Table of contents for 14-Jul-2022 in Pick Me Up!

Putting pen to paper, I knew poetry could allow me to say what was on my mind. Have we stopped to ask that boy that carries a knife what he wants to be when he’s older? Being a victim of knife crime myself, stabbed seven times when I was only 17, whilst also being in and out of trouble with the police, I wanted something for young people to relate to. Shying away from the problem wasn’t going to help anyone, so as well as publishing my poem, I used myself as an example of change, setting up Knife Crime Victim Support in January 2019. A place to support those in the community who had been affected by knife crime, as well as offering an intervention, too. Using music in…

This week, our tip of the week will receive a great product from Addis! This foldable chopping board provides a clever chute which easily guides chopped food or waste into a pan. Just squeeze the comfortable soft grip handle. Dishwasher safe, with a non-slip base and a knife-friendly cutting surface. For more ways to make your life easier, visit addis.co.uk Be a winner! Short but snappy If you want to achieve lemony fresh, sparkling oven racks and are tired of using all your power to try and remove the dirt, Fabulosa have revealed a top cleaning hack for you to try at home. To see more cleaning hacks follow: @fabulosa_cleaning on Instagram. 1. Take your favourite washing up liquid and pour into small cupcake or muffin moulds. 2. Once full…

Think you can’t have a cheese toastie when you’re on a diet? Think again! Thanks to CRIMPiT, you can enjoy instant low-calorie toasties whenever you fancy – the clever device seals your ingredients in a sandwich thin, so you can pop it in the toaster for a gooey, melted cheese toastie in minutes. Use your imagination and go wild with fillings – from a classic cheese and onion, to a sweet toastie with peanut butter and banana. We’re big fans of this spicy Nando’s number! NANDO’S TOASTIE: 287 CALORIES INGREDIENTS: □ Warburton’s Thins (any variety)□ 45g Peri Peri chicken fillets, sliced□ 3 Piper’s Chorizo Crisps, crushed□ 20g Nando’s Mild Perinaise□ 15g low-fat mozzarella, grated METHOD: 1 Open your CRIMPiT and place one half of the thin on the black base,…

Zoflora – the UK’s #1 Disinfectant brand – is bringing back an old floral favourite to celebrate its 100-year anniversary. Sweet Pea, a delicate blend of sweet pea flowers and honeysuckle, on a comforting woody base, will return as a limited edition fragrance and you have a chance to win! In 1922, Zoflora developed the first fragranced Concentrated Disinfectants containing essential oils from real flowers. Today, Zoflora is used by millions of households to keep their homes hygienically clean and beautifully fragrant. Zoflora has been killing germs and cleaning spaces beautifully for 100 years with its perfumer developed range of cleaning products which leave long-lasting, beautiful fragrance whilst killing 99.9% of viruses and bacteria, including the COVID-19 virus (SARS-CoV-2). How to enter Just answer this question. What band was Harry…

Verdict: GENIUS! Instant crowd-pleaser Squeeze cup slushie maker, £10, The Works It’s hot, you’re bothered, and all you want is a slushie! This super easy cup can give you a customised slush in no time at all. Plus, there’s no ice, no blenders, no mess! All you have to do is put the cup in the freezer, wait for it to freeze and add your preferred drink to the inside. Squeeze the cup and a slushie will appear right before your eyes – it’s magic! Air Up bottle and flavour pods, £29.95, visit: uk.air-up.com Getting the recommended water intake of 2L per day can seem impossible, especially when tap water tastes so boring! Air Up have revolutionised the way in which we drink water. Using an aroma pod in a range…

At 36-weeks pregnant, Flavia Godinho Mafra was so close to meeting her new baby and she couldn’t have been more excited. Flavia, 24, and her husband were excited to have their first child together and had shared so many happy pictures on social media. They lived together in Canelinha, in the Brazilian state of Santa Catarina. The couple had married in October 2019 and had fallen pregnant soon afterwards. Substitute teacher Flavia and her husband had posed for lots of photographs where they had proudly shown off their affections and tenderly cradled Flavia’s baby bump. Everyone knew she would be a great mum They had never looked more in love – the perfect couple. Flavia was trusting and everyone knew she would make an amazing mum. She had diabetes which…

POOL-PROOF HAIR Whether you’re jetting abroad or heading to your local pool, it’s important you look after your hair. Not only can chlorine change the colour, but it can weaken your strands, leaving you with split ends. This week, Lisa Shepherd, founder of The Hair Boss, is here with her top tips to pool-proof your locks. ‘The key is maximum protection from the harsh sun, sea and chlorine during the day, plus removing the daily build up before bed. ‘A lot of people make the same mistake of jumping right into super intensive moisture masks once they go indoors. Whilst these are crucial, you should only do so after you have detoxed the chlorine, salt and sweat out! ‘Spray The Blonde Brightener (£7.99) throughout the hair at the end of…

BUY OF THE WEEK With picnic season officially upon us, Aldi’s middle aisle is providing all your alfresco must haves. Having announced that this year, the supermarket have banned the sale of disposable barbecues, they have launched their Portable BBQ (£44.99), fully equipped for four diners with plates, glasses, cutlery, napkins and a bottle opener! Their Picnic Blanket (£12.99) is perfect for lounging on the grass and the Picnic Wine Table (£5.99) allows you to sit back and relax with a bottle of vino! Available now, but hurry – as with all Specialbuys, once they’re gone, they’re gone! • From £4.99, from Aldi Throw the perfect picnic GET IN TOUCH Send us your stories and photos, including all names and ages, a daytime phone number and full address. E-mail hello@pickmeupmag.co.uk WRITE…

Answers on page 47. Knitting Hot trend! Picture this These clever multiuse frames allow you to declutter, organise and store up to 50 pieces of art at one time! My Little Davinci Frames allow you to clear your fridge door of your kids’ finger paintings, hang your favourite family photos, or display your latest creation, all in one place. The multiuse, front-opening frames, offer space for up to 50 pieces of paper, making it easy to swap and store your art without cluttering up your home. My Little Davinci frames starting from just £29.99, visit: mylittledavinci.co.uk. Genius storage…

Fill it! Complete the grid then read down the shaded squares to reveal the hidden answer. Clue: Farm building. Answer on page 47. ACROSS 6 One who makes an effort (5) 7 Higher in position or rank (8) 10 Port in N France (2,5) 11 & 6Dn. The Unbearable Weight of _, 2022 action comedy film starring 12 Across, 9 Down, 20 Down & 22 Down (7,6) 12 _ Cage, actor whose films include The Rock and Knowing (7) 13 Aardvark (3,4) 14 Wealth or property (11) 19 Immediate (7) 21 Learned person (7) 23 Cynical person (7) 25 Word formed from initials (7) 26 Improving the appearance only (8) 27 Perfect (5) DOWN 1 Bedtime drink (8) 2 Small stones with coarse sand (6) 3 Evaluation or estimation (10)…

It’s one of those things we never think about, but around half of all adults in the UK have high cholesterol. One of the most common causes eating foods with too much saturated fat. Don’t worry though – you can make simple changes, like swapping out your normal yoghurt for Benecol OAT yoghurt. The plant stanols in the tasty snack can help to lower your cholesterol in as little as two weeks. Benecol’s healthcare professional relations manager, Corrine Toyn, shares her top tips to get your cholesterol levels back on track: • Pound the pavements Exercise has a whole host of benefits for your mental and physical health – including improving your ‘good’ HDL cholesterol level. It is recommended that healthy adults do at least 150 minutes of moderate activity,…

Unleash your inner Snow White and attract some feathered friends to your garden! These quirky handmade feeders from The Original Factory Shop are a fun DIY project that will help the bird population to thrive. Teacup feeder □ Teacup and saucer□ Strong all-purpose glue□ Masking tape□ Paint (optional)□ Twine TOP TIP: If you don’t have an old teacup and saucer at home, scour your local charity shops! 1 Turn the teacup on its side, with the handle facing upwards. Glue the teacup to one half of the saucer and allow it to dry. Use strips of masking tape to hold it in place. 2 You can paint your teacup and saucer for a more decorative impact. Leave to fully dry. 3 Tie the twine to the handle of the teacup…

Standing on the sidelines, I watched my son Ace dart around the pitch. ‘Go on, Ace,’ I shouted. ‘You can do it!’ As he kicked the football at the goal, it flew past the keeper and hit the back of the net. He ran around the pitch celebrating and I cheered. Ace, five, was football-mad. He played three times a week – if he wasn’t at practice, he was having a kickabout with his brother in the garden. But I’d noticed energetic Ace was lacking his usual spark. He’d recently started school, and I wondered if it was a bit much for him. As the weeks went by, Ace was sluggish and lethargic. He caught every bug going, too – colds, ear infections, sore throat, norovirus – he had it…

DON’T MISS My Life As A Rolling Stone, BBC iPlayer This July, the BBC celebrates 60 glorious years of The Rolling Stones which includes a world-exclusive four-part series of films presented by Sienna Miller. It tells the story of one of the world’s greatest rock ‘n’ roll bands by viewing the band through each member, delving deep into their personalities and memories from the past 60 years. Watch newly filmed interviews with the band members, unseen footage and hear from artists who’ve been inspired by the band. The tribute to Charlie Watts, will be told via archive interviews, too. Filthy Business, BBC One Meet Cam and Oli, best mates and partners in grime. The two 26-year-olds from the West Midlands started their waste management business during lockdown, and soon found…

Taz Thornton is an empowerment coach, motivational speaker and author, helping people live their best lives. She also helps those wanting to build personal brands for their business. (tazthornton.com). Feeling so lost Q I didn't find out I was adopted until I turned 21 last year. I’m furious with my adoptive parents for not telling me, I don't know who I am any more. I don't want to find my biological parents – but how will I ever find my place in the world now? Tess, Brighton A You've received news that has shocked you and so, of course, you'll be reeling. It’s okay to feel angry but I want to remind you that anger is never the core emotion – it’s like a bottle stopper on top of others.…

Heading into the kitchen, I saw my housemate Margaret standing over the stove. ‘Hey,’ I smiled at her. ‘How’s your day been?’ I’d been living with Margaret and our other roommate Jessie in Washington DC for three months. I’d moved from my home in Louisiana for a fresh start after my divorce. Already, we were firm friends. As we chatted, Margaret checked on her chicken that was boiling in a pan and I headed to the fridge. My parents had just left after a visit, and I had leftover mushroom ravioli from our dinner out to my favourite Italian restaurant. It was delicious, and I’d been looking forward to it all day. I went to pop the container in the microwave, above the bubbling pan of chicken on the stove,…

Lying with my legs in the air, I stared at the empty page of my notebook. Scribbling 11st in bold on the page, I started to write my emotions. Dear Diary… I really need to lose weight, all the other girls in my class are so much smaller than me and it makes me look fat. Slamming the lid shut, I turned over and stalked celebrities in my favourite magazines. Beyonce used a liquid diet to slim down for her new role in Dreamgirls… Something pinged in my brain. If I can look like that it’s worth a try, I thought, truly immersed in a new diet culture. Getting ready for secondary school the next morning, aged just 14, I filled my uniform, wearing the same dress size as my age.…

Dear Phoebe, Gathering piles of pink baby grows together, I couldn’t wait to meet you. It had only been a few weeks since I stared at those two lines, back in September 2019, but I was getting ready for your arrival. As the weeks passed, holding you in my stomach was the most magical feeling. And you had a special treat for me in return – craving fruity ice lollies. We really must have gone through boxes and boxes of them, even in the winter! With every kick in my stomach, me and your daddy Sam, 28, would rush to feel you, a sign that you would be with us really soon. Even when our lives plunged into dealing with Covid, we made sure to protect you the best that…

As my boyfriend Huw placed a plate of food in front of me, my tummy started to rumble. ‘This looks amazing,’ I said, licking my lips. We’d been dating for a few months after meeting on Bumble, and we were taking things slow. But Huw, 35, was sweet and kind, and deep down I had a really good feeling about him. Huw loved cooking and he was a great chef – which was perfect, because I was a foodie! ‘What was your favourite food as a kid?’ Huw asked as we sat down and tucked in. ‘That’s a tough one,’ I said. ‘I loved Alphabites,’ he said. ‘Oh, me too!’ I replied. We bonded over the alphabet-shaped Birds Eye potato snacks, but we had an appreciation for finer foods. We…

It’s bath time! As the summer heat is in full swing, struggling to keep your furry friends cool can be a challenge. However, the most efficient way to quickly cool your pets is with water. That means one thing – bath time! Showers to You have provided top tips for bathing your dog at home, keeping them clean, cool, and happy… • For more visit: showerstoyou.co.uk CLIP THOSE NAILS Dog owners forget that it’s important to check if nails need to be clipped. Long nails make it harder for dogs to have a good grip in the bath, and will often fall over, especially if they are a small breed like a Yorkshire Terrier. BRUSH, BRUSH, BRUSH Remember to brush your dog’s hair before and after bathing. All dog breeds…