer.

ithin a few days, there’s a good chance many of us will be glued to our TV screens, beating our chests and singing aloud to the national anthem. We have got an international football tournament to look forward to, an absorbing rugby union Test series to watch 76

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between the British & Irish Lions and South Africa – and to top it off, it is the year when the summer Olympics takes place, in the COVID-ravaged city of Tokyo. While travel restrictions and socialdistancing may put a dampener on proceedings for fans who would like to be present, the ongoing problems associated with a global pandemic won’t prevent millions of us cheering our heroes on as we

Clive Rose/Getty Images

ific

en t

The

Adam Peaty (Swimming) The reigning Olympic 100-metre breaststroke champion, Adam Peaty has been a dominant force for several years. With eight World Championship and 12 European gold medals already to his name, 26-year-old Peaty looks to be the one to beat in Tokyo. He broke the 100-metre world record in 2015 and, since then, he has improved this milestone a further four times. Not content with just one distance record, Peaty also holds the shorter and more explosive 50-metre world record.

sit in our armchairs, sipping a beer and cheering on people and sports we only ever think about every four years. With this in mind, the sports aficionados at Sorted have done our best to single out the best of British, those athletes at the top of their sport, who have the best chance of bringing home the top prize. And here they are – our ‘magnificent seven’…

SPORT

Patrick Smith/Getty Images

Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images)

TOKYO OLYMPICS

Dina Asher-Smith (Athletics) The first British woman to smash through the 11-second barrier for the 100 metres, Asher-Smith is the reigning 200 metres World Champion (and also the first British female to break 22 seconds at this distance). At the height of her physical powers, the 25-year-old will be competing in the Olympics 100 metre event for the very first time, and she is a very realistic gold medal prospect. She tasted bronze medal glory at Rio, when she was part of the Team GB relay team, and came an encouraging sixth in the final of the 200m. Since then, she has been one of the women to watch on the world stage.

Max Whitlock (Gymnastics) Double reigning Olympic champion at floor and pommel, Whitlock has also been world champion at pommel on three occasions. Thanks to his efforts, and a handful of others, British male gymnasts have become a force to be reckoned with on the world stage in recent years, and they are sure to be a handful once again in Tokyo. Fitness permitting, expect great things once again from this fella.

‘Thanks to his efforts, and a handful of others, British male gymnasts have become a force to be reckoned with on the world stage in recent years’ Sorted. Jul/Aug 2021

Warren Little/Getty Images)

Mark Runnacles/Getty Images

4 h

Katarina JohnsonThompson (Athletics) The reigning World and Commonwealth champion at heptathlon from 2019 will be competing in her third Games – and she will be going all-out to claim that elusive gold medal. She has never finished on the podium at an Olympics; her best finish coming in 2016, when she claimed sixth place. Five years on, she will be determined to make amends, and aged 28, this may prove to be the last roll of the dice for the popular Scouser.

Liam Heath (Canoe) He may not have a profile that ensures he is a recognisable face on the average British high street, but reigning K1 200 metre Olympic champion, Liam Heath, is a formidable force at his chosen sport. Now aged 36, Heath has a full set of Olympic medals as well as two World Championship golds, and he will be the man to beat once again.

Battening down the hatches There has never been a Games quite like the 32nd modern Olympiad. A safety-first approach means there will be little opportunity for fans and athletes to enjoy a normal existence between 23 July and 8 August. Nonetheless, the games must go on – and Sorted has discovered just what kind of experience awaits in Japan.

hen Tokyo was awarded the right to host the summer Olympics and Paralympics, Japanese government officials could never have foreseen the huge challenges they would face in the build-up. Crisis talks have been held on a regular basis as the global COVID-19 pandemic has taken hold of one part of the world and then another – and more than two

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million people have perished. In Japan, three national ‘states of emergency have been declared, with the Tokyo, Osaka, Hyogo and Kyoto prefectures (regions) joined by Fukuoka and Aichi forced to lock down for protracted periods. Indeed at the time this article was written, the nation was still in shut down mode, such has been the worrying growth in virus-related cases. The event itself – the greatest of any in the sporting calendar – has already been postponed once. If there is a surprise, it is the

rescheduled Games have not been postponed a second time. It was originally scheduled to take place a year ago, but due to the ravages of the virus, it had to be put back at least 12 months. Rightly or wrongly, it was deemed appropriate to allow the Games to go ahead. And now many thousands of international athletes, officials and media are descending on Japan’s capital city. But such are the safety concerns, it has been decided there will be no overseas visitors. But these decisions came at a high price. Thousands of hotel and venue bookings for 2020 had to be renegotiated for 2021. The cost has yet to be calculated. Then there was the purpose-built Olympic Village of apartments, where athletes and officials reside. All had been sold and were to be handed over to their new owners from September 2020 onwards. Understandably, this couldn’t happen, and so began the major logistical headache of renegotiating the f

What can be said about Britain’s favourite long distance runner? Farah is a legend, it is as simple as that. Although he quit the 5,000m and 10,000m events a few years back to focus on running the Marathon, he is the reigning Olympic champion at both distances. He holds four Olympic gold medals and six World Championship golds. Aged 39, he is returning to track athletics after a three-year gap – and you’d be a brave man to bet against him adding more titles to his illustrious track CV.

Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images

Robert Hradil/Getty Images

Mo Farah (Athletics)

Jade Jones (Taekwondo) Welsh powerhouse, Jade Jones, is the reigning featherweight (57kg division) Olympic and World champion. After leaving school at 16 to pursue a full-time career in Taekwondo, Jones has become the athlete to beat. For more than a decade, she has dominated her sport and, now aged 28, she will be looking to become a double Olympic champion – a feat achieved by less than a handful of women fighters.

Carl Court/Getty Images

‘While the Games represent the pinnacle of competitive sport, there’s also a significant cultural element associated with the Olympics’

Ready and waiting: Tokyo’s Olympic stadium beckons for the world’s best athletes.

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Carl Court/Getty Images Carl Court/Getty Images

Unhappy: Tokyo residents call for this summer’s Games to be cancelled.

Undaunted: Olympic torchbearers make their way through Tokyo’s streets.

h sales with many angry buyers. In addition, most of the lucrative sponsorship deals expired in 2020. And so it goes on. Such has been the scale of commercial realignment that additional costs have rocketed to a mouth-watering £2 billion. This is on top of the estimated £18 billion costs associated with hosting the Games. As crisis planning continued into 2021, polls showed 70 per cent of Tokyo residents did not want it to take place and eminent health scientists were saying that it will be impossible to guarantee safety. By Easter, a decision had been taken barring overseas spectators from entry to Tokyo. And while VIPs, sponsors and other dignitaries will continue to be accommodated, they have been instructed to come alone – with no accompanying guests permitted. And while the Olympic torch relay went ahead, it had to do so with spectators discouraged from watching – and some cities banning it from their areas completely. A number of test events (dress rehearsals to

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check everything works) were also cancelled. With little good news to cheer, North Korea announced that it would not be sending a team because of health and safety concerns. Of all the nations competing, it is likely they will be missed the least by the Japanese, who regularly have to watch on as the north Koreans test fire missiles into Japanese air space. Indeed, it’s highly likely quite a few glasses of saki were raised when the announcement from Pyongyang filtered through! While the Games represent the pinnacle of

competitive sport, there’s also a significant cultural element associated with the Olympics, something that often goes under the radar. At London 2012, the athletes’ village was right by a large shopping mall (the Westfield centre in Stratford) with all the tourist sites just a short tube ride away. Rio offered visitors the opportunity to visit the world-famous Copacabana beach and take in the statue of Christ the Redeemer while they soaked up the carnival atmosphere during their stay. This time round, the athletes are being encouraged to arrive only a few days before competition, and they have been asked to leave immediately afterwards. They are not permitted to leave the village except for competition and training; and they are not permitted to use public transport. ‘You must not visit gyms, tourist areas, shops, restaurants or bars, etc,’ states the official guidance to participating athletes. In essence: do what you need to then go home. Normally, up to 3,000 guest passes are issued every day, enabling teams to bring in coaches and other officials, as well as allowing athletes to invite friends and relatives to experience life in the Olympic Village. Surprise, surprise, in 2021, there will be no day visitors at all. An essential part of the organiser’s COVID-19 strategy is to make the Olympic Village a secure zone. In simple terms, this means no visitors will be able to enter and no athletes will be allowed to leave. At the recent European Indoor Athletics Championship in Poland – a fraction of the size of the Olympics – there were several instances of athletes testing positive with COVID-19 and having to withdraw. Indeed, Belgian 100-metre hurdler, Eline Berings, had six tests in a week. Five of the six she produced were negative, but one was positive and that was all that was needed to prevent her from running. In Tokyo, with more than ten times as many athletes living together in a confined space, it is highly probable quite a large number of athletes will be denied the chance to compete. And there will be no flexibility: anyone in contact with someone who tests positive will be required to quarantine for 10 days. No quibbling. No negotiating. One should commend the Japanese for their efforts in putting on the Games. But only time will tell how successful they have been. One thing is assured though – they will certainly be unlike any previous Games we have ever known.

‘It’s highly likely quite a few glasses of saki were raised when the announcement from Pyongyang filtered through’

tuart C. Wilson/Getty Images

Highpoint: Rio 2016 saw Team GB record a remarkable medal haul, defying gloomy predictions.

Will this be our best-ever Games? If desire and passion were all that was needed to win an Olympic title, British athletes would rule the world in almost every discipline. But there is a lot more to winning gold than simply wishing it to be so. We take a look at what one leading pundit is predicting and pray they have got their forecasts wrong once again.

Golden era: But can Team GB triumph once again?

or more than a decade, Team GB has exceeded expectations. At three successive games, British athletes have brought home a record haul of medals, defying predictions and the formbook. So, will Tokyo 2021 see the trend continue? Well according to Gracenote, the prediction experts, the answer is an emphatic ‘no’ – as the British squad is expected to secure less than 50 per cent of the medal haul it won at Rio in 2016. Predictions are an imprecise science at the best of times: just ask politicians

at the time of a major election! But they do have some basis in science and are semi-credible. For example, Gracenote’s predictions are based on an analysis of every competition that has taken place since 2016. If its assumptions prove right, Britain will win 36 medals in Tokyo (11 of them gold), which will be good enough to secure eighth place in the medal table. The most significant difference in the forward-looking data this time round is that British cyclists are predicted to win just two silver medals compared to the 12 they secured in Rio, of which six were gold.

TEAM GB MEDAL HAULS AT RECENT GAMES YEAR

GOLD

SILVER

BRONZE

TOTALS

2008

2012

2016

2021*

11*

12*

13*

36*

It has been well documented just how difficult a period it has been for British cycling in recent years. There have been allegations of bullying and a doping scandal, all of which has knocked the gloss off one of the great success stories of recent years. But the British have an uncanny way of coming good when it matters most. And Tokyo 2021, may just see our cyclists defying the gloomy forecasters and coming up trumps once again. Five years ago in Brazil, the same thing was said – that Britain could not deliver a performance equal to that of London 2012. Six cycling gold medals, as well as top dog status in athletics, boxing, canoeing, diving, equestrian, golf, gymnastics, hockey, rowing, sailing, swimming, tennis, taekwondo and triathlon, certainly put the ‘doomsters’, as PM Boris Johnson likes to call them, in their place. Let’s hope it’s the same this time round. * Team GB’s 2021 medal haul predicted by Gracenote.

*NOTE: The 2021 ‘haul’ is merely a prediction

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SPORT INTERVIEW

Climbing Jordan Mansfield/Getty Images

her way to the top

Double World Cup winner and a soon-to be Olympian, Shauna Coxsey talks to Sorted about the challenges and fun associated with the sport of climbing, and her big hope that more people will take it up as a pursuit after Tokyo 2021.

hauna Coxsey is a name most of us would not know. Yet she’s a double world cup winner, a professional athlete – and she’ll be in Japan, competing in this summer’s eagerly anticipated Olympic Games. Impressed? You should be. For Shauna is one of the best climbers on the planet – and as well as winning medals for her country, her goal is to broaden the appeal of this emerging and exciting sport.

Last year, the 28-year-old Brit, who hails from Runcorn, had to put all her plans on hold thanks to the outbreak of Covid-19, shortly after she claimed two bronze medals at the most recent world championships. But 12 months later, with many countries now seemingly coming to terms with the virus, her thoughts have once again returned to competing for her country. And, in truth, the Olympics can’t come soon enough. ‘It’s the most prestigious sporting stage in the world,’ she says. ‘While I grew up watching the Olympics, f Sorted. Jul/Aug 2021

‘Even now, it still sounds surreal to say that I will be competing in the Olympics’

Jordan Mansfield/Getty Images

‘It will be very different for athletes who normally just do one discipline, having to do all three to get a place in the games,’ she admits. ‘The training will be very different. It’s interesting because it’s a new event and we’re still learning what the landscape will look like, and how athletes will adapt. I’m in quite a good position as a boulderer who did lead climbing previously, so that training is something I’m familiar with. Also, boulderers tend to be quite strong and powerful. So while the combined event will be quite different, boulderers are perhaps at an advantage. Or perhaps I’m just trying to see the best scenario!’ Shauna started climbing when she was just four. Her talent was obvious from the outset and within three years she was competing. ‘In my early years, my focus was predominantly on lead climbing’, she recalls. ‘That was mainly because competition at the international level for juniors did not exist in bouldering at that time. So if I wanted to compete internationally, it had to be lead climbing.’

h I felt quite disconnected from it. I never imagined

climbing being in the Olympics, certainly not during my professional career. Even now, it still sounds surreal to say that I will be competing in the Olympics.’ While she is looking forward to the competition, she is equally excited about what the exposure at the Games can do for the sport in the long term. ‘I really think that they will be lots of people out there who haven’t found their passion in sport,’ she continues. ‘Climbing is quite different from other sports and the more people who try it the better, and the more people will find in it a hobby and that will be a good thing. ‘I just want more people to know that climbing exists as a sport, as a passion and as a hobby. I think everyone should try it and there will be so many people who fall in love with it.’ Together with skateboarding, climbing is one of the new sports being embraced by the Olympic movement in Tokyo. Three disciplines – speed (climbing as quickly as you can up a 15-metre wall); lead (whoever gets the highest is the winner); and bouldering (climbing without any ropes on a wall with lots of different angles and shapes) – will be the disciplines competitors will have to master in Japan. There will be specific ‘combined’ events for men and one for women at the Olympics, uniting all three disciplines to create just two overall winners. And Shauna is excited, and slightly daunted, at the prospect.

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Freedom Fast-track 20 years, and she has become an accomplished bouldering specialist, winning World Cup gold medals in 2016 and 2017. Adds Shauna: ‘I think my heart was always in bouldering and I love the freedom that comes with it, because you don’t need a partner to go climbing and you don’t need ropes. ‘As well as getting active and getting fit, you are using your brain in different ways. Going on a bouldering wall has a problem-solving aspect to it as well - so it combines physical and mental stimulation. One thing about climbing which is different from other sports is that it’s not a monotonous sport. You rarely do the same thing more than once. There is always a new challenge.’ She describes her world titles as ‘massively significant’ and a ‘stepping stone’ to bigger things. Unfortunately, shortly after winning her first title, she suffered a serious injury that required shoulder surgery. Undaunted, she recovered from her operation, got fit again, and went out and won the title for a second time. As a full-time athlete, Shauna is backed by sponsors Toyota, Adidas, Red Bull and Entre-Prises. In addition, the supermarket chain, Aldi, also offers her valuable support as part of its deal with TeamGB. This has proven to be invaluable in recent months, for as she puts it: ‘Some of my training is off the wall!’ Pushing her to the limit are three dedicated coaches.

SHAUNA COXSEY: FACT FILE n Shauna began climbing in 1997 – aged just four – after being inspired by a TV show n She was awarded an MBE in the Queen’s 2016 Birthday Honours List n Since 2012, she has won 13 major national and international titles n In 2019, Shauna became the fastest-ever British climber, when she set a new national speed record

Toru Hanai/Getty Images

‘I have one coach who writes my programme for forearm fitness and another who is responsible for my finger strength training,’ she explains. ‘I do a lot of training on the wall but also have a strength and conditioning coach with whom I work in the gym. It is a case of making me healthy, fit and strong as well, and that can’t all be done on the wall.’ But competing is not her only passion, for Shauna is also a committed ambassador for this evolving and unheralded sport. ‘Going climbing is very natural’, she told Sorted. ‘It’s such a natural thing to do as kids that I don’t know why we lose it when we become adults. Climbing is ingrained within us. It’s amazing to see children running around and climbing. Bouldering gives you that freedom without restrictions. And for adults,

it’s almost like getting to be a kid again – just going, climbing and having fun with it. ‘I really think people need to try it because it’s such a natural sport to do. The biggest thing is that it doesn’t feel like a sport. Then there’s a whole social side of it, as bouldering is very friendly and inclusive.’ Getting started as a climber is a lot easier than you might think. There are climbing centres dotted all around the UK, easily found via an online search engine. ‘Just find out where your local climbing centre is,’ encourages Shauna. ‘All climbing centres offer an induction course. So you can go and book on to that and learn what’s what and they will introduce you to the sport. As a beginner, you can hire what you need, which makes it very accessible; then you can start going of your own accord.’

‘For adults, it’s almost like getting to be a kid again – just going climbing and having fun with it’ Sorted. Jul/Aug 2021

As the British and Irish Lions prepare to head off to South Africa to take on the reigning rugby union world champions, Sorted examines the factors needed to win a Test series and asks the question all seasoned egg chasers are pondering…

David Rogers/Getty Images

Can the Lions tame the Boks?

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David Rogers/Getty Images

Key man: Saracens and England second row, Maro Itoje.

SPORT THE LIONS VS SOUTH AFRICA

‘Two demanding Tests at the end of July, and one in August, will push the Lions players beyond their limits’

Playmaker: Sale and South Africa scrum half, Faf de Klerk.

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Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

t’s a fact: three global sporting events eclipse all others: The Olympics; football’s World Cup finals – and the British Lions playing test match rugby in the southern hemisphere. Two of the three are taking place at the same time this summer, with the world’s best athletes assembling in Japan during July and August, while the finest crop of English, Irish, Scottish and Welsh egg chasers take on world champions, South Africa, in an eagerly anticipated contest that has the potential to be hailed as a classic series for years to come. The outcome of three Tests will define the success, or failure, of this tour – it really is as stark as that. Bones will break, blood will flow and sinews will be stretched to breaking point. And you can be assured dogged coach, Warren Gatland, will be doing all he can with the likes of trusted lieutenants, Gregor Townsend, Robin McBryde, Steve Tandy, and Neil Jenkins, to push the men under their charge as far as their bodies will permit as they seek to go one better than 2017, when the Lions returned from New Zealand after drawing the series. Four years on, playing the Boks in their own back yard represents a very different kind of challenge to the one posed by the All Blacks, for the South Africans are known for their physicality in all areas of the park. And what they may lack in skill, they certainly make up in terms of power, strength, fitness and pride. Be in no doubt, two demanding Tests at the end of July, and one in August, will push the Lions players beyond their limits – and only when they are in this unchartered territory will they, and millions of armchair fans back at home, discover precisely what they are capable of delivering on the pitch. On the flipside, we will also discover precisely what is beyond them. But that is nothing new. All such tours are physically, mentally and emotionally draining. That is the nature f

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IT’S A FACT… The Lions have enjoyed two successful tours on their most recent travels. In 2013, they secured a series win in Australia, following that up with a tied series in New Zealand four years later. The last time they played against South Africa – in 2009 – they fell to a narrow 2-1 defeat. This will be a huge motivating factor for the latest crop of Lions when the first Test kicks off on Saturday 24 July.

Just purrfect: The Lions celebrate their 2013 victory against the Wallabies.

hof elite international sport. And for some, it will

mean they may return home as even bigger superstars than before they boarded the flight to Johannesburg – as England’s Jeremy Guscott did in 1997, when his dramatic drop goal secured a hard-earned series win for the Lions against South Africa. For others, like Ciaran Fitzgerald, who captained the ill-fated 1983 tour to New Zealand, which resulted in a 4-0 series humiliation, their reputations may be damaged beyond repair.

Mixed fortunes One man who knows what it’s like to be inside the Lions den is former Ulster and Ireland captain, Rory Best. A robust and likeable hooker, who knew how to trade blows with the biggest and meanest packs, as well as lead from the front, Best enjoyed mixed fortunes on two Lions tours, playing nine games (three as captain) – albeit he never made the full Test side. ‘The great thing about the Lions is taking 30-something people, who don’t know each other that well, except from playing against each other, away together for six or seven or eight weeks and seeing them pulling together and developing lifelong friendships,’ he reflects. Never has been a truer word said. When the Lions gel, as they did in New Zealand in 1971, Australia in 1989 and 2013, and South Africa in 1997, incredible things happen and history is made. But when the tour party does not come together, 88

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Inspirational: South Africa’s outstanding skipper, Siya Kolisi.

INPHO Photography

Towering colossus: inspirational Lions captain, Alun Wyn Jones, has still got what it takes to lead from the front.

‘What they may lack in skill, they certainly make up in terms of power, strength, fitness and pride’ momentum grinds to a halt, things fall apart and it can be a long and hard tour, with few crumbs of comfort to cheer players and fans alike. ‘It took me a little bit of time to feel comfortable with Ulster and Ireland and to think ‘right, I’m good enough to be here,’ adds Best. ‘And with the Lions I didn’t fully bring that mentality; certainly in 2013, when I didn’t make the original selection, but was a late addition, I didn’t think I was good enough to be there and I think that showed in my performances. ‘In 2017, I did think I was good enough to be there, and I think I played well, but ultimately the problem came down to me being seen as either a starter or the third hooker, as Jamie George was playing well. While I thought I was playing well, he ultimately got the nod.’ Best recognises how difficult the job of selecting a squad of players capable of winning a series is, citing several different factors that are put under the spotlight by a demanding selection process.

IT’S A FACT… Tours by the British and Irish Lions take place every four years to three destinations: Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. The Lions began their touring tradition way back in 1888, when captain, Robert Seddon, led a 22-strong party to Australia and New Zealand that lasted almost 250 days.

‘In any team, the coach will pick the players he likes or trusts and feels will work within his system,’ he reflects. ‘You’ve got to make sure, to a certain extent, that there are combinations and that you’re picking players who are in form. When you look at it from the coaches’ point of view you can see why they trust players they know. ‘If you are Warren Gatland, you know that you’ve beaten South Africa with your Welsh team. So you are kind of thinking ‘I know these boys can beat South Africa but I’ve seen Scotland lose to South Africa or Ireland lose to South Africa’ and that is bound to influence your selections.’ Yet Best believes the secret ingredient of any successful touring party does not relate to the 15 men who start the match and the eight ‘finishers’, as England coach, Eddie Jones, likes to refer to his replacements. According to the Ulsterman, it is those who don’t make the Test match day squads who can be the biggest influencers on the result. f Sorted. Jul/Aug 2021

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Feeling champion: it is now almost two years since the Boks lifted the 2019 Rugby World Cup.

RUSTY BOKS ARE A POTENT THREAT In the townships of South Africa, where rugby remains the king of all sports, excitement is mounting at the prospect of the Lions coming to town. There is nothing like a Lions tour in all of sport: four nations coming together, in an attempt to conquer another. It is unique. It is glorious. And it continues to be the major difference between rugby union and all other sporting codes. Unlike any other sporting fixture, a rugby union Test match is won through collective will, organisation, and physical courage; and it’s something Springbok coach, Jacques Nienaber, is eagerly anticipating, as his team hasn’t played a competitive match in more than 18 months. ‘[This was] a marker in the ground in terms of international rugby coming back to South Africa, which is phenomenal for us, because we’ve been out of it for a while,’ he says. ‘The Lions series is a special occasion that might only come once during the career of a professional rugby player. I know for a fact there are certain players who have postponed their

‘The Lions series is a special occasion that might only come once during the career of a professional rugby player’ retirement because the tour was two years down the horizon.’ Nienaber and Director of Rugby, Rassie Erasmus, have instilled more brains into the juggernaut brawn that is the embodiment of all Boks. And the new mantra is simple: win every contact situation, and make sure you make a big hit along the way. Oh, and if you manage to inflict pain on your opponent (physical or mental), even better! The Boks of Nienaber and Erasmus aren’t whipping their players into a frothing

h ‘I’ve known coaches – Joe Schmidt was a prime example – who, going into a tour or tournament, would pick players who are good tourists,’ he reveals. ‘[But] sometimes it’s more about numbers 16 and upwards, or even 24 and upwards, than the 15 starters. The people who are not going to be involved much – how are they going to be?’ Inevitably, team selection is going to be subjective, particularly when discussions focus on the Lions Test 90

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frenzy with Churchill-style speeches. They motivate through preparation, introspection and astute emotional evaluation. And the players will use that as their inspiration, as they did when they defeated England 32-12 on 2 November to lift the Webb Ellis Trophy – which was their last competitive game together. But while the Boks are determined to impose themselves on the tourists, there is no doubting the respect they hold for Lions coach, Warren Gatland, who guided Wales to four wins over them when he was their head coach. ‘One thing I do know about Warren is that he will do his homework, adds Nienaber, who is confident his own squad is shaping up nicely. ‘We have nice relationships with our franchises, allowing us to meet the players just to align ourselves again. And the pleasing thing for me was to see how the players are working on and improving on the things we spoke about during those alignment camps.’ Nienaber is known for understating things, particularly in the build-up to a big game or tournament. So Lions, be warned.

team. But Best feels the 2021 coaching team needs to make it as fair as possible and explore all options when putting together the Text XV. ‘I think it is a bit of beauty is in the eye of the beholder,’ he says. ‘In 2013, I just felt that there wasn’t a voice in the selection meetings who knew me. And I think with me you’ve got to know me and interact with me. People only know how good I am when they coach me, play alongside me day after day and see me in the

THE LIONS 37-MAN SQUAD CAPTAIN Alun Wyn Jones | Ospreys & Wales

hot moments of a game. So whether I was not selected fairly or unfairly, there will always be that lingering doubt. For example, had Joe Schmidt been in that selection meeting I am sure he would have pushed hard enough in a 50-50 call.’

Ferocious Best is delighted the Lions have opted for Townsend as the attack coach charged with unlocking South Africa’s ferocious defence. And he believes involving the former fly-half, who masterminded Scotland’s first win at Twickenham in more than 40 years during the most recent Six Nations tournament, is a good call. ‘From a Scottish point of view, for example, if there’s a Scottish coach, but Scottish players are still not being picked, then there is no argument,’ he continues. ‘If Gregor Townsend is the attack coach, then he is in there fighting for them. I just think that is the fairest way to have the four nations represented in the coaching set-up. ‘But beyond that, it lets all the home nations get exposure to the Lions set-up and the knock-on effect that can have. Of course, it may be that the coach thinks that the Welsh scrum-half is the best and that’s why he’s picking him – not because he’s playing with a Welsh fly-half but because, as a total package, that is what he wants to do.’ While the exploits of the Scots, Welsh and Irish players have put them in favourable positions as far as Lions selection is concerned, the same cannot be said for England’s once illustrious squad, which suffered a nightmarish Six Nations, finishing next to last. The under-performance of so many star players – including Owen Farrell, Johnny May, Elliot Daly and the Vunipola brothers (Billy and Mako) has raised serious questions about whether they have already ruled themselves out of contention for a starting berth in the big matches that beckon in July and August. Indeed, only the likes of second-row Maro Otoje have regularly impressed since the World Cup final, when England were resoundingly beaten by the Boks more than 18 months ago. Will Greenwood, the 2003 world cup-winning centre, has serious reservations about which of Eddie Jones’s

THE LIONS TOUR SCHEDULE Following six warm-up games, South Africa and the Lions will play three test matches on consecutive Saturdays. 26 June: v Japan, Edinburgh 03 July:

v DHL Stormers, Cape Town

07 July:

v South Africa Invitation XV, Port Elizabeth

10 July:

v Sharks, Durban

14 July:

v South Africa A, Mbombela

17 July:

v Bulls, Pretoria

24 July:

v South Africa (First Test), Johannesburg

31 July:

v South Africa (Second Test), Cape Town

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SCOTLAND

‘There’s a whole heap of English lads who… had guaranteed positions to go to South Africa – and most of them now are on a wing and a prayer’

7 August: v South Africa (Third Test), Johannesburg

team will make the Test match cut this time round – and the former centre knows a few things about Lions tours, having been selected for three of them. Analysing the chances of the English contingent, the voice of Sky’s rugby coverage, and one of the most astute commentators around, said: ‘You’ve got a whole host of Welsh Lions, you’ve got a whole host of Irish Lions going ‘Warren, pick me’, and some Scots have done really rather well. There’s a whole heap of English lads who… had guaranteed positions to go to South Africa – and most of them now are on a wing and a prayer.’ True words from someone who knows more than most what he is talking about. But if anyone can get the best out of England’s misfiring stars it will be coach Gatland. And considering he hasn’t yet lost a series, there’s every reason to believe the Kiwi, who is one of Wales’s favourite adopted sons, will be able to work his magic once again. At least that will be the hope of millions of Lions fans this summer. Sorted. Jul/Aug 2021

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What’s cryptic about crypto currency?

MONEY WITH JON COBB

They are the get-rich schemes of the 21st Century, yet are the likes of Bitcoin all they are cracked up to be?

‘I

’ve just made fifty grand in a week,’ a wealthy individual said to me recently. His comment was laced with a hint of pity because I had decided to be cautious about crypto currencies and had not invested. I am yet to meet anyone who is able to explain to me in plain English quite what ‘Bitcoin’ or ‘Ethereum’ actually are, or how ‘Blockchain’ works – and yet the total value of ‘Bitcoin’ exceeds that of most global companies! My guess is that many investors base their decisions on the attraction of quick and high returns. But does it sound rational to invest in an asset that you do not fully understand? Last time round, I discussed with you the challenge of purpose over profit. I believe most of us consider this to be an honourable aspiration. So how do crypto currencies score on environmental, social and governance issues? And what about the ‘Dark web’ – should we be concerned about the ethics of ‘Bitcoin’? While we all love to brag about our winners, whether it be a horse race, fruit machine or, like my friend, an investment, we tend to keep our failures a little more to ourselves. On 15 December 2018, ‘Bitcoin’ was trading at $14,748.90 but if you bought then you were sitting on an 80 percent loss in value just two months later. Admittedly at time of writing, this high-profile crypto currency

has way surpassed those numbers and breached $50,000, before falling by 13 per cent in just 15 minutes! These levels of volatility and risk are not likely to be appropriate for our personal financial goals, and if you are saving for retirement, or a deposit on a house, you are using capital you can ill afford to lose. If you are tempted, then perhaps an alternative strategy is what we call the ‘Pick and Shovel’ play, which goes something like this: during the Californian Gold rush not every prospector was lucky enough to find gold, but every prospector needed to buy a shovel and a pick. So an investor was rewarded for investing in a provider of the tools that were needed rather than the end product itself. Perhaps the smart money has moved on from investing directly in crypto currencies, but a savvy investor might want to start looking at companies who will benefit from the use of crypto currencies, or those who provide a service to it.

‘Does it sound rational to invest in an asset that you do not fully understand?’

JON COBB Jon Cobb runs financial advisory business Trinity Wealth Management. He is a keen runner, ex-white collar boxer, passionate Portsmouth supporter, speaker and writer. @CobbyJon

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IN VINO VERITAS WITH TONY VINO

A word from the wise... The next time you eye-up a pair of Hush Puppy shoes in a shop, you need to ask yourself an important life question.

he best bit of advice my nan gave me was: ‘There’s two things worth spending money on – your shoes and your sheets. If you’re not in one, you’re in the other.’ So very true – unless, of course, you wear shoes to bed! Once non-essential shops opened this year, I went to buy a good pair of shoes in honour of my nan after my main pair had perished. My favourite footwear store is called Soled Out (and yes, I am a sucker for a shop with a punny title. My other local favourites are a chippy called The Codfather and a wine shop named Planet of the Grapes). I stroll past trendy brands such as Converse and Airwalk (I realise using the word trendy instantly disqualifies me from being described as such) and find myself absentmindedly checking out shoes in the part of the shop designated for old guys. It was wall-to-wall tan suede slip-ons. In a moment of weakness, I try on a pair of Hush Puppies. You know the type – brown Trevor Derbystyle lace-ups with nubuck leather uppers and memory foam insoles, to be precise.

Suddenly the heavens open, a choir of angels sing I believe I can fly, and I find myself floating on the wings of these lightweight yet durable rubber-soled works of outstanding craftsmanship. They feel great. But they’re Hush Puppies and they’re dog ugly – the shoe equivalent of a Volvo; all comfort and reliability and no pazazz. At 43 years of-age, surely I’m at least a decade away from this kind of surrender? I share my hesitation with Sandra, the sales lady who is as comfortably middle-aged as the target market of the loafers I am now wearing. Instead of trying to persuade me that they didn’t look that bad (they did), she simply said: ‘Who have you got to impress?’ And she was right. So I paid the £49.99 then and there. The way I saw it, I was paying the going rate for top-drawer life advice from Sandra and the shoes were simply a free add-on. In a recent survey of 2,000 Gen Z’s Top 25 Tell-Tale Signs You’re Getting Old, wearing comfortable shoes comes in at 11. And just in case you are wondering, number one on the list is buying a Cappuccino… delicious! But what’s wrong with getting old (er) as long as you’re getting wiser, eh? After all, it’s not about wearing comfy shoes, but asking yourself a key question: ‘Why wear shoes that aren’t comfy?’

‘The way I saw it, I was paying the going rate for top-drawer life advice from Sandra’

TONY VINO Tony Vino is a professional comedian who straddles the world of comedy clubs, festivals and churches. tonyvino.co.uk @tonyvino

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Go on… make their day

LUCAS AID WITH JEFF LUCAS

Knowing how to give and accept praise is an important quality. So be the encourager you are called to be.

or a long moment, the man stood silent. Then he spoke to me without actually looking at me. ‘I need to thank you for your ministry, Jeff,’ he whispered

hesitantly. And before I could respond, he added: ‘But then we give all the glory to the Lord, don’t we? I wouldn’t want you to get proud.’ I thanked him, desperately wanting him to know that Christian leaders are more likely to succumb to despair than to conceit, to feelings of inadequacy rather than superiority. But he quickly fled, leaving me

with a sad realisation: in some churches, there’s a famine of encouragement! The assumption is that serving God should be reward enough, which is quite wrong, because the God we serve urges us to encourage one another. Encouragement transforms, energises, and empowers. So go ahead. Make someone’s day. Catch them doing something right. Search out the soul who is usually taken for granted. Thank the ticket collector on the train, even if he [or she] is shocked because you saw past their function and spied a person.

WANT TO READ ON?

Adapted from The Cactus Stabbers by Jeff Lucas. Published by CWR.

‘Search out the soul who is usually taken for granted... Smile at the traffic warden’

Smile at the traffic warden. Write a note to that Sunday School teacher who has told the big story to countless squirming six-year-olds for decades; some of them are in their thirties now, but few have come back to thank her. Sometimes she wonders if it’s all been worthwhile. Put a dent in the lie that she’s tempted by, that it’s all been a waste of time. And whatever you do, please know how to ‘receive’ encouragement too. Some Christians go into ultra-panic mode, which can lead to ‘consequences’ when they are confronted with warm appreciation. I recall when a lady approached a minister and thanked him for his sermon, which sent him into a spluttering disclaimer. With much pointing to the sky, he said: ‘Don’t thank me, madam, no, please. The Lord did it. Give Him the glory’.’ Her reply was insightful, if not terribly encouraging: ‘Well, actually, it wasn’t ‘that’ good...’ 96

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JEFF LUCAS Jeff Lucas is an international speaker, broadcaster and author of 34 books. He loves to communicate using humour and storytelling. He is a monthly contributor to Premier Christianity magazine and writes daily Bible-reading notes, Life Every Day. Jeff holds a teaching position at Timberline Church in Colorado and is married to Kay.

BACK STORY WITH STEVE LEGG

Brexit brought out the rebel in me Fiercely loyal to the Conservative Party, Alistair Burt tells Sorted’s Steve Legg about the political crisis that led him to break ranks. or more than 30 years, Alistair Burt was at the heart of Westminster – where he enjoyed a successful career as a government minister and opposition politician. Yet, while he was fiercely loyal to the Conservative Party and a succession of leaders, one seismic event would blot his copybook and lead to him losing the right to vote and sit with his fellow Tories. Surprise, surprise, it was Brexit that was at the heart of his undoing. In an exclusive Back Story podcast interview, the former MP for North East Bedfordshire recalls what forced him to break ranks and experience the most painful episode of his distinguished political career. ‘I had a deep feeling that if Britain left the European Union it would be highly damaging to the country,’ he recalls. ‘Boris Johnson and his supporters disagreed. They wanted to be able to challenge the EU and… they thought [leaving] improved the negotiating position. I didn’t. ‘Effectively, [at that moment] I was sacked because there is no way I could have been elected as an Independent MP in my area. ‘I think it was a very harsh punishment, particularly coming from people who had rebelled continuously against Theresa May’s government and made her life very difficult.

Hollie Adams/Getty Images

The imposition of discipline is very necessary. It was just very sad for me that it was done in this way.’ Burt was one of 10 Tory MPs to have the whip withdrawn (the official term for being kicked out or suspended from the Party). Like him, the others had also kicked up a storm over Brexit. Yet after a few tumultuous weeks, order was restored and he, and most of the others, were welcomed back into the fold, albeit some frostiness still existed. ‘Harmony was restored and I was given the whip back,’ he says. ‘After a certain amount of water under the bridge had passed, it meant I could leave Parliament as a Conservative –

which is often the way of things in politics.’ Burt would eventually leave Parliament at the 2019 General Election, after 31 years as an MP. As for the best leader he worked for, he has no doubts: ‘I enjoyed working under John Major the most,’ he says. ‘I was a minister under him in the 1990s. I got on very well with him, and I appreciated him.’

‘I think it was a very harsh punishment, particularly coming from people who had rebelled continuously against Theresa May’s government’

Catch the full interview with Alistair Burt – and enjoy others for free – at the Back Story Podcast, as Sorted editor, Steve Legg, chats to special guests about the key moments in their lives they’ll never forget.

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THE LAST WORD WITH NATHAN BLACKABY

When ‘momentum’ is a force for good

an you answer these simple questions: who will replace you; who will step up and take over what you have built; and who will carry on your legacy? You may not want to think about these things right now, and that’s understandable. Not so long ago, I ignored deep things when they popped into my head – after all, I was in my 20s and the main man! If you’re like I was, I don’t think it will be arrogance that’s preventing you exploring such considerations; they maybe just aren’t on your radar, or how you think? Perhaps you have a particular job that means you know who is next in line to take over what you’ve been doing, or what you’ve built? Or perhaps you are involved in a team sport, where this is more of a thing and a lot more obvious?

‘What are you trying to build and what is your legacy?’

For me, it was when I had kids that I started to ask questions and notice a change. One incident stands out: I was out on a bike ride with my daughter, Annie, who is eight years old. We hit this hill and on her bike, equipped with tiny wheels and just a handful of gears, she was up against it, peddling like mad and slowly losing speed.

I wasn’t far behind and could see what was happening, so I took the chance to build up some momentum, coming alongside her on my bigger mountain bike. Soon, with the impetus I had built up and my hand on her back, I started propelling her up the hill. I hope you can see the point I am trying to make here? What we do, and what we are able to achieve, will one day be used, spent and enjoyed by someone else. The momentum we can build in this life, I think, is best used, when the time is right, to enable and facilitate someone else to go even further than we managed to. It’s a humbling thing to reflect on, because if it’s just material stuff that we build and strive for, it really doesn’t go that far. So, what are you trying to build and what is your legacy going to be about?

NATHAN BLACKABY Nathan is married to Jennie and they have three children. Nathan loves skipping, boxing, riding motorbikes, and his dog. He has lived in Brazil working with Teen Challenge and enjoys trying to keep his Portuguese going. In his free time he can be found sitting around a fire and eating.

@NathanBlackaby

Don’t miss the next issue! On sale 18 August 98

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