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YOUR HEALTH

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21-DAY EXERCISE AND DIET PLAN

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Welcome To Woman’s Own

This week we’re loving

Ant and Dec return to rule Saturdays

It’s time to cancel those Saturday evening plans! With their trophy cabinet bursting at the hinges, our favourite Geordie duo, Ant and Dec, are back with a new series of Saturday Night Takeaway. In its 16th series, the ITV prime-time entertainment show promises to be the biggest and best yet, as Ant and Dec present hilarious sketches, interact with celebrity guests and invite the audience members to play games with big money up for grabs!

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WHAT’S INSIDE THE ISSUE Celebrity 4

Features

Richard Arnold: Our showbiz expert has all this week’s gossip 6 ON THE COVER Emmerdale’s Lisa Riley: ‘I’m finally happy with my body’ 9 Celeb photo fun: Celebrating Carol McGiffin’s 60th birthday 10 Who wore it best? Which celebrity rocked the faux leather look? 60 ON THE COVER Miranda: ‘I’m beautiful in a different way’

12 Shock read: ‘Nothing was what it seemed’ 18 From the heart: 50 challenges at 50 36 You’ll never believe it: Infertile, then triplets 42 ON THE COVER Behind the headlines: Britain’s worst mums 50 ON THE COVER You’ll never believe it: What we gave up to improve our sex lives 62 Debate: Would you be attracted to a man wearing mascara?

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Life & Style

14 ON THE COVER Fashion bargains: Denim special 20 Treat yourself: Amazing buys for £20 and under 24 Live well: How to boost your feel-good factor 27 Health: Good for you 28 The wine diet: Get a flat tum in seven days – without banning booze! 32 Beauty how to: Celebrity beauty secrets 34 In the garden 38 Recipes: Puds to warm you up this winter

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17 ON THE COVER Our columnist Dawn on the Schofields 23 Ask the doctor 26 Agony aunt Anita Naik 41 Supermarket savers 44 Money matters: Making your cash go further 46 Travel: Fascinating historical destinations 48 Woman’s Own Bingo 54 This week’s TV picks 56 This week’s hot list and stars 57 Ask Yourself 58 Puzzles, plus travel offers

COVER PHOTO: ALPHA

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RICHARD AeRekNinOshLoDwb’Siz w

Robson

‘I’m still good friends with Jerome’ Former chart-topper Robson Green on being discovered… You’ve been on our screens for 30 years! You’re officially a national treasure. More like a national trinket! I loved Soldier Soldier. It was groundbreaking for my career. Simon Cowell discovered you and co-star Jerome Flynn on the show and turned you into chart-toppers. Nobody knew who he was then. Someone just said, ‘There’s a guy on the phone called Simon Cowell’. I was like, ‘Who?’ Next thing we know, we’re No.1 and on Top of the Pops with David Bowie, Elton John and Oasis. Are you still in touch with Jerome? Of course, he’s a good friend. He’s working on The Dark Tower at the moment. Your fishing shows have been hugely popular. You even opened the River Dee salmon season – how was that?

It was incredible. I’ve only dreamt of doing stuff like that. It was great to be alongside people who all love fishing. You’ve travelled to over 130 countries, many through fishing – any on your bucket list? I’d love to do the Galapagos. You’ve done wild swimming and extreme fishing – would you like to do more adventure docs in the near future? Oh yes, I’m about to embark on Monument Man, climbing to the top of the Tyne Bridge and Ben Nevis. I’ve had to do physical training for that. It’s way outside my comfort zone. Is it a shock going back into the showbiz world after being at home in Northumberland? Luckily, Grantchester is filmed in the most idyllic place. But yes, I suppose it can be a shock. Northumberland was actually voted the happiest place to live recently. ● Grantchester is available to watch on ITV Hub

PHOTOS: GETTY, ITV

Overheard in the green room

4

‘As I get older I’ll be dancing next to some young Italian and I’ll feel like a dad. There will come a point where I say, “Enough now!”’ Strictly champ Kevin Clifton on the day he’ll hang up his Cuban heels.

Woman’s Own

Looking chic in Grantchester

BACKSTAGE GOSS! GOING GREEN

The BAFTAs went carbon neutral this year and David Furnish tells me he’s gone green. ‘We’re driving hybrid cars in Australia right now, where Elton is on tour. We recycle our waste, do lots of replanting and carbon off-setting when we fly. We’re really conscious of it.’ Question is, do the gents ever wear the With David Furnish at the BAFTAs same thing twice…?


Celebrity News

CELEB

OF THE WEEK AL PACINO

Meeting Al Pacino (whose first ever TV series Hunters is out this week) was a bucket-list moment. So what was it like after The Godfather made him famous? ‘It was like winning a lottery and your whole world changed. Occasionally, Bob [Robert De Niro] and I would hook up and say, “Wow, is this happening?” And it started a bond.’

Dick’s pics

Vanessa back in 2009

VANESSA SVELTZ! Fresh from shedding a huge 3st, Vanessa Feltz couldn’t help showing off her new body as she attended the premiere of The Adventures of Paddington. No doubt keen to flaunt her hard work, the 57-year-old broadcaster teamed her printed top with some figure-hugging leather trousers. We think you look fab, Vanessa!

You’ve been What a Corrie on! Celebrating the 10,000th episode of Corrie with stars Sally Dynevor and Antony Cotton. Sally has been in 3,347 and Anthony 1,685! It’ll be 32 years until the 20,000th episode. Ken Barlow will be 112!

Standing strong

PAPPED!

SISTER ACT Little Women star Saoirse Ronan says things are getting better for women in Tinsel Town. ‘We go through moments when we are frustrated, but I think the fact there is such a movement behind change now is really brilliant and important. We’re not going to have it right now, but we’re definitely moving in the right direction.’

Looking trim in 2020

Woman’s Own

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LISA

‘It’s the best feeling when you feel good’

Having made a successful return to Emmerdale after 17 years away, the actress is back to her best and has never felt better about her body ince losing 12st in 2017, Lisa Riley’s weight battle has been well documented over the years. But it seems she’s now relaxed her diet, as Health and Fitness Consultant Laurel Alper estimates Lisa, 43, has put on two stone since 2018. And, the Emmerdale actress says she’s ‘insanely happy’ at the moment – and it showed when she confidently walked the red carpet at the National Television Awards last month.

S

Lisa previously went from a size 24 to a size 12 but, by her own admission, felt she was ‘too gaunt’ at her smallest. ‘My face felt a bit gaunt. I’m not built to be stick thin,’ she said at the time, adding; ‘Now I feel that my body is the right size and shape for me.’ So it’s no surprise that she seems at her happiest at a size 14 – as estimated by Laurel – and she’s got the glow to prove it…

BACK WHERE SHE BELONGS

As Mandy Dingle in Emmerdale

6

Woman’s Own

She once confessed to feeling like a ‘dartboard’ on Emmerdale – with ‘friends and strangers’ telling her she had ‘no right being on TV’ because she was ‘an ugly, fat mess’ – but Lisa was full of confidence on the NTAs red carpet. Gushing about her outfit on Instagram, Lisa said, ‘Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU for all your gorgeous comments about my outfit and hair and makeup tonight for the NTAs (I love that you loved it as much as I did) it means the world to me... It’s the best feeling when you feel good. @menahamoodi is the best designer to work with.’ After years of hard work, she’s now where she wants to be. ‘I feel fantastic, comfortable with my body and happy in my own skin,’ she said.

Then

At her thinnest Lisa felt she looked gaunt


Cover Story

BODY CONFIDENCE

Lisa’s inspiring body confidence comes from her beloved mum, who she sadly lost back in 2012. ‘She taught me that as long as you’re genuinely happy within your skin, just be yourself. Whatever my dress size, I will still be me.’ Because of this, losing weight for Lisa was always about health over vanity. Following her mum’s shock death to cancer aged just 57, Lisa’s father was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes in 2015. And the news sparked something inside her. ‘I sat listening to the other patients on the ward, all with type 2, which is weight related,

talking about amputations, and it scared me,’ she said at the time. ‘I realised that what I was doing to my body meant that I could end up here. I didn’t want to be that person.’ Keen to make a change Lisa went on to shed 12st – by focusing on portion control and working out for 30 minutes a day – and underwent surgical procedures to remove the excess skin that ‘was flapping about and dragging’ following her drastic weight loss. ‘Once I accepted responsibility for my health, weight and lifestyle it made it easier to take control. You don’t have to have a starter, main and pudding,’ she added.

‘Whatever my dress size, I will still be me’

Now

Despite being close to her nieces and nephews, starting a family was initially not on the cards for Lisa, and she even said in the past,‘I can’t see myself ever becoming a mum.’ But the actress had a change of heart after meeting ‘very talented and very lovely’ musician, Al, over five years ago. Sadly their baby dreams were dashed in 2018 when they were told IVF was unlikely to work. But, Lisa refuses to let the news define her. And, just like her attitude to her body and losing weight, Lisa tried to stay positive. She previously explained, ‘My body was being pumped full of

hormones to get my egg readings, and in the end they weren’t good, it messes with your head and I just couldn’t do that any more. The past few months have been really hard, emotionally draining, and we just decided that enough was enough.’ Lisa said, ‘I feel that I have taken ownership of the situation now. We have decided that we aren’t going to go down that route, and now that we have made that decision I could not be happier.’

Lisa is aunt to Jakey and Joshua

ACCEPTANCE

Exuding confidence at the NTAs last month

After years of chasing happiness – be it love, having a family or the ‘perfect’ body – something seems to have clicked for Lisa, who is happy celebrating her own health. ‘Every single day I am motivated to be the person I want to be,’ she said in a social media post in 2019. ‘So incredibly, honestly, happy in my own skin, my new body. But mainly being the healthiest I have ever been in my life.’ And, rather than striving for perfection, Lisa seems more

motivated by health than the number on the scales. ‘As long as you know that you are the healthiest you can be and you don’t consume crap, then you are on the right road to a healthy lifestyle, and then let everyone see your glow,’ she added. Well said, Lisa!

Woman’s Own

WORDS: GEORGIA FARQUHARSON. PHOTOS: FRED DUVAL/MEGA, INSTAGRAM @LISAJANERILEY, ITV

A BUMP IN THE ROAD

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Departures from March to December 2020. Price includes: ● Return rail connections on selected ● Exceptional cuisine with full board dates and cruises from over 50 regional throughout stations (supplements may apply) ● Extensive and inclusive touring ● Spacious and beautifully appointed programmes suites or cabins with hotel-style beds, ● Return flights from a choice of regional en-suite bathrooms and river views airports or standard class reserved seat ● The services of our experienced cruise on Eurostar from London St Pancras director and tour manager (supplements may apply)

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Cruise the Heart of Europe

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Burgundy, the River Rhône & Provence

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Amsterdam, Kinderdijk & the Dutch Bulbfields

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Bruges, Medieval Flanders, Amsterdam & the Dutch Bulbfields

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book or for a free br h e, c ll 01283 742395 or go to ownr v era co uk Terms & conditions: Additional entrance costs may apply. Prices are per person, based on two sharing and subject to finite availability. Images used in conjunction with Riviera Travel. Offer operated by and subject to the booking conditions of Riviera Travel Ltd, ABTA V4744, ATOL 3430, a company wholly independent of Woman’s Own, published by TI Media Limited. Prices correct at time of print. †See website for full details.


Celeb Photo fun

Happy Birthday,

Carol!

As Loose Women panellist Carol McGiffin turns 60, we look back at her most memorable moments…

STARTING OUT

With Chris Evans in 1993

OVERCOMING CANCER

Carol first found fame in 1988 as a co-presenter on Chris Evans’ shows on London’s GLR Radio, and Chris became her first husband. The pair married in 1991, but separated after a turbulent few years, eventually divorcing in 1998.

THE BIG TV BREAK Carol was one of the original Loose Women panellists when the show began in 2003. She held the record for the most appearances before she left in 2013, and has since been overtaken by Andrea McLean.

Carol kept her cancer quiet

In February 2015, Carol revealed she’d been having treatment for breast cancer for 10 months, including a mastectomy, chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Opening up at the time, she confessed, ‘What really did it for me was when I lost my eyelashes and eyebrows. When you’ve got a giant scar, no hair, no eyebrows and no eyelashes, it is pretty shocking.’

SECRET WEDDING Last year, Carol revealed she and Mark Cassidy, 37, had secretly married in Thailand in February 2018 after a 10-year engagement. Carol has openly spoken about the 22-year age gap between herself and Mark, previously saying, ‘Some people will never get their heads around the idea that an older woman can make it work with a younger man.’

CHANGING FACES As one of the Loose Women in 2004

WORDS: HAYLEY MINN. PHOTOS: GC IMAGES, PA IMAGES, INSTAGRAM@THE_MCGIFF, ITV/LOOSE WOMEN, SHUTTERSTOCK

CELEBRITY BIG BROTHER In 2013, Carol went into the Celebrity Big Brother house and came fourth. She finished behind Lauren Harries, Abz Love from Five and Geordie Shore star Charlotte Crosby, who won the show.

Coming out of the CBB house

With Mark in Bangkok

After getting the all-clear from cancer in 2018, Carol returned to Loose Women and revealed the results of a facelift. Explaining her decision to go under the knife, she said, ‘The more things you can do to make yourself feel normal… I did something to my face and I’m pleased and I’m happy, it was to make myself feel better about looking in the mirror.’

BACK IN THE SEAT These days, it’s like Carol never even left Loose Women. She’s become Telling it like it is a regular face on Loose Women again and is back to being as controversial as ever, recently confessing she wouldn’t give up her seat for a pregnant woman!

Woman’s Own

9


WHO WORE

Our fashion team reveal which star rea

COMPILED BY: MILLIE GOOCH. PHOTOS: GETTY, GC IMAGES, SOPA IMAGES/ LIGHTROCKET VIA GETTY, REX SHUTTERSTOCK, GETTY IMAGES FOR STX FILMS

OUR FAVE LOOK

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Michelle Docker 38 Charlotte Hawkins, 44 Team a faux leather skirt with a cute novelty knit sweater to dress it down, just like GMB presenter Charlotte.

Woman’s Own

Lupita N on ’o 36 Lupita seriously stuns on the red carpet with this statement gown. Teaming tough leather with floaty chiffon makes a great contrast and really works for this look.

If jeans are too casual for a night out, make like Michelle and opt for leather-look trousers. Add a longline blazer to elongate your frame.


Fashion Trends

IT BEST?

lly nailed the latest look

Faux leather

£49.99 sizes xs-xxl, Zara

Wear it

YOUR WAY Amanda Holden 49 Leather doesn’t need to mean black or brown – Amanda shows burgundy also works. We love the way she’s kept her look tonal and teamed her skirt with a top in a similar shade.

£15 Next

Dame Kelly Holmes, 49 Athlete Kelly looks like the ultimate rock chick with this jacket, belt and boots combo, and the pretty polka dress adds a nice pop of colour.

£20 Accessorize

£39.50 M&S

Woman’s Own

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The couple visited different villas looking for their dream home

Getting ready to go white-water rafting

Nothing was what

Fiona Bayliss-Stranks, 54, thought she was about to disappear into the sunset with the love of her life for a fairy-tale ending…

WORDS: FIONA LOCKE, FRANCES LEATE

W

12

atching another beautiful sunset on my favourite beach in Turkey, I sighed. As usual, I was there alone. Perpetually single, in my 20s and 30s I’d worked hard as a solicitor, and dating or holidays weren’t a priority. So when my mum, 69, died of cancer in July 2007, I’d taken a career break to travel using my inheritance. Now, three years later, in March 2010, I was enjoying the jet-set lifestyle and financial freedom my inheritance gave me. ‘I just wish I had someone to share it with,’ I thought. So, once home, I started online dating, and came across Craig Brown, then 41. He wasn’t my usual clean-cut type, with rugged looks, shaved head and tattoos, but his profile said he was adventurous and loved travel, like me, and when we met for coffee, he seemed funny and sensitive, too. The spark between us was undeniable. I opened up to Craig about Mum’s death, while he told me about his Crohn’s

disease, a serious bowel condition. ‘I sold my furniture-making business as I can’t work, but I’ve invested my money and I’m doing OK,’ he smiled. ‘It can’t have been easy,’ I sympathised. Things became serious, and while I’d always felt insecure about being size 18, Craig’s constant compliments made me feel beautiful. Only, on 2 April, Craig got bad news. ‘My sister died of breast cancer at 3.30am,’ he texted one morning. ‘I’m so sorry,’ I replied. I was heartbroken for him. He told me his sister had fought bravely, before dying with him by her side. Having lost Mum to cancer, I knew how he was feeling, so to be supportive I signed up for the Race for Life in his sister’s memory. That June, we went on holiday to Turkey, and as we walked along the beach, Craig said he loved me. ‘Me too,’ I smiled, the happiest I’d ever been. We’d spoken previously about how we both wanted to live abroad, so when Craig suggested we look at properties

‘I was the happiest I’d ever been’

Woman’s Own

while we were there, I didn’t hesitate. I felt completely swept off my feet as we wandered around idyllic villas, especially when Craig said he wanted to use his investment money to buy us one to live in, and a smaller one to rent for income.

A home with a pool Craig ended up putting a deposit down on a plot of land, and back home showed me building plans for a gorgeous two-storey home with a pool, and a rental property. I was so excited for our happy ending that, when our plans suddenly looked shaky because Craig had discovered all his money was locked in a four-year investment plan, I offered to use my inheritance to pay upfront building costs until his money cleared. ‘It’s for our future,’ I smiled, writing him a cheque. I went back to work, and in October 2011, sold my house and moved in with Dad so I could save, while Craig started a courier job. We’d speak nightly and he’d show me email updates from our developers, and when he was around we’d go on dates and have evenings in.


Real Life Shock read Fiona thought she’d found her perfect man

together my new reality. Craig had become a prolific gambler after his Crohn’s diagnosis in 2008, and there was no dream home. Instead, he’d scammed Dad and I out of more than £600,000, spending the lot on bad bets. It’d all been fake, the emails, bank slips – he’d simply written himself a cheque and retrieved it from the bank before it could bounce. Every kiss, promise and compliment had all been a lie.

Double life

t it seemed Occasionally, developers would need more money, and when I ran out, I turned to my dad, 72, who liked Craig and was happy to help. In 2014, Craig’s investment matured, and I was relieved he could finally pay Dad and me back. Only, he returned from his meeting at the bank looking really worked up. ‘What’s wrong?’ I frowned, and Craig began ranting. ‘It’s your fault,’ he raged, explaining a background check had alerted the bank I was registered at two addresses – a flat I’d been renting, and Dad’s. ‘They’ve frozen my account, I’m being investigated for money laundering,’ he cried, storming off. I felt sick with worry, unable to understand it – I’d done nothing wrong, and Craig’s outburst was really out of character. He later phoned in tears to apologise – we’d been together four years and never argued, so I accepted it, and we waited for the bank to resolve the problem. Meanwhile, we were both broke, so for the next two years we lived off more handouts from Dad until he’d lent us hundreds of thousands, almost everything he had.

By summer 2016, building work finished, the photos Craig showed me looked stunning, and the bank finally released his money. ‘It’s all there!’ he grinned, showing me a bank slip totalling almost £400,000 – and, relieved, we started preparing our big move, booking flights to Turkey for that September. Only, a few days before, Craig called. ‘We’ve been scammed,’ he cried, before hanging up. When I couldn’t get hold of him, I spent a panic-stricken night unable to sleep, wondering what was going on. I was so worried, when I’d still heard nothing the following morning, I reported Craig missing at the police station. ‘He’s safe,’ an officer said. In fact, Craig was in custody, having been arrested on fraud and assault charges after another woman reported him. As I digested the news, a sickening suspicion crept over me – my savings, Dad’s money... ‘I think I’ve been conned, too,’ I stuttered, telling the police everything. Officers came round and took all the documents that Craig had shown me, gathered evidence from his phone and laptops, slowly piecing

‘“We’ve been scammed,” he cried’

When he’d been ‘travelling’ for work, he’d been living with – and conning – another woman. And the worst lie? His sister was alive and well. ‘I ran the Race for Life for her,’ I thought, speechless. He’d even taken £2,225 of his sister’s money to pay for a holiday he’d never booked, and when he’d failed to show at the airport, his other victim had unravelled his lies. I’d been utterly betrayed for six years, believing my happy ending was on the horizon. ‘It’s my fault,’ I wept to Dad, feeling guilty and ashamed, but he hugged me, assuring me it wasn’t. In March 2017, at Warwick Crown Court, Craig Brown, then 47, admitted four counts of fraud and two assaults. He’d inflicted violence on his other victim, once breaking a bone by stamping on her foot, and another time pulling out a clump of her hair. He was jailed for five and a half years, but because he was penniless, the judge could only order him to repay a symbolic sum of £1. I’ll never forgive him, and needed six months of counselling after the court case. I lost everything: my house, savings, dreams, and so did poor Dad. I’m still rebuilding my life, and recently met a lovely man who knows I have nothing – but, unlike Craig, he loves me for who I am. Fiona has a new love


4 outfits under The denim shirt dress

The denim boilersuit

Utility boilersuits have emerged as a real wardrobe hero. Versatile and comfy, it’s not hard to see why. With its flattering drawstring waist and tapered cut, this purse‑pleasing style will suit all shapes. Layer with a classic Breton stripe top for a look that will take you from day to night.

The smart shirt dress has been given a casual spin for spring in mid‑wash denim. We love the front pockets, plus it’s made from 99% cotton and 1% elastane, meaning it will be super comfy and keep its shape. At just £20, the quality far outweighs the price tag!

TOP TIP The button-down fastening will draw the eye in and lengthen your frame. For extra style points, switch in a waist-cinching leopard belt.

COMPILED BY: HANNAH EICHLER

TOP TIP Bleach effects draw attention to problem areas, so instead opt for darker wash indigo denim – it’s your instant trick to slimming your figure.

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Boilersuit, £32, sizes 10-20, Roman; top, £5, sizes 8-20, Matalan; trainers, £9, Pep&Co at Poundland; necklace, £3.99, H&M

Woman’s Own

OUTFIT TOTAL COST:

£49.99

Dress, £20, sizes 8-20, Matalan; shoes, £10, Primark; belt, £5, Dorothy Perkins; bag, £12.99, Deichmann

OUTFIT TOTAL COST:

£47.99


r £50

Fashion Bargains

Because budgeting is hard, we make your clothes shopping easy

Denim Special

The denim shirt

The denim skirt

TOP TIP This skirt sits high on the waist, so create an hourglass figure by always tucking in tops.

Call off the search – we’ve found the skirt that wins at cost per wear. Yours for only £8 and with limitless styling opportunities, it’s practically paying you! Team with a jumper and boots for chilly weather and come spring, sunny accessories are all it needs.

Jumper, £19.50, sizes 6-24, M&S; skirt, £8, sizes 8-22, Pep&Co at Poundland; bag, £12.99, H&M; shoes, £5, everything5pounds.com

OUTFIT TOTAL COST:

£45.49

A year-round hero, a classic denim shirt will work perfectly with the rest of your wardrobe. Whether you go fashion forward with double denim, layer it over a simple T-shirt or pair with printed trousers for easy summer styling, you’ll wonder how you lived without it. TOP TIP If you have a large bust, create a flattering V-neck by leaving two buttons undone.

Shirt, £15, sizes 6-16, boohoo.com; trousers, £10, sizes 8-22, Pep&Co at Poundland; earrings, £8, JD Williams; shoes, £16, Peacocks

OUTFIT TOTAL COST:

£49

Woman’s Own 15


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Dawn Neesom

MIND OF MYOWN The Woman’s Own columnist has her say

Brave Phil...

His strength of character is testament to the women standing behind him

S

Phillip with his wife and daughters

strength he’s shown since his announcement. It’s a strength I first encountered over 30 years ago when Phil left the Broom Cupboard to Phillip revealed present Going Live!. He he is gay took Gordon the Gopher with him Prince Andrew is 60 this and I went to interview them. week. Usually the Union Jack is Both he and I were very young flown on royal birthdays but and I dared ask him if he was because of Andy’s friendship with gay, as the rumours were paedophile Jeffrey Epstein, swirling (this was pre-Steph). He looked at me. The damn the policy has changed. puppet looked at me. Then they both I hear Pizza Express has a laughed and changed the subject special on its spicy meals, without actually answering the question. though – you know, Well, now he has. And I wish him, the ones that make Steph and their girls all the love and you sweat… luck in the world. Because, sadly, I expect they’ll need it.

Flagging

‘My heart aches most for Steph’

‘Demeaning us is our pet hate’

Purr-lease!

P

eople for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) has announced that calling your pets, er, pets is demeaning. The suggestion is that we refer to our furry friends as ‘companions’ instead. Firstly, pets don’t care what you refer to them as long as you feed them, and

secondly, PETA has the word ‘pet’ in its name, so should it be banned too? My last pet was a tarantula called Spid. She had a great grasp of what ‘companionship’ meant. Because every time we gave her a little boy spider to play with she proved the perfect companion. By eating him.

PHOTOS: GETTY, GC IMAGES

hortly after coming out as gay on social media, Phillip Schofield gave an incredibly courageous interview on This Morning – and it was one of those TV moments that genuinely made you stop in your tracks. Not that Phillip’s sexuality hasn’t been gossiped about in showbiz circles for decades – it has. But the 57-year-old presenter’s 27-year marriage to Steph and the births of his daughters Molly, 27, and Ruby, 24, put paid to the rumours. You’d need a heart of stone not to feel sympathetic for the emotional pain Phillip and his family are currently going through. Life can never be the same again. It's sad Phillip has felt the need to hide who he really is all these years. But, to be honest, my heart aches most for Steph. Because the true, deep love that these two obviously share goes far beyond sex. If my husband of 34 years confessed to being gay, would I stop loving him overnight? No, and if you do, then you have to question the strength of your feelings in the first place. Now the Schofield family face the tricky tightrope of staying together as a four while the spectre of new relationships looms. What a minefield for anyone – let alone a couple so hugely in the public eye. But Phillip is a consummate broadcast professional, so will handle this with the

What’s your opinion? Tell Dawn on Twitter @DawnNeesom Woman’s Own 17


Taking part in a triathlon in York…

…and another in Whitchurch

50 challenges

at 50

Deep in grief, Karen Clayton, 51, found an extreme way to cope

Another day, another finish line!

Clocking up another half-marathon

E

xhausted and weak, I stopped unloading sheets from the washing machine to wearily answer a knock at the door. Standing on the doorstep was a Marie Curie nurse who’d come to help my husband Ian, then 45, and I look after my terminally ill stepdad, John, then 68. Her role was to take over caring for John so Ian and I could get some much-needed rest. Only, the second she saw my worn-out, tear-stained face, she wrapped her arms around me and held me as I sobbed. ‘It’s OK to cry,’ she soothed. It was a simple gesture but, until then, I’d bottled up all the years of pain, and it was a release I so desperately needed. Five years earlier, in February 2013, my mum Marlane, then 63, had been diagnosed with breast cancer. Growing

as her only daughter, we’d always been close, so I took the news hard. Mum had a mastectomy then round after round of chemo while John and I sat with her at every appointment. By April 2016, the cancer was stable and wasn’t showing any signs of spreading. But then John was told he needed tests after a doctor noticed his voice had gone uncharacteristically deep – and, that same month, pancreatic and lung cancer were diagnosed. ‘It’s terminal,’ Mum told me tearfully. I was heartbroken. John,

WORDS: SASKIA MURPHY

‘I’d bottled up years of pain’

then 66, and Mum had met when I was 15, and he’d been a father figure to me. He was a devoted grandfather to my boys Christopher, then 24, and William, 23, too. John started chemotherapy to prolong the time he had left. As the weeks passed, he grew weaker. Mum did her best to look after him but, by Christmas, was starting to worry about er health again, too.

Devastating news m’s hair was falling ut and she’d come out in bright-pink rash all over er body. Then she started uffering from a constant, ebilitating pain in her arm. he had tests, and I went th her to get the results. ‘I’m afraid the cancer as spread to your bones,’ Karen’s beloved late parents

18

Woman’s Own


Real Life From the heart case he needed us. The grief losing Mum was still so raw, nd it was so emotionally and hysically exhausting caring for y stepdad, I’d barely have time make myself a cup of tea. In February 2018, John suffered seizure, leading Ian and I to alise we could no longer ope with him alone. ‘We need some help,’ n said, and I tearfully greed, contacting the strict nurses, who came very day, and who got touch with Marie Curie On her bike in the n our behalf. Brutal Duathlon All I expected was someone to ke over for several hours so we ould rest, but the nurse instantly saw the strain we’d been under and immediately offered unending emotional support by letting us unload, listening to how we felt and offering reassurance that it was OK to ask for help. A few weeks later, just six months after losing Mum, John, 68, passed away. Having lost two parents so quickly and suddenly having nothing to fill the hours I’d spent as a carer, grief swamped me, and every day became a struggle. The local hospice referred me for counselling, which slowly helped me work through the trauma.

it was daunting – but I needed a reason to push myself. First, I took part in a 10k run. Then, four days before my birthday, I did a half-marathon, followed by two more. I took part in six races in that month alone. I barely did any training, I just turned up and ran, and it was as if all the heartache was propelling me forward, dulling the pain in my aching muscles. Caring for Mum and John had taught me not to take anything for granted, and running felt like a celebration of my body. The events were so close together, I could feel myself getting faster, fitter and stronger. That March, Ian and I flew to New York, where I ran the United Airlines NYC Half Marathon. Meeting Ian at the finish line, I couldn’t stop smiling. Now I’d ticked off my 11th challenge, there was no stopping me! Two weeks later, I did Marie Curie’s Swimathon challenge, swimming 2.5km in a pool in Riverside, Stafford. Then I added 10 half-marathons in nine days to my to-do list. ‘You’ve turned into superwoman!’ a friend commented when I posted pictures online. Then, last August, I faced my biggest challenge: the Seriously Brutal Duathlon in Llanberis, Wales. The punishing course finished with a nine-mile ascent up Mount Snowdon. For 14 hours I struggled on, the muscles in my legs pounding with every step. It was the hardest thing I’d ever done, but nothing compared to the pain of losing my parents. After 50 challenges, I’d raised more than £2,400 for Marie Curie, and I’m running the London Marathon in April. I wish I could tell Mum and John all the things I’ve done in their memory because I miss them endlessly – but I’m not running away from my grief, I’m running through it. ● To sponsor Karen Clayton search on justgiving.com

‘There was no stopping me!’

Wanting to give back

Rising to the November Nightmare challenge

the specialist said. And, just like John’s, Mum’s cancer was now terminal. We were all devastated, and Mum deteriorated quickly after that. Juggling work with looking after two terminally ill cancer patients could be exhausting, but we got help from my brother, Will, and other family members, everyone taking it in turns to cook, clean and care for Mum and John. In August 2017, Mum, then 67, passed away at home with us all by her side. My grief was immeasurable, yet, with John’s condition worsening, I had little time to process it. By her funeral the following week, John had started to lose the use of the right side of his body, and Ian and I had to help him into the church. Afterwards, I moved in with John so I could care for him full-time. At night, either Ian, myself or another of John’s family slept on the floor by the bed,

As life settled into a new kind of normal, I couldn’t stop thinking about that hug from the Marie Curie nurse, who’d shown me such kindness in my darkest hour. By comforting me, she’d allowed me to reflect on everything we’d been coping with, realise it was normal to be struggling and see that it was OK to ask for help. I wanted to give something back to Marie Curie so, with my 50th birthday coming up in February of last year, I started thinking of ways to raise money and celebrate my milestone. I’d been through so much and was about to hit half a century – so it had to be big. ‘I’m doing 50 challenges for my 50th birthday,’ I announced to Ian and the boys. ‘Are you mad?’ William, then 26, asked me when I told him my plan to enter marathons and ultra-marathons, despite only running one half-marathon six years before. As I looked at routes up mountains and across fells, I had to admit Intrepid Karen with her gongs

DO YOU NEED HELP? If you’re caring for a loved one living with a terminal illness, please contact Marie Curie. A trained team can provide practical help, information or simply listen and talk things over. Call 0800 090 2309, 8am-6pm, Monday to Friday and 11am-5pm on Saturdays, or visit mariecurie.org. uk/help/support.

Woman’s Own 19


Eco- y friendl

On the go

Arm candy

Let’s hang

Plant power

Ditch plastic bottles and use this glass one instead. £10.50, Oliver Bonas

This neutral handbag will work with any outfit. £12, George at Asda

Gold earrings are the perfect finishing touch to any outfit. £2, Primark

A trendy home for your plants. £12.99, H&M Home

Storage solution

COMPILED BY: EMMA WHITE

Baskets are this season’s must-have home accessory. £12.99, Homesense

TREAT yourself! Shop till you drop with these amazing buys

Straight talking

Swap jeans for faux leather trousers this season. £19.99, sizes xs-xxl, Zara r! & unde

£20

Skin saviour

Crystal clear

Keep hands in tip-top condition. £8, Escentual

This vase looks fab with or without flowers. £20, Dunelm

Earn your stripes

Into the wild

Caffeine boost

This jumper will look great with blue jeans. £17.50, sizes 6-24, M&S

Refresh any space with a colourful cushion. £20, John Lewis & Partners

Enjoy Coco’s Cold Brew Coffee Dark Chocolate. £4.95, trouva.com

20 Woman’s Own


Smart Shopping

You grow girl

Tied with a bow

Keep your plants hydrated with a cute watering can. £19.99, H&M Home

This is the perfect ‘go-witheverything’ blouse. £18, sizes 8-24, George at Asda

Light it up

Lavish lashes

This bamboo lantern looks great indoors and out. £20, Dunelm

Enhance eyelashes with Lash Growth Serum. £10.99, Eyelashemporium.com

Throwing in the towel Brighten up your kitchen. £15, White Stuff

Diffuse the situation

You’ve been framed

Dot to dot

Lather up

Have your home smelling of wild mint and sage. £4, Primark

Display a photo of your loved ones to make you smile. £5.99, Homesense

The perfect blouse to take you from day to night. £15.99, sizes 6-18, New Look

Have a pamper with Woody Wonder Shower Gel. £8.99, H&M

Ed’s pick

Time for tea

Do it yourself

Unbe-leaf-able

Best foot forward

A cute new teacup for your favourite brew. £12.50, White Stuff

Jazz up your nails with Barry M’s Nail Paint in Spearmint. £3.99, Superdrug

A chic make-up bag for all your essentials. £16.50, Oliver Bonas

Transition into spring with beige ankle boots. £16, Primark

Woman’s Own 21


Summer 2020 Cruise Offers

Save up to 50%! Plus, Book by 17 Feb & choose a free gift!*

Take advantage of some extraordinary discounts on what are already tremendous value prices on a selection of wonderful 2020 cruises from UK ports, to a host of fascinating destinations aboard a trio of fine, British operated vessels. Enjoy all the joys of traditional, smallership cruising, including dining in sumptuous surroundings, first-class entertainment, a warm welcome from a friendly crew and the chance to step ashore to discover and explore some marvellous ports of call - all at a fraction of the usual cost with these wonderful Saver Fares. Plus, book by 17 February and choose a free gi either 6 free bo les of wine or a free luxury hamper!

Cruise Itinerary

Days Departure Port

Date

Ship

Full Fare Was

Saver Fare From

Cruise Itinerary

Best of Norway & Scottish Isles

10

Dundee†

River Seine Experience

9

Greenock 23 Jun Magellan £1,299

£719

Fjordland Wonders

10

Greenock

1 Jul

Magellan £1,479

£819

14

Greenock†

10 Jul

15

Hull

26 Jul Marco Polo £2,169 £1,309

9

Hull

9 Aug Marco Polo £1,299 £779

North Cape & Spitsbergen Adventure Baltic Treasures & St Petersburg North Cape & Spitsbergen Adventure British Isles Midsummer Discovery Hidden Baltic Treasures & Kiel Canal Iceland & Northern Isles

13

Hull

17 Aug Marco Polo £1,949 £1,079

12

Liverpool

12 Jul

Iceland & Faroes

13

Liverpool

23 Jul Magellan £1,959 £1,079

Spain, Portugal & Morocco

13

Liverpool

4 Aug Magellan £2,589 £1,559

Majestic Fjordland

11

Liverpool

16 Aug Magellan

Round Britain & River Seine Experience Baltic Treasures & St Petersburg Majestic Fjordland Iceland, the Land of Ice & Fire Round Britain & River Seine Experience

14 Jun Magellan £1,479 £889

Magellan £1,969 £989

Magellan £1,799 £899

£1,819 £1,009

Days Departure Port 18

Date

Ship

Full Fare Was

Saver Fare From

Portsmouth† 6 Jun Marco Polo £2,459 £1,229

16

Tilbury†

25 Jul Marco Polo £2,169 £1,089

17

Tilbury

7 Jun Marco Polo £2,479 £1,369

12

Tilbury

16 Jun Columbus £1,799 £1,079

12

Tilbury

23 Jun Marco Polo £1,749 £969

13

Tilbury

27 Jun Columbus £1,959 £1,179

British Isles Discovery

11

Tilbury

9 Jul

Majestic Fjordland

8

Tilbury

19 Jul Columbus £1,129

15

Tilbury

26 Jul Columbus £2,579 £1,549

13

Tilbury

9 Aug Columbus £2,229 £1,229

8

Tilbury

21 Aug Columbus £1,129

Baltic Cities & St Petersburg Iceland & Northern Isles Summertime in the Fjords

Columbus £1,629 £979

Visit iwo.newmarketholidays.co.uk or call 0330 160 7856 quoting code IWO A selection of cabin types is available at ranging prices. All prices and cabins are extremely limited & may be withdrawn without notice. Single supplements apply. Standard phone charges apply. Payment of on board accounts by card only. Fares exclude gratuities. Offers operated by Newmarket Holidays Ltd ABTA V7812, a company wholly independent of Woman’s Own published by TI Media Limited. Prices are correct at itme of going to press on 22/1/2020 *Book by 17/2/2020. Subject to availability & may be withdrawn any time. Price shown includes discount. Prices shown are per person. Choose free wine or a hamper when booking. Visit newmarketholidays.co.uk/offer-terms for full terms. †These cruises do not return to their original departure port, a coach transfer is available for a supplement.

£629

£629


Dawn Harper

ASK THE DOCTOR Doctor Dawn Harper answers all your medical questions…

Is it my fault he’s ill?

Grandson has threadworms

Q

Please can you settle an argument? I look after my grandson two days a week. We have just discovered that he has threadworms, and my daughter-inlaw is blaming my dog, but we worm him regularly and I’m sure I read somewhere that you can’t catch threadworms from cats and dogs? It is possible to catch threadworms from pets, but only if a human has been handling the animal, and left eggs from their hands on the fur to be spread that way. Threadworms are not caught from contact with animal

A

We can’t afford the medical certificate

PHOTOS (POSED BY MODELS): GETTY

Q

My husband has been made redundant, which has put us under considerable financial pressure. At 60, we can’t afford for him to retire just yet, so he has decided to use his HGV licence and do some freelance work. His GP wants to charge £60 for a medical for this. He can’t work without the certificate, but it’s £60 we don’t have. Surely this isn’t right? I’m afraid it is. The NHS doesn’t pay for HGV medicals, but his GP can

A

Contact Dr Dawn Send your questions to drdawn@ ti-media.com, follow her on Twitter @DrDawnHarper, or go to drdawn.com

Scared to get checked

Q

I am sure my husband has a prostate problem. He is constantly going to the loo during the day, and is often up several times at night. I have asked him to see his GP, but he refuses. I think he is terrified of the examination more than the possible diagnosis. Would his doctor definitely do an internal examination? It does sound like a prostate problem, and his doctor would want to do a rectal examination to assess the size and feel of the prostate – a smooth enlargement is more likely to be a benign problem than if the prostate feels hard and craggy. That said, his doctor may be willing to do a PSA (prostate specific antigen) blood test in the first instance, so he should definitely make an appointment.

A

Family want me to be tested faeces. Threadworms can be easily treated with medicine from the pharmacist, but it is also important that you all make sure that your grandson always washes his hands after going to the toilet, and before eating, to try to prevent recurrent infection.

choose to provide this service privately if he wishes. The £60 fee is actually quite a competitive rate, but you may find a cheaper option if you shop around. GPs charge for medicals

Afraid

TO ASK?

Do I find out if I’m at risk of cancer?

Q

My mum died from breast cancer when I was young. My aunt has also been diagnosed, and says I should be tested for the breast cancer gene. I’m not sure I want to know. What do you think? The argument for knowing is to allow you to make informed choices about whether to have surgery to remove your breasts or, if you decide against this, to adapt your lifestyle to reduce risk that way. Your GP would refer you to a geneticist to go through the pros and cons before being tested, so I would take that opportunity.

A

Woman’s Own 23


Cheat yourself

HAPPIER

Wanttoboostyourfeel-goodfactor?Ourexpert trickscanhelpyoutore-trainyourbrain

W

hen it comes to being content with life, there are some benefits to getting older. A recent study found that women aged 50 to 65 are happier than those in their 20s.* But while feeling happy can be wonderful, it isn’t guaranteed. ‘Happiness is a state of feeling, not a trait, meaning that it isn’t a long-lasting or permanent feature, but fleeting and changeable,’ says functional medicine certified health coach Suzy Glaskie, founder of peppermintwellness.co.uk. Want to help your brain feel happier for longer? Here’s how…

It’s time to re-train ‘While some degree of our happiness is set by our genetics (experts estimate between 10% and 50%), the rest is down to us,’ says Suzy. ‘We can learn to be happier, just as we can learn to play a musical instrument or speak a foreign language.’ And you’ll reap health benefits, too. Your chances of living into old age increase by 71% just by thinking positively, found Stanford University.

The nation’s happiest hour.**

Invest time in good relationships A survey by pushdoctor.co.uk found that 64% of women who described themselves as ‘happy’ saw their friends at least once a week. ‘The quality of our relationships is the key determinant of our happiness,’ says Suzy. ‘When we’re happy in our most important relationships, we tend to be happier overall.’ Struggling to make connections? It could be that you’re not actively listening. Deeper communication will lead to more meaningful interactions.

Watch out for the menopause It can hijack happiness. ‘Disruption of mood-regulating chemicals, including serotonin, can hurl us onto a roller-coaster of mood swings, temper tantrums and unexpected lows,’ says Suzy. ‘Many women going through the menopause find themselves battling feelings of irritability and even depression.’ Help to keep your mood more regulated by reducing caffeine, balance blood sugar levels by eating little and often, and cut out the more stressful elements in your life.

24 Woman’s Own

9pm

Think quick trick Give yourself just 30 seconds to run through a list of all the things that you love. Thinking really fast is proven to boost your mood, found Princeton University researchers. Even if you can only come up with negative thoughts, the speed element will still boost your mood.

Keep track of your emotions ‘Keeping a gratitude journal is a powerful, free and quick way to boost your levels of happiness,’ says Suzy. ‘Just keep a special notepad by your bed and, before you go to sleep at night, note down five things from that day that you’re grateful for.’


Health Live well

THE UK’S TOP SMILE MAKERS

‘Pro-actively include happiness boosters into your daily life,’ says Suzy. A survey by galabingo.com revealed that the best mood-enhancers include… 1 A good joke 2 Speaking with loved ones 3 Listening to favourite music 4 The sun shining 5 A hug 6 Eating good food

Don’t scare happiness away You can’t have highs without lows. ‘Beware of chasing after happiness,’ says Suzy. ‘An expectation of 100% constant happiness is unreasonable and sets us up for disappointment. A happy life will have ups and downs. Trying to avoid those dips just brings you unhappiness, anger, resentment and frustration.’

DO YOU HAVE A HAPPY PLACE?

Brits say they need to go somewhere that leaves them content at least twice a week. The top spot is walking along a beach, followed by a warm bath and a trip to the local pub.***

8 Watching your favourite film/TV show 9 Finding a bargain 10 A cup of tea

Take time to recharge ‘Health and happiness are strongly interlinked (healthy people are happier, and happy people are healthier),’ says Suzy. ‘Invest time and energy in your physical wellbeing, prioritising your sleep, and eating a nutritious, wholefood diet.’ In fact, a study by A. Vogel found that getting a good night’s sleep boosted happiness by 10%. Make sure you’re tired at bedtime by walking outdoors during the day. Being outdoors optimises your light exposure, while walking triggers the release of your body’s naturally occurring feel-good hormones.

Put your time to good use

Invest in making new memories

Researchers at the London School of Economics found that, compared with someone who never volunteers, your odds of feeling ‘very happy’ rise by 16% if you do it every week. They add that this is a happiness-hike equivalent to a pay rise from £20,000 to £100,000 a year. ‘We all have our unique talents – putting yours to good use will make you feel fulfilled and happier,’ says Suzy. However big or small, set yourself a realistic and specific goal to achieve.

According to psychologists at San Francisco State University, experiences make us happier than new objects – the excitement of buying something new fades faster than memories.

WORDS: FAYE M SMITH. PHOTOS: GETTY. *PLATINUM. **GALABINGO.COM. ***SAMBOAT.COM. IF YOU HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT YOUR HEALTH, SEE YOUR GP

Just smile The beauty of smiles is that they are contagious – if you smile at people, in general they will smile back. This makes your environment more positive. Smiling is also clinically proven to instantly raise the happiness index, and releases a shot of serotonin, the chemical that creates happiness.

7 A baby laughing

Woman’s Own 25


Anita Naik

APROBLEMSHARED Mum-of-two Anita Naik has been an agony aunt for 28 years

Angry about a past affair

Q

My husband was married before. I know very little about it, except that it broke down due to an affair. I always assumed this was his ex’s doing, but I recently discovered it was my husband who had the affair. I am shocked and angry, but my husband doesn’t understand why. How do I deal with this? Anne, 46, Cardiff You are angry because for all these years you have felt sorry for your husband, and now you feel duped. Plus your understanding of your husband’s past has been ruined. This, in itself, is bound to leave you feeling shocked. Try to remember that it’s the past 14+ years together that counts, not what happened before you met. Don’t let this fester and become more significant than it should be.

Work can be a toxic place

A

PHOTOS (POSED BY MODELS): GETTY. *ANXIETYUK.ORG.UK/GET-HELP/ANXIETY-INFORMATION/FREQUENTLY-ASKED-QUESTIONS

Long baths are restful

My colleagues swear at me

Q

3 ways to… handle stressful times

1

TAKE TIME OUT Stress can send our emotions into overdrive. Take a walk with the dog, a 15-minute bath or disconnect from your phone for an hour. DOWNLOAD THE BREATHING APP This helps you to find the physiological benefits of slowing your breathing down to lower your stress levels and improve emotional balance. LEAN ON FRIENDS Find your support network and let them help. Whether it’s practical tasks, or just listening, it all helps.

2 3

26 Woman’s Own

I put up with a lot at work, from being sworn at by colleagues to having my branch manager tell me that I was a useless s**t. I’ve been in this job for eight months and love the work, but everyone speaks to each other like this here. I want to be professional but the same manager who swore at me recently told me not to be so sensitive when I complained. I don’t think I am sensitive; I don’t think swearing at each other is an

Her shyness is getting worse

Q

excellent way to work. Kelly, 32, London You are right; this is a toxic way to work. It’s not about being sensitive but about wanting to be shown respect at work. If you have talked to your boss and he’s unwilling to accept the work culture is unhealthy, then you have a couple of choices. Either raise it higher up or look for a different job. It may not seem fair, but, eventually, this job will wear your confidence down.

A

1 in 10 o has a disa f us anxiety di bling s at some storder a in our lifege

My 18-year-old daughter has never been very confident but her shyness is getting worse. She can no longer eat in a restaurant as she imagines people are looking at her. She won’t go to friends’ houses or to the pub. My friends say she is suffering from anxiety. Are they right? Helen, 51, Notts

A

Anxiety* causes the person affected to avoid certain situations that they believe will exacerbate their anxiety. It sounds like this is happening to your daughter, but see her GP so she can get help and a clear diagnosis.

Contact Anita

Send your questions to askanita@ ti-media.com, follow her on Twitter @AnitaNaik, or go to anitanaik.com


GOOD ! U O Y R FHeO lping you make smart

Health Live well

health choices

Have you heard about? Gluten-free is good for your sleep A study by Sealy UK found that adults who followed a gluten-free diet had better shut-eye each night, followed by those eating a dairy-free diet. Vegans fared the worst.

Purple can spice things up The colour of your bedroom walls and bedding could make a difference to how much sex you have each week*. Brits who picked purple, red and sky blue were most sexually active.

WORDS: FAYE M SMITH. PHOTOS: GETTY. *LITTLEWOODS.COM. **GET WELL. IF YOU HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT YOUR HEALTH, SEE YOUR GP

Mess causes stress Like things to be in order at home? A study by Hive found that 39% of Brits felt stressed when they lived in a messy environment. ‘Declutter – this can leave you feeling ready to tackle what life throws at you,’ says behavioural psychologist Jo Hemmings.

How to...

deal with bleeding gums Daniel Guenin, from Holford Partners Curaden Dental Clinic, shares his advice

1 If you smoke, stop

2 Reduce your stress levels ‘Studies have discovered a link Visit between emotional stress and your dentist periodontal disease. Stress if your gums weakens your body’s bleed regularly, defences in lots of ways, not to find the least in its ability to fight a cause. gum infection.’

‘In addition to countless other health issues, smoking has been linked to gum disease. Since it lowers your body’s immune system, smoking can make it harder for your body to fight off plaque bacteria. Quitting smoking gives your gums a chance to heal.’

3 Take vitamins ‘A shortage can lead to bleeding gums, even if you practice good overall oral hygiene. Snack on fruits, such as mango and strawberries, as they contain a high quantity of vitamin C.’

It worked for me Reduce gluten to increase sleep

80%

of Brits feel frustrated or helpless after a doctor’s appointment.**

Catherine Hill, 60, from Kent ‘After having ovarian cancer, my weight ballooned. This meant I suffered more with arthritis and stiffness in my hands. I decided to try ProLon (£225, prolon.co.uk), a five-day fast-mimicking diet created by Professor Valter Longo to help reset the body. I did it once a month for four months and lost 1st 7lb. I’m pain-free for the first time in 12 years, so it was worth the price.’

Buy of the week Constantly feeling bloated, with excess wind affecting your daily life? Taken daily, Alflorex (£24.99, Boots) is clinically proven to make a difference to IBS, and can ease stomach pain and indigestion.

Woman’s Own 27


Thewine diet Drop 3lb in one week with this simple-tofollow plan from Angela Dowden. And, good news, booze is on the menu!

How it works

In this clever plan, the calorie-count from each delicious meal allows enough leeway to enjoy a small glass of wine every single day, if you want. And you’ll still be on track to lose 3lb in one week! This 7-day plan helps to manage hunger by keeping blood sugar and insulin levels under control. You’ll bloat less thanks to plenty of good fibre and 1 Choose one healthy that’ll help to stop your breakfast, lunch and dinner digestive system from every day. becoming sluggish, too. That’s not all – thanks to 2 You’re also allowed 1x150ml potassium-rich fruit and glass of wine a day. See our clever veg, your waist won’t be drinking guide for more as prone to the information. fluid-retaining 3 If you’re still hungry, snack effects of salt.

WHAT TO DO

Clever drinking guide

on some delicious berries, or vegetable crudités with salsa.

PHOTOS: GETTY

● A 150ml glass (be strict!) of

red wine daily is the healthiest choice. If you don’t like red wine, you can have white instead, or else opt for a 50ml serving of gin, vodka or spirit with a diet mixer. ● Look for wine with 13% or less alcohol, as this will keep you under the recommended 14 units a week safe alcohol limit and keep calories lower, too. ● It’s OK to have 2 glasses in one day if you prefer, but make sure to go without for 1-2 days to make up if you do. Red wine is the healthiest choice

28 Woman’s Own

Try topping your porridge with crushed pecans

BREAKFASTS ● 2 Oatibix biscuits topped with

one mashed banana. ● Porridge made with semi-skimmed milk, topped with 1tbsp crushed pecans and a drizzle of honey or maple syrup. ● Poached egg on a small slice of seeded toast with a tiny scrape of butter, plus grilled mushrooms. Half a grapefruit. ● Half a cored, crisp apple, spread with 3tsp tahini or peanut butter. Plus 100g 0% fat Greek yogurt with a drizzle of honey. ● Bowl of strawberries with 150g 0% fat Greek yogurt and


t

Healthy Eating

Get a flat tum in 7 days!

LUNCHES ● 60g of houmous stirred

through a big handful of watercress, plus a handful of sweet cherry tomatoes and 2tsp of toasted pine nuts. ● Mix 100g prawns, half a chopped mango and 1tbsp cashew nuts with 1tbsp of curried mayonnaise and coriander leaves to taste. Add to crisp romaine lettuce leaves.

Try prawn and mango salad

DINNERS ● Bolognese of extra lean minced

Start the day with a smoothie

1tbsp of any toasted seed mix. ● Whizz 200ml skimmed or almond milk, 1tbsp wheat germ, 100g fresh or frozen berries, 2tsp clear honey and 1tbsp almond or peanut butter to make a smoothie. ● 2 soft-boiled eggs, with one small slice of seeded toast spread with Marmite.

Make sure your plate is colourful ● Mix 50g cooked chicken,

● Large fresh mixed salad

10 satsuma segments, 1/4 thinly sliced fennel bulb and some chopped watercress with 2tsp olive oil, juice of 1/4 lemon, dash of lower salt soy sauce and 1tbsp chopped walnuts. ● A 300g bowl of fresh tomato and lentil soup with a small slice of seeded toast and a scrape of butter. Afterwards, 1 kiwi fruit.

(including peppers, watercress and/or rocket) dressed with balsamic vinegar. Serve with a can of mackerel in oil (drained), scattered with 1tbsp of toasted pine nuts. ● Bake a medium sweet potato and top with 50g mozzarella, basil leaves and chilli flakes.

Don’t rule out classics, such as bolognese

beef or 100g turkey mince (dry fried), half a garlic clove, a handful of mushrooms, 1 small carrot, half a can of chopped tomatoes, 1tbsp tomato puree, mixed herbs, splash of red wine and a little beef stock. Serve with 150g boiled wholewheat spaghetti. ● Grilled cod steak served with a dollop of homemade mash (add 1tsp butter and milk to taste), plus spinach and roast vine tomatoes. ● Stir-fry 1 sliced red pepper and serve on top of 1/2 cooked microwave sachet of puy lentils with 50g sliced and grilled halloumi cheese, and salsa to taste. ● Cook 100g turkey mince in 1tsp oil. Toss with 1/2 pouch cooked flavoured microwave rice with added chives and parsley. Stuff the mixture into 2 red pepper halves and bake in a covered casserole dish until soft. Serve with tender stem broccoli and sprinkle over 2tbsp Parmesan cheese. ● Marinate 1 small chicken breast in a little olive oil, lemon juice and herbs, then grill. Serve with 1 medium jacket potato topped with 1tbsp 0% fat Greek yogurt.

Woman’s Own 29



Reader Promotion Military Wives is in cinemas nationwide from 6 March

The real life of a

military wife

Sharon Horgan (left) stars alongside Kristin Scott-Thomas

Nancy Hamilton found support in the choir, just likethe women in the new, heart-warming film Military Wives ‘The choir is a big social support. There, where your husband is. Sometimes you’re ‘The choir is don’t have to explain why you can’t handing out tissues, sometimes you need something I can rely you just phone your husband. Most of my comfort and support yourself. Either way, on when everything non-military friends expect to have someone the choir is a phenomenal thing.’ at home for when times are tough, but else is uncertain’ military life means that the person we lean In cinemasÉ Nancy Hamilton, 45, lives in North Yorkshire and joined The Military WAGS Choir, Catterick Garrison, more than three years ago. ‘I spent a chunk of my adult life as a civilian with no specific military connection until I got married and found myself in a very different world. He did try and warn me, but I don’t think anything prepares you for it! ‘My husband’s role means he’s away a lot. Although it’s for short bursts, it’s hard to plan ahead. When people ask if you can come to something in six months’ or even three weeks’ time, I say, “We’d love to, but I don’t know yet if we’re able”. You’re constantly living in this fog of not knowing when they’ll be away.

on might need to have their focus on something else, even if they’re not away. ‘I joined the choir in November 2016 and was made to feel really welcome, and had fun in the first concert despite having no idea what the words or tune were! It’s something I can rely on when everything else is uncertain. The excitement, tragedies and joys in life keep coming regardless of

Feel-good film of the year Military Wives, starring Kristin Scott-Thomas and Sharon Horgan, is out on 6 March. Don’t miss it!

From choir to big screen

Director Peter Cattaneo (The Full Monty) says: ‘I first got involved with the film three years ago. We got to know some military wives, and their stories were humbling, sometimes harrowing,

often hilarious. I hope audiences will come away from Military Wives having laughed and cried, feeling inspired by the courage of the women and uplifted by hearing them belt out classic songs.’

WomansOwn.co.uk

31


Motsi Mabuse’s PERFECT PALETTE

Holly Willoughby’s HAIR HERO We’re longstanding admirers of Holly’s glossy blonde bob, so when her stylist Ciler Peksah shared a snap of her kit from the Dancing On Ice set, we took notes. Among the expensive brands, we spotted good old Batiste Original Dry Shampoo, £2.99, a must-have for absorbing oil and boosting roots.

The Strictly star never looks anything less than fa-bu-lous, and her on-set make up artist, Marcos Gurgel, has revealed the bargain buy he loves using. ‘I am a great believer in the actual product. I have learnt the hard way that it’s not all about the price tag. One of my favourite products is Revolution Iconic Lights & Contour Pro Palette, £8.’

Celeb beau

secrets Laura Dern’s LASH STAR

Claudia Winkleman’s SIGNATURE SMUDGE The star is known for her distinctive black eyeliner, and recently revealed that she uses Lord & Berry Line/ Shade in Dark Black, £13, saying ‘I put it everywhere – inside, in the corner and then I rub a bit on my finger and dab it along. It’s quite haphazard.’

32 Woman’s Own

The Hollywood star admits she has to be careful which products she uses, but always comes back to her favourite drug store mascara. ‘I’ve used L’Oréal’s Voluminous Mascara, £9.99, forever. I can go on any set and people will use other ‘very chic’ products and my eyes will get so irritated, but not with this,’ she revealed.


Beauty How to do

Listen up! Learn from the industry’s top experts with these great beauty podcasts and books

The Beauty Podcast with Sali Hughes Award-winning journalist and author Sali Hughes invites a series of experts to take on beauty’s big topics, such as injectibles or inclusivity, then answers your questions. A brilliant new listen for intelligent, frank discussions and unbiased product advice.

Fat Mascara

A-list tips, tricks and recommendations that really work Victoria Beckham’s POUT PERFECTER Posh has always been a fan of a well-defined pout, and recently shared her favourite lip-plumping trick using liner. ‘What I tend to do is go around the outside part of the lip, making sure I don’t forget the inside as well. On the bow, once I’ve got a nice shape, I draw a straight line across which gives an even fuller lip.’ Try NYX Professional Slim Lip Pencil, £3.50.

Spots happen to everyone, as proven by queen of clean Gwyneth, who revealed her quick breakout fix. ‘I always use this drying lotion from Mario Badescu. I guess you could use toothpaste if it’s an emergency, but then they say that it can eat through your skin and not to do it.’ We’ll stick with the Mario Badescu Drying Lotion, £18, then!

Chic update

Palette: The Must-Have Beauty Bible for Women of Colour by Funmi Fetto (£12.50, Coronet) An insightful and beautifully illustrated guide to the products that really work for women of colour, too often overlooked by the industry. As well as recommendations, journalist Funmi peppers the descriptions with personal anecdotes and advice on formulations to empower the reader to pick products themselves.

The Skincare Bible by Dr Anjali Mahto (£14.99, Penguin) It’s not easy to write a no-nonsense guide that’s also an enjoyable read, but dermatologist Dr Anjali has managed it. Covering it all from skin structure and a back-to-basics routine to issues like acne and lifestyle habits, this filters a complicated topic into digestible, engaging advice.

WORDS: FIONA MCKIM PHOTOS: WIREIMAGE, GETTY

auty

Gwyneth Paltrow’s BLEMISH BUSTER

Hosted by US beauty directors Jess Matlin and Jen Goldstein, this podcast is an informed yet wisecracking look at all things beauty. Guests range from cosmetic scientists to reality TV hairdressers, plus each episode is bookmarked by industry news and hot tips on new products.

Woman’s Own 33


Great day out

Get ready to

bloom

It may be chilly out but it’s the perfect time to start indoor gardening and prepare for sunny days

Thrill us amaryllis!

All white now! Did you know the scientific name for snowdrops – Galanthus – means milk flower? Snowdrops are carpeting woodlands and gardens throughout the UK right now, so wrap up warm and enjoy their cheer. The National Garden Scheme’s Snowdrop Festival runs until 28 February with more than 100 gardens open to the public, many featuring other spring beauties like hellebores and aconites. Some will even be serving warm soup and hot drinks – what’s not to like? Find a garden near you at ngs.org.uk/snowdrops.

Buy of the week These fabulous Herdwick wool felt ‘chippings’ make a great mulch. They naturally suppress weeds and release nitrogen into the soil as they biodegrade. £4.50 for 1kg (which covers 1sqm) from chimneysheep.co.uk

34 Woman’s Own

Wowr facto

Want a stand-out flower in time for Easter? Plant three to five amaryllis bulbs now. Once they flower, you can add some twigs to hang decorations from. First, place the bulbs in jam jars filled with tepid water to moisten the dried roots overnight. Ensure good drainage when you pot them and leave the top third of the bulb exposed. Place somewhere warm to germinate, then move to a cool, bright spot. They’ll flower for at least three weeks and make a bigger, better return next year.

Houseplants hit the BIG time Our passion for ‘green’ interiors is growing – literally! The 2020 trend is for bigger, show-stopping plants, according to the Royal Horticultural Society. Want some ideas? We love these demure but devilish carnivorous plants in crocks, and

70s-style swiss cheese plants are back in vogue, as is the elephant’s ear plant, with giant leaves and contrasting stems. For more inspo, visit RHS Wisley to see the Giant Houseplant Takeover in the glasshouse until 1 March (rhs.org.uk).


In The Garden

3

steps to protect tools

1 Clean cultivation tools like spades, forks and rakes by brushing off dried-on mud with a stiff brush. Hose down, dry with an old towel and smooth on a little multipurpose oil.

2 Sharpen cutting tools by cleaning with a pan scourer, working in a little WD-40. Wipe dry, sharpen blades with a metal file or oil stone, use multipurpose oil on the moving parts.

Sow annual sweet peas now and you’ll be rewarded with colourful and fragrant trailing plants from June to September. Soften them on damp kitchen towel, then sow in pots or seed trays covered with 1-1.5cm of compost. Water daily with a mister, and cover with newspaper until they germinate – usually five to eight days. Once they are 3-5cm high, gently repot and move to a greenhouse or cool windowsill. Pinch out the growing tip once you have three sets of leaves to encourage side shoots. Plant out in mid-April with support and keep picking to encourage more flowers.

3 Protect wooden handles from splitting and splintering by cleaning them and coating with linseed or Danish oil. Leave your tools to dry overnight and add a second coat.

WORDS: SHARON SWEENEY. PHOTOS: GETTY

Gorgeous scents

Sow ! now

Woman’s Own 35


Infertile, THEN TRIPLETS

Rosie Phelps-Goggin, 41, was about to start IVF when three miracles happened at once

W

atching my three baby Gabriella was two we could recite girls snuggle up while my episodes of Peppa Pig and were starting eldest, Gabriella, four, read to think about having another baby. Only, them a bedtime story, I I started suffering pains in my side. couldn’t resist capturing the moment on I often felt sick and breathless, so camera. Just five years ago, my husband, my GP referred me for tests, and I was Brad, 46, and I had struggled to have diagnosed with endometriosis, where one baby, and now we had a houseful. tissue similar to womb lining grows in We were permanently exhausted, and other places. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d ‘I suspect it’s growing on your slept more than a few hours, but hearing diaphragm,’ explained a specialist. their giggles, none of that mattered. He recommended a hysterectomy. Brad and I married in 2012 ‘I’m not ready for that,’ and immediately started I sniffed, unwilling to give up trying for a family. Only, after my baby dreams. Instead, in 18 months and two early May 2018, I had a laparoscopy miscarriages, we were – keyhole surgery to remove anxious. ‘There must be a the growing tissue. I’d need a problem,’ I told Brad, and he second laparoscopy to remove agreed we should see fertility more errant tissue, but for the specialists. Only, just before time being, I’d just learn to live our first appointment, in February 2015, and manage the pain as best I could. I fell pregnant for a third time. Still, my condition made getting ‘Let’s not jinx it,’ Brad said, worried pregnant difficult. how I’d handle another miscarriage, ‘It’ll be almost impossible without IVF,’ so we only told close the specialist warned. We were family, until I started encouraged to keep trying, showing at five but advised to start the IVF months. But it was a process. I started booking smooth pregnancy appointments with fertility – and, in November specialists, while downloading 2015, Gabriella arrived apps to track my cycle and weighing 6lb 12oz. buying ovulation kits. Brad I grappled with and I kept to a schedule sleepless nights, and and, though unromantic, it when Brad, a pilot, worked. By August 2018, wasn’t overseas, he I was pregnant. helped too. By the time ‘I can’t believe it,’ I grinned. Rosie had her hands full with the girls 36 Woman’s Own

‘I had to manage the pain’

We were still anxious, especially when I got terrible morning sickness. I’d never suffered with it with Gabriella, yet now I was constantly throwing up. I was showing within a few weeks, too.

Early scan ‘Every pregnancy is different,’ I told Brad, but when my pains came back, I asked for an early scan, terrified I could miscarry again. Brad was away competing in a triathlon, so my mum, Tricia, then 66, came along. ‘Well,’ the sonographer said, scanning my belly. ‘It’s not one baby.’ ‘Twins,’ I thought – my sister had twins. But that wasn't right, either. ‘It’s three,’ the sonographer smiled, pointing out each heartbeat. Mum and I stared in disbelief at my triplets, before I burst into happy tears. Then, as we walked to the car, Brad sent a message. ‘Hope the scan went well. Hope it’s not twins,’ he wrote, with a winking emoji.


Real Life You’ll never believe it Husband Brad is outnumbered in his house!

I was due to have a caesarean at 33 weeks, but in February 2019, at 30 weeks, my body swelled and I knew I was beginning to struggle. A scan at Bath Royal United Hospital showed that one of the babies’ blood pressure had elevated and another’s had dropped, so I was taken to theatre.

I quickly replied. ‘Nope, not twins.’ That evening, when Brad got home, I gave him the medical report from the scan. It took a minute before he registered what it said. ‘Triplets,’ he whispered, tears in his eyes, head in his hands, but a grin on his face. We knew it was going to be hard, but it was more than we’d ever dreamt of. At our next appointment, doctors outlined possible complications. There was greater chance of one having Down’s syndrome, and because two were in the same sac, with knotted umbilical cords, they risked disrupting each other’s oxygen flow, causing brain damage. Doctors offered a termination of two babies to help save the other, but I wouldn’t consider it. We had an amniocentesis, and learnt that all three were doing fine. Our identical triplets had been created by one fertilised egg splitting into three, at odds of 200 million to one, even greater when you

considered my presumed infertility. ‘We’ll do what it takes to save all three,’ I said. Back home, we told Gabriella. ‘There’s going to be three babies,’ Brad explained. She thought for a minute, then excitedly said, ‘I can't wait to meet my babies.’ Then we found out that they were all girls. ‘You’re going to be very outnumbered,’ I laughed to Brad. My stomach grew huge, and they were very wriggly – as soon as one stopped kicking, another would start.

A team of 27 doctors, midwives, nurses and specialists worked together to deliver our girls. Avangeline came first, weighing 3lb 6oz, followed by 2lb 10oz Constance a minute later – then, finally, 3lb 1oz Genevieve. I barely saw them before they were whisked to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, and it was 18 long hours before I was finally allowed to visit. ‘They’re tiny,’ I gasped. Avangeline had a slightly wider mouth than usual, so doctors were carrying out tests, and they all needed oxygen and to be tube fed, but otherwise we just had to wait for our gorgeous girls to get bigger and stronger. When Gabriella, then three, who’d been staying with my parents, was brought to meet her little sisters, she was instantly besotted. ‘I’ll call them Strawberry, Raspberry and Blackberry,’ she giggled, and nurses placed little fruit stickers on their cots to help her tell them apart. At three days, Avangeline was diagnosed with Goldenhar syndrome, a congenital condition that affects development of the eyes, ears and spine, and would need surgery when she was six months old. All three spent seven weeks in hospital, but we finally brought them home at the end of March. It’s been magical – if exhausting – since. Ava’s development is closely monitored, and Connie had a few problems with an infection, but they’ve just turned one, and are thriving. Gabriella is always playing with them, and I adore hearing the four of them giggling away. It’s taken a lot to get our girl gang together, but I feel blessed every day to call these four little miracles my babies. ● Follow @goggin.girl.gang on Instagram

Rosie uses a special pram Gabriella adores being a big sister

WORDS: EMMA ROSSITER, KARL GRAFTON. PHOTOS: INSTAGRAM@GOGGIN.GIRL.GANG

Specialist team

Woman’s Own 37


Comforting Delicious desserts to warm you up this winter!

puds

COMPILED BY: ROSIE BENSBERG. PHOTOS: TI-MEDIACONTENT.COM

TIP

Hot chocolate and hazelnut pudding Serves: 6 Chocolate, hazelnuts and rum – what more could you want from a pudding?

✽ Creme fraiche or ice cream, to serve ✽ You will also need: ✽ 1.5ltr ovenproof dish, buttered

You will need

How to do it

✽ 60g unsalted butter, softened ✽ 200g caster sugar ✽ 2 medium eggs ✽ 150g self-raising flour, sifted ✽ 3 ½ tbsp cocoa powder, sifted ✽ 200ml semi-skimmed milk ✽ 200g light muscovado sugar ✽ 3tbsp golden rum ✽ 60g roasted hazelnuts, chopped

38 Woman’s Own

1

Heat the oven to 180C/Gas 4. Whisk the butter, caster sugar and eggs with an electric hand whisk until pale and light. Add the flour, 2tbsp of the cocoa powder and the milk, and whisk again to combine. Spoon the mixture into the dish and smooth the top. Meanwhile, boil the muscovado sugar, the remaining cocoa

2

If you cannot find pre-roasted hazelnuts, buy blanched hazelnuts and roast them in the oven for 8 mins.

powder and 200ml water for 1 min until smooth. Remove from the heat, add the rum, and pour over the cake mix. Bake for 10 mins. Scatter over the hazelnuts, then cook for 15-20 mins, until the pudding is slightly springy. Leave for 10 mins and serve with creme fraiche or ice cream.

3

PREP TIME: 20 MINS COOKING TIME: 30 MINS PLUS COOLING TIME SKILL LEVEL: EASY COST: LESS THAN £1 PER SERVING CALS: 540 FAT: 17G SAT FAT: 7G CARBS: 84G


Tasty Recipes

Caramelised clementine risotto Serves 6 This is an indulgent and zesty twist on a rice pudding.

You will need

For the caramelised clementines: ✽ 6 clementines ✽ 100g granulated sugar ✽ 2tbsp Grand Marnier or brandy For the rice pudding: ✽ 600ml milk ✽ 2tbsp caster sugar ✽ 1 large knob of butter ✽ 175g risotto rice ✽ 200ml condensed milk, evaporated milk or cream

TIP

The caramelised oranges would also be delicious served with Greek yogurt.

How to do it

1

Peel the clementines, remove pith and set aside the peel. Put the granulated sugar and 4tbsp water in a pan and heat gently, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Bring to the boil, then simmer for a few mins without stirring, until the syrup turns amber. Remove and dip the base of the pan briefly in cold water. Stir in 4tbsp water, the Grand Marnier and some peel. Simmer for 10-15mins

2

until the peel goes tender. Add the clementines and cook for 4 mins. Take out and pour over the syrup. For the rice pudding, bring the milk to the boil with the caster sugar and the peel. Simmer for 10 mins then remove the peel. Melt the butter, add the rice and fry for 2 mins. Pour in the milk and simmer for 20-30 mins, stirring occasionally.

3

4

Set aside for 5 mins, then stir in the condensed milk, evaporated milk or cream. Spoon the rice into dishes and top with a clementine and syrup puddle. PREP TIME: 20 MINS COOKING TIME: 1 HOUR SKILL LEVEL: MEDIUM COST: UNDER £2 PER SERVING FAT: 9G SAT FAT: 6G CARBS: 7G

Jam roly-poly Serves 8 A childhood classic, updated with lemon and almonds.

You will need

✽ 150g self-raising flour, plus extra for dusting ✽ 45g caster sugar ✽ 75g vegetable suet ✽ Zest of 1/2 lemon ✽ 75ml semi-skimmed milk, plus extra for brushing ✽ 50g raspberry jam ✽ 40g toasted flaked almonds ✽ Custard, to serve

How to do it

TIP

Use any jam that you have in the cupboards if you don’t have raspberry to hand.

1

Heat the oven to 190C/Gas 5 and butter a large sheet of baking paper. Mix the flour, sugar, suet and lemon zest in a bowl, then gradually add the milk, stirring with a knife until it comes together to form a soft dough.

2

Roll out the dough on a floured surface to 30x20cm. Spread over the jam, leaving a 2cm boarder, then sprinkle with almonds, saving a few for the tip. Brush the edges with milk and roll up from the short edge. Pinch the ends to stop the jam oozing out. Put the roly-poly on the parchment, seam side down and scatter over the almonds. Wrap up lightly, twisting the ends to seal. Bake for 45 mins until golden. Turn off the oven and leave for 5 mins before taking out and transferring to a plate. Cut into slices and serve with custard. PREP TIME: 20 MINS COOKING TIME: 50 MINS SKILL LEVEL: MEDIUM COST: LESS THAN £1 PER SERVING CALS: 225 FAT: 12G SAT FAT: 5G CARBS: 25G

3

4

Woman’s Own 39


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Serves 12 You will need

✽ 175g butter, softened ✽ 175g golden caster sugar ✽ 3 large eggs ✽ 100g marmalade ✽ 1 orange, sliced, plus the grated zest of 1 orange ✽ 200g self-raising flour For the icing ✽ 100g marmalade ✽ Juice of 1 orange ✽ 50g icing sugar ✽ Creme fraiche, to serve

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How to do it

1

Heat the oven to 180C/Gas 4. Grease a 20cm round cake tin, and line with baking paper. Beat together the butter and caster sugar. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then

For a healthier sausage, switch to Powters Skinny Pig, with all the meaty taste of a traditional banger but just 97cals each. Delicious with mixed vegetable mash for a low-fat comfort meal.

stir in the marmalade and orange zest. Fold in the flour until evenly mixed. Spoon into the cake tin and lay the orange slices over the top. Bake for 35-40 mins until a skewer comes out clean. For the icing, warm the marmalade, orange juice and icing sugar together, and brush over the warm cake, letting it soak in. Serve with Cranes Raspberries & creme fraiche. Pomegranates Cider

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WAS £3 NOW £2 Woman’s Own 41


KAREN MATTHEWS

TRACEY CONNELLY

Found guilty of kidnapping Shannon, nine, who was found tied up and drugged

Handed an Indefinite sentence for her role in the death of her one-year-old son, Peter

Britain’s WORS *ONS.GOV.UK/PEOPLEPOPULATIONANDCOMMUNITY/CRIMEANDJUSTICE/ARTICLES/ HOMICIDEINENGLANDANDWALES/YEARENDINGMARCH2018

What makes some women capable of crimes that defy natural instincts?

C

lutching her little girl’s teddy, sobbing, Karen Matthews, then 33, begged on TV for her nine-year-old daughter, Shannon, to be returned. Everyone felt her anguish: a missing child is every parent's worst nightmare. And yet, as we discovered, that natural impulse to love and protect your child sometimes fails to kick in – when it transpired Karen was jointly behind the abduction. The infamous kidnapping has been immortalised in dramas, books and documentaries, and, 12 years later, Matthews’ every move creates more headlines, including her engagement to a man convicted of engaging in sexual activity with a child. The world’s obsession is borne from our inability to comprehend how a mother could commit such crimes against her own child, and while cases are – thankfully – rare, they’re unforgivable. Woman's Own looks at crimes perpetrated by Britain’s worst mums…

42 Woman’s Own

What happened to Shannon? Within 24-hours of her disappearance, boyfriend. There, they found Shannon, posters featuring Shannon Matthews, drugged and tethered, inside a divan bed. nine, were plastered on lamp posts Police believed Donovan and Karen across Dewsbury, West Yorkshire. Matthews had orchestrated Shannon’s Her mum, Karen, had reported kidnap, inspired by donations to her missing after she failed the ‘find Madeleine McCann’ to arrive home from school fund. The court heard the children were on 19 February 2008, and idea was that Donovan killed by a parent police had launched a would ‘find’ Shannon, hand in the UK between massive search. her to police and claim the March 2017 After Karen’s appeal, cash to split with Karen. and March the search got bigger In December 2008, 2018.* and a £50,000 reward Karen Matthews, then 33, and was offered. Michael Donovan, 40, were found ‘Whoever has got Shannon, just guilty of kidnap, false imprisonment please let her go,’ Karen begged on day and perverting the course of justice, with 10, as police warned that Shannon may each sentenced to eight years in prison. have ‘fallen into the wrong hands’. During a police interview after her After 24 days, a tip-off led police to the arrest, Karen reportedly said: ‘People will flat of Michael Donovan, then 39, the hate me for what I've done.’ And, despite uncle of Craig Meehan, Karen’s thenbeing released in 2012, after serving half her sentence, the shocking stunt remains very much in the minds of the public. Shannon, who turns 21 this year, was taken into care and given a new identity.

16


Real Life Behind the headlines

‘It’s a cycle of abuse’

ADRIAN HOARE

Jailed for two years and nine months after the death of her son, Alfie, three

ST MUMS

Forensic psychologist Dr Keri Nixon says: ‘As a mother myself, these crimes are evil acts committed against innocent children and unforgivable. However, as a psychologist, I can see similar patterns emerging. In the majority of cases, the mother has experienced abuse, neglect and trauma throughout their childhood themselves. Tracey Connelly had the most awful life, and although what she did was unforgivable, she lived a very similar existence to baby Peter. Adults mistreated like this simply don’t have the same tools as other parents, in fact research shows their brains don’t develop in the same way. This is no excuse – they know their behaviour is wrong. But we need to understand this cycle of abuse if we're going to stop it. These children need help before it’s too late, because by eight or nine they’re displaying abusive and destructive behaviours. Many people experience abuse as children and don’t go on to commit horrible crimes – but usually, at some point, someone has taught them about healthy attachment.’ Twitter@NixonKeri kerinixon.com

It's an image implanted into the minds of the country, even 13 years later: a sweet blond, blue-eyed boy, flashing a toothy grin. It was a photo that would come to represent one of the most upsetting child abuse cases of recent times. The boy was Baby P, revealed to be toddler Peter Connelly, who was found dead in his blood-stained cot on August 2007 at 17-months-old, after suffering months of sustained abuse at the hands of his mother, Tracey Connelly, then 27, her boyfriend, Steven Barker, then 31, and his brother, Jason Owen, then 35.

The court was told that, despite more than 60 visits from social workers and police, baby Peter was living in squalor, had his head shaved, was covered in bruises and often left to starve in a cot with no bedding while his mother drank, watched porn and had sex with Barker. When Peter died, he had more than 50 injuries, including a fingernail and toenail ripped off, and a torn earlobe. His spine had been fractured and a postmortem found he had swallowed a tooth. In May 2009, Connelly – a mum of four – was jailed for a minimum of five years after

Crushed at his mother’s feet

When the death of three-year-old Alfie Lamb made news in February 2018, the nation was appalled. Not only because of the violent way he died – squashed in the footwell of his mother's boyfriend’s car because he was crying – but because of the role his mother, Adrian Hoare, then 24, had in his death. The toddler was between her feet in the rear footwell after a shopping trip,

when her boyfriend, Stephen Waterson, then 25, slammed his seat back. The court heard how Alfie screamed for his mummy but Hoare just slapped him and told him to ‘shut up’. By the time they arrived home, Alfie had stopped breathing. He died in hospital three days later. Alfie was squashed by the car seat

admitting causing or allowing her son's death. The judge described her as selfish, calculating and manipulative. Barker was handed a 12-year term while Owen was handed a six-year sentence – for the same conviction. Connelly remains in prison and has continually been deemed a ‘danger to the public’ and denied parole.

The couple tried to lie their way out of trouble, but Hoare confessed to her half sister and was arrested. She was jailed for two years and nine months for child cruelty and assaulting a witness. Waterson, described by police as ‘arrogant, selfish and deeply unpleasant’, was sentenced to seven years and six months for manslaughter.

WORDS: FRANCES LEATE. PHOTOS: METROPOLITAN POLICE/PA MEDIA/ ITV NEWS/GETTY/NEWS LICENSING.

Unimaginable cruelty

Woman’s Own 43


MONEY

MATTERS Our expert Rebecca Gamble helps make your cash go further

HAVE YOU HEARD?

N

atWest is trialling ‘biometric payment fobs’ with 250 customers, which let them make contactless payments up to £100. To pay, you hold the fob against a card reader and press the fob’s fingerprint reader. A light will show the print has been matched and the transaction will go through. NatWest says if fobs are lost, it isn’t possible for others to use them, but they can be blocked.

NatWest is testing the fingerprint fobs

TWEET @REBECCAGMEDIA OR EMAIL WOMANSOWN@TI-MEDIA.COM

IF YOU DO ONE THING THIS WEEK… GET A ‘MONEY BUDDY’ In the same way that exercising with a friend can spur you to get fitter, finding a pal to talk to about money can help, too. So whether it’s swapping budgeting tips or keeping each other updated on meeting your savings goals, having a ‘money buddy’ could help you stay on track. Just make sure you pick someone who manages their finances well.

3

...things to consider about your pension Knowing how much you have put away for your retirement is essential, says Jackie Spencer, pensions expert at the Money and Pensions Service. Here’s how to do it…

1

Track down lost pensions

‘With the average person working 11 jobs in their lifetime, it’s easy to lose track of your pensions,’ says Jackie. ‘If you think you’ve lost a workplace pension, the first port of call should be your former employer but you can also

A money buddy could inspire you to save

contact the Government Pensions Tracing Service for free on 0800 731 0193.’

2

Calculate your retirement income

‘When planning your retirement, it’s important to understand how much you have already saved and how much you might need,’ she adds. ‘The Money Advice Service pension calculator can help you get an idea of how much you’ll have when you stop working, to see if you’re on track for the retirement you want.’ Just visit moneyadviceservice.org.uk.


Your Money

Easy ways to... protect your home Deter thieves and boost your home’s security with these tips

Look carefully at ways to maximise your pension pot

DID YOU KNOW?

1 Be savvy with locks

3 Improve your boundaries

‘Always lock windows and doors before you go out, and when you go to bed. It’s also important to know what types of locks your house has because some will offer much more protection than others,’ says a MoneySupermarket spokesperson. ‘Improving your locks will make your home more secure, and may reduce your insurance premiums too.’ For more info, visit moneysupermarket. com/home-insurance/house-locks.

Check the exterior of your house. Are fences secure or are there any gaps? If so, get it fixed. Also, outside lighting is a deterrent to burglars. So consider fitting sensor lights that detect movement and will turn on if someone is near your property.

2 Don’t make it easy

Neighbourhood Watch scheme if there is one? Display the sticker in your window to show burglars that others living nearby are watching your home. l For more tips, visit moneysupermarket.com

Beware of ‘letterbox fishing’, which is when a burglar sticks a pole through your letterbox to lift keys or handbags near the door. Always keep keys and valuables away from your front door.

4 Strength in numbers Why not sign up to your local

Secure fences to deter burglars

A survey by Which? Money found one in five people who check their credit report find an error, such as an incorrect address, a false record of missed payments or even a product fraudulently taken out. And of those who found a mistake, 22% didn’t seek for it to be corrected.

3

Closing the gap DEAL OF THE WEEK Best buy!

Enjoy beautiful EKO Home items for less, as there’s 20% off their entire range of bins, exclusively for Woman’s Own readers, including the EKO Food Waste Caddy with Antibacterial Coating, WAS £18.99, NOW £15.19. Use 20WO at the checkout at ekohome.co.uk. OFFER ENDS 29 FEBRUARY 2020. SUBJECT TO AVAILABILITY. OFFER CORRECT AT TIME OF GOING TO PRESS.

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PHOTOS (POSED BY MODELS): GETTY, ALAMY

‘If you’re falling short of your retirement goal, you may have to save more money or retire at a later date,’ says Jackie. ‘It can be hard to save more each month but this could make a big difference in the long run. If you get a pay rise or a bonus, consider putting this into your pension savings. ‘And check Gov.uk to see if you’re on track to receive the full state pension, it might be possible to pay voluntary national insurance contributions if not,’ she adds. l Contact The Pensions Advisory Service for free pensions help on 0800 011 3797

Woman’s Own 45


Step back

in time Visit these historic places to discover the fascinating secrets of their past

York

WORDS: HELENA CARTWRIGHT. PHOTOS: ALAMY, GETTY

A

walk round York’s The towers of impressive city walls York Minster is a journey back in time and a must-do experience for any visitor. On the walls behind From the broad ramparts, Merchant Taylors’ Hall, look you’ll enjoy a unique out for the twin medieval perspective on the soaring public toilet, a very public towers of York Minster, the convenience! And don’t miss tranquil River Ouse, and the St George’s Churchyard, jumble of ancient houses resting place of Dick Turpin, and streets. executed in 1739. The first walls were built of Access to the walls is earth to encircle the Roman free, but for the full story, town, with stone ramparts take a guided tour with appearing in the 3rd century. York Walk (yorkwalk.co.uk; The stonework was 01904 622303). enhanced over the years but by Georgian times the walls WHERE TO STAY were facing demolition. The 5-star Grand Hotel & However, they were saved Spa (01904 380038; and today three sections of thegrandyork.co.uk; B&B wall, totalling 3.4km, curve from £141) is an elegant round the city centre, with Edwardian building with five main gateways or bars. 107 rooms.

46 Woman’s Own

Isle of Wight

T

he isle may be tiny (just 25 miles by 13) but it’s bursting with things to see and do, including visiting the impressive remains of a Roman villa at Brading, one of the UK’s finest sites. Excavated in Victorian times, a grand stone-built villa with a central courtyard once stood in the middle of the lush countryside. Its luxurious rooms contained lavish mosaic floors which are wonderfully preserved and on view under cover.

Visit the award-winning Visitor Centre and Museum, where an extensive collection of Roman items includes pottery, tools and coins. Before leaving, pop into The Forum Cafe for coffee and homemade cake. WHERE TO STAY Royal Pier Hotel (01983 403187; royalpier.com; B&B from £35pp) on Sandown’s seafront was built in Victorian times as Princess Beatrice’s summer residence. A mosaic at Brading


Travel Escapes

Saint Malo

T

here are few more dramatic ways to enter France than by sailing from Portsmouth into Saint Malo in the north of Brittany (brittany-ferries.co.uk), where lofty granite houses in the old town – or Intra Muros – tower above the ramparts and beach. Saint Malo has a rich maritime history, the starting place for many expeditions, including Jacques Cartier’s discovery of Canada. Wealthy merchants and ship owners built impressive town houses during the 17th and 18th

centuries, but the Corsair City was badly bombed in 1944 and today’s historic centre is a skilful reconstruction. Stroll the broad rampart walk for sea views that change with both light and tide, particularly magical at sunset and a delightful spot for a short French visit. WHERE TO STAY If you want to stay within the walls, head to Hôtel de l’Univers (univers-saint-malo.com). Doubles from £98 in high season; breakfast is £7.60 per person.

The walled city of Saint Malo

Pompeii

T

o walk around the streets of Pompeii is a somewhat eerie thing. It takes only an ounce of imagination to ‘see’ the former inhabitants of this thriving Roman town, ‘hear’ the rumble of cartwheels on stone roads, and ‘smell’ the hot food and wine being sold The ruins in the open-sided shops. of Pompeii The life of this popular resort came to an abrupt – and some very comfortable end in 79AD, when the shoes – to do it justice. nearby volcano Vesuvius erupted with such force that it WHERE TO STAY sent a huge cloud of poisonous The bustling city of Naples is gases, pumice stones and ash the perfect base. The elegant tumbling over the town, Grand Hotel Parker’s, the city’s tragically burying it. Pompeii was lost from memory oldest and highest hotel, founded in 1870, offers for centuries, but now it’s a panoramic views over the world-famous archaeological rooftops to Vesuvius and site. It offers so much to discover the sparkling sea, from £124. that you’ll need at least a day

Woman’s Own 47


o g n i B I bought a

NEW HOME! Tracey Griffin, 48, from Portsmouth, set up her furry friends with a new hutch

Tracey with her cheque

F

eeling my fingers begin to thaw, there was nothing I liked better than coming home to a warm and cosy house. It was December 2018 and, with the winter weather set-in, here I was, grateful to be indoors. ‘Long day?’ my husband, Chris, 51, asked, as he passed me a cup of tea. ‘You could say that,’ I smiled, wrapping my frozen fingers around the hot mug. Even though work had been busy, I wasn’t tired. Now warmed up, and still full of energy, I decided to unwind with a few games on

CHAT, PLAY… BINGO! 48 Woman’s Own

Woman’s Own Bingo before bed. Chris passed me my laptop and I logged in, as our house bunnies, Missy and Scooby, played in the corner of the room. Instead of a hutch, we kept them in a specially cordoned off area in our front room, but often you could find them

hopping around the hallway. Picking up Scooby, a black-haired bunny, I nestled him by my side, stroking his fur as I clicked on my first game, Arcade Bomb, a slot game. I’d been a member of Woman’s Own Bingo since 2007 and loved playing the great variety of games while relaxing, and

It’s not just about the big jackpots Woman’s Own Bingo is all about the fun and the chat rooms, too. It’s a friendly, entertaining community, so why not have a natter while you play! Make new friends, show your bingo-lingo knowledge and look out for entertaining chat room games and quizzes! There’s a bingo room for everyone, so get involved today!


Promotion Join now Tracey won the Jackpot

‘I realised I’d won £1,767! Incredible!’ of the folks or one of the hosts in the chat room – and then it’d be off to bed. But while I was playing the Arcade Bomb slot game, on one spin, the ‘jackpot’ icons appeared on my screen. After some shock, I realised I’d won £1,767! Incredible! I couldn’t believe it, and wanted to jump up and down and scream. I was excitedly hopping around, not unlike my bunnies. In a frenzy, I couldn’t wait to tell Chris, holding my laptop screen with my winning amount on it, open.

Time for presents

it was always a lot of fun. I’d never had a favourite game as such, as I liked to give everything a go, but in the past few months I had really enjoyed the slot games. Each one was different, and with some games you can win free spins, and I loved the excitement of watching the different symbols spin around, and waiting for the reels to stop. You can try many of the slot games for free in demo mode first, so that you can find your favourites! I’d even made some friends in the chat rooms, whom I had now connected to on Facebook, and it was great to chat and catch up whenever I logged on for a few spins.

A few games and a chat And tonight was like any other evening, choosing to play a few different slot games, and having a brief chat with some

‘I won! Look, look!’ I yelled, excitedly. But Chris had fallen asleep. Not wanting to disturb him, I smiled to myself as I stared at my winning total, then logged out. The following morning, I showed him my account balance. ‘I don’t believe it!’ Chris cried. With my winnings, I decided to buy a few extra Christmas presents, and I picked out a special hutch and some treats for Missy and Scooby. Now they still live inside in the warm but live in luxury. They’ll run up and down and all around their hutch, hopping around, and are quite taken with a secret space of their own. They’re probably the most pampered bunnies in the UK, but I don’t mind. It was the perfect way to spend my jackpot win on Woman’s Own Bingo.

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Woman’s Own 49


Could quitting boo

boost your s

Changing their eating and drinking habits helped these three couples improve things in the bedroom

S

tudies show women are more likely to orgasm when completely sober, while alcohol reduces both men’s and women’s sexual sensitivity. And going vegan can increase serotonin levels, boosting sex drive and helping men last longer in bed. Perhaps swearing off meat and booze isn’t dull at all…

Tina & Carl

‘I’m like a teen in the bedroom’

& Emma y Jerem

Emma Cody, 52, is a charity worker and mother of two who lives in Brighton with her partner Jeremy Titterton, 59, a musician. I’ve always enjoyed a glass of white wine, but when I split from my first husband in 2014, the stress of the divorce meant I wasn’t just having a glass on the weekend, I was drinking one nearly every night. At first, I didn’t think anything of it as so many friends drank regularly.

I met my new partner, Jeremy, while I was in France in 2015 and we hit it off immediately. Despite being in a happy relationship, I was still in the habit of having my nightly glass or two. But, after a few years, the regular drinking took its toll. I often woke with a headache or found it difficult to start work with a clear head. At night, I’d fall asleep on the sofa rather than go to bed with Jeremy. I heard colleagues talking about Dry January and decided I needed to see if it made a difference. At first,

‘I’ve found confidence between the sheets’


Real Life You’ll never believe it

sex life? ‘Going vegan helped me have a baby’ Tina Higginson, 32, a photography studio owner from Essex, lives with her partner Carl Owen, 34, an engineer. I met Carl four years ago and we moved in together after a year. Our sex life was amazing. We both wanted children so, 18 months after meeting, we started trying for a baby. I fell pregnant two months later but suffered the devastation of a miscarriage. It was the first of two miscarriages and it tore us apart. Our love life suffered, as I was terrified of losing another baby. I wanted desperately to become healthier and that’s when I started to research the vegan diet. I’d lost my dad to cancer a few years before and I remembered doctors telling him to try a vegan diet to help prolong his life. I thought it

was worth a try, so I signed up to do Veganuary and we stocked the fridge with vegan essentials. Carl encouraged me as I made plant-based recipes and, within two weeks, I noticed a change. I had more energy and didn’t feel bloated. Carl said I was looking better and seemed less stressed, which lifted my confidence. I was getting my work done so much quicker, meaning I was home in time to make dinner and spend time with Carl. I felt close to him again and sexier in my own skin. We went from making love once a week to three times a week. I let go of my anxiety and relaxed in bed – and have stayed vegan since. Orion was born on 2 December 2019, and I’ve never felt such a rush of happiness and relief. Veganuary improved our sex life… and it gave us a baby.

‘I felt sexier in my own skin’

it was hard. I spent evenings reading about giving up alcohol and meditation techniques. But within a week, my skin improved and headaches disappeared. It was the motivation I needed. When I woke up, I had so much energy. And when I got home, I wanted to talk to Jeremy about his day. He was amazed at the difference in me. One thing that scared me about not drinking was losing my confidence in the bedroom. But having sex sober was an incredible connection. Instead of making love once every two weeks and not properly remembering it, we’ve been doing it three times a week and every time is different. I have found my confidence between the sheets, I feel like a teenager again.

Ella & Andy

Ella Collins-Godden, a creche assistant, lives with her fiancé Andy Woollard, a trainee engineer, in Lancing, West Sussex. Andy and I met back in November 2017 and moved in together three months later. I have been eating less meat since 2016, although not fully veggie, but Andy was a big meat-eater. He loved chocolate and cheesecake, too, so when I said I was going to do Veganuary, he had no interest in joining me. I planned meals and stuck to it every day. Within 10 days I found myself full of energy and less exhausted. I was jumping out of the bed to go to the gym and Andy was jealous at how much motivation I had – and loved how much more I wanted to have sex. This year I convinced him to join me in doing Veganuary. I knew he’d feel better just like I did, but it’s completely changed our relationship. We were in the routine of getting home from work exhausted and falling asleep after a big meal slumped in front of the television. Now we are full of energy and cooking from scratch together each night, so we’re talking more. We have both lost weight, too, which has iven us more confidence. We don’t feel that lull you get after a big meaty dinner, meaning we have lots of energy left for bedtime. Instead of having sex once a week, we’re making love up to four times a week – and it lasts much longer, as we both have more stamina. We’re planning to stay vegan for as long as possible. It has brought us closer together than we could have ever imagined.

‘It has completely changed our relationship’

WORDS: ALLEY EINSTEIN © THE SUN / NEWS LICENSING. PHOTOS: THE SUN/ NEWS LICENSING

ze or meat

‘We both have much more stamina’

Woman’s Own 51


Research saved Hugo’s life One in 19 people in the UK will be diagnosed with a blood cancer – such as leukaemia, lymphoma or myeloma. Sadly it claims the lives of around 40 people every day. Our ground-breaking research is changing that, and each breakthrough means more children like Hugo are with us today.

Will you help fund the next breakthrough? Text Bloodwise to 70800 to donate £10* Together we can beat blood cancer in this lifetime.

*You will be charged £10, plus your standard network rate. 100% of your donation will go to Bloodwise. Bloodwise is a registered charity 216032 (England & Wales), SCO37529 (Scotland).




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THIS WEEK’S

TV PICKS Because life’s too short for bad telly!

‘There are lots of twists and turns!’

Francesca Annis on gripping new drama Flesh and Blood…

S

hown over four nights, new ITV drama series Flesh and Blood stars Francesca Annis as Vivien, a recently widowed mum and grandmother, who sends her family into a spin by revealing that she’s got a new man. ‘Vivien’s very interesting and contemporary,’ says Francesca. ‘She’s been a career woman and is almost 70. Having lost her husband, she’s entering a new phase of her life and taking on board whatever life may throw at her – which includes a new relationship.’ As her three adult children come to terms with the news that their mum has fallen for retired surgeon Mark (Stephen Rea), the happiness of their parents’ 45-year marriage is suddenly called into question – and it’s not long before family secrets and betrayals

are exposed and someone is violently attacked. The cast also includes Russell Tovey as Vivien’s son Jake and Imelda Staunton as her nosy, but concerned, neighbour Mary. The drama actually opens with the victim lying injured, possibly dead, on a beach and goes back in time to reveal the events leading up to the attack. ‘It has the classic opening to a thriller,’ says Francesca. ‘Something bad has happened to one of the characters but you don’t know who it is. Then it cuts to this breezy, chatty family. It all seems so ordinary but you wonder, “What is the story arc that leads to this end?” ‘It’s a complete rollercoaster ride. There are lots of twists and turns!’ ● Flesh and Blood is on ITV

‘It’s a complete roller-coaster ride’

54 Woman’s Own

WHAT’S NEXT FOR... Kelly Brook

The model, actress and radio presenter is among the famous faces taking part in this year’s series of The Great Celebrity Bake Off for Stand Up To Cancer on C4. Joining her in the tent are US actor Richard Dreyfuss and TV presenters Alex Jones and Carol Vorderman. Who will be star baker?


Top Telly

TOP 4 TV MUSTS Last Tango in Halifax, BBC1

DID YOU KNOW?

SHERLOCK, BBC1 The modern day retelling of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s detective stories starred Benedict Cumberbatch as Sherlock Holmes and Martin Freeman as Dr John Watson, and Andrew Scott as Holmes’ nemesis Jim Moriarty.

Francesca’s first big role was in the 1963 film Cleopatra, starring alongside screen icon Elizabeth Taylor. ‘Her influence on me was profound,’ says Francesca.

NOW TRY...

Francesca played Liz's handmaiden

THE IRREGULARS, NETFLIX This upcoming drama sees a group of street urchins solve crimes for Holmes and Watson – while the latter two take all the credit. Henry LloydHughes (The Inbetweeners) stars as a drug-addicted Sherlock and Our Girl’s Royce Pierreson plays Dr Watson.

Favourite stars in future TV projects

Stephen Fry In the one-off BBC1 documentary Fantastic Beasts: A Natural History, the actor and writer will explore the origins of the mythical creatures, such as the niffler and the phoenix, that appear in JK Rowling’s books. He’ll also reveal their connections to the very real animals that roam our planet.

1 Seven-year itch: Alan and Celia

Coronation Street, ITV

2

When Abi found out that Ray is a sex pest, she got revenge for the women he had harassed by stealing his car and torching it. Now he’s got some incriminating footage, he makes her an indecent proposal – either she sleeps with him or he’ll take the evidence to the police.

Abi faces a dilemma

Ant & Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway, ITV

3 The boys are back!

The Unshockable Dr Ronx, BBC3 Online

It’s been two years since the last series, which saw Dec host the show on his lonesome, but the boys are back to host a new run with the usual mix of star guests, surprises and hidden camera antics. Stephen Mulhern will also be returning to help crank up the fun factor.

4

Dr Ronx Ikharia is on a mission to get young Brits to open up about the medical issues they’re scared to talk about, so she’s taking her pop-up clinic everywhere – from fried chicken shops to boxing gyms – to diagnose problems, Dr Ronx doesn’t offer solutions and scare easily give frank advice.

PHOTOS: ALAMY, GETTY, ITV, BBC/LOOKOUT POINT/MATT SQUIRE, BBC/HARTSWOOD FILMS, PA IMAGES

YOU LIKED...

The comedy drama makes its long-awaited return and pensioners Alan (Derek Jacobi) and Celia (Anne Reid) are now seven years into their marriage but aren’t seeing eye to eye thanks to Alan applying for a job. Then Alan hears news about his brother, which causes more problems.


THIS WEEK’S

HOT LIST

18-24 February 2020

Your STARS

The movies and books not to miss

Film Greed Out 21 February Steve Coogan’s disgraced fashion billionaire, Sir Richard ‘Greedy’ McCreadie, is planning a lavish toga party to celebrate his 60th birthday. He has his official biographer (David Mitchell) on hand to record events, and a reality TV crew is following his pampered daughter’s every move. Does disaster loom? With retail tycoons like Sir Philip Green firmly in its sights, this satirical comedy doesn’t so much deliver tongue-in-cheek mockery as blow a big raspberry.

Book The Foundling by Stacey Halls

Discover your destiny with Sally Morgan, our expert astrologer

Aries

Libra

21 Mar – 20 Apr

23 Sep – 23 Oct

Aries, this week you’re set for take-off in your primary goals, so think about what you want to achieve. Be sure to take time out for love and romance with a partner.

A rethink may lead to success in work or career this week. A manager or boss will be the first to congratulate you on your efforts, and a whisper of promotion will be heard.

Taurus

Scorpio

21 Apr – 20 May

24 Oct – 22 Nov

Take the lead this week, Taurus, and let others enjoy your company, as you have a lot to offer. This is a great time to make friends and find a romantic connection.

Expect progress in your objectives this week. Matters of the heart will be highlighted as a partner or lover suggests taking the next step in your relationship.

Gemini

Sagittarius

21 May – 20 Jun

23 Nov – 22 Dec

If you play your cards right, this is a week of considerable profit. You will show your dynamic side and will impress others, leading to more success.

A great week for creative pursuits. Looking at ways to expand your hobbies or abilities leads to a new direction. Someone will be interested in your ideas.

(£12.99, Zaffre, HB)

Cancer

Capricorn

Following on from the breakout success of The Familiars, Stacey Halls’ latest tale is set in Georgian London. Bess Bright is devastated to discover that the illegitimate daughter she left in the care of London’s Foundling Hospital six years previously has been claimed – supposedly by her. You’ll be carried along by the period details.

21 Jun – 22 Jul

23 Dec – 20 Jan

PHOTO: GETTY

DVD

56 Woman’s Own

An ongoing project and making things happen will be high on your agenda this week. Reaching out to new vistas will put you in focus and bring achievements closer.

ABBA Boxset RRP: £13.99

ABBA fans can get their hands on a documentary set that draws on rare ABBA TV performances, and features the reflections of a team of critics, musicologists and musicians to produce the most authoritative review of their music. It includes: The Visitors, In Performance and features all of their hit songs.

You will be popular this week, and your personality will attract new love, or perhaps a partner will want a fresh start. Listening to your own advice is wise right now.

Leo

Aquarius

23 Jul – 22 Aug

21 Jan – 19 Feb

It’s a great time to test your luck Leo, as money matters and opportunities will all go your way. Someone will bring you some news that turns your world around.

Your career may well receive a boost this week as a new injection of cash into the company will bring rewards. You will become a vital asset to someone in charge.

Virgo

Pisces

23 Aug – 22 Sep

20 Feb – 20 Mar

Hard work pays off for you this week as fortune is on your side. You may get more than you bargained for when shopping. A treat for yourself brings satisfaction.

It’s a reassuring week, as your personal and home life will see you happier than ever. A partner will insist on some quality time, and a trip away to somewhere exotic.


Fun Quiz

Ask yourself How did you score? Mostly As

Joe Swash JOE

Who’s your dream celeb date?

IDRIS KEVIN

Mostly Bs

1 Describe your dream date in one word… A

Funny

B

Driven

C

Handsome

D

Intelligent

2 Where are you most likely to meet your dream date? A

At the school gates – he’s a family man

B

At a nightclub, ripping up the dance floor

C

At the pub, laughing with the regulars

D

At a conference, mingling near the bar

D

A smart, well-tailored suit – he’s a real gent

3 Describe your dream date’s go-to outfit… A

Whatever happens to be clean that day!

B

Understated, but fashionable – usually chinos and smart shoes

C

A tight T-shirt and trendy jeans with trainers

4 Where would your dream man take you on your first date? A

A soft-play cafe with his kids

B

A salsa class to show you his moves

C

On the back of his motorbike for a spin

D

A Michelin-star restaurant for a six-course meal

D

Oh no, he doesn’t ‘do’ the cinema

5 You decide to go to the cinema, he suggests seeing… A

Frozen – it’s a classic for all ages

B

Mamma Mia! He loves to sing

C

The latest James Bond film

A beautiful bouquet of flowers

B

A delicate necklace that looks expensive

C

Tickets to a gig that you couldn’t get your hands on

D

The latest self-help book to help you learn to meditate

D

Paris, for a show, winetasting tour and croissant making

7 He’s taking you on holiday, where are you going? A

Florida, to queue for the biggest and fastest roller coasters

B

Los Angeles, for the white beaches and great bars

C

Ibiza, for a huge party with all his mates

If you’re not too embarrassed about a man that likes to rip up the dance floor on a night out, Kevin Clifton is your man. Instead of singing in the shower, he might be practising ballroom dancing for his next job – he may also take a little longer preening himself in the mirror in the mornings… But he’s always well presented and eager to have a good time. Mostly Cs

Idris Elba Actor, writer, producer, musician, DJ, rapper, singer… is there anything this man can’t do? Idris Elba is a jack-of-all-trades, and has the good looks to match. An all-rounder, Idris is the perfect date. Watch out though, he might prefer you to hop on his bike rather than take you in a limo to a swanky restaurant. Enjoy the ride. Mostly Ds

6 It’s your birthday, what has he bought you as a gift? A

Kevin Clifton

George Clooney Where to begin? You clearly like a man that ages like a fine wine. George Clooney likes some good old-fashioned fun, so don’t expect to be taken to the pub or cinema anytime soon. George is sure to be a charming date though, who will cheekily test your intellect for a debate and listen intently to your world views.

WORDS: EMMIE HARRISON-WEST. PHOTOS: GETTY

GEORGE

You’re after a down-to-earth family man who doesn’t take himself too seriously and likes a good belly laugh. Dad-of-two Joe Swash probably wouldn’t wine and dine you, but he’d make sure you were treated like a princess. Sometimes you might have to take a back seat to his kids, but he’d make it worth it.

Woman’s Own 57


PUZZLE BRE O TRY TE E T L P C O M ON E THIS 20 IN MINS

Clues & arrows

CAN YOU DO TH E SE IN 10 MINS EACH?

Quick & easy If you really don’t have much time to spare, give your brain a break with one of these.

Fill in the clues in the direction of the arrows

5 1

6 1

2

4 5

3

2

3

6

1 Sudoku

To solve the puzzle, each 2x3 box, each column and each row must contain the numbers 1 to 6.

CROSSWORD S A QU I L T P K V E R AN R L ADM I R U A P P RO E E T R A Y N D I VOR M L S AND P N S

H I E D UN A T D A WE L V R A T I ON M S P R I A T T E ON EMA R D B C E P R H E I T L A D K

CLUES & ARROWS C E H A P P Y U I D L OCK D ROD E O I E N E S S I NB AND A H OB L EM O R NO L I N N T

Puzzle solutions

WORDSEARCH C Y C L E

M S O R C F N S T S U

C M T I E A U Y N

O A A O N R E B I

N D R K R X C

O T T E O N B A Y Y

3 4 6 2 2 1 5 6 1 6 3 4 5 2 4 3 6 3 1 5 4 5 2 1 SUDOKU

E M T O E T I C C

5 3 2 1 4 6

L R E D M U L E

H O R S C A R

1 4 5 6 2 3

58 Woman’s Own

M T R I C Y C L E

S O C F N S T S U

C M T I E A U Y N

O A A O N R E B I

O R N D R K R X C

T T E O N B A Y Y

E M T O E T I C C

R E D M U L E K L

C A R T H O R S E

Wordsearch The answer is the word missing from the grid.

BUS CAMEL CANOE CARTHORSE DONKEY FERRY MOTORBIKE MULE

SCOOTER TANDEM TAXI TRAIN TRAM TRICYCLE UNICYCLE


EAK 1

2

3

7

8

9

10

BEAT TH E K C O L C 4

5

6

13

14

Puzzles Your time

11 12

15

16

18

21

17

19

22

23

24

DO IT IN 30? MINS ACROSS 7 8 9 10 12 13 15 18 19 21 23 24 25

20

25

Crossword

Put your feet up and have a go at this old classic DOWN

Padded and stitched (7) Depressed (7) Covered porch (7) Marriage (7) Respect, warm approval (10) Travelled on horseback (4) Suitability, fittingness (15) Food‑carrying board (4) Multi‑instrument busker (3‑3,4) Marital split (7) Puzzle to be solved (7) Summer garden toy (7) Fat from wool (7)

1 2 3 4 5 6 11 14 16 17

Fab, brilliant (5‑5) Acid’s opposite (6) Vehicle’s front light (8) Confine in a camp (6) Witch’s pot (8) Film about heroic events (4) Went to see (7) Cut out of a will (10) Ryan ___, Deadpool star (8) Workers’ refreshment pause (3,5) 19 Hothouse flower (6) 20 Species of monkey (6) 22 Widow of David Bowie (4)

Woman’s Own, TI Media Limited, 161 Marsh Wall, London E14 9AP. All prices are correct at time of going to press. TI Media Limited regrets that it cannot be liable for the safe custody or return of any unsolicited material, nor can we answer any letters or return submitted material unless accompanied by an SAE. TI Media Limited reserves the right to shorten or modify any letter or material submitted. By submitting this material you consent to TI Media Limited reusing the submitted letter or material in any format or medium. TI Media Limited also regrets that it cannot accept unsolicited fiction manuscripts. This periodical shall not, without the written consent of the publishers first given, be lent, resold, hired out or otherwise disposed of by way of trade at more than the recommended selling price shown on the front cover, and it shall not be lent, resold or hired out or otherwise disposed of in a mutilated condition or in any other unauthorised cover by way of trade or affixed to or as part of any publication or advertising, literary or pictorial matter whatsoever. Subscription rates: One year, 50 issues (including postage & packaging): UK £67.60; EUR €192.13; USA $125.99; Rest of world £147.17. For enquiries and orders email help@magazinesdirect.com; alternatively, from the UK call 0330 333 1113, overseas call +44 330 333 1113 (lines open Monday Saturday, 8am 6pm UK time). Back issues: 01795 662976 (lines open 8am 6pm Mon Thur and 8am 1pm Friday); support@mags uk.com. Or order online at: http://mags uk.com/browse by publisher/ti media.html. © TI Media Limited, 2020. Published by TI Media Limited, 161 Marsh Wall, London E14 9AP. Cover printed by Walstead UK Limited, text printed by Walstead UK Limited. Repro by Rhapsody. Editorial Complaints We work hard to achieve the highest standards of editorial content, and we are committed to complying with the Editors’ Code of Practice (https://www. ipso.co.uk/IPSO/cop.html) as enforced by IPSO. If you have a complaint about our editorial content, you can email us at complaints@ti media.com or write to: Complaints Manager, TI Media Limited Legal Dept, 161 Marsh Wall, London E14 9AP. Please provide details of the material you are complaining about and explain your complaint by reference to the Editors’ Code. We will endeavour to acknowledge your complaint within five working days and we aim to correct substantial errors as soon as possible.

Woman’s Own 59


MIRANDA

‘I’m beautif WORDS: HAYLEY MINN. PHOTOS: BBC, EMILY BERL/NEW YORK TIMES/REDUX/EYEVINE

in a different wa

Miranda Hart opens up to Woman’s Own about shocking her fans and being more confident now than she’s ever been

M

iranda Hart shot to fame in 2009 with the launch of the BBC sitcom Miranda. And with her character having the same name as her and described as ‘an unusually tall, clumsy, thirtysomething woman, who frequently finds herself in bizarre situations’, you’d be forgiven for thinking the actress had been playing herself for five years. But as Woman’s Own meets Miranda to talk about her latest role as Miss Bates in the film Emma – based on Jane Austen’s classic novel – the 47-year-old couldn’t be any further from her awkward alter ego. In fact, she’s much more self-assured than her (although she does find herself in bizarre situations in real life too!). Here, Miranda opens up about getting more confident in herself with age and reveals that we could be seeing more Miranda in the future…

Hi Miranda – once the series Miranda had finished, did you find it hard to break away from that character? It was a character in a clown persona that I’d taken on so much I needed a break from it, and it was time for me to say As the ever-cheery Miss Bates in Emma goodbye to her. I didn’t find it hard at first, but it’s harder now because it’s been five years and I really miss her. Whether uncomfortable women must have been I do more, I don’t know yet, but hopefully then. I was like, ‘Oh, thank goodness, I Miss Bates will lead to other roles – that live in a world where women can wear would be delightful. tracksuit bottoms and hoodies and slouch,’ because I just couldn’t have coped.

The costumes in Emma are incredible! What was it like to film in them? All the costumes were amazing, but you become really aware of how

Such fun: in the first series of Miranda

With Tom Ellis as Miranda’s love interest, Gary

60 Woman’s Own

Your character, Miss Bates, is incredibly upbeat – are you similar to her? I actually probably prefer listening, rather than talking. I think in real life, I’m not shy, but I love to observe and sit back, and I find gossip really boring. But I think she’s definitely helped me continue on my journey of trying to be positive, despite everything. Hopefully, I’m also less annoying than Miss Bates, but I love her.

Where’s the weirdest place you’ve been recognised? There was a really funny incident when I was in a spa in Palm Springs. There were two women talking about an


The Big Interview

ul

ay!Õ

Did you know? Miranda has two tattoos – Chinese letters on her arm, and a bird and love heart on her ankle. She’s admitted she regrets getting them done.

episode of Miranda where I was struggling to get into a swimming costume at a spa, but they hadn’t seen me standing there about to get into a Jacuzzi with them. So I just turned around and went, ‘Hello!’ and they screamed.

How confident are you? I’d probably say very confident. Is that allowed? I suppose it’s the joy of getting older. You’re like, ‘Oh, I like myself, I am who I am, take me or leave me!’

Have you ever felt a pressure to look a certain way? I definitely felt when I was starting out, ‘Oh, I don’t fit a mould that I’m meant to fit to be on television as a woman,’ but that was 25 years ago and things have really changed. We’re all beautiful and now I just feel lucky because, being tall, not being the pretty button-nosed person, but beautiful in a different way, I get to play amazing characters like Miss Bates. That suits me and that’s who I am rather than the romantic lead, so I’m just happy with who I am.

What’s left on your bucket list? So much! I want to learn to horse ride, kayak and do animal conservation. But I feel blessed to have a real, big appetite for life and I have the confidence to take risks and go for it. So I really hope that I can do more career-wise and personally, just for larks. l Emma is in cinemas now

Woman’s Own 61


Real Life Debate

Withafifthofmen wearingmake-up,* JohnLewisopened amen’scosmetics counter.Yetsome thinkit’saturnoff...

Would you be attracted to a man in mascara? Jane Cohen, 50, is a journalist and lives in Cardiff. I was a kid of the 1980s and adored the New Romantics and glam rock. I thought the likes of David Sylvian, Steve Strange and David Bowie were absolutely ical gorgeous, with their theatr make-up and flawless skin. I’m 50 now and that hasn’t us changed. I love androgyno men – Placebo’s Brian Molko ! is my mid-life dream crush I adore his feminine g appearance – it’s more darin e and exciting than looking lik a bank manager. One of my ex-boyfriends used to wear mascara and I didn’t see anything wrong r with it at all. I think eyeline ol, co on a man can look really e too. And if a woman can us foundation to give herself flawless skin, why can’t a man do the same? Men should be able to wear n make-up as freely as a woma can. What’s wrong with wanting to look good and

62 Woman’s Own

No

‘Who wants to fight for mirror space with their man?’

Rosie Mullender, 42, is a freelance writer and lives in east London. From Noel Fielding’s guyliner to Simon Cowell’s foundation-enhanced glow, we’re used to seeing male celebs embracing make-up. But when faced with it Jane says make-up shows confidence in real life, I find it a total turn-off. I’ve never been attracted to men who It make the best of yourself ? are too invested in their a really wouldn’t put me off if appearance, and my guy I started dating told me fiancé’s grooming regime , he wanted to wear make-up doesn’t even stretch to in fact I’d say, ‘Let’s go aftershave. I prefer od shopping, I know some go smelling him over artificial be products.’ Make-up should fragrance – if he whiffed fun and about being able to of foundation and express yourself freely. lipgloss, it would be A man who is edgy and even more off-putting. likes to be a bit different is My own make-up all good in my book – him routine has been whittled wearing a bit of eyeliner or down to 10 minutes, so nt mascara shows he’s confide waiting for my friends to in himself and doesn’t need get ready is excruciating. approval from others or Having to fight for the necessarily want to fit in, mirror with my fiancé and that is really attractive. would be a step too far.

Rosie has no wish to share cosmetics There is only room for one set of body hang-ups in a relationship, and I called dibs. Call me selfish, but with all the indignities women have to suffer for beauty, it’s not fair if men can hide a bad day under foundation, too. For me, the final nail in the coffin is that men are terrible at buying toiletries. It’s bad enough when he starts using my shampoo. But the thought of finding my dried-out mascara on the edge of the sink because he’s run out? No way!

WORDS: JANE COHEN, ROSIE MULLENDER. MAIN PHOTO (POSED BY MODEL): GETTY. *YOUGOV

Yes

‘It’s edgy, daring and exciting!’


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