Pick Me Up! -julkaisun 29-Aug-2024 -irtonumeron sisällysluettelo

Hearing the pager buzz in the night, I woke with a start. No matter how familiar the noise was, it always made me jump. And it meant one thing – I was needed at Ramsgate RNLI station. I loved volunteering for the RNLI – it was in my blood. My dad Ian was a coxswain – a bit like a captain – as was my grandad Ron before his passing in 2018. My uncle Paul was a second coxswain, too. And growing up, I used to watch Dad, Paul and Grandad sail off in the iconic lifeboat. Coming back with stories of the people they’d helped, I felt a pang. I want to help people, too. And turning 17, I joined the RNLI. Starting off as a crew member, I’d…

No garden? Not a problem! With these handy microgreen kits from small business Immature Garden, you can start sowing your seeds indoors instead. Offering refill kits, a seed subscription and even sustainable coconut planters, you can continue growing all year round, even after you’ve harvested your greens, too. To buy, please visit: immaturegarden.co.uk…

This week, our tip of the week will receive an amazing prize from Addis. This Handi Airer can be used indoors or outdoors to dry all your household laundry. With convenient hanger hooks and four ground pegs to secure to the ground, you don’t have to worry about your clean whites toppling over! Plus, there is over 17m of drying space in total. For more ways to make your life easier, please visit: addis.co.uk Feed the birds Don’t throw away your plastic mini cheese nets, they will make great bird feeder holders. Put chunky food in them, like fat balls or bits of bacon, and then hang them in your garden. David Anderson, Sunderland Not on a slope! I was going to throw my old ski poles away but then…

Lining up my phone on the street, I booted up the camera app. Then, I double checked the angle. I need that lamppost to be there, I thought, carefully adjusting the camera. Trying to capture my nearby surroundings, standing on The Mall leading up to Buckingham Palace, was so important to me. Not because I was a keen photographer. Instead, I was cross-referencing another photo I’d always treasured. It was a snap my dad Antonio had taken in the 1960s during a trip to the UK. Studying it, I wanted to create an exact replica. Although Dad passed away in 1977, aged 50, and couldn’t be in the picture again, I’d planned a replacement – me. Standing in his footsteps was an idea I came up with in the 1990s.…

Walking through the Italian streets, I relished our family holiday. With my wife Sophie, now 53, and our children Stephen, 23, and Katherine, 21, we’d driven to Tuscany for the trip of a lifetime. We travelled as much as we could, making memories. But when we returned to the UK in 2017, our paradise came crashing down. I spotted a large spot on my left forearm. It might be a bite, I assumed. After a few weeks though, it didn’t go down. ‘You should get that checked out,’ Sophie said. Heading to my GP, they referred me to Borders General Hospital for a biopsy. And two weeks later, doctors confirmed I had stage 2 melanoma – skin cancer. The large spot had evolved into a cancerous cyst. That can’t be…

Waiting nervously for Dad to arrive, I wasn’t sure how our meet up was about to go. He’s going to be so mad, I thought as I glanced at my little secret. Having moved into the flat Dad bought as an investment, I’d welcomed my first baby…without telling him! Only, his new grandchild was a four-legged ball of fluff and I wasn’t sure how he’d react. But the second my dad Russell laid eyes on Herbie, my Staffie-cross-Beagle, he soon warmed to my little furball. Although, he told my mum Janette a different story! ‘That dog’s scratched all my sofa,’ he complained. Typical Dad. He always found something to moan about – it was just the way he was. Most of the time, it just made me and my brother…

Complete the grid then read down the shaded squares to reveal the hidden answer. Clue: Type of spacecraft (6,6). ACROSS 1 __ Spaeny, star of films Priscilla and Pacific Rim: Uprising (6) 4 Controls (8) 10 Winchester __, 1966 hit by the New Vaudeville Band (9) 11 Spike __, actor who played Louis in TV series Tell Me Everything (5) 12 __ Drew, 2019–23 TV series based on the children’s mystery books by Carolyn Keene (5) 13 Domestic murine pests (5,4) 14 Beth __, gymnast who won the 2013 series of Dancing on Ice (7) 16 Tree-like beasts in Lord of the Rings (4) 19 __ Sharif, star of films Doctor Zhivago and Lawrence of Arabia (4) 21 __ Story, 1995 Madonna single (7) 24 The __, 2021 woodworking TV…

Checking your skin is easy – some might even say it’s as easy as ABC The ABCDEFG rule is the simple way to determine whether a mole or growth on your skin may be cancerous. It’s the same method doctors will use when they perform a skin check to detect melanoma. But what exactly does each letter stand for? Assymmetry – an assymetrical mole should be shown to your doctor Border – moles with uneven borders Colour – moles with two or more colours Diameter – any moles larger than 5mm Elevation – a mole that is becoming raised. Firm – show any firm moles to your doctor. Growing – a mole showing signs of change, including in size and shape. If you see two or more warning signs, see…

Kevin’s book, Stories of Cancer and Hope, is a collection of short, real-life stories from those living with or affected by cancer. But this is no negative tale. The book aims to spread positivity and offer comfort to readers who may be going through a similar experience. Collating 39 different individual stories from those who have lived with all different types of cancer, you are bound to find a voice you might relate to, helping to tackle isolation after a diagnosis. And the best part is, £1 from the sale of every book will be donated to Maggie’s, too, helping to fund their cancer care centres. Stories of Cancer and Hope by Kevin Donaghy is available to buy on Amazon from £7.99…

Coffee Pod Creations, etsy.com What do you do with your old coffee pods? Do you chuck them in the bin? Have you thought about wearing them? Set up by Vicky Knight, Coffee Pod Creations is a small business that turns discarded coffee pods into earrings and necklaces. In glittering greens, rich reds and moody blues, these pieces look a million dollars – you’d never guess they came out of the recycling bin! They are stylishly sustainable. Prices start at £12. Who knows, next time you pop a coffee pod in the machine, it might end up round your neck, too! Poo brew… Kopi luwak or civet coffee is some of the most expensive coffee in the world – but you won’t believe what’s in it. In Indonesia, palm civet cats…

HAVE YOU HEARD ABOUT 52-BALL BINGO YET? It’s a bit of a mixture of 90-ball and 75-ball bingo, but using playing cards – hence ‘52’ in the name! For most 52-ball bingo games, you’ll get five cards (instead of bingo tickets) and your goal is to fill your cards as the numbers are called. We have two 52-ball bingo rooms at Pick Me Up! Bingo – Suit Up and Bingo Roulette. MYSTERY JACKPOTS BINGO Love a surprise? Then Mystery Jackpots is the Bingo room for you! Mystery Jackpots are selected at random from a range of prizes displayed in the room. The prize is then revealed 10 seconds before the game begins. Once revealed, the Jackpot becomes ‘fixed’. The game will then start and will follow the rules of the…

Rooting for you Plugging all your efforts into communal gardening is bound to brighten up your local area. But what’s in it for you? According to the RHS, gardening is one of the best forms of aerobic exercise, helping to boost your overall strength, stamina and flexibility. Research has shown that exercising in the great outdoors can have significant health benefits, both physically and mentally. Not only that, but communal gardening can reduce loneliness – particularly within the elderly – by promoting new friendships and working towards one big shared goal. It’s a win-win activity! Make a difference Community gardening is a great way to participate in a rewarding hobby and spend time outdoors, especially if you don’t have your own garden. But what difference does tending to a shared…

Pushing my trolley through the supermarket, it was like I was possessed. Arriving at the same aisles as always, I filled my trolley with multipacks of sausage rolls, share bags of chocolate and ready meals. But this wasn’t my weekly shop. I would eat this in one sitting – by myself. Heading to the self-scanners, I didn’t want anyone to see how much junk was in my trolley. And if I saw someone I knew, I would duck in shame. At 25st 5lb and a size 32, I was ashamed about my weight. Ironically, I loved cooking fresh, healthy meals. I was a whizz at whipping up curries and my favourite meal was a jacket potato with tuna mayo. But if I’d had a bad day, my emotions would take…

No matter what your diagnosis may be, going through cancer can feel isolating. But just like Kevin, you can find a life-changing support network by connecting with others. The charity Maggie’s provides different types of care and support for those affected by cancer. Support groups – run by a psychologist or cancer support specialist, you can unpack the emotional impacts of cancer in a safe space – for those going through it and their families. Networking groups – Maggie’s brings together people with the same type of cancer, offering tailored information on treatment options and techniques to improve wellbeing. Courses and workshops – offering days out for children and young people, courses on managing cancer-related stress and even a post-treatment course, Maggie’s can help you find your feet when it…

Pointing my toes and adjusting my position, I loved dancing. And having been performing for the past nine years, I knew there was always one familiar face in the audience. My mum Catherine, 51. You could call her a crazy dance mum, but she was also my biggest supporter. From bejewelling my costumes with diamanté to cheering the loudest, she was a huge presence. In fact, the whole family would describe Mum as a pocket rocket – short and fiery. Dancing round the house, singing ABBA at the top of her lungs, she was always down for a boogie – dragging me into it, too. With me, Mum and our Beagle Daisy at home, we were close. My sister Laura, 29, lived just round the corner, as did my dad…

Rob & Romesh vs Hollywood Stunts, Sky Comedians Rob Beckett and Romesh Ranganathan are back with a bang as they throw themselves into the world of Hollywood stuntmen. Flying out to LaLa Land, our heroes meet up with The Fall Guy stars Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt, before training with the film’s director David Leitch. Back in the UK, Rob and Romesh get to perform a genuine stunt as they find themselves heading from Hollywood…to Hollyoaks! The Secret World of Children, Channel 5 For Amber, Theo and Theodora, the first job of the day is cleaning troughs with toilet plungers on the farm. When boss Tom tells them he’ll choose the best worker for a special job of grooming guinea pigs though, rebellion ensues. Given some money as a reward, they…