Table of contents for 20 June 2024 in Chat

We’ve a couple of lovely friendship stories this week. First up, forget what they say about man’s best friend, when it comes to little girls – it turns out cows are better than dogs! It’s hard to say who is cuter – Sophie, 3, or her bovine bestie Buttons (p23). Later in the mag, Alex shares a special connection that started with a message in a bottle, thrown into the sea way back in 1997. We hope both stories make you smile. Have a great week,…

TRUE-LIFE As my family walked along the beach, I trailed behind. My stepdad, Richard, then 30, looked over his shoulder. ‘Come on, sweetie,’ he smiled, reaching to take my hand. It was 1992, and we were enjoying a family holiday in Cornwall. Aged 10, I absolutely loved my new stepdad. He’d only been in our lives for a year. My mum, then 30, and my biological dad split when I was a baby. Richard was the father I never had. Always attentive and loving to Mum. Caring towards me. Never shied away from cuddles, either. But over time, he became more touchy-feely, always tickling me or play fighting. Then one day in 1996, when I was 14, I was home alone with Richard. As I sat on my bed, he…

According to the 2021 Census of England and Wales, what was the most widely spoken language behind English and Welsh? Make three nine-letter words using all of these three-letter sections and enter them in the grid as the starter letters indicate. Then make an anagram of the letters in the shaded squares to form the answer to this question. PHO TLY REC TOC INS ISE TAN OPY OGN WIN 5 x £20 Puzzle 3 Your answer: TO ENTER Turn to page 56 for details or visit comps.lifedeathprizes.com/puzzles…

Sizes from 6-22 F&F at Tesco STYLE TIP This designer-inspired matching top and shorts set is real steal. A must-have for your hols. Sizes from 8-24 Tu at Sainsbury's STYLE TIP Breathe new life into your wardrobe with smart tailoring pieces that you can mix and match with existing pieces. Sizes from 8-24 George at Asda STYLE TIP Perfect for a summeroccasion outfit. Snap up this stunning satin slip dress before it sells out. Sizes from 8-22 Nutmeg at Morrisons STYLE TIP Opt for a larger size in this shirt, it transforms into an excellent beach cover-up when layered over a swimsuit.…

True-life PATIENT CASEBOOK Pushing through the pain, I tried my best to keep up with my friends. ‘Wait for me!’ I yelled. It was 1974 and, aged 6, I was having fun forging friendships at school. Easy in the classroom, but in the playground my limp slowed me down. I was still learning to live with the congenital hip dysplasia that I’d been born with. As a baby, I’d spent months in plaster from my chest down to my ankles, keeping my legs in a froglike position. The aim was to correct the hip dislocation I had as a result of my condition. It failed. So I did my best to keep up with my pals, trying to ignore the wobbles and pain. Over the years I was in and…

As me and my husband Patrick, 29, pulled up at a neighbouring farm, I hopped out of the Jeep along with our daughter Sophie, then 3. ‘Do you want to see some cows?’ I asked. ‘Yes!’ she cried. She tottered along in her purple unicorn wellies. Then we saw her. A brown newborn calf with a white face and big brown eyes. The farmer had told us the calf’s mum didn’t have any milk, and he suggested we adopt her. ‘Let’s keep her!’ Sophie squealed, jumping up and down. With that, we lifted the calf into the back of the Jeep and drove to our own farm. I’d grown up on a sheep farm and had lived on this one for seven years. It never got boring. We had plenty…

KEEP COOL GREAT VALUE BOLD BRIGHTS…

She won't give me grandkids Q My only daughter keeps saying she doesn’t want kids, but I’ve always wanted to be a grandma. I’ve just always assumed that one day I would be. And now my friends are starting to have grandkids, I’m heartbroken. Do you think she’ll change her mind? Rachel, 51 A Bless you, sweetheart. I do feel for you, but if your girl doesn’t want kids, it’s up to her. We did not put our kids on this earth to give us grandchildren. If there are other kiddies in your life, there’s nothing to stop you being the best great aunt or neighbour to them. Who wouldn’t want an extra granny to spoil them rotten? Do I have a drink problem? Q I’m a little worried about…

TRUE-LIFE Following my big sister around the supermarket, I stayed close. Everything felt safer when Katherine was nearby. At the till, she nervously wrote a cheque, before we scurried out. There was no money in the account, but we didn’t have a choice. It was March 2000 and at home, Katherine, then 14, made beans on toast for me, then 8, and our brother Nathan, 10. Mum struggled sometimes, so Katherine stepped in. ‘You’ll be late for school!’ she’d say after ensuring I had a tummy full of breakfast in the mornings. Meanwhile, our three older brothers lived with our grandparents. Katherine did her best, just a child herself. But that September, me, Nathan and Katherine were taken into care. For a few months, Katherine and I stayed with the…

14-20 June 2024 Aries 21 March-20 April As the Summer Solstice approaches, tap into the creative ideas coming to you now and express this side of yourself more to feel freer and much more energised. ● Call 0905 817 0690* for more Taurus 21 April-21 May With Mars now in your sign, you have even more determination than usual to persevere and attain your career goals. Reach for the stars and believe in yourself. ● Call 0905 817 0691* for more Gemini 22 May-21 June Make the most of the last few days of the Sun in your sign, giving you extra energy to socialise, network and communicate your most exciting ideas to others. ● Call 0905 817 0692* for more Cancer 22 June-23 July Mercury and Venus move into…

Q I’m going on holiday and can only take minimal luggage -how can I save space when I’m packing my beauty products? Simone Palfrey, Dorset A Get miniature versions of your favourite products and keep them as a set in your washbag to repack each time you go away. You can buy individual minis at Boots or Superdrug (this time of year, they usually have them on offer at three for the price of two). Buying a set can save money – Caudalíe Travel Essentials Edit, £19, John Lewis & Partners, includes skincare and body care and comes in a handy pouch. For even more savings, you could decant your existing products into travel-friendly bottles, like Multi Silicone Travel Bottles (four in a pack), £4.50, Primark. They’re also collapsible and…

Chat winners issue 12 (21 March) £1,001 CASH A Griffiths-Jenkins, Haverfordwest £500 CASH T Clarey, Cheltenham C Wheeler, Altrincham £250 CASH M Adams, Telford D Hallett, Milton Keynes £200 CASH M Taylor, Barnsley £100 CASH J Withers, Tamworth H Fountain, Kettering R Parker, Telford £50 CASH M Lloyd, Hereford V Gomersall, Isle of Man S Pope, Marlborough P Taylor, Bristol M Bamford, Glasgow J Dewbery, Cromer £40 CASH S Waller, Sheffield £30 CASH A Bateman, Wottonunder-Edge E Falvi, Hartlepool £25 CASH M Bhatti, London M Tuck, Lutterworth Anyone from your town in the list this week..? £20 CASH K Cassin, Salford M Nickson, Preston J Phillips, Tenby E McDermott, Liverpool P Mellan, St Helens A Noakes, Brighton I Steel, Tilbury C Temlett, Plymouth M Morris, Kettering C Hepworth, Wakefield G…

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Who would be model Kendall Jenner’s dream dinner guest? To find out, solve the crossword then read down the shaded squares to find the two-word prize answer. WIN £1,001 Puzzle 4 ACROSS 11 Relatives (6) 12 South American country (9) 13 Religious song (4) 14 Pink wading bird (8) 15 Prod gently (5) 16 Lethal (6) 17 Fastest land animal (7) 18 Town in which The Simpsons is set (11) 20 Most bad (5) 22 Unidentified or without a name (9) 24 Begin (5) 28 David _, Doctor Who actor (7) 29 Chuckled (7) 32 Place of learning (6) 34 Gentle and caring quality (8) 36 Precious gems (8) 37 Jumped (6) 39 Place to see art (7) 40 Watered down (7) 45 Thierry _, former footballer (5) 47 Vegetable also known as an eggplant (9) 48 Zac _, 17 Again actor (5) 51 Measure of warmth (11) 53 String instruments (7) 55 German…

Skin cancer concern Q I have a brown mark on my forearm and it’s become crusty. Should I be worried? Molly, Maidstone A This should be checked by a dermatologist. While not all brown marks are cancerous, changes like crusting can be concerning. There are three main types of skin cancer: malignant melanoma, often found in brown moles; squamous cell carcinoma, appearing as ulcers that crust over and don’t heal; and basal cell carcinoma, characterised by slow growth without spreading. Dermatologists use the ABCDE rule to assess lesions: asymmetry, border irregularity, colour variation, diameter larger than a pencil eraser and evolution over time. If your mark shows any of these features, further investigation is needed. Sometimes a biopsy may be recommended to examine a small sample under a microscope. Early…

1 Get to the point Acupuncture triggers specific areas on the skin that stimulate sensory nerves and muscles below the surface, helping people feel less bothered by hot flushes*. Look for an acupuncturist at acupuncture.org.uk. Hate needles? Try acupressure instead. To relieve panic, press the centre of your palm with the thumb on your other hand. Increase the pressure steadily as you breathe out. Hold for three to seven seconds, then release. 2 Breathe deep Manage flushes with coherent breathing (a form of breathing that involves taking long slow breaths), says Stuart Sandeman of Breathpod. ‘It reduces heart rate and activates the vagus nerve, which runs from your brain to your diaphragm, stopping the chain reaction of anxiety and flushes.’ Breathe in for four, breathe out for six – slowly. Repeat for 10 minutes, twice…

TRUE-LIFE On a blustery day, I stooped on the Tenby shoreline with my mum Valerie, then 36, beside me. She handed me a small bottle. Inside was a scrap of paper from a birthday party invitation. A note Mum had written for me, with our address on it along with a little message. If found, please return… Address to Alex. It was 1997, I was 6 and we were on a family holiday. I looked out to sea and tossed the bottle as far as I could. As the waves carried it away, I grinned up at Mum. ‘I wonder if someone will find it,’ I said. ‘You never know,’ she winked back Mum was so lovely and kind. She was always taking me and my little brother Daniel, then…

In 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic put a stop to Jackie Koorn’s 10-year kick-boxing hobby, she turned to fitness and weightlifting instead. Pumping 40kg weights – just as a warm-up – she quickly built up her strength. ‘In three years, I became world news,’ she explains. ‘I could pull up 200kg,’ she says – the equivalent of a grand piano! And her ‘big, curvy muscles’ have now reached an astonishing 64cm, making them bigger than Arnold Schwarzenegger’s biceps at the peak of his bodybuilding career. ‘Sorry, Arnie,’ Jackie, from Schagen in the Netherlands, says with a laugh. ‘I always used to train two to three hours a day, with a lot of weights,’ she explains. After three years, she joined a professional wrestling academy in Amsterdam, where she met wrestling…

Chicken and chickpea salad Chermoula is a herby spice paste that adds plenty of flavour to this dish. SERVES 6 PREP 15 MINS, PLUS 30 MINS MARINATING COOK 25 MINS ● 1kg chicken thighs ● 130g chermoula spice paste ● 400g tin chickpeas, drained and rinsed ● 3tbsp olive oil ● 300g wholewheat giant couscous ● Juice ½ lemon ● 100g spinach ● 50g flaked almonds ● 50g dried apricots, chopped 1 Put the chicken in a ceramic or glass bowl, then rub with the chermoula, reserving 1tbsp. Marinate in the fridge for at least 30 mins or overnight. 2 Heat the oven to 180C Fan/ Gas 6. Transfer the chicken to a roasting tray, then bake for 25 mins, or until the juices run clear and the chicken is tender.…

TRUE-LIFE Smiling at the gorgeous man across the table, I felt giddy. It was June 2008, I was 19, and on a first date with Hewton, 24, at our local Chinese restaurant. We had met at a construction site where I worked in the canteen and he was a labourer. Hewton’s specs gave him a bookish look but I noticed tattoos on his neck. ‘What do the lightning bolts mean?’ I asked. ‘That I’m an assassin for hire,’ Hewton smiled. He’s teasing me, I thought. Hewton was charming and funny. Within weeks, we were living together. He even insisted on coming out with my friends. ‘He hates it when we’re apart,’ I explained to them. I’d never had much confidence and lapped up Hewton’s attention. When the construction job ended…

Lacura Wonder Mask, £4.99, Aldi This time of year can wreak havoc on your hair. Swap your conditioner for a weekly hair mask to keep it healthy and to nourish straggly strands. This option from Aldi works brilliantly. It uses natural ingredients, including algae and blue sea kale, to help strengthen and heal even the most damaged hair, so it’s left lovely and silkysmooth, soft and easy to manage. Natural Collection Skin Tint, £5, Boots The Natural Collection is one of Boots’ most-loved own-brand collections and it’s just had a huge revamp. With over 100 new products launching, we’re spoilt for choice but its Skin Tint is well worth highlighting. It evens out your complexion with light coverage, giving the perfect ‘your skin, but better’ finish. It’s available in 20…

BEHIND THE BIG CRIME TRUE-LIFE Lifelong Birmingham FC fan Frank McKeever walked along a north London street with a spring in his step. It was August 2021 and it’d been a difficult year. Frank, 63, had been left devastated after losing his wife the year before. She’d been poorly for years, and he’d devoted his life to looking after her. Afterwards, he found himself without much of a social life or many friends. But he’d always had a zest for life and, recently, he’d started getting out again. He’d set himself up with an email account and reconnected with family, after losing touch. Even got an Oyster card, which he was using to travel around London. In three days, he’d celebrate his birthday. It was clear that Frank was embarking on…

Dear Helen, As I watched my boys jump on the bouncy castle that chilly day in November 2022, I wasn’t expecting to meet a kindred spirit. But there you were. ‘Hi, I’m Helen. Thanks for coming along,’ you smiled, introducing yourself. We were at a family day for Brightest Stars, a bereavement support group that you ran. As we chatted, I learned we were both there for the same tragic reason. We’d lost our husbands – and, sensing you knew my pain, I found myself opening up. I told you how I’d been happily married to Hughie for five years when he was diagnosed with a rare bone cancer. Our son Rory was 4 and I was two months pregnant with our second. Hughie was so strong, having an op…

Which do you like best, horror films or romcoms? I’m not a huge film buff but I do love Pretty Woman, so I’d have to say romcoms out of those two options. Where’s the last place you visited in the UK? London, for my brother’s wedding. It was such a special day and my nephew was so excited to wear his ‘London clothes’ and my niece couldn’t wait to see ‘Daddy’s London’ as she knows her dad travels there a lot. Do you have any hidden talents? Not really, though I have just qualified as a level three basketball table official – the person responsible for keeping control of the game clock, shot clock, points scored, fouls committed. It’s not a secret as I’ll talk to anyone and everyone about…

In the computing abbreviation DNS, for what does the D stand? The answer to each clue (apart from the first) begins with the last letter of the preceding answer. The shaded squares will spell out the one-word prize answer. WIN £100 Puzzle 2 1 Foot part (7) 2 Western European Grand Duchy (10) 3 Warranty (9) 4 Dig for archaeological remains (8) 5 Sidled (5) 6 Jazz trumpeter, _ Gillespie (5) 7 _ Warder, Tower of London guard (6) 8 Christmas (4) 9 Legendary naked tax protester (4,6) 10Gigantic South American semiaquatic snake (8) 11 Name made up of initial letters (7) 12Pre-nuptial surname (6,4) 13 Volcanic action (8) 14Identically named person (8) 15Short trip to perform a task (6) 16_ Judi Dench or _ Helen Mirren (4) Your answer:…

TRUE-LIFE YOU’RE THE JUDGE! At the crack of dawn on a chilly winter’s morning, Jacqueline Vigil was getting ready to go to the gym. The 55-year-old grandmother led an active lifestyle, loved spending time with her grandkids. She lived with her husband Sam and worked at a nursery in her home town of Albuquerque, New Mexico. Looking after children seemed to be her calling. Busy with her job, and her college classes where she was training to be a teacher, Jacqueline would head to the gym early. So at 5am on 19 November 2019, she jumped into her Cadillac. Baseball cap on, ready to work out, like she did every weekday. Only, as she drove out of her garage, a brown Jeep pulled up behind her, blocking her exit. The…

Q I’m 30 years old and my discharge changes throughout the month. Is this an STI? Kat, Salford A Vaginal discharge can vary depending on a woman’s menstrual cycle and is usually nothing to worry about. Normal discharge is typically colourless or milky, and women may have small or large amounts. Unusual discharge, which could point to a sexually transmitted infection (STI), may change in colour or consistency and may have an odour. Green or yellow discharge can indicate STIs like gonorrhoea, while greyish, watery discharge is common in bacterial vaginosis. If you notice any unusual discharge it’s best to see your GP. Regular STI screenings are recommended too, especially if you’re sexually active or have multiple partners, to ensure early detection and treatment.…

The 1973 ‘Bike Ride’ TV advert for Hovis bread, which is often named among the UK’s most iconic ever, was directed by which Hollywood director? To find out, solve the puzzle… Add a letter anywhere in each of the boxed-off words to fit the clue, eg, Fight = BAWL + R = BRAWL. Write the added letter in the space provided. Read down the added letters to spell out the prize answer. WIN 2 x £25 Puzzle 9 Your answer: TO ENTER Turn to page 56 for details or visit comps.lifedeathprizes.com/puzzles…

3 ways to… save on your car insurance With the average premium now £892*, here’s how to cut your costs… 1 The golden rule Never just let your car insurance auto-renew, always shop around to find the best deal. And get in early. Research by Go.Compare found its customers saved over 44% on average by buying their car insurance 27 days before their renewal date, compared with those renewing on the day**. Search price comparison sites and also get quotes from insurers that aren’t on price comparison sites, like NFU Mutual and Direct Line. Once you’ve found the best deal on the cover you need it’s worth going back to your existing insurer to see if they’ll match or beat it. 2 Read the small print When comparing policies, be sure…

London Grace Nail Polish in Billy, £12, londongracepolish.com A manicure in a bright colour lifts the mood and this zingy orange is a particular joy-sparker. It will pair perfectly with a tan and an Aperol spritz! E45 Sun Care Sensitive Lotion SPF 50+, £13.99, Boots E45’s suncare is suitable for sensitive and eczemaprone skin, moisturising while it protects it from harmful UV rays. The lotion is also lightweight and absorbs very quickly. BYOMA Liptide pH Lip Oil, £9.99, cultbeauty.co.uk Nourish and soothe your pout, while adding a subtle pop of colour with BYOMA’s newest launch. The lip oil has peptides to leave lips not only looking smoother but fuller. E.l.f. Power Grip Dewy Setting Spray, £10, Superdrug Lock your make-up in place while giving your skin a dewy, radiant finish with…